Ask HN: Do Aeron chairs make a difference in the office? We have a small software company working remotely on outsourced projects. We've been sitting on these uncomfortable dining chairs for about 3 years now and we got so fed up that were about to shamelessly break the bank! Of course, that Herman Miller's Aeron and Embody seem best to be sitting on for 12-15 hours/day. But I never tried them... never even touched or saw one physically. Are they that good? Should we go ahead with it? |
The problem I've read of is the hard "lip" on the front of seating area which according to some reviewers tends to cut blood flow from the legs for longer sitting periods.
The Embody should be fine in that regard (from what I've read, but I haven't tried it - neither have I tried the Aeron).
I ultimately decided for the "Steelcase Leap" and from my experience this was the best investment I have ever done in furniture.
Before the Leap I was unable (and unwilling) to go sit at my computer after leaving the office - now if I get backpains while at work I cannot wait to get home and into my chair. This may not be the case for everybody but for me it reliefs my backpain.
If you're going to invest in good chairs, give the Leap a spin.
Overall I like the Leap and Embody a lot. From what I can remember about using it, the Leap v1 had a few more adjustment points than the Leap v2. Both v1 & v2 were comfortable, had all the adjustments I needed to get proper ergonomics. I ultimately picked the Embody for home because while the Steelcase was good, I didn't want to spend 8 hours in the work chair and come home to sit in the exact same chair.
The Embody is definitely more of a flexible chair, you feel it move when you move in it. This has the side effect of feeling like you'll tip over if someone stands behind you and puts weight on your chair back (e.g. shoulder surfing and resting on your chair back). I don't like the arm adjustments as much as the Steelcase v1 Leap, there's no angling -- it just gets closer to you as you raise them up higher. Overall the Embody is very comfortable, and with working from home I use it 8-10 hours a day now. It holds up great.
As long as I remember to not kick my feet up on top of my tower computer.... That kills my knees in the long run, but is really nice in the short run.
I'd also recommend the Leap. It was the first purchase I made when I started working from home - worth every penny. I have a V1, I haven't tried a V2.
Second, I can't sign off on the Aeron it's a good chair - but it's far from great.
Personally, and through experience of owning all of these chairs, I would go for the Herman Miller MIRRA 2 chair -or- the Steelcase Gesture chair. They are impossible to beat from an ergonomics standpoint not to mention the countless hours of studied and research that went into these products.
The lumbar on these (all) chairs is negligible, cushioning technology is sound, the extendable lower thigh support is pretty sweet, butterfly suspension adjust to your posture and has a solid suspension / cushioning effect, build quality is A+
We have Mirra 2 and Gesture at our office, originally we started with the Gesture and they are fantastic and more "luxurious" but the Mirra 2 is the current star. They are expensive ($1.2k each) when fully equipped. But they are worth it.
The Aeron chairs we used to have back in the day were given to people to take home and I have two of them in my garage. Don't get me wrong - they're good chairs - but the Mirra and the Gesture are simply better and not by a little.
Don't sit for 13 hours per day. Otherwise you'll be in physical therapy for 13 hours per month. Signed, someone who used to sit for 13 hours per day.
But sit in one for awhile and you realize one day that the chair isn't bothering you like every other chair does after a few hours.
And they last forever. I have 2 and the oldest I bought used in 2002.
Grab a good deal on a used one.
As to the hard front hard front lip, that to me sounds like either poor adjustment or wrong chair size. There are 3 sizes to pick from and offices often don't contain all 3 to fit the worker's size. So, you may end up sitting in a larger chair than appropriate.
What you need to understand about a quality chair is that while it should be very comfortable, you should not expect to experience nirvana when you sit in it.
Often the prices of these chairs have people expecting some magic to happen when you first sit down. On the contrary, it shouldn't feel "superlative" when you first sit in it, it should just feel comfortable. In fact, it might not feel special at all. It's only later - 4, 6, 8 or more hours later - that you'll realize the chair's true value, in that it has become an extension of your posture.
The mark of a quality chair is not that you will notice it when you sit down, but rather that you won't notice it after sitting for a long time.
Other than that, ensure that you purchase the correct size. I have never found any problems with the Aeron's lip, but I purchased and customized my own, so I was able to make sure it came in the correct size. Offices with pre-assigned chairs may not offer this luxury.
In this context, I've been using the Aeron for 2 months now and surely I have no regrets regarding the investment; it's something from which you extract value every single day and you can measure directly how it affects your output. As investment, I would put it right next to the MacBook and resistance/strength training.
When you properly adjust it, the chair feels like a custom tailored suit or glove around your back - it's there, but it's not intrusive.
I'm frugal about most stuff and things - but, in our job even a slight placebo have the effect to benefit you orders of magnitude.
Beware, next coming is the search for the perfect keyboard :) Hint: just jump to HHKB2.
If you answered: Yes, Yes, No to the questions above, consider the cool and breathable rear-end attire that is the Aeron chair.
Herman Miller's Aeron seems like a good chair but personally I think the arm holders are not needed as when coding I put my arms on the table. Also I prefer less wheels because they are in the way.
Little joke, perhaps this chair: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Emperor'...
You'll save significant money in lost developer hours, physiotherapy costs, etc by buying good chairs (and checking that the rest of your setup is ergonomic too) right now.
Personally I don't get on with the Aeron, which is why I have the Herman Millar Mirra instead.
1. Research chairs beyond the aeron, I personally prefer the steelcase leap
2. Check out some furniture liquidators (especially if you're in the Bay Area), these chairs are built to last a decade
