How to Select the Right Lab Chair

With so many seating solutions in the market, it can be challenging to sift through all of the options to determine your optimal fit.  Allow us to walk you through some of the factors you should take into consideration when selecting which chair to purchase.

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All of the equipment that is purchased for your laboratory is an investment.  Your chair shouldn’t be any different.  Look for the following 3 factors when evaluating different chair manufacturers or seating options:

1. Quality

The American National Standards Institute, more commonly known as ANSI, is an organization dedicated to designing standards of quality that are used to further enhance the quality of American life.  There are over 9,500 ANSI-approved standards set in place to protect consumers, the workforce as a whole, and the general public.

BIFMA, or the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association, is a non-profit organization that was formed with the purpose of creating voluntary standards that would promote safe working environments.

In order to determine if a piece of furniture (like a chair) meets the combined standards of both ANSI and BIFMA, it is put through a series of tests. These tests in turn determine how safe, functional, and sustainable the piece of furniture may or may not be. After testing, only the furniture that has held up to ANSI/BIFMA standards is approved.

Ensure that the chair you are looking to purchase is ANSI/BIFMA approved as that will contribute to a working environment that is functional and healthy. When such an environment is promoted, there is likely to be an increase in productivity and a decrease in work-related injuries or accidents as a result.

2. Warranty

An investment in a lab chair can range from $250-$1,000 depending on the technical specifications that are needed for a particular work environment.  A good warranty will assure you that the product you are purchasing is of good quality and is free from defects in material and workmanship for a specified period of time.  The length of the warranty should give you some insight into the quality and longevity of the product lifespan.  This is important as you may be choosing between a $250 lab chair with a 1-year warranty versus a $650 lab chair with a 12-year warranty.  If you needed to replace the less expensive lab chair each year, it would end up costing you $3,000.  Much more than the alternate.  In reality, that probably won’t happen, but if you ever needed to replace the lower cost chair 3x in the span of 12 years, you’ve already spent more money than you would have had you made the investment in higher quality, long-lasting product upfront.  Taking into account the total cost of ownership when making your buying decision always ends up being a wise choice.

The second most important factor to a strong warranty is an excellent customer service team.  A warranty doesn’t matter too much if there isn’t a great team to back it up.  There are a variety of ways to determine how good a manufacturer’s customer service team is: 1) Read the companies Google Reviews 2) Ask for a referral 3) Contact them directly – do they know their product, do they respond quickly, are they helpful, do they display a positive attitude.  When you’ve found a company that has a strong warranty backed by an excellent team, then you know you’ve found the right chair manufacturer.

3. Technical specification

Once you’ve found a reputable chair manufacturer, you can rest easy knowing they have what it takes to make a quality chair that will meet your exact needs.  There is a multitude of options to select in order to ensure a chair meets the technical specifications required for your laboratory.

1. Do you require a chair manufactured for a particular ISO rating – ISO 4, 5, 6 or 7?
2. What type of chair will best meet your needs?
   1. Polyurethane – rugged, puncture resistant, impervious to water, oil, and most chemicals
   2. Vinyl – more cushioned seating experience, vinyl is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial meeting ASTM G21 and AATCC TM147 standards offering a cleaner and safer product
3. What is the desired seat height range?
   1. The general rule of thumb used to calculate the optimal seat height range is to subtract 10” from the work surface height.  This should be the mid-point of the chair’s seat height range.  Your seat height range should adjust at least 2.5” above and 2.5” below this mid-point.
4. Do you have a base style preference?  Common options include:
   1. Black Nylon
   2. Polished Aluminum
   3. Chrome Tubular Steel
5. Chairs offer a range of ergonomic adjustment options, which include:
   1. Non-tilt: basic seat height adjustment.
   2. Articulating tilt: most popular for ergonomic positioning, one lever adjusts the seat height while the second lever allows you to simultaneously adjust the angle of the seat pan and backrest.
   3. Independent tilt: maximum ergonomic adjustability, but also the most expensive.  One lever adjusts the seat height, the second lever adjusts the angle of the seat pan and the third lever adjusts the angle of the backrest.
6. Finally, decide whether you need any additional accessories to complete your chair:
   1. Adjustable arms
   2. Casters – standard or braking

As a family-owned company founded in 1947, Bevco’s greatest passion is manufacturing quality ergonomic seating solutions at a competitive price. 

Bevco understands the importance that proper seating has on employee wellness and overall productivity which is why we handcraft our products to meet the needs of demanding work environments.

Bevco’s quality seating products comply with ANSI/BIFMA safety, durability, and comfort standards and have been GreenGuard Gold certified for manufacturing environmentally sustainable products.  Bevco’s core products feature a 12-year warranty and lifetime warranty on the cylinder.

Bevco chairs and stools are guaranteed to meet your exact needs and provide you with the lowest total cost of ownership.  Find your fit today!