The most common question when we review customer inquiries is: “I’m under 5.5 feet tall. How can I find a suitable office chair?” Finding an affordable office chair for petite person can be challenging, and the options are often limited.
Below is a list of office chairs that our testers, who are 5’6″ and shorter, found comfortable. These chairs are specifically designed with smaller dimensions than standard office chairs, making them a great fit for petite people.
We also recommend checking out our FAQs after the final chair on the list before purchasing. This information will help you select the right chair and explain why we chose the featured chairs.
Table of Contents
- Best Affordable Office Chair for Petite Person
- Considerations Before Choosing an Affordable Petite Office Chair
- What Size of an Office Chair is Most Suitable for a Petite Person?
- How We Tested the Chairs for Petite Person?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Why Meet&Co?
Best Affordable Office Chair for Petite Person
Best Overall – Budding Mesh Office Chair
Specifications
- Material: Mesh or fabric.
- Color: Black, gray, blue, green, or customized from our color cards.
- Warranty: 3 years.
The Budding chair consistently emerges as a top contender on our “best of” lists, and its suitability for shorter individuals further enhances its appeal. Its impressive adaptability sets the Budding apart, particularly when equipped with the optional four-way adjustable arms, which maximize the chair’s extensive adjustment range.
Designed with a low minimum seat height and adjustable seat depth, the Budding accommodates users of various sizes. Its armrests can be adjusted from 7 to 11 inches in height and offer a substantial width adjustment, allowing for a highly customized fit. This flexibility is a key factor in why Budding is often ranked as the top choice for many.
Additionally, the Budding is renowned for its extensive adjustability. It features a synchro-tilt mechanism, multiple locking positions, and two-way adjustable lumbar support. The lumbar support has a notably wide height range, reaching nearly the bottom of the backrest, which is especially beneficial for shorter users.
Beyond its exceptional sizing and adjustability, the Budding boasts remarkable build quality and one of the industry’s best warranties. With a minimum three-year warranty, it assures users of a top-tier chair built to last.
What We Like:
The Budding features a low minimum seat height, armrests that adjust in four directions, and a high weight capacity.
Best Ergonomic – Herman Miller Aeron size A
Specifications
- Material: Mesh.
- Color: Black, dark gray, light gray.
- Warranty: 12 years.
Size A is the most miniature Aeron model, designed for shorter individuals. It boasts a sleek design and high-quality build and is crafted in the USA. The chair operates smoothly and is supported by a leading twelve-year warranty.
The Aeron’s seat height is 14.75 inches, and its seat depth is 16 inches, which is smaller than typical office chairs. However, it lacks seat depth adjustment. It offers several functional upgrades and features high-quality mesh that excels in support, breathability, and comfort.
What truly distinguishes the Aeron is its recline function. It provides one of the smoothest recline experiences, with a natural rocking motion that makes it effortless to adjust your position.
What We Like:
The breathable suspension ensures you stay relaxed and comfortable. With three available chair sizes, it offers the greatest comfort for a wide range of users.
Best Adjustable – Style Executive Office Chair
Specifications
- Material: Mesh or fabric.
- Color: Blue, gray, red, or customized from our color cards.
- Warranty: 3 years.
With its array of impressive features and effortless adjustability, it’s easy to see why the Style executive chair is frequently hailed as the top choice for shorter individuals. Any reservations about its suitability were quickly dispelled once the chair was assembled and tested.
The Style chair stands out for its ergonomic design, which offers exceptional support for the lower back. This thoughtful design is especially beneficial for those seeking to prevent back issues related to a sedentary lifestyle.
The Style chair is tailored to meet the needs of shorter users and boasts comprehensive adjustability. Its armrests, seat pan, and lumbar support are all fully customizable, ensuring a perfect fit for various body types.
In terms of construction, the Style features a mesh back that promotes excellent airflow—ideal for staying cool during warm summer days. Moreover, the chair is built with high-quality materials, promising durability that exceeds the three-year warranty offered by Meet&Co. This robust construction ensures that the Style chair is a long-lasting investment in comfort and support.
What We Like:
Constructed with a polyester fabric cover, a molded foam interior, and a sturdy nylon plastic frame, the Style chair offers a level of durability and strength that is uncommon in smaller-sized chairs.
Best Value – Haworth Fern Digital Knit Task Chair
Specifications
- Material: Mesh, knit, or leather fabrics.
- Color: Black, gray, ember, deep sea.
- Warranty: 12 years.
While many office chairs focus on practicality, the Haworth Fern stands out with its stylish design. It showcases a high-back form and the brand’s unique three-part back support, making it elegant and functional. The chair offers various customization, including mesh, knit, or leather fabrics, and comes in 16 color choices to suit your office aesthetics.
In addition to its attractive design, the Haworth Fern is designed to accommodate shorter users, with a seat height that adjusts to 16.5 inches and features like forward tilt and extra lumbar support for enhanced flexibility. Its armrests can be adjusted in four directions, and the chair is made from 95% recyclable materials.
What We Like:
The chair features 4D arms that provide support for the neck and shoulders, a 5-position backstop to limit reclining, and built-in lumbar support.
Best Stylish – Logicfox Ergonomic Chair
Specifications
- Material: Mesh.
- Color: Black, purple, gray.
- Warranty: 3 years.
If you’re seeking an office chair tailored for petite frames that balances comfort and style, the Logicfox Ergonomic Chair won’t disappoint.
We appreciate how this chair seamlessly blends a professional appearance with a practical design. The flip-up arms serve a dual purpose: they save space and allow users to sit closer to their desks while maintaining armrest support.
Although the Logicfox ergonomic chair’s seat height isn’t as low as the Aeron’s lowest setting, it can still be adjusted to 18.5 inches. This height range suits individuals between 5’4″ and 5’9″. Plus, the chair’s pricing is reasonable—neither overly cheap nor excessively expensive.
What We Like:
The Logicfox ergonomic office chair offers proper lumbar support and five key support points (head, chest, back, hips, and hands). It’s designed for comfort during extended periods of sitting and has adjustable seat height, headrest, chest support, and backrest.
Best Luxury – Serta Ergonomic Executive Office Chair
Specifications
- Material: Leather.
- Color: Black, gray, ivory, chestnut.
- Warranty: 3 years.
The Serta Ergonomic Executive Office Chair is a strong contender if you’re willing to invest. It features an adjustable back for lumbar support and customizable height. Remember that the lowest seat height is approximately 21 inches, which might be better for some. However, the added cushioning compensates for this limitation.
What We Like:
The seat tilts forward to enhance core strength and flexibility, while the push-button adjustable armrests and convenient cable-actuated levers provide added comfort and ease of use.
Most Popular – Meet&Co Ergonomic Task Chair
Specifications
- Material: Mesh.
- Color: Black, gray, or customized in our color cards.
- Warranty: 3 years.
Presenting the Meet&Co Ergonomic Task Chair, a meticulously crafted office chair designed with shorter users in mind. This chair stands out with its adjustable seat height and weight-activated auto-fit tilt, ensuring exceptional comfort and support. The Meet&Co chair goes above and beyond to cater to petite users, earning its place among the top choices for shorter individuals.
Finding an office chair that offers adequate support can be difficult for people under 5’5″, often resulting in discomfort from feet that dangle above the ground. The Meet&Co chair effectively addresses this issue by ensuring that feet are properly supported on the floor, which is vital for good posture and overall well-being. Its design is thoughtfully tailored to fit smaller frames, enhancing ergonomic benefits with essential lower back support and various adjustable features. The weight-activated auto-fit tilt feature helps users maintain proper posture throughout extended periods of use.
It is important to note that some users have mentioned that the armrests are fixed and may only suit some, and a few shorter users have found that their feet only sometimes reach the ground comfortably. Nevertheless, most users highly praise the chair’s durability and significant improvements in posture and comfort, making it a strong contender for anyone seeking an office chair suited to shorter individuals.
What We Like:
If you’re petite, spend much time working at a desk, and are concerned about back discomfort from a sedentary lifestyle, this chair is ideal. It’s the perfect choice if you seek an excellent balance between ergonomic support and flexibility.
Considerations Before Choosing an Affordable Petite Office Chair
When selecting the best office chair for petite people, it’s important to consider several key features to ensure maximum comfort and support, including:
Seat Height
The first consideration when choosing an office chair is its seat height. Ideally, your knees should be at a 90-degree angle while your feet are flat on the floor. Most chairs have a seat height range of about 17 to 22 inches, which may be too high for individuals who are 5 feet 6 inches tall or shorter.
Short people should look for a chair with a minimum seat height of 16 inches. If you are 5 feet 2 inches, a minimum seat height of 15 inches is ideal. For individuals shorter than 5 feet 2 inches, you should seek a chair with a seat height as low as 14 inches to ensure proper foot placement.
Having a Footrest
A footrest can be a highly effective addition to your workstation. It helps elevate the floor to meet your chair, rather than having to lower your chair to the floor. This adjustment makes maintaining a 90-degree knee angle easier and opens up options for chairs with higher minimum seat heights. In fact, most people in our office, including myself, use a footrest for added comfort and support.
Desk Height
Desk height is another crucial factor to consider. Your typing height should be about 8 inches above your seat height. For example, if your chair is 16 inches, your desk should be adjustable down to at least 24 inches to maintain ergonomic positioning. This creates a significant difference since standard desk heights are around 30 inches.
You have several options to address this:
- A footrest can help by bringing your chair height closer to a standard desk height.
- Consider a height-adjustable desk that can be lowered below the typical 30-inch height.
- Use a keyboard drawer or tray to adjust the position of your keyboard to better match your ergonomic needs.
Seat Depth
Next, consider the seat depth of your chair. Ideally, the front edge of the seat should be 1 to 2 inches away from the back of your knees. Most standard office chairs have seat depths of about 17 to 18 inches, which may be too deep for shorter individuals.
For those who are 5 feet 6 inches tall or shorter, suitable chairs should have a minimum seat depth of 16 inches or less. Chairs with adjustable seat depths set as low as 15 inches are often the best choice for ensuring proper fit and comfort.
Arm Width
Armrests are another crucial aspect to consider. Ideally, your arms should hang naturally at your sides, with your elbows forming a 90-degree angle when resting on the armrests. You should avoid having to angle your arms outward to reach the armrests, which can lead to shoulder and neck pain.
Standard office chair armrests are usually 17 to 18 inches apart. For individuals shorter than 5 feet 6 inches, seek chairs with armrests no wider than 16 inches. If you are 5 feet tall or shorter, look for armrests as narrow as 13 inches to ensure a comfortable and ergonomic fit.
Arm Height
Height is another critical factor to consider for armrests. Ensure that the armrests on the chair you choose have an adjustable range that suits your needs. For individuals shorter than 5 feet 6 inches, the armrests should ideally be positioned about 9 inches above the seat to maintain a 90-degree angle at the elbows. For those 5 feet tall or shorter, look for armrests that can be adjusted to a minimum height of 7 inches or less.
Having a Headrests
When selecting a chair with a headrest, be cautious if you are short or petite. Many headrests are positioned to align with the curve of the neck, which can be problematic for shorter individuals. If you’re too short, the headrest may push your head forward uncomfortably.
This issue can also occur with standard headrests on chairs. If you’re unable to reach or properly use the headrest, the chair may not provide the comfort you need.
If a headrest is vital to you, seek out chairs designed explicitly for shorter users that include a headrest option. These chairs are more likely to have a headrest that fits you correctly and offers the comfort you want.
Material
The material of your office chair is essential for comfort during long work hours. Gugliotti suggests choosing a chair that provides full support for the spine and encourages a relaxed, seated posture. The cushioning should align with the spine’s natural curves and be crafted from breathable yet durable fabric. While some prefer mesh seats and back for breathability, others might choose padded foam seats for a more structured and supportive feel.
What Size of an Office Chair is Most Suitable for a Petite Person?
Proper size ensures that your feet are flat on the ground and your arms are comfortably aligned with your desk, ultimately improving overall comfort and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal issues. If you don’t know how to adjust the dimensions of your office chair, you can refer to our chart:
How We Tested the Chairs for Petite Person?
When choosing the best ergonomic office chair for petite person, we evaluated nearly a hundred chairs. If you’re also unsure about choosing the right chair, you can refer to our approach:
Compare Height Adjustment
Choose chairs with adjustable seat height to ensure your feet are properly aligned with the floor. This enhances both posture and comfort for shorter individuals.
Assess Lumbar Support
Select chairs with adjustable lumbar support to fit shorter torsos and offer proper lower back support. This helps prevent discomfort and supports spinal health during long periods of sitting.
Measure Seat Depth
Opt for chairs with adjustable seat depth to ensure shorter individuals can sit comfortably without pressure on the backs of their knees. A shallower seat depth helps prevent leg strain and promotes proper circulation.
Try Chair Ergonomics
Focus on ergonomic features like contoured seats, supportive backrests, and adjustable armrests to enhance comfort and minimize the risk of musculoskeletal issues for shorter users.
Evaluate Mobility
For those who need to move frequently or alternate between sitting and standing, look for chairs with swivel bases or wobble stools. These options provide dynamic movement and flexibility, which are ideal for small or adaptable work environments.
Explore Footrests
If your chair remains too tall, consider adding a footrest. This allows you to keep your feet flat and maintain an ergonomic position.
By applying these tips and thoroughly evaluating each chair’s features, you can choose the office chair that best meets your ergonomic requirements, enhances comfort, and supports productivity throughout the workday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes ergonomic office chairs unique?
As previously noted, ergonomic office chairs offer plenty of health benefits for shorter users due to their adjustable seating features. The ideal chair for petite individuals includes a wide range of seat adjustments, allowing for easy customization to fit their body size. Modern ergonomic chairs simplify this process, often requiring a lever pull to achieve the desired height.
How does seat depth impact comfort and posture for petite people?
A shallower seat depth is ideal, allowing you to sit comfortably against the backrest while keeping your knees at the right angle. A seat that’s too deep can cause slouching and may require extra lumbar support to maintain proper posture.
What’s the biggest challenge for short people when choosing an office chair?
Standard office chairs often pose challenges for shorter users. They can be too tall, causing feet to dangle and leading to back strain. Additionally, excessive seat depth can put pressure behind the knees and make it hard to maintain proper posture.
Why do petite people need ergonomic office chairs?
Ergonomics has played an important role in office design for years, and many workplaces are now upgrading to ergonomic office furniture. Though it may seem like a big investment, ergonomic office furniture is one of the best ways to enhance your posture and overall well-being.
Proper sitting posture boosts blood circulation, reduces muscle strain, improves mood, and increases productivity. While correct sitting is possible without ergonomic furniture, these chairs simplify the process and offer tailored comfort.
For shorter individuals, ergonomic chairs are especially beneficial. Their adjustable features allow users to find the ideal position, ensuring proper leg placement and reducing muscle strain.
Conclusion
Like any piece of work equipment, the best chair depends on several personal factors, including your work needs, budget, job type, and office setup. But above all, comfort is vital. For short people, choosing a highly adjustable office chair and the right size is significant. Try out these chairs yourself to see which one works best for you.
Why Meet&Co?
The Meet&Co team brings extensive firsthand experience with office furniture. Having tested a wide range of office chairs, we understand the challenge that shorter individuals face in finding a comfortable, ergonomic chair suited to smaller body types.
We consulted ergonomics experts to refine our search for the best office chairs for petite people. Their insights on selecting appropriately sized chairs based on height and tips for setting up an ergonomic workspace have been invaluable.
