Best Office Chair Caster Wheels Reviews

This article is a research based buyer’s guide that contains reviews of office chair casters. If you are looking for the best caster wheels to buy, this article will serve as a good resource.

Most people buy a premium set of office chair casters for the following reasons.

  • Protect hard floors
  • Eliminate the need for an office chair mat
  • Replacing a broken office chair wheel

This article explores two types of office chair casters – traditional and rollerblade style caster wheels.

TL;DR: My favorite office chair caster wheels are the SunnieDog rollerblade style casters.

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What Are Office Chair Casters?

Casters are another word for the wheels on your office chair.

Office chair caster wheels with a protective rubber or soft plastic outer shell works great to protect hard floors. The types of hard floors they protect include:

  • Hardwood
  • Tile
  • Slate
  • Laminate

Most of the standard casters that come stock on office chairs are made of solid, hard plastic. Over time, they can do some serious damage on your hard floor.

Premium Caster Wheels

Premium caster wheels are designed to prevent damage on hard floors. They are an ideal solution to prevent scuffs and scratches on your hardwood floor as a result of an office chair constantly rolling across it.

In fact, premium caster wheels are often used in lieu of an office chair mat.

This article does a deep dive into two types of office chair caster wheels – rollerblade casters and traditional casters. Each set of casters mentioned in this article will fit most office chairs sold in the United States.

Below are the primary differences between the two types of caster wheels.

Rollerblade Office Chair CastersTraditional Office Chair Casters (Premium)
Recommended Chair CastersSunnieDog Rollerblade Casters“Premium Caster” Model ZT08
AestheticsSportier; less professionalLooks like “normal” wheels that come stock on most office chairs
SpeedRollerblade wheels are “fast” which means your chair will move with limited effort pushing offTraditional casters do a better job keeping your chair in place without naturally rolling back and forth / side to side
Hard Floor ProtectionYesYes

Caster Wheels for Office Chairs Comparison Table

SunnieDog Rollerblade Style Office Chair CasterPremium Caster ZT08Slipstick CB680 Chair CastersOffice Oasis Chair CastersOffice Gliders Chair Casters
StyleRollerblade CastersTraditional Office Chair CastersTraditional Office Chair CastersRollerblade CastersRollerblade Casters
PriceCheck Price on AmazonCheck Price on AmazonCheck Price on AmazonCheck Price on AmazonCheck Price on Amazon
Quantity Per Set55555
Wheel Diameter (Approximate)3″2″2″3″3″
Stem Dimensions7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall (11mm x 22mm)7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall (11mm x 22mm)7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall (11mm x 22mm)7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall (11mm x 22mm)7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall (11mm x 22mm)
Weight Capacity (In Pounds / Per Set)650 lbs500 lbs360 lbs650 lbs650 lbs

Rollerblade Office Chair Casters

My favorite type of office chair casters are the rollerblade style casters. These casters are just like the wheels you would find on a pair of inline skates.

Rollerblade style office chair casters helps prevent floor damage. The material that makes contact with your floor is a soft, rubber-like plastic.

Many people use rollerblade style casters as an alternative to a chair mat. They both meet the same end goal of protecting your floor.

Using these office chair casters are one of the best ways to prevent damaging your hardwood floor.

It is surprising how expensive, higher end office chairs come with casters that can damage your floor. This relatively inexpensive upgrade can help circumvent that problem.

The video below is courtesy of Ratchet Auto on YouTube. It is a good depiction of what to expect upon receiving a set of rollerblade style caster wheels.

SunnieDog Office Rollerblade Style Office Chair Caster Wheels Review


My favorite office chair casters are by the “SunnieDog Office” company. They are premium rollerblade style casters.

These chair casters come in a set of five. They are fully assembled and will arrive ready to be installed on your office chair.

The casters are molded in a firm, rubber-like material that is gentle on hard floors. One of the main purposes of rollerblade style casters is to protect hard floors.

They are heavy-duty casters for an office chair. In fact, the manufacturer rates them at holding 650 pounds distributed across the five casters. This makes the SunnieDog casters a great option for heavier people.

Since most of the office chairs in the United States accept the same size casters, there is little worry that these will not fit your chair. The stem, or the metal piece that is inserted into the base of the chair, measures 7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall. In metric units, the stem measures 11mm x 22mm.

Another feature I really like about these casters is how quiet they are. The plastic, rubber-like material of these casters hardly makes a sound. They are cushioned just enough to glide across the floor without squeaking or making the abrasive sound of hard plastic on a hard floor.

SunnieDog Office is a family owned company based in Colorado. The company is named after their late family dog, Sunnie. I like to support the little guy, especially when they make a quality product!

Pros

The best thing about these chair casters are they do exactly what they are supposed to do which is protect hard floors. The casters are coated in soft polyurethane plastic. The soft outer shell helps prevent damage on your floor, even if your chair is not rolling on a floor mat.

The maneuverability is excellent. The bearings inside the chair casters allow it to swivel easily and turn on a dime.

The bearings are fully enclosed. This is important because the casters will not pick up hair on the floor. If you have pets there are no more worries about the wheels getting clogged up. This is a major plus!

They operate very smoothly. The plastic casters that come stock on most office chairs tend to get “stuck” from time to time when rolling your chair around. These rollerblade wheels are one smooth motion no matter which way you are moving your chair.

They are quiet. Since the outer molding is a soft plastic, but rubber-like material, they do not make the loud rolling sound that standard casters make. The best way I can describe the sound is a very subtle hum when rolling.

Cons

As with most chair casters, they do not excel at rolling on high pile carpet. Since they are 3” in diameter they do okay, but not a great job. If you have a higher pile carpet, consider coupling the caster with an office chair mat. Low pile carpet like you would find in an office is another story. They work well on low pile carpet.

At 3” in diameter, the chair casters are large. This gives your chair a little more height. If the chair sits up too high you can always adjust it down. Some may consider this a con and others may not. It’s all about personal preference.

They make your chair very fast. Pushing off just a little bit sends the chair rolling more than I had expected. They are really sensitive in that regard.

If your office chair is made by IKEA, beware. These chair casters fit most office chairs sold in the United States. However, IKEA is a European brand and the dimensions on some of their chair casters are slightly different. IKEA chairs are great, just confirm they will accept a 7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall stem before purchasing.

Standard Office Chair Casters

If you like the look of standard office chair casters, there are options available that will help protect your hard floors.

Traditional style caster wheels look a little more “natural.” Traditional style wheels look like those that come standard on most office chairs. The difference is most office chairs right out of the box do not come with premium casters.

Many people prefer the traditional look. If you are buying casters for a professional environment, the traditional style caster wheels are probably your best bet.

“Premium Caster” Office Chair Caster Review


The office chair casters sold by Premium Caster (model ZT08) are standard caster wheels and do a good job at protecting your floor.

They have a rubber shell around the diameter of the wheel. This is the protective rubber layer that protects your floor from scuffs and scratches.

The “Premium Caster” wheels have the standard stem diameter of 7/16″ (11mm) and stem length of 7/8″ (22mm). This is the universal size that fits most chairs in the United States. The most common exception are chairs made by Ikea.

If you like the look of “normal” office chair casters, these are the ones I recommend. They look like regular wheels that come on most office chairs. While the rollerblade style wheels work great, some people may think they look too sporty for a business setting.

The weight limit on the Premium Casters is 500 lbs distributed across 5 caster wheels. They are rated at 100 lbs per caster. This makes them ideal for a heavy-set person.

These casters grip well to hard floors. They are not as “fast” as the rollerblade style casters. The rollerblade casters will keep your chair moving all day with the slightest of push-off, whereas these tend to keep a more static position.

Overall, the “Premium Casters” are the best standard office chair casters if you are upgrading or otherwise replacing the casters that came on your chair.

Slipstick Caster Wheels Review

Another good option for standard office chair caster wheels is the Slipstick CB680.

The primary feature I like about these casters is the rubber coating around the wheels. This coating is what makes the Slipstick chair casters safe for hard floors including hardwood, tile and laminate floors.

If you don’t like the look of rollerblade style chair casters, the Slipstick casters are a good alternative. These look like chair casters that come stock on most office chairs while offering protection to your hard floor at the same time.

They measure 2” in diameter. The stem is the industry standard 7/16″” x  7/8″. This is the universal size for caster wheels, therefore, they will fit most office chairs in the United States.

They come in a set of five casters per order.

Each caster will carry only 66 pounds. A set is rated at holding 330 pounds distributed across five casters. With this lower weight limit they are more prone to breaking. If you are a heavy person, you may want to skip these and buy the “Premium Casters” which are reviewed in the section above.

My biggest issue with this set and most other traditional style casters is they are not easy to clean. If you have pets this could pose an issue, especially if they have long hair. No matter how clean your house is, pet hair can (and will) get into the wheels of your chair. You cannot take the casters apart. Your best bet is to blow them out with compressed air.

Overall, these are my second pick for the best office chair casters (traditional style).

What to Consider When Buying Office Chair Casters

Make sure the stem of the casters you are buying is compatible with your chair. A stem is the metal rod at the top of the caster that inserts into your chair. In the United States, nearly 100% of the chairs have stems that measure 7/16″ wide x 7/8″ tall. This is commonly referred to as the “Universal Stem Size.”

If you have pets with long hair, make sure the bearings on the chair casters are sealed or enclosed. Otherwise, hair can roll up and get tangled in the wheels. Typically, rollerblade style casters are the best option if you have pets.

If you are a heavy person, make sure you get a sturdy set of caster wheels. For example, the Slipstick casters are rated at holding 330 lbs across five casters. Even if you do not weigh that much, they are more prone to breaking than the “Premium Casters” which are rated at holding 500 lbs.

Consider the appearance of the caster wheels. I think the traditional style wheels look better in a professional setting. The rollerblade style wheels have a sportier look.

Chair mats will also help protect your floor. Check out our article on the best office chair mat!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change the caster wheels on my office chair?
To switch out the caster wheels, you simply pull them out. You literally just turn your chair over and pull them directly out.

The casters on my chair are not coming off easily. What can I do to safely remove them?
Try using a rubber mallet to tap them out. Alternatively, you can wrap a towel around the wheel and gently knock the casters out.

My casters are not sliding on my chair. How can I easily push them in?
First, confirm the stem is the correct size to fit your chair. If the casters are the correct size, add WD40 to the metal stem. This will lubricate the caster enough to push it in.

What are the best office chair casters for carpet?
On longer and/or thicker carpet, the rollerblade style casters work better. This is because they have more clearance than standard casters. Also, most rollerblade style casters are 3” in diameter versus 2” for most standard casters.

How do I know what size casters will fit my chair?
In the United States, the universal stem size for office chair casters is a diameter of 7/16″ and a length of 7/8″. In metric units that is 11mm x 22mm. The stem is the metal piece that is inserted into the chair leg. If you have an Ikea chair standard sized US casters may not fit perfectly.

The Bottom Line

Premium caster wheels are a relatively inexpensive upgrade to your office chair. Overall, they are a great way to help prevent damage to your hard floors.

If you are a heavier person or like a sportier look, the rollerblade style casters are a good option.

If you work in a professional environment or like the more traditional look, your best bet is the traditional style casters.

Either way, a set of premium casters with a rubber or soft plastic outer shell will help protect your hard floors.

Best of luck with your search for new caster wheels.  If you found this article helpful be sure to share it on facebook!