Office chairs for short people

[emrldsky]

So my husband and I have been talking about getting me a new office chair for several reasons, but one of the biggest is comfort. I'm 5'2" tall and my current chair depth is 19". That means if I sit properly in the chair: it's height is at the lowest it can go, and the chair seat hits me right at the back of my knees. We figured I'd need a chair with a seat of 17" in depth at the MOST.

Problem is, it seems I'll either need a child's chair, or order one online.

I know we don't want to spend hundreds (no more than $200) at the most, so one of those nice ergonomic chairs won't do.

Does anyone have a brand they think is good? We've got time to look, since we'll probably wait a month or so to save up.

 

[mews2much]

I wish I could help you because I need one also.
I am only 4'9.

 

[taterbug]

Do you have an Office Max near you? We found my daughter one there that had a depth of 16 inches for school. She's only 3 ft 11 inches and it fit her wonderfully. They had several different styles and sizes to choose from. But, that was a couple of years ago.

 

[starryeyedtiger]

I'm 4'11'' and I have never sat in a comfortable office chair that was the right height for me

not even the adjustable ones!

 

[trixie23]

I wish I knew the brand of my chair. I got it from Office Max. It was $100 or more and it is black mesh. The height is adjustable and the back of the chair flexes. I am 5' and this chair suits me well. It isn't leather or super classy looking but it fits the bill for comfort. Oh and my cats love it... They are always climbing up the back and using it as a scratching device (the one downfall of a mesh chair). Best of luck!

 

[emy4cats]

I am 5'1" and I have the same problem. I usually just sit in the chair and then sit cross-legged in the chair. I know its really bad for cirulation, but it is the only way I can be comfortable in the chairs.

 

[natalie_ca]

Why not just invest in a small step stool that you can put your feet on when you are sitting in the chair? You can get a 6" step stool at Walmart for about $12.00.

 

[theimp98]

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I'm 4'11'' and I have never sat in a comfortable office chair that was the right height for me

not even the adjustable ones!

i dont think tey make comfortable ones

i am 6 foot 3 and never found a good chair yet thas cheaper then 600 dollars

 

[catsallover]

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Why not just invest in a small step stool that you can put your feet on when you are sitting in the chair? You can get a 6" step stool at Walmart for about $12.00.

I don't think it's the height that is so uncomfortable, but the chair seat from front to back being too long. I'm 5' 1" and have this same problem- if I sit properly in the seat (up straight and sitting all the way to the back of the chair), either the front edge of the seat hits uncomfortably in the back of my knees or the backs of my calves! I do a lot of cross legged chair sitting too

.

I'm looking for a new desk chair too, so I'm gonna be reading along- let us know what you find?

 

[mews2much]

That is part of the reason I always use a laptop instead of the desktop.
The chair hurts my back and neck alot and I sit cross legged in it.

 

[tavia'smom]

I don't know about office chairs, but I know with our recliners my feet don't touch the floor, or even close to it and I am 5'4" and the same goes for our cedar glider rockers on the front porch. but then again I have a long torso and short legs. But it is hard for me to find comfy office chairs at work. But then again you can't sit back on the ones at work or they will flip backwards with you. I had a cheapo from walmart and it wasn't comfy but it was the cheapest one they had.

 

[tavia'smom]

and not being sure what you all mean by cross legged, having a silly day, I sit Indian style alot so that also makes it difficult for me to find a good chair as I need one with arms but wide enough to sit with my legs curled up as that's my favorite way to sit.

 

[mews2much]

I mean indian style.

 

[laureen227]

Originally Posted by emrldsky

I know we don't want to spend hundreds (no more than $200) at the most, so one of those nice ergonomic chairs won't do.

Does anyone have a brand they think is good? We've got time to look, since we'll probably wait a month or so to save up.

i got one similar to this for using at school. the kids are 2nd & 3rd grade [pre-K thru 2nd prior to this current year] & so my tables are pretty short - plus, i'm only 5'2", so prefer a shorter chair. this one is adjustable, height-wise. oh, & i don't like arms on mine - i have a tendency to pinch my arms or fingers when rolling close to the table. chair

also, IKEA has rolling desk chairs - check our their online catalog!

 

[GoldyCat]

I have the opposite problem, have a really hard time finding a chair that will go high enough to be comfortable. I went to several different office supply stores (Office Max, Staples, maybe another one) and tried out all the chairs they had on display. I actually ended up with one of the cheapest ones. You need to go when you have time to sit in each chair for at least 5-10 minutes. Some you will be able to tell immediately that they don't fit, but it can still take a fair amount of time.

 

[jalindal]

Do you have any second hand office supply stores near you? I bought a plush executive leather chair- the most comfortable thing I've ever sat in- for AUD$60 earlier this year. The shop I went to had a HUGE range of different chairs, all second hand and pre-loved. If you don't mind someone else's botty having been in your chair for a while before you get it, it's a good way to go. Cheap, and some places have a really big range- they might have the chair you need.

 

[tuxedokitties]

Is this for your home office, or for an outside office? If it's for your home office, you might find using an exercise ball as a chair to be a solution - just choose one the right size for your height, and you can get a stabilizer ring to hold it in place. That's what I use for home sitting - I have the opposite problem so I just use a large ball. It's very comfortable and healthy for the back, so long as you use good posture.

 

[emrldsky]

Well, we went to Office Depot last night, and I sat in a bunch of chairs. I found a really nice task chair, but it didn't have arms (booo). So I sat in a few more and found a nice leather one, with a sloping seat and a waterfall back (so my back is up against the chair back, but the seat isn't hitting the back of my knees). Luckily, they had it in black leather (the one I sat in was brown). I got it home, put it together and voila! I have a chair that fits.

 

[tavia'smom]

Glad you found a good chair. I would have liked the brown leather chair.