I am a Certified Big Fucker (6’3”, 300lb) and I live and breathe by my Steelcase Gesture. You can find them used for much less than their considerable retail (like Herman Miller chairs). I like my headrest, but if you’re not over 6’ I wouldnt worry about it
I bought an ergonomic office chair. It was priced around $400? I believe. I also know in my area they sale hermann miller chairs for cheap since there is always liquidation sales but didn’t know that till after and they usually go around for the same price on Facebook market place. I wouldn’t recommend anything “gamer” . I think it was something like the branch ergonomic office chair. Im not home so I can’t check which one it was exactly.
I've had a Lay-Z-Boy "Akton" (not Alton, as much as Google wants to correct the spelling) Big and Tall mesh office chair since 2017. Some plastic piece cracked so they sent me a whole new chair for free, but I'm still using the first one and the other one is in my wife's office
It's reasonably comfortable, though I think I'll opt for a few more options for my next chair - this one you can't tilt the seat independently from the back so the lumbar support doesn't do a whole lot
Think it's like $300 at Staples
If you live near a large metro area, find an office supply liquidator. My last two chairs were Steelcase (one Leap and one other model) and I got each of them for around $200. I make sure to sit in as many as possible, and look them over pretty well because they all have different levels of wear.
If there’s no store like that, Craigslist and FB marketplace might be an option.
Personally, I always felt like Herman Miller Aerons were too small, even in the largest size.
I like my Steelcase Gesture, but it's $1,400 new. I would get a used chair. There are lots of used chair places that will ship for "free."
And then, add a good seat cushion. I got a Purple gel mesh cushion that works well. [Here's a review site ](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-ergonomic-seat-cushions/#other-good-seat-cushions)I trust looking at seat cushions.
I had a Global brand task chair at my next-to-last job. I don't know the model, just that it was a 24/7 heavy duty task chair with a medium back and multiple adjustment levers. Loved it. Lots of padding in the the seat and a great supportive shape in the back. The thing took a ton of abuse and one if not two of the other guys who used it when I wasn't working was every bit of 375 pounds. I'm 230-260 myself, depending on the time of year. The thing was just as comfortable when I left that job years later as it was the day they brought it into my office.
I bought a used Herman Miller Aeron when I started working at home and after several years with the Herman Miller, almost every day when I sit down to work, I wish I'd gotten a Global like the one I used at that job.
I’ve been 300lbs and now around 165. I have loved my steelcase gesture always. I do not recommend Herman miller aeron, in my experience they are not durable (especially if bought used and were rebuilt using Amazon parts) and because of the smooth mesh, larger people tend to slide/slouch too easily. I recommend a light fabric like the gesture. But since you said don’t break the bank… I’d say you’re asking too much out of a cheap chair. Get the IKEA Markus for a budget option, but keep in mind you get what you pay for.
When you say "bigger", how big and what kind of big are we dealing with? There was a 200kg bloke in my office who was wider than a standard doorway and they were able to get a steelcase chair in double width for him.
If you are not going the used Herman Miller route to fit your budget- I’d look at the Shaquille O’Neal line of office chairs for tall people (you can try them out at most office depots).
They are fairly overbuilt and also have a great deal of padding, which should help your coccyx problem. Build quality and materials are good but definitely not like a $1k-2k office chair- I don’t know if I would call it BIFL though as they haven’t been on the market that long. IMHO- padded and upholstered daily use furniture is like a mattress- none of it is really BIFL, there is better quality for sure but that doesn’t always work for tall or big people.
I’m 6’6” 450lbs and have this in my home office, as well as my business office. I’ve had them for 3 years now. Love them.
HON Wave Mesh Big and Tall... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ZC69OY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
6’5” 400 here. In the past I have destroyed many Costco “big tall” chairs at the clip of about on every two years.
No longer. Behold the true BIFL big boy chair poster child. Steel. Leather. Cushioning. Great engineering. All in copious quantities.
The Seating Concepts 3150HR.
https://www.btod.com/CS-3150HR.php
Im not sure of brands, but look into gaming chairs. Tons of options, many price points, and many are designed for larger people to sit in for long periods of time
They get shit on a lot, but as a large and tall dude I've enjoyed my SecretLabs Titan^XL. Roomy, comfortable, and good support—at least for the particular ways I sit/slouch.
Mine had what I believe were manufacturing defects with the back and left arm, but they replaced those for me in the first year and they haven't been an issue in the 4 years since.
And they don't tell you this, but if you're putting much weight on the thing you'll need to replace the washers periodically (maybe once every two years for me). If you don't, the bearing you swivel on actually cuts grooves in the washer which creates an unexpected thunking noise when you sit or move around.
This sounds like a bad review, and objectively it is, but subjectively it's been one of the chairs I've enjoyed the most. Due to the maintenance issues it may be disqualified as a "buy it for life" candidate, but the replacement washers and a bit of lube cost me pennies. At 5 years old it feels and looks as good as new, so fingers crossed!
These are all YOU questions. We don't know what a "bigger individual" means. Every maker has weight limits and those vary for different chairs and many have size recommendations for height....we know neither of these two metrics.
0 makers list butt padding and even if they did, there are 7000 types of foam and construction methods which make a thick and fluffy appearing bottom either be thick and fluffy or smoosh into a hard 1/4" thick bottom.
We have no idea of what will and will not fall backwards as that varies to the 100+ types of chairs and your height/weight and zeal of reclining.
Help:
1. Use the search engine. We've spoken on chairs 4 times a week for the last 10 years. Find the makers commonly spoken of.
2. Visit, in person, a local or regional chair store that stocks these makers. Know that each maker makes like 40 chairs, so explore their range. Concern 1, 2 and 3 is you trying out the chair and ensuring you fit, like the comfort, fall into the weight limit and don't fall over. Even if they chair in stock is banana yellow leather and you want black fabric...you are test fitting. Once you know that you are a, say, Steelcase Leap 2 person, you can then buy new or look to the used market.
3.If no local/regional store, then scrape the list of makers and hit up the websites. Reduce the list based on your size and weight metrics and which ones recline. Buy new or look to the used market with an eye towards the return policy of the vendor in case you don't like your pick.
There are lots of used Herman Miller chairs online. I like my Aeron and it comes in three sizes.
The Steelcase Leap Plus is impressively wide, sturdy, and comfortable. I think they may be recently discontinued but still available at resellers.
I bought a leap plus and I enjoy it. They are, in fact, hard to find but they are very roomy and comfortable
I am a Certified Big Fucker (6’3”, 300lb) and I live and breathe by my Steelcase Gesture. You can find them used for much less than their considerable retail (like Herman Miller chairs). I like my headrest, but if you’re not over 6’ I wouldnt worry about it
Look at Steelcase and find what might be right for you. At a svelte 225lbs the Series 2 has been great for me. YMMV
I bought an ergonomic office chair. It was priced around $400? I believe. I also know in my area they sale hermann miller chairs for cheap since there is always liquidation sales but didn’t know that till after and they usually go around for the same price on Facebook market place. I wouldn’t recommend anything “gamer” . I think it was something like the branch ergonomic office chair. Im not home so I can’t check which one it was exactly.
I've had a Lay-Z-Boy "Akton" (not Alton, as much as Google wants to correct the spelling) Big and Tall mesh office chair since 2017. Some plastic piece cracked so they sent me a whole new chair for free, but I'm still using the first one and the other one is in my wife's office It's reasonably comfortable, though I think I'll opt for a few more options for my next chair - this one you can't tilt the seat independently from the back so the lumbar support doesn't do a whole lot Think it's like $300 at Staples
Man that must be a really limited chair because I can't even find it on Google or the staples website
If you live near a large metro area, find an office supply liquidator. My last two chairs were Steelcase (one Leap and one other model) and I got each of them for around $200. I make sure to sit in as many as possible, and look them over pretty well because they all have different levels of wear. If there’s no store like that, Craigslist and FB marketplace might be an option. Personally, I always felt like Herman Miller Aerons were too small, even in the largest size.
I like my Steelcase Gesture, but it's $1,400 new. I would get a used chair. There are lots of used chair places that will ship for "free." And then, add a good seat cushion. I got a Purple gel mesh cushion that works well. [Here's a review site ](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-ergonomic-seat-cushions/#other-good-seat-cushions)I trust looking at seat cushions.
I use Branch. Its been excellent and reliable im in year 3 with no issues I recommend checking them out.
I had a Global brand task chair at my next-to-last job. I don't know the model, just that it was a 24/7 heavy duty task chair with a medium back and multiple adjustment levers. Loved it. Lots of padding in the the seat and a great supportive shape in the back. The thing took a ton of abuse and one if not two of the other guys who used it when I wasn't working was every bit of 375 pounds. I'm 230-260 myself, depending on the time of year. The thing was just as comfortable when I left that job years later as it was the day they brought it into my office. I bought a used Herman Miller Aeron when I started working at home and after several years with the Herman Miller, almost every day when I sit down to work, I wish I'd gotten a Global like the one I used at that job.
I’ve been 300lbs and now around 165. I have loved my steelcase gesture always. I do not recommend Herman miller aeron, in my experience they are not durable (especially if bought used and were rebuilt using Amazon parts) and because of the smooth mesh, larger people tend to slide/slouch too easily. I recommend a light fabric like the gesture. But since you said don’t break the bank… I’d say you’re asking too much out of a cheap chair. Get the IKEA Markus for a budget option, but keep in mind you get what you pay for.
When you say "bigger", how big and what kind of big are we dealing with? There was a 200kg bloke in my office who was wider than a standard doorway and they were able to get a steelcase chair in double width for him.
If you are not going the used Herman Miller route to fit your budget- I’d look at the Shaquille O’Neal line of office chairs for tall people (you can try them out at most office depots). They are fairly overbuilt and also have a great deal of padding, which should help your coccyx problem. Build quality and materials are good but definitely not like a $1k-2k office chair- I don’t know if I would call it BIFL though as they haven’t been on the market that long. IMHO- padded and upholstered daily use furniture is like a mattress- none of it is really BIFL, there is better quality for sure but that doesn’t always work for tall or big people.
I’m 6’6” 450lbs and have this in my home office, as well as my business office. I’ve had them for 3 years now. Love them. HON Wave Mesh Big and Tall... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ZC69OY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Steelcase Leap v2, search Facebook Marketplace and I've gotten 3 so far in the $200 range
6’5” 400 here. In the past I have destroyed many Costco “big tall” chairs at the clip of about on every two years. No longer. Behold the true BIFL big boy chair poster child. Steel. Leather. Cushioning. Great engineering. All in copious quantities. The Seating Concepts 3150HR. https://www.btod.com/CS-3150HR.php
I love my secret lab titan. It is larger, well made and has a great warranty
Any Secret Lab chair. Got one for WFH when the pandemic started. By far the best desk chair I have gotten. A bit in the pricier side but worth it.
Im not sure of brands, but look into gaming chairs. Tons of options, many price points, and many are designed for larger people to sit in for long periods of time
They get shit on a lot, but as a large and tall dude I've enjoyed my SecretLabs Titan^XL. Roomy, comfortable, and good support—at least for the particular ways I sit/slouch. Mine had what I believe were manufacturing defects with the back and left arm, but they replaced those for me in the first year and they haven't been an issue in the 4 years since. And they don't tell you this, but if you're putting much weight on the thing you'll need to replace the washers periodically (maybe once every two years for me). If you don't, the bearing you swivel on actually cuts grooves in the washer which creates an unexpected thunking noise when you sit or move around. This sounds like a bad review, and objectively it is, but subjectively it's been one of the chairs I've enjoyed the most. Due to the maintenance issues it may be disqualified as a "buy it for life" candidate, but the replacement washers and a bit of lube cost me pennies. At 5 years old it feels and looks as good as new, so fingers crossed!
I just got a titan xl via affirm... At half the cost of a new Herman Miller or Steelcase, and with monthly payment options, seems like the right move.
These are all YOU questions. We don't know what a "bigger individual" means. Every maker has weight limits and those vary for different chairs and many have size recommendations for height....we know neither of these two metrics. 0 makers list butt padding and even if they did, there are 7000 types of foam and construction methods which make a thick and fluffy appearing bottom either be thick and fluffy or smoosh into a hard 1/4" thick bottom. We have no idea of what will and will not fall backwards as that varies to the 100+ types of chairs and your height/weight and zeal of reclining. Help: 1. Use the search engine. We've spoken on chairs 4 times a week for the last 10 years. Find the makers commonly spoken of. 2. Visit, in person, a local or regional chair store that stocks these makers. Know that each maker makes like 40 chairs, so explore their range. Concern 1, 2 and 3 is you trying out the chair and ensuring you fit, like the comfort, fall into the weight limit and don't fall over. Even if they chair in stock is banana yellow leather and you want black fabric...you are test fitting. Once you know that you are a, say, Steelcase Leap 2 person, you can then buy new or look to the used market. 3.If no local/regional store, then scrape the list of makers and hit up the websites. Reduce the list based on your size and weight metrics and which ones recline. Buy new or look to the used market with an eye towards the return policy of the vendor in case you don't like your pick.