Herman Miller Aeron Office Chairs

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I am in the market for a new office chair.

At work, I am currently using a Herman Miller Aeron. I find it to be a very comfortable chair and it has held up extremely well for a chair that has been in-service since 2007.

I am looking for something similar for my home office. The chair needs to have good durability, help with maintaining good posture and be reasonably comfortable. While I am inclined to pick-up another Aeron, I am open to other options.

The goal is to spend under $500. I have been in communication with someone on CL who is offering me an open-box Aeron (2016 design) for $400, so I am open to the slightly used options as well.

Thanks.
 
There should be a decent used market. As tech companies get funded, often they build out with aerons, then when they bust, the chairs get liquidated or find their way into the hands of the laid off employees.
If you don't mind that likely some guy has sat in the chair for a couple thousand hours including all the digestive issues, look into the used market for sure.
 
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If you want to explore other options you ahould go to a chair/ office design store and just sit in a bunch of chairs.
Perhaps start your search at a place that carries aerons
 
Originally Posted By: spackard
A Vintage Steelcase Chair (with armrests and wheels) is pretty good too.
These things have good padding and mattress springs. They last forever. Just have to find one local.


I have something like this for my rarely used desk at home (covered in books at the moment).
I also had an Aeron clone at my previous job and it was leaps and bounds ahead of the old school chair for comfort, the adjustable lumbar support was particularly nice for me.
If you liked your Aeron, no reason to change to something that might be inferior...I wish I had a chair like that at my work now, I'm using some falling apart piece of junk that is probably at least 30 years old and can't even adjust properly to my modest height (I'm not much over 6' these days!).
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Virtus_Probi,

Use your company credit card and order yourself a chair that you need.


No corporate CC for me at this place...it also takes about 50 approvals to get anything at all here, so I don't think a chair request would go anywhere.

The funny thing was that I went to the world HQ for orientation and was being measured for a custom chair and desk setup. Once she figured out I was going to work at one of the branches, the ergonomics expert dropped me like a hot potato and said that I'd have to be happy with whatever they had onsite. I think this stuff might be from the '80s!!

I sit with legs stretched way out in front of me and my upper back sort of arched over the chair back to give a little curve to my spine and let me hold my lumbar area in a sort of correct position with my back muscles engaged a little bit. Seems like it should be painful, but it has worked somehow for a year...I do still miss my Aeron clone.
 
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
...it also takes about 50 approvals to get anything at all here, so I don't think a chair request would go anywhere.

... I think this stuff might be from the '80s!!


Can you lean a bit too much on the back side or side arms when nobody is looking?
"I don't know... maybe the cleaning crew damaged?"

Would they replace it then?
 
Herman Miller chairs have a 12 year parts and labor warranty, so you would be best off grabbing one used or open box... I think you just need to make sure the apropriate labels are affixed underneath the seat. See: https://www.hermanmiller.com/customer-service/warranty-and-service/

I have sat on Steelcase chairs at my office, we used to have Herman Miller and they got replaced by Steelcase. The Herman Miller chairs are far superior in almost every way. I have been wanting to get myself one for ages.. but just havent been able to gather the 1000$ canadian to order one. I know its an excellent chair and it would likely last a lifetime for my at home office use but.. its still 1000$.. I think using a good chair with good posture is worth it.. if you can afford it.
Herman Miller has some lower priced options that might work for you (depends on your height, weight etc) Reason I say that, is because im big and tall.. I did try the Sayl model but its way too small for me. I also prefer the Aeron to the mirra (the back on the Mirra isnt as sturdy) The embody looks nice but probably alot more than the Aeron! Dont forget, the Aeron has different size and width seats (small, medium & large) and multiple different options. Try building your own on the Herman Miller site and compare it with the unit you are looking to buy used or open box. Armrests, no armrests, different back support options.. etc etc.. different castors..

Good luck! I hope you get the Aeron, I think its a fantastic office chair with a solid warranty
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: spackard
A Vintage Steelcase Chair (with armrests and wheels) is pretty good too.
These things have good padding and mattress springs. They last forever. Just have to find one local

Looks very durable but should have 5 wheels for stability, and lots of adjustability.

You can get a good quality comfortable adjustable chair for $500 or less. Of over 100 new chairs bought over 15 years, only one was an Aeron; a new hire insisted on it! A nice chair for sure, but we only bought one.
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
...it also takes about 50 approvals to get anything at all here, so I don't think a chair request would go anywhere.

... I think this stuff might be from the '80s!!


Can you lean a bit too much on the back side or side arms when nobody is looking?
"I don't know... maybe the cleaning crew damaged?"

Would they replace it then?


There are plenty of empty offices and cubes around me, I would just get another ancient chair from one of those!
 
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
There are plenty of empty offices and cubes around me, I would just get another ancient chair from one of those!

If they all have the height adjustment problem,
would your co-workers tolerate the smell of WD-40/MMO on the mechanism?
regular silicone lube smell can make it a little bit more nauseous.....

P.S. isn't it crazy, we hear about the ergonomics expert only in stories?
 
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Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
There are plenty of empty offices and cubes around me, I would just get another ancient chair from one of those!

If they all have the height adjustment problem,
would your co-workers tolerate the smell of WD-40/MMO on the mechanism?
regular silicone lube smell can make it a little bit more nauseous.....

P.S. isn't it crazy, we hear about the ergonomics expert only in stories?


I would have trouble with a persistent lubricant smell in my office, WD40 in particular is nasty to me...maybe it is a fear response after all the fires I set with it as a kid, including one that probably should have burned my house down?
Are you thinking of some kind of hardware modification to extend the height range of my chair?

There is actually one office I can think of with a nice chair, I thought the "occupant" was retired and was going to steal it before being told they work offsite and do not want any of their stuff touched. Have never seen this person actually come in even once! All the rest of the desk chairs are like mine, we have some visitor chairs that are fixed and even lower in height.

BTW, the ergonomics gal that started to help me was the only one I've ever met...I thought she was nice until she decided that I didn't matter.
;^)
 
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Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: spackard
A Vintage Steelcase Chair (with armrests and wheels) is pretty good too.
These things have good padding and mattress springs. They last forever. Just have to find one local.


I have something like this for my rarely used desk at home (covered in books at the moment).
I also had an Aeron clone at my previous job and it was leaps and bounds ahead of the old school chair for comfort, the adjustable lumbar support was particularly nice for me.
If you liked your Aeron, no reason to change to something that might be inferior...I wish I had a chair like that at my work now, I'm using some falling apart piece of junk that is probably at least 30 years old and can't even adjust properly to my modest height (I'm not much over 6' these days!).


How much was that Aeron clone ?
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: spackard
A Vintage Steelcase Chair (with armrests and wheels) is pretty good too.
These things have good padding and mattress springs. They last forever. Just have to find one local.


I have something like this for my rarely used desk at home (covered in books at the moment).
I also had an Aeron clone at my previous job and it was leaps and bounds ahead of the old school chair for comfort, the adjustable lumbar support was particularly nice for me.
If you liked your Aeron, no reason to change to something that might be inferior...I wish I had a chair like that at my work now, I'm using some falling apart piece of junk that is probably at least 30 years old and can't even adjust properly to my modest height (I'm not much over 6' these days!).


How much was that Aeron clone ?


My memory was that it was about $400, but I'm sure it was a PO purchase and I'd guess the company probably got a good break because they were installing all kinds of new cubes at the time. I really liked the highly adjustable lumbar support (I'll never buy another car that doesn't have this for the driver's seat) and was a bit wary of the mesh sitting surfaces when I first saw it, but they were extremely comfortable.
Don't have a manufacturer's name to give you, sorry...I was told that chair got snapped up within seconds of me leaving the office for the last time.
 
Picked it up today.




They made some good improvements over the original Aeron. I find the material to be more comfortable and the shape of the bottom cushion to have better thigh support.
 
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