Home / Home / Buying Guides

Hey, Office Chair Holdouts, Get Yourself a Seat Cushion at the Very Least

We can’t make you buy an office chair, but we can urgently suggest you upgrade from the dining room chair.

purple seat cushion Purple

By Tyler Chin

Published

·

Updated

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

If you work in front of a computer, you should buy an office chair. But for some reason, some home office workers refuse to cave and buy one. Whether it’s price, size-constraints or commitment, we understand if buying an office chair isn’t in the cards. The least you can do is buy a seat cushion. Not one of those decorative, unsupportive slabs of foam, but rather an ergonomic accessory that will improve your posture and productivity. None of these seat cushions will make your dining chair into an ergonomic throne like one from Knoll or Herman Miller, but they will make your 9-to-5 seating situation just a little better.

Purple made a name for itself with its mattress. It repurposed that same technology, the Purple Grid, for when you’re sitting up, too. The grid construction is, as the brand claims, “instantly soft where you want it” and “firm where you need it.” The Royal seat cushion is the best of the bunch for its universal size and ample height. And because of the grid, heat is able to travel away from your body so you don’t overheat. The cushion includes a machine-washable cover with a handle so you can bring it on the go.

The thing with contoured seat cushions is that they aren’t one-size-fits all. While Tempur-Pedic’s is the most expensive one on this list, if this one fits you and your chair, then it’s a real winner. Reviewers found that the cushion is supportive and firm, and it didn’t get too hot after prolonged sitting. The contouring works especially well for relieving pressure off your tailbone and hips, which contribute to that achey feeling you get after sitting on a hard-seated chair too long.

This memory foam seat cushion is fashioned into a U shape to provide much-needed relief to your tailbone. It’s designed to never lose its shape no matter how long you’re working on your butt, and it’ll stay in place with its non-slip bottom.

This cushion is less-so about providing rear support than it is about promoting active sitting. Even the most expensive office chairs inherently encourages us to to stay immobile. By adding a wobble cushion, you’ll be forced to stabilize your core to stay put — hence “active” sitting. The cushion is inflatable, and reviewers noted that that the rubber material doesn’t make a squeaky noise. It also doubles as an independent exercise tool for strength and balance exercises.

From the dining chair to your car, this seat cushion from Xtreme Comforts will help you with spine alignment, tailbone relief and back support. The mesh material is breathable for long bouts of sitting, and the cover is machine washable for sanitary purposes.

,