the big chair investment

As someone who works from home, and sits at a desk for most of the day, I have been toying around with the idea of buying a nice fancy ergonomic chair. I picked up one of those faux leather armback chairs from Home Depot several years ago for around $40 and it has been okay, but it is not very comfortable, the padding is crap, and I actually get blisters on my elbows from the rough plastic arm supports.

Although I've always been one of those frugal types of people, I have come to discover that there are certain things that aren't worth penny-pinching over. Things like toilet paper, for example. And I believe that I am going to have to add office chairs to the list, at least if you plan on spending any considerable amount of time in one. Does anyone have any suggestions? I work at a glass and steel desk that is a certain height so I need to make sure that the chair (with the arms, if it has any) will slide beneath the desk when not in use. That is another problem with the one I currently own. Even if I drop it down in height to the lowest possible position, it still cannot fit beneath my desk. I like my desk - don't want to swap that out, so the chair will have to adapt.

I also need suggestions for a good industrial strength under-chair mat to go on top of carpet. I bought a Rubbermaid mat from Wal-Mart and this thing is a piece of crap. It has cracked all over the place from the chair rolling on it, and the little "slivers" of Rubbermaid plastic are sharp and dangerous for barefoot office work. I may look into getting one of those super-thick black rubber mats that cashiers get to stand on. They are comfortable as can be, from what I remember from my old grocery store cashier days. Plus, they are thick so I don't think they would crack under the rolling chair pressure.

When you spend so much time in an office, it pays to make yourself comfortable. Pay a little more now for good ergonomics and decent back support, or pay more later for chiropractic bills, right?