Upholstered Task Chairs: What Are Their Pros and Cons?

Using the correct chair can affect your productivity positively, and upholstered task chairs are among the most popular options. After all, working while being in discomfort can affect our mental and physical health.

A study found out that the average worker spends about 1,700 hours every year sitting at their desk. Therefore, if you're going to sit for a long period, it would be best if you assured me that you'd be comfortable as the day progresses.

It is important to prioritize your comfort if you tend to spend long periods sitting at your desk. Otherwise, it may lead you to suffer from back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, and all the back effects that come with a sedentary lifestyle. Still, upholstered task chairs are comfortable enough to keep you focused and relaxed throughout the day as you complete your responsibilities.

So, we’ll be discussing upholstered office chairs today and will help you determine whether they’re worth it or not. Most people prefer them as they look good and comfortable, but is that truly the case? We’ll see through the article as we explore the pros and cons of these chairs, but before we dive into these chairs, let’s see what they are exactly.

What Are Upholstered Task Chairs?

Most manufacturers utilize upholstery to produce task chairs. Many people refer to them as fabric office chairs, but they include every necessary element for the chair to be “comfortable” and durable throughout the years.

Upholstery is designed to remain even throughout the time, unlike other chair options. For instance, leather will eventually start “peeling,” while a mesh chair will sag with prolonged use. On the other hand, upholstered desk chairs are made of metal strings and foam, a combination that gives us both comfort and durability.

If they take into account the information described above, you can say it's a bit complicated to find a bad task chair. However, if your intention is to find an office chair for long hours, then the following sections will help you know the factors you must evaluate to make sure that you’re making a good investment.

Upholstered Task Chairs – Pros and Cons

Upholstery has remained as one of the most popular options when it comes to office chairs over the years. Although they are excellent in several areas, they also come with certain disadvantages that you must be aware of if you’d like to make sure that they will last over the years.

Pros of Upholstered Task Chairs

Even if these chairs are not perfect, they are excellent in the following aspects:

1. Comfort

An upholstered office chair can be considered comfortable thanks to the combination of high-end foam and a durable metal spring system. Therefore, it can comply with the exigencies that an office worker requires to be comfortable throughout the workday.

Furthermore, the padding is often built to be “thicker” than cheap ergonomic chairs. Although you can still find affordable task chairs out there, they're still more comfortable than your average office chair in many aspects. Some of these chairs even include lumbar support hidden in the foam, making them more appropriate for an office environment.

2. Durability

Most upholstered desk chairs are designed to be robust and durable. Therefore, they can be an excellent choice if you'd like to make sure that you're making a safe investment. Also, in today's world, the foam has become more versatile. Thanks to this, it is possible for manufacturers to make upholstered chairs with an excellent support system.

3. Design

Most upholstery chairs have really outstanding designs. You can find multiple task chairs with different fabrics, color combinations, and finishes. The options are infinite!

Therefore, this factor can help you personalize your office space even further if you don't like the traditional black, grey, or white design that office chairs tend to offer.

Cons of Upholstered Task Chairs

There are a few disadvantages that every person interested in buying an upholstered task chair should know. Although they can be comfortable and good-looking, they are not perfect and are bound to certain drawbacks that can compromise your comfort in the long term. We'll mention the primary three ones.

1. Not enough breathability

Mesh is the best material when it comes to breathability. It keeps the chair cool and your body fresh as it allows the air to pass freely throughout the chair's little holes. Contrary to this, it's impossible for a thick layer of foam to let enough air flow go through the chair. Therefore, you're more prone to get hot as you continue working.

Furthermore, since the padding is vulnerable to heat, the chair can become impregnated with strange smells if you don’t clean it too often.

2. They require too much maintenance.

Most office workers drink coffee, tea, or any other beverage as they continue working. You should know by now that upholstery and beverages, especially those with a strong odor like coffee, don't get along. Therefore, you're always at risk of spilling any liquid on it as you continue working, which can lead you to change the whole chair's padding if you can't remove the smell.

3. They can be heavy.

Upholstered task chairs are made of robust materials. Combining metal springs and thick padding can lead to an extremely heavy chair. Therefore, moving it from one place to another can take a lot of effort if you do it by yourself.

Conclusion

It can be quite complicated to choose a high-quality office chair for your workstation. However, please note that, although upholstery is one of the best options when it comes to comfort, durability, and design, you may need to provide more maintenance to it than you would to other office chairs.

The above list of pros and cons should help you figure out whether an upholstered office chair is a good option for you.

If you’re a programmer, then you’re probably used to sitting for prolonged periods. However, upholstered task chairs are some of the best chairs for programmers you can choose. Still, this material can work excellently in any office environment if you pay enough attention to them.