The right XXL executive chair: More comfort for tall people

Markus is 1.94 meters tall. When his old office chair had to be replaced after several years, he thought he already knew the solution:

“This time I’ll just buy a bigger chair.”

He opened several online shops, compared product images, and filtered by terms like “XXL,” “extra wide,” and “high load capacity.” Finally, he decided on an executive chair that looked almost like a small living room armchair in the pictures.

The first few minutes were pleasant. The padding was soft, the seat surface wide, and the backrest significantly larger than on his old chair. Markus was convinced he had finally found the right model.

But after a week, he noticed something strange.

After two or three hours, he regularly slid forward. His shoulders remained tense, even though the backrest was high. In the evening, his thighs felt uncomfortably strained. The new chair was big – but sitting was hardly any better.

This is where the real question begins, which is often overlooked when buying a XXL executive chair:

When is a large chair really suitable – and when is it just big?

The chair was wide enough – and yet the problem was under his thighs.

When buying, Markus mainly compared three specifications: seat width, maximum load capacity, and total height. Although he had seen the seat depth in the product description, he hardly attached any importance to it.

That was exactly where the problem lay.

The seat surface of his new armchair was very deep. To lean fully against the backrest, Markus had to slide so far back that the front edge of the seat surface almost touched the back of his knees.

At first, this sounds like a small detail. In everyday life, however, it often leads to a typical reaction: the user slides forward so that there is some space again between the seat edge and the back of the knee. This causes the contact with the backrest to be lost. The large, softly padded armchair is then only used in the front area.

A contradiction arises:

The seat surface offers plenty of space, but the body cannot use this space meaningfully.

How different the required measurements can be is also shown by anthropometric data from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. In a BAuA compilation of international body measurements, values of about 430 to 560 millimeters are listed for the buttock-to-knee length.

This body length is not identical to the optimal seat depth of a chair. However, it makes visible how large the differences between different people can be. A rigid seat surface therefore cannot fit all body heights and proportions equally well.

BAuA: International anthropometric data and different body measurements

With a good XXL model, it is therefore not about finding the deepest possible seat surface. What matters is that the depth matches the leg length or can be adjusted sensibly.

If you want to initially compare different designs, padding, and sizes, you will find in our collection Comfort office chairs for office and home office . There you can better see how differently generously sized executive chairs can be constructed.

Then his wife sat in the same chair – and revealed the next problem.

One evening, Markus’ wife sat down in the new chair for a video conference. She is significantly smaller than he is. After a few minutes, she placed a cushion behind her back and put a box under her feet.

The chair that was unsuitable for Markus in some areas was almost completely oversized for her.

The feet were not securely on the floor. The armrests were too far out. To reach the keyboard, he had to slide forward. As a result, there was hardly any support left from the backrest.

This scene shows why the term “XXL” alone says little about ergonomics.

An executive chair can be exceptionally wide, tall, and durable. Still, the workstation must continue to be adapted to the person – not the person to the chair.

The current ISO 9241-5:2024 describes ergonomic guiding principles for the design, selection, and procurement of workplace equipment. The focus is not on a single rigid posture but on a workstation that fits the user’s needs and allows for different body positions.

ISO 9241-5:2024 – Workstation layout and postural requirements

The German workplace regulation ASR A6 also considers chair, work surface, and screen workstation as an interconnected system. Therefore, the adjustment of the chair cannot be viewed independently of desk height, foot position, input devices, and screen.

BAuA: ASR A6 on the design of screen workstations

For Markus, this meant that even a suitable XXL executive chair would not have completely solved his problem as long as the desk and armrests did not match.

His desk was relatively low. The armrests of the chair did not fit underneath. Therefore, he either sat too far from the desk or slightly raised his shoulders to rest his forearms.

After several hours, this hardly visible deviation turned into a noticeable tension in the shoulder area.

Why a load capacity of 180 kilograms doesn’t say anything about comfort

After his first wrong decision, Markus started comparing again. This time he focused on the load capacity.

His reasoning was understandable:

If a chair is built for particularly high loads, it must automatically be more stable and comfortable.

It can indeed be more stable. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it is more comfortable.

The maximum load capacity initially describes a technical limit or a manufacturer’s specification. It does not automatically answer the following questions:

• Is the seat surface suitable for my body proportions?
• Does the armrest position fit my shoulder width?
• Does the cushioning remain shape-stable after several hours?
• Does the backrest support my back in the right places?
• How does the chair behave with repeated daily use?

A clear counterexample is an especially wide seat with widely spaced armrests. It looks generous in the product image. For a user with a narrower upper body, the armrests may be so far apart that the elbows do not rest comfortably.

The user unconsciously pulls their arms outward or works without any forearm support. This is hardly noticeable after a short time. However, after a full workday, it can make a significant difference.

An extremely soft cushioning is not automatically a sign of quality either. It often feels particularly luxurious at first sit. However, if the body sinks in deeply, the pelvis and back may be less supported after some time.

A firmer, shape-retaining cushioning may seem less impressive during a short test but can feel more comfortable over several hours.

There are specific guidelines and quality criteria for office workstations that go far beyond a single load capacity specification. DGUV Information 215-410 covers, among other things, the safety and ergonomic design of screen and office workstations.

DGUV Information 215-410: Screen and Office Workstations

With a high-quality executive chair, it’s therefore worth looking beyond just the large number next to “maximum load capacity.” More meaningful is the overall picture of construction, gas spring, base, casters, mechanism, backrest, and padding.

Especially with large-format chairs, the surface material plays an important role. A large surface shows wrinkles, seams, and material tension more clearly than a compact chair. Those who prefer a classic, representative design can compare our Chefsessel aus Leder .

Leather should not only be judged by color and shine. For everyday use, workmanship, seam guidance, maintenance effort, and the quality of the underlying padding are also crucial.

The second attempt: This time Markus didn’t test the chair but his workday

Before the next order, Markus did something he hadn’t done with the first purchase: he observed a normal workday.

In the morning, he mostly sat upright and wrote emails. After lunch, he leaned back more often while reading documents. During longer phone calls, he changed his position. In the late afternoon, he often unconsciously slid forward.

That made him realize he didn’t need a chair for perfect product photography. He needed a chair that allowed multiple positions.

This is exactly where an XXL executive chair becomes interesting: not as an immovable, especially large seat, but as a generous workspace that does not prevent movement.

BAuA describes the sit-stand dynamic as an important break from sitting activities. It cites neck, shoulder, and back complaints as common musculoskeletal problems in office settings and recommends avoiding long static phases.

BAuA: Sit-Stand Dynamics in Modern Screen Work

This does not mean that an office chair prevents or treats medical complaints. Rather, it means that even the best executive chair is not designed to be used in exactly the same posture for eight or ten hours.

An adjustable backrest, easily accessible mechanism, and sufficient room to move can help change your sitting position throughout the day. However, they do not replace breaks, standing up, and movement.

Additional functions should therefore only be evaluated after size and fit have been checked.

For example, a massage function can be pleasant during breaks. A seat heater can provide additional comfort on cold days. A ventilation function can become interesting in warm temperatures. However, none of these functions correct an unsuitable seat depth or incorrectly positioned armrests.

Those who specifically deal with the benefits and limitations of such functions will find a more detailed classification in our guide “Is an office chair with massage function healthy?” .

In the end, Markus did not buy a bigger chair – but a more suitable one.

On the third attempt, Markus no longer started with the term “XXL.” He first took the measurements of his previous chair and noted what bothered him.

• The seat surface was wide enough but too deep.
• The backrest was high but did not comfortably support his shoulders.
• The armrests were sturdy but fit poorly under the desk.
• The padding was soft but lost support after several hours.

So he no longer looked for the biggest model. He looked for a more sensible combination.

On paper, the new executive chair was not larger in every category. Its seat surface was even slightly less deep. However, Markus could sit fully against the backrest without the front edge pressing into the back of his knees.

The armrests connected better with the desk position. The padding initially felt a bit firmer but remained more stable during a long workday.

After the first week, he did not write an enthusiastic review about how soft or luxurious the chair felt in the first five minutes.

He noticed something much more important:

He thought less about his chair while working.

That is often the best sign of a suitable choice. A good executive chair does not constantly demand attention. It provides space, supports various sitting positions, and integrates into the workflow.

Before ordering, you can use the following checklist:

If you want to evaluate a specific model not only based on the manufacturer’s description, you can also read our CELLIER office chair test . It shows more clearly how a large-format executive chair fits into actual use.

You can also find a broader overview of different comfort models in our collection Comfort Office Chairs .

The term “XXL executive chair” can be helpful when searching. But it should never be the only basis for your decision.

Generous dimensions are important for tall people. Even more important, however, is that the seat, backrest, armrests, and desk work well together.

A chair is not automatically better just because it looks wider, has a higher load capacity, or is advertised with especially thick padding.

The crucial question is not:

“Is this executive chair big enough?”

But rather:

“Can I still sit naturally in this executive chair after several hours, change my position, and continue working comfortably?”

Those who honestly answer this question before buying are more likely to find not just a large but a truly suitable XXL executive chair.

Read more: buying guide for executive chairs and seating comfort

• Comfort office chairs for different needs
• Executive leather chairs: comparing materials and models
• CELLIER office chair test: How does a generous executive chair perform?
• Massage office chair: advantages, limits, and possible disadvantages