As the name suggests, the La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair is built for people with taller, heavier bodies. Chairs like this are few and far between, as standard home office chairs don't provide the posture support and day-long comfort heavier bodies require to remain as pain-free as possible when sitting.
This La-Z-Boy offering is hands-down the best ergonomic office chair for heavier people (it supports up to 400lbs in weight), and offers a cushioned seat and back to relieve pressure when sitting. It's heavy and expensive though, so prepare yourself for quite a price hike compared to the cost of a standard office chair.
The Trafford comes in black or chestnut brown. While both are handsome finishes, the real sell here is how the chair can boost your posture and comfort during longer working days, rather than how it looks like something Marlon Brando might lounge on in The Godfather.
In our La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair review we look at the spec, design, features and user reviews to help you figure out if it's the right choice for your home office. To boost your posture further, we'd also recommend our guide to the best standing desks for home use.
La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair review: Overview
Premium comfort is the name of the game here. The La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair's memory foam seat and adjustable headrest are designed to provide excellent support and pressure relief where it’s needed most.
Memory foam, of course, is a common material found in mattresses, so this chair is all about helping you feel as comfy and pain-free as possible when sitting. So if you have experienced back, neck or hip pain in standard office chairs, the La-Z-Boy could be your golden ticket to a comfier working day.
MSRP: $499.99
Weight capacity: up to 400lbs
Seat height: 21-23"
Seat width: 21.75"
Seat depth: 19"
You can also control the height, tilt and lift, all of which makes the chair more responsive to your body type and the way you prefer to sit when working at your desk. For maximum adjustability, we'd point you in the direction of our Nouhaus Ergo3D Ergonomic Office Chair review.
Making these height, lift and tilt adjustments is easy with the ergonomic control levers fitted either side of the seat, too. A few simple tweaks is all it takes to improve your body alignment when home working, and your body will thank you for it.
This should mean you experience less knotted muscles over time. But if you do suffer with tightness and tension in your neck and upper back, take a look at our guide to the best handheld massagers to see how they could ease your pain.
La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair review: Design
When it comes to design, La-Z-Boy has opted for a luxury aesthetic to match the price and premium comfort on offer. The Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair is made with tactile bonded leather and features premium padding with ‘ComfortCore’ memory foam in the seat to contour to your body. The chestnut brown bonded-leather upholstery is complemented by dark-stained wood.
Meanwhile, the brand's own ‘Flexible Air’ technology provides more supportive lumbar cushions that pivot as you move in the chair. What does that mean? Less lumbar pain and more targeted back support.
The La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair has a height range of 44.5 to 47.5", with a seat width of 21.75". The chair is sturdy and built to accommodate weights of up to 400lbs, and has met rigorous testing standards by BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association).
As mentioned earlier in our review, the chair’s height is fully adjustable. It can also be reclined and tilted, with all that magic ergonomic action operated via two seat-side controls. Other premium features include an elevated headrest to relieve stress on your head and neck, with padded armrests for the wrists and forearms to rest on.
Extra touches include the ‘waterfall’ seat edge to ease pressure in your legs and boost blood circulation. For a similar waterfall design, take a look out our Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair review.
That doesn't mean you can happily remain sitting all day though - you should still get up, move and stretch every hour to combat the dangers of sitting for too long.
Finally, four smooth-rolling wheels enable you to easily roll the chair back from your desk when standing, and when you want to move the chair to a new position. This is handy because at 64lbs, the La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair isn't exactly lightweight.
La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair review: How could it benefit you?
The clue is in the title with this one: if you’re tall or broad, you should get plenty of comfort from the La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair. The extra cushioning provides welcome relief if you're heavier in weight too, as your main pressure points (back, hips, glutes) are well protected to reduce any sitting pain.
Stretching while sitting can also help reduce pain, and in our Gabrylly Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair review we discuss the merits of chair yoga for this.
The side-seat controls on the La-Z-Boy Trafford also make it easy to adjust, with no unnecessary reaching for levers to get to your required settings. Here are some other top-line benefits:
- Memory foam seat moulds to your body for extra comfort
- The high back and elevated headrest supports and protects your neck
- Contoured lumbar panel reduces pressure on your back
- Adjustable tilt enables you to recline back for a desk-side stretch
- Heavier weight capacity means you'll be properly supported all day long
- Padded armrests dish out contoured support for your forearms and wrists
- 'Body pillows' used in the chair deliver deep comfort on high-pressure areas
La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair review: User reviews
The La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall office chair receives plenty of great reviews online, including at office-supply retailer Staples, with one happy customer saying: “I'm 6'3”, and this is one of the most comfortable office chairs I have ever had. If you need a big and tall office chair, this would be my recommendation.”
Staples gives the chair an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, while the rating on Amazon has an average star rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, with 62% of those being 5-star ratings. Comments on Amazon include how easy the chair was to assemble, with some customers experiencing an improvement in back pain too.
Less favorable user reviews focus on some aspects of the build being difficult and time-consuming, and how the seat cushion flattened over time. One user uploaded images to show how the armrest "material is cracking after just six months."
Another customer complained that the La-Z-Boy customer service team was unresponsive, despite the brand advertising several ways to get in touch, including via phone and online form. While the negative reviews are firmly in the minority, these are things to keep in mind when buying such an expensive home office chair.
Should you buy the La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive Office Chair?
While the premium price may not suit everybody, if you struggle getting comfy in the average office chair, those extra dollars will be well spent here. There’s plenty of control on offer, especially with the elevated headrest that can be adjusted to support your head and neck as you work.
And, if the aesthetic of other office chairs don’t make the grade when it comes to your home office decor, the La-Z-Boy Trafford Big and Tall Executive chair, with its traditional brown leather and wooden finish, should do it justice.
For a cheaper alternative, read our Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair review, but keep in mind that it's maximum weight capacity isn't anywhere near the La-Z-Boy's
For more home office content, check out our guides to the best home computers and the best all in one printers.
