The Cheap Seats
There are lots of handsome chairs out there, but sitting beauties that cost $250 or less are a rarer breed. Our picks run the gamut from traditional (the wooden, Shaker-inspired Salt or the Thonet-designed Era, the quintessential cafe chair) to the downright futuristic (we’re looking at you, oddly anthropomorphic Dr. Yes). We sat, swayed, shook, stacked; we hefted them into the air; we typed, ate, and made grand conversational hand gestures. Here’s how they stood up in our sitting showdown.
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Salt Chair
- Made by: Design Within Reach
- Price: $98.00
Pros
The slim bentwood seat lends an impression of solidity without adding actual heft: The chair weighs fewer than eight pounds. The narrow profile and small footprint makes it ideal for tight living quarters, and the timeless design ensures it won’t date.
Cons
The curved back piece comes to a sharp point at the bottom edges; wild gesticulations may result in dented triceps. Despite the seat’s carved-out, anatomically correct imprint, those on either (rear) end of the spectrum may be bummed out. -
Arco Chair
- Designed by: Mario and Claudio Bellini
- Made by: Heller
- Price: $250.00
Pros
The erect back encourages good posture without compromising comfort, and the 25-inch-wide seat has a generous feel. In addition to red, white, and black, it comes in a transparent version—a smart way to add seating without visually cluttering a room.
Cons
The high-gloss, static-prone finish is a magnet for dust and dog hair and will easily scratch: Beware deadly jeans rivets. Due to their shiny, sharply curved profiles, our elbows kept slipping cartoonishly off the armrests. -
Real Good Chair
- Made by: Blu Dot
- Price: $129.00
Pros
It packs flat, which means it’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly to ship. Plus you can fit a whole dining set in your Le Car.Assembly is a DIY-ers dream: Fold the powder-coated steel along perforated laser cuts to create the strikingly faceted chair.
Cons
Though 16 pounds doesn’t sound like much on paper, its angular shape makes it awkward and unwieldy to carry. The downside to hands-on assembly: When the paint chips along the folds, as it did on ours, there’s no one to blame but yourself. -
Era Chair
- Price: $150.00-175.00
Pros
This is the iconic bentwood chair, evoking romantic visions of Paris sidewalk cafes. It comes in classic brown, white, and black, as well as a gutsier fire-engine red. It’s easy to tote and super-lightweight—–it’s fewer than eight pounds!
Cons
From a distance, Era looks great, but upon closer inspection, some of the details feel a bit crude, namely a flimsy-feeling seat with a ridge along the edge and exposed screw heads. Did value-engineering price out wood plugs? -
Dr. Yes Chair
- Designed by: Philippe Starck
- Made by: Kartell
- Price: $187.00
Pros
The Dr. Yes is no shrinking violet; the bold, sweeping profile makes a big statement in any room. We love the contrast between the glossy exterior and matte interior, and the texture of the seat keeps your glutes glued.
Cons
It’s wiggly! The spindly, tapering legsgive the chair a fair amount of torque and swivel—–more than any other chair in our roundup. It’s also oddly tall: Despite the dip in the seat rim, shorter people’s legs will dangle.
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Air Chair
- Designed by: Jasper Morrison
- Made by: Magis
Pros
These lightweight polypropylene-and-glass-fiber chairs are ideal for outdoor use; they’re stackable and each has a cutout that ensures the seat won’t gather puddles. They come in ten colors, from fuchsia to beige, so there’s a shade to suit every space.
Cons
One size doesn’t fit all: The relatively low back hits short folks right below the shoulder blades, discouraging reclined relaxation. They come only in sets of four—a bummer if you seek a singleton. -
America Chair
- Made by: Conran Shop
- Price: $29.00
Pros
In case you missed it, we’ll say it again: It costs $29. When folded, it’s just two inches wide: Stash a few in your closet to accommodate extra guests.
Cons
It’s engineered for durability and foldability, not long-term-sitting comfort. Plus, it might trigger unpleasant flashbacks of DMV waiting rooms and SAT testing halls. We like the matte finish, but the spray-painted surface is a bit mottled in spots. -
DSS Stacking Side Chair
- Designed by: Ray Eames, Charles Eames
- Made by: Herman Miller
- Price: $229.00-249.00
Pros
The supportive back comes up high and tapers toward the top, providing clearance for your elbows—useful if you’re at a computer or pulled up close to a worktable. It’s stackable and ”gangable”—–you can clip several together to create rows.
Cons
It’s so popular it’s become ubiquitous—see practically every issue of Dwell.
The recyclable polypropylene plastic may be “eco-friendly,” but it lacks the tactile appeal of the original fiberglass seat, which patinas beautifully. Scour your vintage shops… -
Spark Chair
- Made by: Knoll
- Price: $159.00-235.00
Pros
With six base colors and more than 80 different Knoll fabrics for the cushion, this baby is almost endlessly customizable. Super-comfortable, thanks to the padded seat and gently curved back. It’s also available without the seat pad.
Cons
The seat pad isn’t removable or retrofittable, so pick your pattern wisely: There’s no changing it out when you get bored—or tipsy with your red wine.
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Marais Chair
- Made by: Design Within Reach
- Price: $250
Pros
Another quintessential cafe chair—this one sturdy and suitable for sidewalks (it used to grace the decks of ocean liners). Made of galvanized steel, it's available in either a metal finish or in a wide variety of colors, thanks to an epoxy or powder coating. We're partial to the 'vermillion' hue.
Cons
The chair is heavy. And the metal finish does show scratches. Just call it patina. -
Fleet Chair
- Made by: CB2
- Price: $179.00
Pros
CB2's new Fleet chair is sleek and sculptural, made of nickel-plated steel. The wide, low back is comfortable and accommodating.
Cons
The thin seat and skinny legs look a bit flimsy. -
Supernatural Chair
- Designed by: Ross Lovegrove
- Made by: Moroso
- Price: $217.00
Pros
The Supernatural Chair, designed by Ross Lovegrove for Moroso, is fluid and organic-looking, available with a solid or perforated back. It's stackable and fade-resistant, making it an ideal choice for outdoors.
Cons
The chair almost looks anthropomorphic, or like a Tim Burton creation—almost as if it might skitter away at any moment on its spindly, spiderish legs. -
Cain Chair
- Made by: Staach
- Price: $190.00
Pros
This simple wood chair is made from sustainably harvested maple from New York and Pennsylvania. It's stackable and available either unfinished, covered in clear lacquer, or a (more pricey) brightly colored lacquer.
Cons
The proportions are lovely, and we like that it's made in the U.S.A., but frankly this chair seems way expensive for what it is. -
Madeira Chair
- Made by: Skitsch
Pros
This striking stackable chair is an eco star: the polypropylene-injected seat contains 40% recycled wood fibers. It can be used indoors or out, and comes in a variety of color combinations: with a black or brown seat, and with a white, black, or transparent back.
Cons
The contrast of matte seat and shiny back may not be for everyone.
Products
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Salt Chair
Pros The slim bentwood seat lends an impression of solidity without adding actual heft: The chair weighs fewer than eight pounds. The narrow profile and small footprint makes it ideal for tight…
-
Arco Chair
Pros The erect back encourages good posture without compromising comfort, and the 25-inch-wide seat has a generous feel. In addition to red, white, and black, it comes in a transparent…
-
DSS Stacking Side Chair
Pros The supportive back comes up high and tapers toward the top, providing clearance for your elbows—useful if you’re at a computer or pulled up close to a worktable. It’s…
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You saved the best for last - surprised didn't show the clear back one.
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