Not all of us can afford an expensive ergonomic chair, where you can easily pay over $1000.
But at the same time, we don’t exactly want to sacrifice comfort and ergonomics.
The Smugdesk brand is a good example of an affordable ergonomic chairs.
But how much ergonomics, comfort, and value do you get with their range of chairs?
In this guide, I will look at their range of chairs in detail and explain why this seems like a very promising option.
About The Company
Smugdesk was originally founded in 2000 but the group of industrial designers that started the whole thing ran into some issues when testing their final products.
They then went back to the drawing board and launched their improved design in 2003. Their motto is that ‘the health of the customer comes first and comfort has to take the back seat.’
Smugdesk offers decent quality at a fair price and collaborates with major retailers like Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Wayfair.
Most Popular Chair
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The Smugdesk High Back Ergonomic Office Chair comes with an attractive design, some adjustable features, and a budget-friendly price.
The nicest thing about the chair is its cushioned seat made with high-density memory foam and mesh material on top. This allows you to get both comfort and breathability at the same time.
Comfort and adjustability
The seat is both contoured and adjustable, it is 17.52 inches in height at its lowest setting and can be adjusted to up to 21.1 inches tall.
The backrest is made of mesh as well which will allow air to circulate, keeping you cool. It reclines up to 120 degrees and can be locked in place. You also get to control the tension of the recline.
The backrest cannot be adjusted for height but you can adjust the headrest up and down or swivel it at an angle.
It’s possible to lean into the headrest while you’re working but only if you have your back all the way against the chair. This is especially helpful for people that attend a lot of video calls.
Upgrades
This chair is an upgrade from an older Smugdesk model. It comes with a bonus hanger in the back, improved thickness on the headrest cushion, and caps to cover the screws.
Most people omit the placement of the screw caps though, especially if they have dogs or small children. The caps tend to fall and can become a choking hazard.
Lumbar support
The Smudgdesk ergonomic chair doesn’t have lumbar support integrated into the design of the chair but does come with a lumbar pillow that’s sewn tight and can not be adjusted or removed.
In the summer of 2022 Smugdesk upgraded the lumbar pillow to a massage pillow, so if you see a USB cable coming out of the pillow, plug it into a wall adapter and it will start vibrating.
Armrests, wheels an assembly
The padding on the arms is another upgrade, they are comfortable but they are not adjustable and can not be removed.
One thing that all customers agree on is the high performance of the wheels on this chair. They swivel 360 degrees and roll around smoothly even on thick carpet.
This ergonomic chair is also easy to assemble and you will get all the parts and tools included in the package. Overall it is a great entry-chair for standard-sized adults.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly price
- Adjustable headrest
- Comfy seat
- Wheels perform well
What We Don’t Like
- Lumbar support can’t be adjusted or removed
Other Smugdesk Chairs
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This is a mesh executive chair from Smugdesk comes with an extendable footrest that enables you to stretch your feet anytime you feel like.
The backrest reclines in 3 different positions and comes with a rocking mode that people seem to love. Additionally, the chair was made from mesh to allow air to circulate and keep you cool.
Adjustability
Both the headrest and the armrests can be adjusted by pushing them up or pulling them down. The arms can also be moved from 8.6’’ to 12.2’’ tall, perfect for people with various desk heights.
The seat can be lifted from 17’’ to 21’’ off the floor and is filled with a high-density foam sponge, providing a decent amount of padding.
This chair doesn’t come with standard lumbar support, but the lower part of the backrest is curved and reinforced at the back. The chair will hold people up to 300 lbs and it’s very easy to assemble.
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The Smugdesk Leather Executive Chair comes with a bonded leather upholstery that feels soft on your skin and incredibly comfortable to sit in.
Both the backrest and seat are padded and the cushion on the seat has anti-slipping properties. The seat is 20.5’’ wide and 20.9’’ deep so it should be pretty comfortable for standard-sized adults.
What we really liked about this chair is the ease of ergonomic adjustments, all the necessary levers are conveniently placed on the right side of the chair.
Adjustability
With the first lever you control the height of the backrest, the second one places you in a rocking mode and the third one controls the tilt of the backrest.
The backrest reclines to 105 degrees which is not a lot but it does provide the option for some movement during your workday. The chair can also be locked in its recline mode.
The arms on this model are soft and can be adjusted for height. You can pull them up or push them down to access shorter desktops
Overall, this chair comes at a budget price but has the look and feel of a high-end chair. It will hold up to 280 lbs of weight and the only downside we could find is the lack of lumbar support.
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This leather gaming chair from Smugdesk comes with a little surprise not mentioned in reviews or even its product description.
The back of the chair comes with a USB-A cable that can be hooked to your laptop to make the backrest vibrate. This is great if you’re looking for a decent budget chair with bonus features.
Aside from that, this chair is extremely comfortable and supportive. The backrest is contoured to offer proper back support and the arms feel well-made.
They can be flipped out of the way if needed and that’s one of the reasons this chair is so comfortable.
Comfort
The seat comes with 3.15’’ of cushion and offers 19.88’’ of width which will be comfortable enough for most average-sized people.
Due to its high maximum weight capacity of 300 lbs and the open arm design, this chair can seat larger adults as well.
There have been some customer complaints regarding the stitching on certain deliveries and this cosmetic issue might be a deal-breaker for some.
Assembling this model is fairly easy and all the necessary tools and parts (even spare screws) come with the package.
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This drafting chair was designed to pair with drafting tables, standing desks, or bar desks. It’s actually perfect for anywhere you’d need to sit up tall and have a footrest to relax your legs.
The seat height ranges from 25.2” at the minimal setting and can go up to 33.9’’ off the floor. Just for comparison, most standard chair seats go up to 21’’ tall.
The height can be adjusted with the help of a foot pedal which is very convenient. The base is solid and will stand up to 300 lbs of weight without issues.
With regards to lumbar support, the chair has an integrated cushion but it doesn’t seem to do much.
The arms feel comfortable and can be adjusted up and down but they don’t swivel or go back and forth. Overall this chair is comfortable to sit in and keeps you cool with the power of its mesh.
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The main point of a task chair is to keep you active while you are working or studying. The design of this model is minimalistic with a clean glossy finish.
The backrest is curved and follows the line of your spine.
The chair is comfortable to sit in and the mesh lets air circulate but the padding on the seat is made of high-density sponge which tends to feel less comfortable after 4- 5 hours.
Adjustability
The height range of the seat is 16.5’’ to 18.5’’ off the floor which is only 2’’ of wiggle room, so take some measurements if you’re thinking about getting this one.
The height adjusts with the help of a lever located on the right. The position of the lever will be important when you assemble the chair.
The armrests are fixed to the back of the chair and cannot be adjusted. They offer 21’’ of width between them.
Should You Buy Them?
After looking at the quality and overall customer happiness concerning Smugdesk’s chairs, we have to say they are worth considering.
Their products usually come at a budget price and most people who buy them seem happy.
With the new trend of working from home, small brands are starting to get the attention they deserve. The reviews on these chairs revealed that they’re the best you can get in that price range.
They may not be as durable or adjustable as some of the high-end models we’ve seen but they do provide adequate ergonomic support.