Ask HN: Where do you sit? For a few years now I’ve been sitting in a standard $200-something Costco-bought chair and while the quality is good I find myself slipping from the net-like materia and ending up in a weird hunching position very often during the day. This leads to some neck and back pain happening a couple of times during the year. I was wondering where do HN users sit and if they recommend it. |
It’s super comfortable. I do need to wash the red fabric. Black one is still perfect.
I used a company that let me borrow them (tried Aeron too) for a week, so got a solid test before buying.
The price was within range. I did not want to spend ~2k on a Herman Miller. These days there are many options around the 500 EUR range though.
They’re incredibly comfortable and long-wearing. The gas cylinders are replaceable when needed (cheap and straightforward albeit a lot of force is needed to break the old cylinder free from the base).
If you want to save money, find one with a flat cylinder. Many people assume they’re not repairable.
I read its manual and spend about 30 minutes configuring it when I bought it. I've done that once, 12 years ago. Settings haven't changed.
Some complain about the plastic part hurting their legs: that's either an inappropriately sized or inappropriately configured or a wrong sitting position.
Basically the "trick" to configuring an Aeron is that if you put both your hands behind your head the chair should basically lean back by itself. And if you then extend your arms on top of your keyboard, the chair must lean forward again.
The "pellicle mesh" on the Aeron was at first designed for old people, to prevent injuries and sweating due from sitting hours and hours. Then they realized that offices had people sitting long hours and they pivoted.
I do prefer the Aeron to the more recent models Herman Miller made.
As a bonus the Aeron is at the MoMA as a permanent exhibition. It's a work of art. It's seen in oh-so-many series and movies and it used to be the iconic Web 1.0 chair.
Fun story: sister-in-law saw mine at my home office back when I bought it and told me "oh, I've got the same at work, I don't like it I'm not comfortable in it". So I told her to have someone come and configure it correctly for her. A few weeks later my brother ordered four of them for its house.
My best friend has one. My brother has two, my sister in law has two. My wife has one.
Should mine break I'd buy a new one instantly and be good for 12 years.
They're pricey but it's my endgame: it's the last chair I'll be using.
A little background: I've been doing 8+ hours of programming and often a few more hours of chair time (gaming, personal work, whatever) after work for about 15 years now.
When I started, I could sit on/in anything. On a really long day I might feel some discomfort or slight back pain, but nothing major. Starting 3 or 4 years ago, that changed.
If I sat in a chair without back support, poor ergonomics, or a bad seat, I got quite a bit of pain. I'm not sure how much of that I should attribute to weakening core/supporting muscles from the heavy amount of desk time vs. the natural effects of aging, but it was obvious that something was causing me pain where I hadn't previously had it. Throughout my whole programming career I've stayed active – at 35, I'm only 10lb up from the weight I was at through my late teens, lifting as well as cardio for exercise, etc.
Once I noticed I was having pain, I started an (unfortunately very expensive) journey to find a chair that agrees with me. By this point I had been working from home for 3 years and I was sitting on a $50 generic office chair that I knew was at least part of the problem that caused me a lot of pain.
The first new chair I tried was a Steelcase Leap. I'd had one at a previous job and remembered liking the armrests and back support a lot. I sat it in for about a year, but the seat pan was literally as hard as a rock, or otherwise cursed and was literally a huge pain in the ass. However, the back support was great and I knew I was on the right track.
I sold the Leap (luckily not at too much of a loss) and then tried an Autonomous Ergochair Pro. I liked the back support on that chair a lot as well, but likewise found the seat to be super uncomfortable. I sold it a few months later.
The last chair I tried (and the one I finally kept) was a Herman Miller Embody. I knew from enjoying the back on the Leap chair that I liked the idea of a flexible-backed chair that could move with my spine and allow me to stretch, but the Embody ended up being the choice for me because of the seat. I'd tried other mesh seats in the past but they always had kind of a "hammock" feeling. The only way I can really describe the seat on the Embody is that it feels like all of the "suspended" feeling of a mesh chair, but with none of the "hammock" effect where you feel like you're sitting in the middle of a bowl. The seat is basically invisible for me to sit on. On long days I don't have any pain, and I honestly feel like I'm able to work more effectively without being distracted or uncomfortable from pain.
The other thing I did was just try to sit _less_. Getting a standing desk along with a nice chair has made a world of difference. If I'm honest, some days pass completely without me standing at all, but having the option there is great when I need it.
The biggest downside is that erognomic setup stuff can be insanely expensive – all said and done, I've spent probably 3k on it. But compared to the amount of time I spend working, and the amount of money I make _from_ that work, it's all worth it to me. If I want to keep doing this shit for the next 15 years, I need to be able to do it without pain.
I hope you find something that works well for you!
To answer your q directly: I have tried Herman Millers in the past but they just didn't do it for me, too stuffy and I dislike the arms. I went for a Humanscale Diffrient World instead, it is all mesh which is perfect for summer. I'm able to lead a sedentary lifestye in it without discomfort.
I cannot stand arms on any chair. That's why I ordered my Aeron without armrets.
> Spend your money on what goes between you and the ground.
For about a decade I sat on a version of an IKEA chair, with a mesh neck and foam cushion. They’re good for the price, but I wish I upgraded sooner. The foam only ever lasted about 2 years.
The Aeron is a nice chair, but use one first before you buy. They’re often available second hand for cheap, which is great value. For me, I found them to be a bit uncomfortable.
My main chair now is a Herman Miller Cosm, with the high back. I love it, it looks great, and the leaf arms are the first chair arms I’ve ever left on a chair. The main draw for me was the single mesh across the whole chair. I find mesh more comfortable, and it doesn’t wear like foam.
I also have a qor360 active sitting chair. These take getting used to, but they’re pretty good. Definitely keeps me alert.
Finally I got one of the cheaper folding desk treadmills (walking pad I think?). I found I can walk for hours if my brain has something interesting to do.
Overall I spend most of the time in the Cosm. I’ve spent more on fixing back pain than any of these, and each has meaningfully improved that.
As our bodies all vary in shape, size, weight and proportions, you need to try as many different options to find what features are best for you.
The Cosm and qor360 ain’t cheap, but they’ve been worth it for me.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/f7/cc/fcf7cc5c5c238f8ad303...
Not exactly that but pretty close.
It's surprisingly comfortable and happens to be at a perfect height for me, but not so comfortable that I can sit in it all day. This encourages me to get up and walk around every couple of hours.
My attention span limits how long I can sit.
Second to that is the fit of all of your equipment: chair height, keyboard/mouse height, and monitor height. This can be difficult, especially if you are below the median male height.
I use motorized standing desks because they offer the greatest amount of control over surface height. I have a keyboard tray on one that allows me to set the keyboard lower than the work surface. I have all my monitors on arms so that I can set them to the proper height.
As for seating, other posts about spending for quality are right, as are options to buy used.
Herman Miller isn't the only game in town, though. I've been very happy with Steelcase products. I have the Gesture at work, and it's a great work chair with fantastic back support. At home, I have the Leap. Also a great chair for work, but I find it's easier to use in more relaxed tasks (e.g., gaming or watching YouTube).
It's taken me a while to get everything set up ergonomically, and while if you are judicious there are ways to save money, it isn't cheap. Of course, it's a lot cheaper than healthcare, so spend what your budget allows to take care of your body during working hours.
As someone who made the mistake of getting older, I have some extremely bad news for you.
In an office, while the chair at my desk probably stays there forever, there's no guarantee. Inadvertently swapping chairs happens all the time. The microbiological reality is probably the same, but my intuition is more comfortable with the idea that my successor might endure a mesh chair than a cushion sodden by my years of perspiration.
Also set up your workplace correctly. First adjust chair so that feet are lightly on the floor. Bend your arms by your sides at 90deg. Where your hands are there should be you desk/keyboard. I have 2 bricks under each leg of my desk to make that work. Then your monitor at eye level - I have a laptop screen lower but a second monitor as main work place at eye level. Works for me.
No of hours rating is a good proxy. I once bought office chair from Office Depot that’s rated for 10 hours of sitting. That chair is not bad. I think it costed around $300.
I later developed a lot of pains throughout the body. And officially I have tendonitis on my left shoulder and both wrists. My shoulder blades are also very tight. I since visited a lot of therapists from different professions. One of the many reasons caused this is how I sit.
Rather than telling you which chair I sit, I’ll tell you what I learnt. First, the more expensive the better. The one I now sit is ~£1000 (recommended by professional service). Once tried that out I know how limiting my previous chair is to achieve good ergonomics.
Basically you want everything to be adjustable so that the chair fits you. Every chair allows you to adjust height, and also how much it leans forward/backward. But the relative position to where you sit to your thigh is also important. And also adjustable lumbar support in both height and amount (how much it protrude). Head rest should be adjustable, for instance my neck is tighter than other people so it needs to be adjusted to be more forward.
Once your chair gives you enough degree of freedom to fit your body, you aim to make it neutral, and have movements. Observe any tension you might have after adjustments. Then re-adjust accordingly to eliminate tension. But don’t just keep that neutral position and think you’re done. Have natural movements, make small changes often just so that you’re not in the exact same posture for too long.
Repeat the same for other things, keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.
After all those therapies, my body just never went back to normal. Those treatments and exercises just help me not worsening it and manage the pain. It’s here with me forever. Prevent it before it is too late. Take care.
I told myself that if it was okay I'd get a better, more expensive one, but never did.
Be aware of your body is more important than any chair.
(It also feels very solid: the mechanisms are still quiet, despite lack of maintenance, and there's very little play when I'm sat in it.)
None of that springy, bouncy, squishy surfaces for me.
My bed is custom build from hard oak wood with a very thin layer of cushioning.
And my main work chair has also a solid wood seating area, with some thin cushioning of the base.
The next step, sit/stand desk. But still had some aches as I would either stand for 3 hours or sit for 3 hours.
The current setup is a mix of sit/stand desk and regular short breaks every 30 minutes or so. Even a glance away for 1 or 2 minutes to stretch but still keep a mental image of the work intact so you don't lose focus and flow.
The key for me, reaching a point where stretching and movement are incorporated into my day.
I picked the Leap 2 and never looked back. Fabric seats, more adjustability, very sturdy and cheaper refurb prices (I think at full price it's similar to the Aeron).
The Aeron has that coolness factor which the Leap 2 doesn't (Leap 2 looks very conventional) but it has been a sturdy chair throughout the pandemic to now.
It's starting to show signs of wear around the headrest -- flakes of the covering are coming off.
When I started working remote, I picked one up on Craigslist. I have a random no-name drafting chair for when I'm done walking for the day, but it's intentionally not-great to encourage more walking.
It's built like a tank, ridiculously wide, and has a decent tall back on it. Apparently it's rated for 500 lbs. I find it supremely comfortable, as I can lean to one side, slouch, sit up straight, anything. Sadly, I can't find it anymore so I'm holding onto it for dear life.
