We are re-testing our selection, as well as new competitors and wheelchair accessible models. We will update this guide based on our experience.
If your chair doesn’t provide supportive and comfortable padding for long hours at your desk, an ergonomic seat cushion is your best budget option for the best chair.
After nearly three months of researching 17 saddles and testing 11 of them, we recommend the purple 2-seat sofa as it offers two levels of firmness, stays cool, and thanks to its unique gel-grid construction, it retains its shape all day long.
The 2″ Purple Double is the most versatile pillow we’ve tested, with one hard side and one soft side to suit a variety of comfort preferences. It provides support, breathability and fits a wide variety of chairs.
Unlike any other saddle we’ve tested, the purple cushion on the two-seat gave us a comfortable resilient fit, providing solid support without being stiff. We love that you can flip the seat upside down, so whether you prefer a soft seat or a hard seat, you’ll feel good. We also like that it stays cool thanks to its unique gel honeycomb design. Some may not like the rocking of the pillow – it’s a bit like sitting on a big gelatin Belgian waffle – but that’s one of the reasons it feels so light and airy when you sit on it.
The Tempur-Pedic Seat Cushion is made from dense, thin memory foam and, thanks to its contoured design, creates a better sitting posture than a completely flat seat or seat cushion.
The Tempur-Pedic saddle is a thin, medium firm saddle that is soft and comfortable. Because it’s 1.5 inches thick (except for the raised edges and mid-profile), the Tempur-Pedic won’t lift you as high as the Purple Double or our budget Xtreme Comforts pillow option, which can be perfect if you just want a little extra padding, but not too much, then you need to adjust your workspace for the best ergonomic fit. The protrusion between the legs helps to correctly position the knees and hips at hip width, but this silhouette may not suit everyone.
This saddle is wider, thicker and softer than the competition. If it fits your chair and you don’t mind the spongy feel, it’s a great value.
The 19-inch wide Xtreme Comforts Large seat cushion is one of the roomiest cushions we’ve tested (most others are 15 to 18 inches wide). This makes it less likely that the seat cushion will be too narrow to support the lower body, but you will need to check the chair seat width to make sure it fits. Even though the Xtreme Comforts pillow is nearly twice as thick as Purple Double and Tempur-Pedic, it’s surprisingly soft so you’ll find it easier to sink into it than firmer but thinner pillows. Most of our testers liked the spongy feel of the pad, but it did get hotter than some of our other choices.
The 2″ Purple Double is the most versatile pillow we’ve tested, with one hard side and one soft side to suit a variety of comfort preferences. It provides support, breathability and fits a wide variety of chairs.
The Tempur-Pedic Seat Cushion is made from dense, thin memory foam and, thanks to its contoured design, creates a better sitting posture than a completely flat seat or seat cushion.
This saddle is wider, thicker and softer than the competition. If it fits your chair and you don’t mind the spongy feel, it’s a great value.
Wirecutter staff writer Melanie Pinola has written about technology and home office topics for over a decade for sites such as Lifehacker, PCWorld, and Laptop Magazine. For five years she has been testing and analyzing Wirecutter equipment, including essentials such as office chairs, lumbar support pillows and ergonomic keyboards. As someone who spends most of her time typing at a desk and often suffers from back pain while sitting, she is passionate about good posture and ergonomics.
To determine the type of support people might need from an office chair, we interviewed physical therapists, including members of the American Physical Therapy Association. We also reviewed research and recommendations on seating ergonomics, including recommendations from the Department of Ergonomics at Cornell University and the Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering at the University of Colorado Denver.
This guide is for those who work from a broken chair and want to reduce the discomfort of working at their desk. A poorly designed seat can put unnecessary pressure on the lower back, hips, coccyx (or coccyx) and hips. According to physiotherapist Dr. Ahil Chhatre, when you sit, all the load from your upper body is transferred to your hips, which makes sitting in what looks like a wooden chair very uncomfortable for long periods of time. An ergonomic saddle can help reduce this pressure by distributing the weight load across the saddle. It can soften uncomfortable hard seats or fix sagging ones. If you find that the chair is too low to comfortably sit at your desk, it may support you higher. Like the lumbar support pillow, the seat cushion is a comfortable addition to almost any chair. Most seat cushions are also easy to carry, so you can use them anywhere in your home or car.
Be aware, however, that a seat cushion will not magically correct your posture or eliminate back pain. It will only support you where you are already sitting. If you have chronic pain that worsens with sitting, such as sciatica, talk to your doctor or physical therapist for a personalized treatment plan. Colleen Fogarty, spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association, tells us that mats may provide temporary relief, but they are not a solution and are not the first choice for treating or preventing pain. Seat cushions can also be helpful for wheelchair users, but many wheelchair users work with their doctor and physical therapist to make a custom seat cushion.
Also be aware that adding a seat cushion to an ergonomic setup can make things worse. If the cushion increases the height of the chair by 1-2 inches, you may need to adjust the height of the table or chair accordingly, or add a footrest under the table.
Once you’ve found the perfect pillow, don’t sit too long: A pillow can make sitting in a chair more comfortable, but because of the health risks of sitting too long, ergonomics experts recommend moving up and down. down from a chair every 20 minutes or so get up.
With expert advice in mind – and after reviewing popular pillows from Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and more – we’ve narrowed down our search based on the following criteria:
With these criteria in mind, we purchased or obtained 11 seat cushion samples that rank highly on Amazon and other e-commerce sites, assessed their owners’ reviews for obvious red flags, and (if possible) went through a FakeSpot ratings check for filtering. from Fake Reviews After sitting on seat cushions and rating them based on material comfort, size and quality, we have our top picks.
The 2″ Purple Double is the most versatile pillow we’ve tested, with one hard side and one soft side to suit a variety of comfort preferences. It provides support, breathability and fits a wide variety of chairs.
The Purple Double Seat Cushion meets all the requirements of an excellent ergonomic seat cushion: it combines softness and rigidity, keeps you cool even after hours of use, its 18-inch width provides sufficient moisture protection, and the upholstery and gel insert are washable. (although the insert must be washed by hand). The Double is also the only pillow we’ve tested with a denser mesh on one side, so you can choose between two levels of support.
The dual seat cushion has a characteristic wobbly feel that our testers took a while to get used to. We liked that the mat flexed under our weight to give us some support, while still being more durable than competing mats. With Double, you almost feel like you’re floating in your office chair.
Thanks to the 2″ “Strong Super Elastic Polymer” insert, the Double will never flatten like thinner foam pads. It also runs cooler than any other seat cushion we’ve tested – the mesh is designed to encourage airflow when you move the chair around a bit.
It’s odd to call what you just sat on easy to use, but the little details make holding the Double more comfortable than competing pillows. The smooth, machine-washable cover is lint-free, and the gel padding is hand-washable with dish soap (unlike the foam padding that comes with other pillows that can’t be washed). The textured bottom keeps the pillow in place, and two carry handles make it easy to move the 5 lb pillow anywhere you want.
As with Purple mattresses, some people find the Purple Double Seat Cushion odd because it is more wobbly than traditional mattresses. However, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee and free shipping on orders and returns. Purple also comes with a one-year warranty, which is standard on most pillows, but our other select products come with longer warranties.
Because it is thick and slightly curved, this mat can lift you above the ergonomically ideal sitting position with your feet fully on the ground. You may need to lower the chair (if possible) or use a footrest for proper support. To check how Purple Double will affect the ergonomics of your workplace before buying, try raising the chair 2 inches.
Finally, do not use this mat in a high temperature environment (more than 100℉), as the lining may be damaged.
The Tempur-Pedic Seat Cushion is made from dense, thin memory foam and, thanks to its contoured design, creates a better sitting posture than a completely flat seat or seat cushion.
If you prefer a slimmer saddle with an immersive memory foam feel, get the Tempur-Pedic saddle. (And yes, mattress makers seem to really know how to make a pillow.) While it’s not as versatile as the Purple Double, it’s firm on both sides, but our testers liked the comfort of the Tempur-Pedic the most. tester: “It fits perfectly and immediately gives me a better back relief.” The Tempur-Pedic saddle runs cooler than other foam saddles and is the easiest cover to remove for cleaning. It also comes with a five-year limited warranty, the longest of any pillow we’ve researched or tested.
Like other memory foam pillows, Tempur-Pedic gets softer the longer we sit on it, thanks to our body heat. However, despite being only 1.5 inches thick, we never felt the bottom of the pad thanks to the high-density foam. This year (and previous tests), panelists agreed that this is the most comfortable foam seat.
The slight contour of the seat cushion with ridges between the legs, sides and back keeps us in place and makes us feel like we are sitting in a seat. For some, this profile may be more desirable than sitting on a hard, flat surface, however, for others, it may seem too prescriptive, as if you are sitting on a padded but molded seat, as shown above. The 16-inch square cushion should easily fit on most chairs, but it’s not as roomy as competing cushions. We recommend that you measure your chair and purchase the seat cushion from a store that accepts returns, as you cannot return it if you purchased it directly from Tempur-Pedic.
Like other foam pads, the Tempur-Pedic felt warm after over an hour of sitting, but it was the coldest of the non-gel pads. Although it doesn’t have a handle or non-slip bottom, the 2-pound mat is easy to move around and we never had trouble keeping it in place. The insert is not washable, but the elastic navy blue nylon cover is easy to remove and toss in the washing machine.
This saddle is wider, thicker and softer than the competition. If it fits your chair and you don’t mind the spongy feel, it’s a great value.
The Xtreme Comforts Large Seat Cushion is the thickest cushion we’ve tested, but it’s also the softest, sinking into it almost like a sofa cushion. The 19″ wide cushion is a good size but may be too tight on some chairs. We like this sub-$50 cushion the best because of its soft, durable cover and sloped front edge to take the load off the back of your legs.
The 3.5-inch thickness of Xtreme Comforts may seem impressive at first glance, as other pillows are typically 1 to 3 inches thick. However, the foam insert shrunk considerably under the weight of our body—about 2 inches. It still has enough padding to feel comfortable and supportive, but two of our testers said they preferred a slightly stiffer lining.
Size can also be an issue, depending on the chair you plan to use the pillow for. On a regular office chair with armrests, the Xtreme Comforts cushion may not fit due to its width. One of our group members also found it to be too long and overhanging the wooden chairs a bit. Measuring a stool is the best way to make sure this pillow is too big or just right.
At this price, you will have to make some compromises compared to higher end pillows. After sitting on the mat for an hour or two, we became warm, even hot, as our asses were wrapped in foam. The zipper on the machine washable cover is frustrating because it snaps on and has a tiny pull tab. The texture of the cover, while feeling firm, is a bit rougher than other pillows we’ve tested.
However, Xtreme Comforts is one of our pillow options for side sleepers, and the company backs their pillows and pillows with a 365-day return policy and a satisfaction guarantee. If size doesn’t matter and you need an upholstered chair, you can try it out for a year to see if it fits your workspace.
Ergonomic seat cushions are not the most environmentally friendly products. Most of them (including our equally excellent and affordable selection) are made from polyurethane foam, a type of plastic traditionally derived from crude oil. Polyurethane is relatively durable—a good gasket can last for years before it needs to be replaced—but eventually all the plastic ends up as waste. It is estimated that millions of tons of polyurethane foam waste are generated annually in the United States.
Historically, recycling polyurethane foam has been difficult (or at least not profitable), so much of it has been incinerated or thrown into landfill. Some foams are currently being recycled (eg shredded for use in upholstery or carpeting), but advances in recycling technology may soon make it possible to reuse these foams (turning them into more valuable plastics). Unfortunately, there are currently very few recycling options for individuals, with the exception of a few professional recyclers such as GreenCitizen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Some saddles, such as our top pick, also feature silicone foam (referred to as a purple-colored “super-elastic polymer”). When we approached Purple about the recyclability of the pillows, the company declined to comment.
Given the lack of consumer-oriented foam recycling options, the best way to get rid of unwanted upholstery is probably to repurpose foam for DIY projects or through local thrift stores or classifieds sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
What to expect: In addition to the selected Tempur Pedic, Purple and Xtreme Comforts, we will also be testing wheelchair compatible models such as the Everlasting Comfort wheelchair seat and TravelMate seat cushion. We will also test models from Turmerry, Medline and Cushion Lab.
We previously opted for the Purple Simply seat cushion and the Purple Royal cushion. We still love both pads, but we think the Double combines the best features of both: it has solid support from the thinner Simply (1¼” vs. inches). . This adjustability should make it more suitable for more people.
The Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion is the thickest, largest, and heaviest in Purple’s line of cushions at almost 22 inches wide and 2.5 inches thick. It doesn’t fit any of our office or dining chairs and we can’t imagine using it anywhere other than on a sofa or bench.
The Spark Moments Seat Cushion is a small, lightweight and durable cushion made from 3D Airfibre, a new stretchy, recyclable and fully washable material. Although we found the pillow to be supportive, it is only 13 inches long and we couldn’t find any support information from the company that made it, which made us hesitate.
The AmazonBasics Memory Foam seat cushion is the cheapest and thinnest (1.2 inches) we’ve tested. But it was so soft that we didn’t feel anything when we sat on it. One panelist called it “fragile” but thought it might work as a dining chair if you don’t plan on sitting on it for long periods of time.
We tested, but ultimately abandoned, saddles with tailbone cutouts because if you have chronic pain requiring such a saddle, you should probably follow more qualified advice from a healthcare professional. These pillows include the Kieba Coccyx pillow, the Wellness Mental Gel Enhancement pillow, the Hokeki pillow, and the AmazonBasics Memory Foam pillow.
Post time: Apr-19-2023