10 Best Dining Chairs for Your Home of 2023
We spend a lot of time in our dining rooms hosting friends and family to celebrate special occasions and milestones.
If you're planning on hosting, a dining room refresh should be at the top of your list of priorities.
While you may consider your dining table the main centerpiece of your dining room or area, one of the most important considerations in your dining room is seating.
The right or wrong seating can make or break your room assemble.
Your dining room furniture acts as the focal point of the entire room, and dining chairs can change the room's entire aesthetic.
Not to mention, your guests will notice your chairs immediately once they go to take their seats.
To help you get started in answering these questions and begin narrowing down what chairs suit your needs the best, we compiled a list of the best dining room chairs.
Best Dining Chairs for Your Home
- Noho Move: Best Ergonomic Dining Chairs
- Borowski Slat Back Stacking Side Chair: Best Metal Dining Chairs
- Velvet Elowen: Best Velvet Dining Chairs
- Sylvester: Best Plastic Dining Chair Set
- Charlton Vintage Side Chair: Best Budget-Friendly Upholstered Chairs
- Juni Ash Dining Chair: Best Wooden Dining Chairs
- Mid-Century Leather Dining Chair: Best Genuine Leather Dining Chairs
- Julia Upholstered: Best Upholstered Dining Chairs
- Industrial Gray & Brown Upholstered: Best Industrial-Style Dining Chairs
- Dining Chairs With Arms Molded Transparent Plastic: Best Designer Knock-Off
Noho Move Chair: Best Ergonomic Dining Chairs
If you’re looking for a chair that is equal parts ergonomic and stylish, look no further than the environmentally-friendly Noho Move chair created by New Zealand brand Noho.
These cleverly engineered chairs, made of up-cycled plastic and nylon, are designed with the human body in mind, giving the chair enough elasticity to move with you in a subtle yet comfortable way.
The chair moves with you in ways that eliminate your pressure points, respond to your posture, and improve circulation.
And if you prefer a cozier feel, you can opt for a soft New Zealand wool cover, which comes in a number of attractive colors.
In addition to being ergonomically sound, their simple contemporary spin on a mid-century modern classic design is sure to blend in seamlessly in most settings. Plus, there are cover options in different colors to match just about any decor theme.
In fact, they are not just great for dining but can serve as the perfect all-purpose chair.
Prices start at $395 a chair, with the base color of the chairs coming in either white or black.
Key Details:
- Style: Mid-century modern, contemporary
- Materials: Up-cycled plastic and nylon
- Dimensions: 33.5"H x 19.7"W x 16.9"D x 18.9" Seat H
- Chair weight: 10 lbs.
- Weight capacity: 300 lbs.
- Made in New Zealand
Borowski Slat Back Stacking Side Chair: Best Metal Dining Chairs
Metal chairs are a durable and beautiful option that checks all boxes of your industrial-style needs.
The Borowski Slat Back Stacking Side Chairs from Wayfair come in a set of four metal chairs that are both parts functional and cool.
Metal chairs are increasing in popularity due to their durability and easy clean-up.
They are a great dining chair option for those who anticipate having a fair amount of dining room messes, such as people with small children.
Have a small dining space? They stack for easy storage on the days you don’t find yourself needing them.
A set of four costs just under $200, also making it a budget-friendly choice.
Key Details
- Style: Industrial, rustic
- Materials: Cast iron
- Seat Dimensions: 17.7'' H x 14.1'' W x 13.9'' D
- Chair weight: 47.6 lbs (for set)
- Weight capacity: 330 lbs
Velvet Elowen Chair by Anthropologie: Best Velvet Dining Chairs
Fabric chairs are a great way to add some design flair to your dining room, and the Velvet Elowen Chair by Anthropologie doubles as soft and comfy seating for guests while still being aesthetically pleasing.
The brass metal details on the chair handle and legs give it a polished touch that is purely mid-century modern.
The chairs themselves have a bit of weight behind them, making the brass handle a convenient option for pulling your chair out.
What's also nice is the fact that velvet tends to be somewhat stain and scratch-resistant. Because liquids and stains tend to stay on top of the pile rather than get absorbed right away, it gives you a little more time to wipe the stain off.
Each chair is sold individually at $398 apiece and comes in six velvety soft color choices.
- Style: Transitional, Traditional, Contemporary, Vintage
- Materials: Cotton velvet, foam and fiber fill, polished brass, hardwood frame
- Seat dimensions: 19.75"H x 16.75"D
Sylvester Plastic Dining Chair (Set of 4): Best Plastic Dining Chair Set
Plastic chairs are the perfect option for busy people that need durability without sacrificing style.
The Sylvester Dining Chair from AllModern is a stylish and easy-to-clean seating option for your dining room.
If your style is modern, these chairs will fit the bill.
With their skinny legs and bucket/shell seat, these contemporary plastic chairs come in eight vibrant colors and are sold in a set of four.
Four chairs will cost you under $400, making this another budget-friendly option.
Unfortunately, the chairs are not stackable but because the legs and seat are very thin and have narrow profiles, you'll find these seats are actually space-saving.
Overall, these seats are a great budget-saving, low-maintenance option that can add a pop of color to your dining room.
Key Details:
- Style: Mid-century modern, contemporary
- Materials: Polypropylene plastic, metal
- Seat dimensions: 18'' H x 18.25'' W x 15.5'' D
- Seat weight: 9.48 lbs
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
Charlton Vintage Side Chair (Set of 4): Best Budget-Friendly Upholstered Chairs
Don't let budget be a barrier to refreshing your dining room. The Charlton Vintage Side Chair is stylish and fits in perfectly with mid-century modern style.
The thin legs and clean design make it a great choice if you are looking for something simple and easy to pair with existing furniture.
These chairs are cotton-filled, making them comfortable for all of the lengthy dinners you'll be hosting this year.
The fabric material is soft and comfortable, and the chairs come in a choice of seven attractive fabric colors.
You'll be happy to know that the legs come with plastic protectors so your floors won't get scratched up when these chairs are moved around or pulled out of the table.
These cost under $300 for four, making them an amazing value.
Customers are raving about how beautiful and comfortable these chairs are at an amazing price.
Key Details:
- Style: Contemporary, mid-century modern
- Materials: Metal, Foam, Polyester blend fabric
- Seat Dimensions: 17.5'' H x 17.9'' W x 15.7'' D
- Seat weight: 11.24 lbs
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
Vintner Wood Dining Chair: Best Wooden Dining Chairs
Solid wood is a classic dining room furniture material that looks distinguished and traditional.
If you like a traditional style, consider the Juni Ash Dining Chair from Crate and Barrel.
Clean lines on the back of the seat and a neutral finish on the wood give these chairs versatility in what table you pair them with.
The chairs come in two colors and are sold individually, making them not the cheapest but still fairly affordable for dining chairs.
The style is also perfect for a farmhouse-style setting.
The solid wood construction will ensure use for many years to come making this a great investment in quality.
Key Details:
- Style: Rustic, traditional, farmhouse, vintage
- Materials: Sustainable solid ash wood
- Seat dimensions: 18.5" Seat height x 16.5" Seat depth
- Made in Italy
Mid-Century Leather Dining Chair: Best Genuine Leather Dining Chairs
Leather is a beautiful material for dining chairs, and the Mid-Century Leather Dining Chair by West Elm are true statement pieces for your dining room.
The chair curves in the back and the seat, making it more ergonomic than your average chair. The seat is padded for lasting comfort.
The legs are available in metal or wood with plastic caps to protect your floor from scratches.
The chair is upholstered in top-grain contract-grade leather, meaning it's some of the highest quality and durable even for commercial high-traffic use.
With leather, you have to follow specific guidelines for upkeep. Consider investing in a leather repair kit to keep up with the routine maintenance that will preserve your leather chairs for years to come.
Each chair starts at $404 and is sold individually.
Key Details:
- Style: Mid-century modern, contemporary
- Materials: Top-grain leather, metal, synthetic cushion
- Seat Dimensions: 19.25" Seat height x 19.5" Seat width
- Seat weight: Approximately 20 lbs
- Made in China
Julia Upholstered Dining Chair: Best Upholstered Dining Chairs
If you want a soft, comfortable dining chair, look no further than the Julia Upholstered Dining Chairs from Kirkland’s.
These contemporary upholstered dining chairs are soft, comfortable, and easy to match with just about any kind of table you pair them with.
While understated in their design, the Julia Upholstered Dining Chairs will be sure to elevate the design of your dining room.
The silver nailhead trim on the chair is elegant and simple, adding a touch of subtle style. The chair's legs are a classic natural wood finish.
Not a fan of gray? This chair also comes in cream, navy, and black. Each chair comes in around $240 and is sold individually.
Key Details:
- Style: Contemporary, transitional, traditional
- Materials: Rubberwood, polyester fabric, high-density foam fill
- Seat height: 18"
- Seat weight: 17.6 lbs
- Weight Capacity: 225 lbs
Industrial Gray and Brown Upholstered Dining Chair (Set of 2): Best Industrial-Style Dining Chairs
Industrial is a great style to incorporate and actually works well with vintage, farmhouse, or even modern decor.
These industrial-style chairs from Homary utilize realistic faux leather to achieve a rather vintage finish to the upholstery.
The seat cushion ensures that you'll be able to enjoy your meal or time sitting without having to squirm in discomfort.
In addition, the style of these dining chairs are unique to Homary, meaning you'll be hard-pressed to find them anywhere else.
These industrial-style chairs are truly one-of-a-kind.
Customers rave about the sturdiness of the construction as well as the fact that they're actually comfortable to sit on.
Key Details:
- Style: Industrial, schoolhouse, vintage, mid-century modern
- Materials: Metal, foam fill, Polyurethane leather
- Dimensions: 21.7" W x 22.2" D x 27.6" H
Dining Chairs With Arms Molded Transparent Plastic (Set of 2): Best Designer Knock-Off Dining Chair
If you're a fan of the King Louis Ghost Chair by Kartell, you will love what Overstock has to offer at a fraction of the cost.
These transparent dining chairs by 2XHome are a close replica of the original designer chairs and comes in four different colors--two of which are transparent.
Kartell's Ghost chairs will cost you over $900 for two chairs, where you get these knock-offs for around $250 for a pair.
This is a great option for those who love modern designer furniture but don't have the budget to pay full price.
Even if the quality isn't the same as the original, the chairs still hold up and are difficult to tell apart from the actual Ghost chair.
As an added bonus, these chairs stack up so you can store them away if necessary.
Most customers were very pleased with the purchase and the quality.
Key Details:
- Style: Contemporary, mid-century modern
- Materials: acrylic, polycarbonate
- Dimensions: 17 in. D X 19 in. L X 21 in. W X 36.5 in. H
- Made in China
How We Decided
We chose these dining room chairs based on customer ratings, material durability, and popularity. All the chairs on this list are highly rated in customer satisfaction and are sold by mainstream, reputable furniture retailers.
For each chosen brand, we reviewed the following criteria: product accessibility, price, customer and professional reviews, and product features/options.
Product Accessibility
We chose products that were easily accessible through local or online retailers.
These brands are either available directly through their retail stores or online retailers such as Wayfair.com.
Price
The brands in this list had generally affordable prices and stayed in the median market range for dining room tables.
Typical costs for dining room chairs hover around $45 a chair for the least expensive option, all the way into the $500 range per chair.
Customer Reviews
We chose brands that had generally good reviews on the listing. These reviews are written by real customers, giving you insight into real people’s experiences with the brand and the dining chair itself.
Determining factors in reviews and rankings include product durability and cost.
Product Features/Options
We included highlights of certain product features that could give insight into different brands’ offerings, and what sets brands apart from each other within the market.
By reviewing the product’s webpage, we selected the most unique product features that set the selected product apart from other similar chairs.
Different Types of Dining Chairs
Like many pieces of furniture, there is a whole gamut of what your dining chairs can be made out of.
They are traditionally made of wood but are also commonly found to be constructed with a number of different materials and styles.
Let's look at the most common types.
Plastic or Acrylic Chairs
Plastic is a durable dining chair material that suits everyday usage.
You don't need to worry about accidental spillage with this material; as far as messes and spills go, plastic dining chairs are easy to clean with a wipe and a household cleaner.
Because of its durability and simple clean-up, this chair material is perfect for busy people or families with young children.
Plastic is fairly durable, but it can scratch and become damaged after extensive or rough usage. It is not as durable as metal, but it is also generally inexpensive making plastic chairs typically easier to replace.
Acrylic is mostly seen in modern and contemporary-style designer dining chairs. Because of its strong solid nature and that it is see-through, many modern designers gravitate towards this material.
Having transparent dining chairs might also help a smaller space feel larger.
Upholstered Chairs
If you are looking for comfort above all else, consider getting upholstered chairs for your dining room. These are softer to sit on than plastic and metal, and they are especially great for sitting for long periods.
Generally, these chairs are less durable than plastic or metal, and cleaning is more difficult if there is a spill. You can spot-clean stains with a towel and the fabric stain cleaning solution of your choosing.
Leather is another popular fabric to upholster chairs with. Genuine leather is beautiful, but requires a fair amount of upkeep and maintenance to keep it looking pristine. If you prefer animal-friendly products, consider a vegan leather option.
For the entertainers who love to host long dinner parties, upholstered chairs will keep your guests comfortable and happy!
Solid Wood Chairs
Solid wood is a popular material for dining room chairs because of its classic dining room feel. With wooden chairs, you can choose between sealed wood and unsealed natural wood.
Each kind of wood is going to have its own specific upkeep requirements, but generally sealed wood is more durable. Unsealed wood is much more difficult to maintain and is privy to stains, scratches, and liquid damage. Sealed wood is much easier to maintain than unsealed wood, but it is still subject to liquid damage if it is exposed to liquids for a prolonged time.
Regardless of what kind of wooden chairs you purchase, you’ll need to be diligent about maintaining this material and keeping it clean and dry. You may even consider utilizing a chair cover to protect the delicate hardwood from scratches or blemishes from everyday use.
Metal Chairs
Metal is becoming more popular as a dining room chair material because of its durability and industrial feel.
Metal is non-porous and easy to clean. It’s as simple as wiping down the chair with a household cleaner, so you won’t need to worry about needing protective chair covers.
Consider adding chair cushions if you plan to be seated for awhile; metal is not known for being the most comfortable for extended seating arrangements.
Metal is a great option for busy folks who are also looking for a rustic or industrial theme in their dining room decor.
Tips for Selecting Dining Chairs
As you begin to consider getting a new set of dining chairs, ask yourself the following questions:
- How much seating do you need?
- What are your durability requirements?
- What is the style you are attempting to create within your dining room furniture and decor?
Shopping for Individual Chairs or a Set
Dining chairs are most often sold individually, although some of the mentioned items above are sold in pairs or as a full set.
Buying chairs individually allows for the flexibility to add extra table seating. You can also mix and match chairs, if you prefer to have different colors or patterns of the chairs at the heads of the table, for example.
Buying in a set also has its advantages. It is likely to be more cost-effective by buying a set of chairs versus buying chairs individually. Finding a set is a cost-effective way to get all of the chairs you need, but be warned, it’s difficult to find sets bigger than four chairs.
