What are big and tall chairs?

Big and Tall chairs are designed for people who chair-and-frameare more than 250 pounds or taller than 6 foot 4. You may also hear these chairs referred to as “big man chairs.” To accommodate users, tall chairs will have high backrests and usually have a slightly higher seat height adjustment range compared to standard office chairs. Chairs for users more than 250 pounds will often be wider and feature thicker padding. All big and tall chairs feature more durable bases, casters and frames. If you select a chair with armrests, they will most likely be oversized and reinforced for the added weight that will be placed on them.

How should I choose my big and tall chair?

The first thing you will want to consider is the weight rating you will need for your chair. We feature chairs with weight ratings of 350, 400 and 500+ pounds. You will want to make sure you choose chairs that will be adequate for anyone who may be using them.

Note: Not all chairs will necessarily be rated for longer usage because they have higher weight limits. If you are in search of chairs for around the clock use, check out our 24 hour office chairs. We’ve broken down the options for you in our 24 Hour Chair Buying Guide.

After determining the weight rating for your chairs, you will want to take a look at the functions of each chair and figure out what you may need. These functions include:

Seat height adjustment:

Easily adjust your office chair according to your height and the height of the desk you will be using. You will want to adjust your seat so your feet are flat on the ground and your knees are bent at 90 degrees. You also want to be at a height that allows your elbows to be bent at 90 degrees when typing.

Seat depth adjustment:

You can adjust the depth of your seat to accommodate your upper leg length, which comes in handy when people of different heights will be using the same chair. You want the edge of the seat to be just behind your knees when you are seated in the appropriate position.

Seat angle adjustment:

To ensure proper posture and adequate blood flow to your legs and feet you can adjust the angle of your seat. Adjusting the angle can also lighten the pressure on your lower back.

Back height adjustment:

Adjusting the back of your chair, including the head rest and lumbar support, will allow you to sit in the most comfortable position for your neck and lower back.

Back angle adjustment:

You can ensure the lumbar support rests comfortably on your back by adjusting the angle of your chair back.

Tilt lock:

Lock your chair into the tilt position that provides you the greatest comfort.

Tension control:

Increase or decrease the resistance of the chair’s tilt by using the tension control.

Once you determine the weight rating and functions for your new chairs, you will need to decide which upholstery will work best for your office setting; fabric, vinyl, anti-microbial/anti-bacterial vinyl, or leather. Depending on the chair you choose, there may also be multiple colors for you to pick from, making it easy to fit in with the style and feel of your office.

What are my big and tall chair options?

There are many big and tall chairs to choose from that will meet your style and comfort needs, as well as your budget:

Value:

If you are interested in trying out some big and tall chairs that won’t break your budget, there are plenty of options for you, such as the Office Star Eco Leather Big and Tall Computer Chair.

This chair supports up to 350 pounds. It is equipped with a heavy duty chrome base and thick padded back with built in lumbar support. It features one touch pneumatic seat height adjustment, locking tilt with adjustable tilt tension, padded loop arms, and heavy duty chrome base with dual wheel carpet casters. These features make this chair perfect for many workers and guests, for a minimal investment.

If you are a midrange shopper you may want to consider something like OFM’s Avenger Series Big & Tall High-Back chair.

This chair has a 500 pound weight capacity. The upholstery is elegant looking leatherette, which looks like leather but is more affordable. The synthetic leather is carefully stitched and tufted for a plush feel.

The wide seat features 5 inch thick padding and the metal supported arms are covered in 1 inch padding. The base is also made of sturdy metal. The high back chair gives full body support and its height can be easily adjusted via gas lift. This great quality chair is suited for most all guests and employees and would be the perfect fit to any office setting.

If you are looking for a top of the line option for your office setting, then ERA office chairs are a great option. They are our most heavy duty products, have a standard lifetime warranty on their frames and each chair has a weight rating of 500 pounds. ERA Products makes high end “car quality” office seating. Each chair is hand crafted in the USA and is designed to withstand 24/7 usage and heavy weight capacities.
Chairs like the ERA Galaxy Big and Tall Intensive use chair feature a variety of adjustments, such as a fully adjustable lumbar support, seat back tension control, and seat back recliners. They also come equipped with heavy duty dual wheel casters, premium grade high resilience foam, floating spring suspension, and a heavy duty gas lift with smooth operation. These chairs also have an extra heavy duty all steel frame that is backed with a lifetime warranty.
ERA designed every feature to reduce stress and tension on your body. Their goal is to create a pain free office chair experience for you, your employees, and your guests. ERA chairs have passed the toughest durability testing standards in the world, called the Federal government GSA intensive use tests that will destroy ordinary chairs.

Final thoughts

As with any office furniture you want to make sure you are choosing the pieces you think will work best in your environment. If you find that you are using chairs more often than you would like, perhaps you will want to look into our more intensive use, 24 hour office chairs. Or maybe the upholstery you picked isn’t the best for your office seating. If that’s the case, you’ll want to take another look at the options and even request fabric and finish samples from us to see if there is something better suited for your atmosphere.

By purchasing big and tall seating you are ensuring comfort for all of your guests and employees and setting them up for success through their seating. Have you tried big and tall office seating? What is your experience? Please let us know in the comments section below!