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Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

hermanmiller.com

121–130 of 184 posts

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#121
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I should actually review the chair. I think the Aeron is ok, but I haven't sat in another chair that I think is notably better. I also haven't ever sat in an office chair that felt 100% right. I have short legs and a long torso. I'm 5'8" and I wear a 29" inseam pant. I do sometimes notice the front bar putting pressure on my legs. Most of the time I put my legs up on something. and have my knees slightly bent…

I know you are getting recommendations, but the Embody chair is what you would be looking for. http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/performance-wor...

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Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#122
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I might be writing this a lot for this thread, but the embody chair is by far the best office chair I have ever sat in: http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/performance-wor...

This activates my 'any one of these 10 million screws might pop and fuck me' phobia to the max. Is there something that provides similar comfort but without the 'sentient' aesthetic, something simpler in design?

It comes with a 5 year warranty.

You can go with a more industrial look, such as the Steelcase Gesture, but in reality most of what is done is just covered to look like there is less screws and such.

The difference is that Embody was made to deal with pressure points, but there are not as many screws as you might think.

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#123
post #97

When I switched to working from home full-time I went through a collection of chairs and finally settled on the Herman Miller Mirra2. It's a derivative design of the Aeron, but on the Aeron I had problems with the front lip cutting off circulation in my lower legs and putting too much pressure. The adjustable front lip on the Mirra2 was a godsend and after getting it adjusted professionally to fit me, I feel like the…

I have a very slender complexion and had exactly the same problem with my Aeron. I came to the conclusion that my 60kg/180cm was simply to little weight over to much area to make the foam lip curve enough.

Do you happen to be a featherweight also ? I would love to have a mesh chair, but one that works for my complexion.

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#124

I used to buy a $100 chair every year because it would break, I have had my miller for almost 11 years now.

This is how I feel about chairs. I've had mine for 12 years now, and I'm almost certain it will last another 12. When I was working in a recording studio, we'd go through a $100-200 chair every year, and they were never all that comfortable.

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#125

I have drunk the cool-aid about expensive chairs and cheap tables. For years I wanted to buy an Aeron for my home office but I didn't want to do it until I test one (I live in a small town, so no opportunity). Finally this year I tested an Aeron during a business trip, for 10 days. Maybe it's my own body, but it wasn't as comfortable as I thought it was going to be, I was very disappointed. The best chair I've been o…

The Aeron doesn't fit everyone. I'm thin as a rail, and for me the front lip cuts into the back of my thighs quite uncomfortably. But it fits a collegue of mine absolutely perfectly. I think it might be a bit sensitive to weight ( or weight over area ) as well as length, which is why they come in three different sizes. But for some complexions none of the sizes might fit.

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#127
post #17

I know the Aeron is extremely popular, but IMO the Embody is a better chair: http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/performance-wor...

I think it's seriously flawed, to the point of being a ripoff (especially considering the price). Specifically, I think that the two, radical flaws, are not just due to my personal shape: 1. the lower back support is very hard; anything around the waist will push against the pelvis/lower back. It took time to get used to, even using cotton trousers, I can't imagine people wearing a belt ever feeling comfortable. 2. t…

I've done a bit of research into your #1 and I'm convinced that Herman Miller did not design the Embody's back support with posterior pelvic tilt in mind[0]. I think this is why you see the phenomenon of individual buyers preferring Embody chairs after sitting for a bit in a showroom, using the chair for about a month, and then selling the chair or getting rid of it.

Awhile back I borrowed an Embody for the weekend from a dealer and noticed that after sitting in it for an hour or two my lower back would invariably feel like hell. I tried pretty much everything I could think of, and found two things that helped:

1. Stretching and doing other exercises to change my pelvic tilt from posterior to neutral or anterior.

2. Attaching zipties from the back support to the hole in the bottom middle of the "spine" of the chair. This reduces the pressure of the back support.

I ended up buying a Steelcase Leap v2 due to price, but I'm pretty sure that if I tried hard enough I could get the HM Embody to be the most comfortable chair for my body ergonomically. I think it's just unfortunate that Herman Miller seems to completely ignore this problem since it seems to affect a number of their customers. None of the Herman Miller reps or dealers I've talked to seem to really understand this issue.

[0]: http://www.hermanmiller.com/research/solution-essays/the-ben...

Linked is an article about how Herman Miller designed their posturefit system to try to push your hips forward. IIRC the Embody doesn't use the exact same system, but I think that they designed the Embody with similar goals. My theory is that if you have deeply engrained posterior pelvic tilt then the gentle nudging of the back support is completely ineffective at getting you to tilt your hips forward, and only digs into you and causes pain.

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#128

A question before my own story: What does everyone do as far as trying out chairs? It's crazy to me to base my buying decision on 10 minutes of sitting in a store. Are there stores out there that allow for in-home trials of these products? One of the thing that always amuses me about "best chair" recommendations is that it's an entirely personal choice. I am 6' 2" and 200lbs. Understanding even more than that about t…

I don't know if all or most stores will let you do this, but I went to a Design Within Reach store in Cambridge, MA and they let me bring in my laptop and work off their wifi for a full day. I'm sure they wold have let me spend a couple days there if I needed. I doubt you'd be able to get an in home trial, though.

> I doubt you'd be able to get an in home trial, though.

It seems odd that every decent mattress store will allow you an in-home trial--some as many as 4 months. Maybe because the return rate on chairs would be a lot higher?

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you give me some recommendation ?, i looking for a cheap office chair but ergonomic

Here's the problem: cheap office chairs are not ergonomic. If you're not willing to pay for two-axis adjustable armrests, adjustable seat pan depth, adjustable recline, proper padding, and lumbar support, then you don't have an ergonomic chair. I'd recommend buying an expensive ergonomic chair from Craigslist or an office furniture liquidation company. You can pick up a great chair at 1/3 the retail price. You should…

You can pick up a great chair at 1/3 the retail price

Pretty much this. I picked up a used Steelcase chair (don't remember the model, but it was listed for $800 new when I checked) for $65 at an office furniture liquidation company and it's the best chair I've ever owned.

Re: Herman Miller Launches New Aeron Chair

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought a $100 chair, and then I bought a Herman Miller Aeron. The $100 chair is much more comfortable. For one thing, the seat pan is padded cloth instead of mesh. Even my coworkers prefer it, so we outfitted the office with the $100 chairs, and nobody wants to sit on the uncomfortable $800 Aerons.

What's the $100 chair? I'd love a nice chair that doesn't cost $1000.

Sure thing, jayjay71, here it is (looks like they realized they could bump up the price a bit from four years ago, too):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Q5XTE8/ref=oh_aui_sear...

It's the Hyundai of chairs: 90% of what an Aeron is design-wise, but also more comfortable.

Not sure why it has four stars, it had 5 out of 5 back in 2012 when I first discovered it on Amazon, but then I think the listing got removed and then re-added, so all of the reviews went away -- to say nothing of the later explosion of fake reviewers at around 2014 or 2015 that completely destroyed the credibility of Amazon reviews.

So trust me, and take the $150 gamble. :)

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