Steelcase Leap Chair

Steelcase's Leap has a feature called LiveBack that flexes the upper and lower portions of the backrest independently. When you lean back to read or shift forward to type, the chair adjusts without you touching a single lever. The seat slides forward automatically when you recline, keeping your thighs supported at every angle. You can sit in this chair for 6 hours without the lower back pain that accumulates in cheaper seats. I tried 1 at an office furniture showroom because my desk chair at school was giving me headaches. The difference was immediate enough that I started looking at used ones online. Less visually striking than the Aeron, which has that distinctive mesh look, the Leap trades some aesthetic appeal for ergonomic performance. It looks like a regular office chair until you sit in it, and then you realize every surface is doing something. At $1,200 new the price is hard to justify as a student. Used ones show up on resale sites for $300 to $400 and the 12-year warranty transfers to the second owner.