Task Chair vs. Office Chair: What's the Difference?

 Your work chair can play an important role in your overall well-being, both physically and mentally. However, finding the best contemporary office chair for yourself can be a daunting task, especially when you don’t know what you’re looking for. 

Luckily, we’re here to help you discover the difference between task chairs and office chairs so you can make the wisest choice possible. Although the terms office and task chairs are often used interchangeably, they do have some major differences between them. 

Office Chairs 

Wondering what to look for in an office chair? Office chairs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. Features include:

Adjustable Height 

Most standard office chairs nowadays provide basic height adjustment functions. They allow you to lower the chair or bring it up to accommodate the table and your legs.

Swivel 

Office chairs come with a swivel base on casters that allow the chair to move around easily. However, the weight capacity of the swivel base should always be kept in mind. 

Back Tilt 

For those wondering how to make your office chair more comfortable, consider getting a chair with a tilt. It’s a useful feature that allows the user to lean back and relax as needed. 

High Backrest

The high backrest in most office chairs is supportive as backrests go. However, the lack of lumbar support can cause lower back pain, whereas a lack of a headrest can make it hard to relax completely. 

Heavy

Most office chairs not only feel heavy, they actually look heavy as well. This can become a problem in a small space, and may not go well with the décor. This can also be problematic when moving. 

Office chairs mostly come in two designs. Designs include:

Leather Chairs 

Although leather chairs offer an air of luxury to any space, they can be difficult to maintain in an office environment. The heavy leather material prevents airflow and can make the chair feel hot and stuffy after a while. However, a leather office chair does have its charm. 

Mesh Chairs 

Mesh chairs on the other hand, are light and airy, with airspaces to prevent overheating. However, a mesh office chair design back and seat may not be very comfortable. 

 

 

Task Chairs

What is a task chair? The comfort and ease provided to the user by an ergonomic chair is the main goal of the chair. The ergonomic feature makes task chairs the ideal choice for people that are prone to back or neck pain, or have trouble sitting for prolonged times. Features include:

Adjustable Height 

Task chairs provide an ergonomically designed adjustable height function that allows the user to adjust the height of the chair for maximum comfort. 

Adjustable Depth

Task chairs not only provide ample seat width, they also allow the user to adjust the depth of the seat too, for a more personalized experience. The ideal seat depth for your desk chair should leave a couple of inches between the seat’s edge and your knees to maintain a healthy posture. 

Adjustable Armrests 

From an ergonomic standpoint, the arms should be at a 90 degree angle to the table, specifically the keyboard, and parallel to the floor. To allow your arms to rest while in this position, task chairs feature an adjustable armrest which can be brought up or down to prevent strain on the shoulders. The adjustable armrest also allows the chair to fit under any table if you’re in a cramped space. 

Adjustable Lumbar Support

Task chairs feature an adjustable lumbar support to accommodate every users specific height and weight. This adjustment minimizes the risks of lower back pain and fatigue. 

Swivel

The swivel feature of a task chair––like an office chair––allows for easy mobility. 

Tilt 

An ergonomic task chair features both forward and backward tilt functions for complete flexibility and mobility. This tilting mechanism allows you to access out of reach items or recline when relaxing. 

Head/Neck Rest

The separate and adjustable head and neck rests in some task chairs allow you to rest your neck comfortably while working. If you’re sitting with correct posture, this feature provides your neck a perfect place to lean on. 

Various Backrest Options

Task chairs come in a variety of backrest options, including low-back, mid-high back, and high-back designs. However, the most comfortable and supportive option is a high backrest design. 

Lightweight and Flexible

Due to flexibility and mobility features, task chairs end up looking more lightweight than they actually are. Despite their weight, they are easy to move around. 

Task chairs also come in two main designs. Those designs include:

Fabric Chairs 

Fabric chairs are designed to provide comfort along with a soft place to rest on. 

Mesh Chairs

The mesh task chair––just like the mesh office chair––allows airflow but may not be the most comfortable option available.

Juniper Office Vienta Task Chair 

Combination 

However, there are task chairs that are available in a combination design, with a mesh back to allow for airflow, and a fabric seat to provide a seat cushion and comfort. 

The goal is to choose what works best for you. To help you do just that, we offer an impressive collection of traditional office and task chair options  on our Juniper Office Solutions website. Why not take a peek and see what we’ve got?  

Sources:

1. https://juniperoffice.com/collections/desk-chairs
2. https://www.t3.com/us/features/office-chair-vs-task-chair#:~:text=Standard%20office%20chairs%20will%20offer,with%20swivel%20and%20tilt%20functions
3. https://www.officeinteriors.ca/blog/what-is-task/