As a writer and frequent traveler, I often find myself sitting for very long periods of time. Normally, that’s not something to worry about too much, but just over a year ago, I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, which is a fancy way of saying my back hurts if I stand, sit or walk for too long. Thus began my quest to find the best seat cushion I could find so I can do my job and not go to bed in pain every night.
Whether you have a medical condition or you just want to be more comfortable while sitting for long periods of time, you are my people. Seat cushions come in all shapes and sizes, and finding one that’s right for you can make a night and day difference. Read on for the best seat cushions that I could get my hands, and my posterior, on.
The best seat cushions at a glance
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Best overall:
Xtreme Comfort Office Chair Cushion
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Best upgrade pick:
Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion
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Best with lumbar support:
Chancee Ergonomic Seat Cushion
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Best budget (and a great option for travel):
Relispo Self-Inflating Stadium Seat Cushion
How I tested
I’ve been informally sampling cushions for a year, as I learned to live with my back condition, but I tested a wider range in earnest over a recent six-week period. I’ve tested these cushions on my office chair, on airplane seats, and on my god-awfully uncomfortable wooden kitchen chair, because a variety of work locations is the spice of life.
I also measured the thickness of the cushions, and gauged the softness of the material, the bounceback and whether they slipped off chair surfaces. And I sought input from Dr Samuel K Cho, chief of spine surgery at Mount Sinai West.
Finally, in line with Guardian policies, I donated the seat cushions purchased for this review to Goodwill.
The best seat cushions in the US
Best Overall:
Xtreme Comfort Office Chair Cushion
A good seat cushion should ideally make you utter a small sigh of pleasure as you settle down – on whatever chair it is placed on. Look no further than the Xtreme Comfort Office Chair Cushion. Made of thick memory foam, it is welcoming and versatile. Cho told me that “memory foam cushions are generally favored for their ability to contour to the body’s unique shape, providing customized support and even pressure distribution”.
Why we love it
This seat cushion is very comfortable, even over extended work periods on the most unforgiving chair in my arsenal. The cushion is ergonomically shaped to cradle your behind. Like most of the cushions I tested, it has an opening for the coccyx.
The foam is just thick enough to support my 275-lb frame with a little squishiness left over. The cushion’s grippy bottom seems to hold pretty well, though I typically need to adjust it once or twice during an eight-hour work day. It also has a carrying handle. Combine all that with an attractive price, and we have our winner.
It’s a shame that … the cushion isn’t a little bit thicker. Let me emphasize – I enjoy it very much! But I wouldn’t hate a few extra millimeters of padding.
Material: Memory foam
Thickness: 80mm
Shaped/Flat: Shaped
Lumbar Support: No
Best upgrade pick:
Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion
You might know the Purple name from the company’s mattresses. As it happens, this seat cushion is made from the same hyper-elastic polymer. This cushion is huge and will not fit every chair – I couldn’t test it on my kitchen chair because it was too big.
Why we love it
At the risk of sounding like a cliche, it feels like sitting on a cloud. I now understand why they make mattresses out of this stuff.
This is one of the few cushions I tested without a coccyx slot on the back, but it has a bit of a coccyx depression, meaning the cushion is thinner toward the back. This doesn’t matter – it is lovely to sit on. It’s also by far the most expensive cushion I tested. But let me tell you – it’s one of the first ones I bought when I was diagnosed and I haven’t regretted it for a single day.
It’s a shame that … this thing is gigantic, extremely heavy and very expensive. It weighs more than the rest of the cushions in this list combined, so it’s not very portable. Measure your chair before ordering this one.
Material: Hyper elastic polymer
Thickness: 65mm
Shaped/Flat: Flat
Lumbar Support: No
Best with lumbar support:
Chancee Ergonomic Seat Cushion
I tested two different L-shaped cushions that were designed for lumbar support. Lumbar support is important for people with lower back issues because it keeps your spine shaped appropriately when sitting. You’re basically forced to have good posture; your grandmother would be proud.
Why we love it
Of the two cushions, this was thinner and a little more flexible, which made it easier to sit on for longer periods of time. The thinness also makes it more portable, since you can compact it more easily.
But the cushion is still thick enough to provide hours of back support. The curve of the L-shape conforms well to my backside, but I am a bigger guy, and it might be too gradual for smaller individuals.
It’s a shame that … the lumbar support is very thin, possibly too thin. I worry that in the long term it will not give the proper support. You may want to try this yourself and see.
Material: High density memory foam
Thickness: 107mm
Shaped/Flat: Shaped
Lumbar Support: Yes
Best budget (and great option for travel):
Relispo Self-inflating Stadium Seat Cushion
When it comes to portability, inflatable cushions are a good way to go. This cushion’s “self-inflating” description is a little bit of a misnomer. When you open the valve, it allows the foam inside to expand, but it takes a long time. I usually end up blowing into the one-way valve to inflate it quickly.
Why we love it
As a frequent traveler, it’s nice to have a compact cushion I can take with me. When you roll this cushion up, it slips into a tube about the size of a water bottle. As a matter of fact, when I travel, I usually slip this into the water bottle holder of my backpack.
It’s not the cheapest cushion I tested, but it’s the cheapest that still gives some support, thanks to the combination of air and some foam. On long flights in particular, I’ve alternated between keeping it more or less inflated, for a harder or softer feel.
It’s a shame that … The grippy part on the bottom of the cushion doesn’t grip very well. I often find myself readjusting the cushion, which is okay when I’m home, and less convenient when I’m at a press conference. Cho noted that “air cushions, while highly adjustable for firmness, may not offer the same level of consistent structural support and stability as high-density memory foam in a long-term office setting”.
Material: Air and foam
Thickness: 48mm
Shaped/Flat: Flat
Lumbar Support: No
Cushions that didn’t make the cut
ProtoArc Office Chair Cushion
It’s very thick, and well shaped for support, but its bulky shape means it doesn’t fit very well on all chairs.
Comfiworld L-Shaped Memory Foam Seat
I found the lumbar cushion too chunky, which was uncomfortable.
Tushguard Memory Foam Seat Cushion
This is a decent cushion, but slightly less comfortable than my top pick.
Klymit V Seat
Alas this is only marginally better than just sitting on the wood chair.
FAQ
What’s the best way to sit at a desk?
Cho has these instructions: “Sitting properly in an office chair involves keeping your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest to support the lower back. Your back should be supported by the chair’s backrest, maintaining its natural curves, and your arms should be positioned so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, with armrests adjusted to allow your shoulders to remain relaxed.”
How can I clean an office chair cushion?
Most office chair cushions come with a cover made of fabric, and that fabric will have its own washing instructions. Some are machine washable; others may be hand-wash only. For example, the Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion’s cover is machine washable, while the foam itself is hand wash only. The same goes for the top pick, the Xtreme Comfort cushion. Also note: the covers are typically pretty breathable, so they likely will not repel liquids.
How can I fix a flat office chair cushion?
If it’s a foam cushion, I haven’t yet found a way. If you experience trouble with an inflatable office cushion not holding its shape, you can check to make sure the valves are closed all the way. If that doesn’t help, you may have a leak. You can use a mixture of soap and water and brush it over the cushion to look for bubbles indicating a leak. If you find one, you can usually apply a rubber patch to fix it, though those may not be effective long term. It might be necessary to replace it.
