If your desk sits in a spare room or a narrow alcove, you know the problem. The chair arms hit the desk edge before you are close enough to type, so you work perched on the front of the seat. An office chair without arms solves that. It slides right in, takes up less space and lets you get in and out quickly.
This guide covers when armless chairs work better, the adjustments to look for, drafting and counter seating, visitor chairs and adding arms later, with seven products and prices. The chairs come from our office chairs range, with specifications taken from the product pages.
When an office chair without arms works better
Arms are useful, but they set a limit. On many desks the armrests meet the edge before the seat is close enough. Without arms, the seat slides in under the desk and the keyboard stays within easy reach. Armless chairs also suit:
- Small rooms and tight desks. They are narrower, so they fit compact home offices and short desks.
- Drafting and counter work. At a bench or counter you lean forward, and arms tend to get in the way.
- Shared and quick-use spaces. Reception desks, hot desks and stations where people sit for short spells.
- Free arm movement. Tasks such as drawing, sorting paperwork or reaching across a wide desk.
The Urban Task Chair ($424) is built for this. Its page notes that the armless design lets it slide easily under standard desks. A 3 lever mechanism controls seat height, seat tilt and back tilt, and the mesh back adjusts independently in height and angle. The seat height runs from 440mm to 535mm, and the chair is rated to 160kg with a 10 year warranty.
Adjustments to look for in an armless task chair
Without arms, the rest of the chair has to fit you well. Check these four adjustments:
- Seat height. Set it so your feet rest flat on the floor and your elbows sit around desk height.
- Seat depth. A seat slide lets you sit back against the backrest with a small gap behind your knees.
- Back height or lumbar support. This moves the support to the curve of your lower back.
- Tilt. Seat and back tilt let you change position through the day.
The Buro Force ($388) covers most of that list. It is an ergonomic office chair without arms, with height-adjustable lumbar support, a depth-adjustable seat slide and a synchronised seat and backrest angle. Its page lists 8 indicative seated hours per day, a 130kg weight rating and a 10 year guarantee.
On a tighter budget, the Typist Chair (from $176) adjusts seat height, back height and seat tilt. It comes in fabric or vegan PU leather, with a seat height of 480mm to 610mm, a 120kg rating and a 5 year warranty. Its page lists a seating time of 8 hours or more. More designs are in our ergonomic task chairs.
Drafting chairs for counters and high benches
Drafting chairs are tall task chairs for benches, counters and standing-height desks. At that height people lean forward to work, so many drafting chairs come without arms.
The Mondo Tivoli Drafting ($388) uses a standard 270mm architectural gas lift, for a seat height of 650mm to 910mm. A black powdercoated foot ring gives your feet a place to rest, and the mesh back adjusts in height on a ratchet. It is rated to 130kg, lists 6 to 8 indicative seated hours per day and has a 6 year guarantee.
The Typist Chair can also be ordered with a drafting kit, which raises its seat height to 695mm to 825mm. Our drafting chairs and lab stools range has more high seating.
Armless task chairs or armless visitor chairs?
Both can be armless, but they do different jobs. A task chair has castors, a gas lift and adjustments for a full working day. A visitor chair usually has a fixed-height seat on legs or a sled, for meetings, training and waiting areas.
The Haaland Studio Mesh - Fabric Back ($125) is a stackable sled base chair with a chrome steel frame and a foam seat in black fabric. Its page notes that, as an armless chair, it is easy to pull in and out, and it stacks 4 high. It is rated for 4 to 8 hours of seating time, with a 120kg rating and a 5 year warranty.
Adding arms later
If you are unsure, choose a chair with an arm option. The Balance Task Chair without Arms ($408) is a mesh task chair for offices, study areas and shared workstations. It has a seat height of 430mm to 520mm, a 140kg rating and a 10 year warranty. If arms are needed later, the Adjustable Armrests for Balance Task Chair ($66) are designed for it and packed as a pair.
Other chairs offer arms when you order. The Mondo Tivoli Drafting lists optional height adjustable arms, and the Typist Chair can be ordered with adjustable armrests, a drafting kit, or both.
| Chair | Type | Adjustments stated | Seated hours | Weight rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Task Chair | Task chair | Seat height, seat tilt, back tilt, back height and angle | Not stated | 160kg |
| Buro Force | Task chair | Seat height, seat slide, lumbar height, synchronised seat and back angle | 8 hours per day | 130kg |
| Typist Chair | Typist chair, arms optional | Seat height, back height, seat tilt | 8 hours or more | 120kg |
| Mondo Tivoli Drafting | Drafting chair, arms optional | Gas lift, ratchet back height | 6 to 8 hours per day | 130kg |
| Haaland Studio Mesh - Fabric Back | Stackable visitor chair | None listed | 4 to 8 hours | 120kg |
| Balance Task Chair without Arms | Task chair, arm kit available | Seat height | Not stated | 140kg |
Choosing an armless chair for Australian homes and offices
Many Australians work from home part of the week, often at a small desk in a spare room or apartment. An armless chair suits that space, because it tucks fully under the desk at the end of the day.
In shared offices and hot-desking floors, armless chairs suit people who sit briefly or move between desks. For chairs used all day, check the weight rating and the seated hours where a page lists them. The Urban is tested and certified to AFRDI Level 6. AFRDI, the Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute, is an independent body that tests and certifies furniture for Australia and New Zealand.
Chairs arrive flat-packed unless the product page says assembled, and delivery is to the ground-floor entrance. Each page has a Delivery line naming its metro cities. If you are weighing up a bigger spend, our guide to executive and task chairs explains what the extra money buys.
Office chairs without arms — frequently asked questions
Are office chairs without arms good for all-day work?
They can be, if the chair adjusts to fit you. Look for seat height, seat depth and back adjustment, and check the seated hours where listed, such as 8 hours per day for the Buro Force.
Can you add arms to an armless office chair?
Only where an arm kit is made for that model. The Balance Task Chair without Arms has a matching pair of adjustable armrests, while the Typist Chair offers armrests as an option when you order.
Why do some people prefer chairs without arms?
They let you sit closer to the desk, move your arms freely and get in and out quickly. They also take up less space in a small room.
What is the difference between a drafting chair and a task chair?
A drafting chair is a taller task chair with a longer gas lift and a foot ring, made for counters and standing-height desks. The Mondo Tivoli Drafting has a seat height of 650mm to 910mm.
Shop the range
Every product in this guide is listed below in the order it appears. The full range is in our office chairs.
- Urban Task Chair ($424): an armless mesh task chair that slides under standard desks, rated to 160kg
- Buro Force ($388): an armless ergonomic chair with a seat slide and adjustable lumbar support
- Typist Chair (from $176): a budget typist chair with optional armrests and drafting kit
- Mondo Tivoli Drafting ($388): a mesh drafting chair for counters and standing-height desks
- Haaland Studio Mesh - Fabric Back ($125): an armless sled chair that stacks 4 high for visitors and spare seating
- Balance Task Chair without Arms ($408): a mesh task chair for shared workstations, with a matching arm kit
- Adjustable Armrests for Balance Task Chair ($66): a pair of adjustable arms for adding to the Balance Task Chair later
Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
