Thursday, May 29, 2014

Herman Miller - The Undisputed Champ



Herman Miller is the undisputed champion manufacturer of ergonomic desk chairs.
Herman Miller Chairs have a huge cult following, are made with high ergonomic quality, is hugely popular and also has a large resale market.
So if you bought their popular Aeron Chair some years ago - rest assured that someone (actually many) will still buy it from you for at least $500.
This is more to be said that one of those $80 chairs you may buy from Office Depot. Of course - the original Aeron may have cost you upwards of $899.
Most people have hard of the Herman Miller Aeron but let's take a look at all of their popular ergonomic chairs.

The Ergonomic Desk Chair Candidates
Aeron Chair - The most popular ergonomic desk chair of all time.
This chair was created in the early 90's and was hugely popular during the dot-com era - as it was a symbol of success & luxury.
Today, the Aeron Chair has help up very well and still manages to outsell all other high-end office chairs. The chair is chock full of knobs and levers - to make sure every aspect of the chair is adjustable.
It also comes in three different sizes - to accomodate different body sizes. This chair has been featured in 30 Rock,The Office and many other tv shows.
You can tell it's an Aeron by looking at the popular mesh type curved back seat.. Cost: Start at $629 for an armless Aeron (don't get one of these) to $1198 for a fully adjustable polished aluminum base Aeron.
Most people buy an Aeron that costs around $899.

Mirra Chair - Mirra is the second most popular selling Herman Miller Chair. This chair holds up very well in the high-end ergonomic chair market.
The difference is that the Mirra has a flexible back that is supposed to match your body. The Aeron is also supportive but more like a hammock.
The cost for the Mrra chair varies from $599 for the basic model to $799 for the higher end. Comes in one size.

Embody Chair - Herman Miller is touting the Embody as the next generation of high-end ergonomic seating - supposed to replace their iconic Aeron.
The sales haven't lived up to the hype but the chair has gotten rave reviews. The chair features a high back seat which is supposed to be great fit for your back and spine.
It comes in a one size fits all model with 6 ergonomic adjustments - supposed to help your body be more productive while seated for long periods of time. The Embody costs $1099.

Celle Chair - The Celle is Herman Miller's lower-priced entry in the high-end chair market - if that makes sense. Costing $449, the celle chair is one of the lowest costing ergonomic desk chairs from Herman Miller.
The chair's seat and back are interconnected - supposed to resemble cells. It's flexible to match your body weight and pressure.
Some complain though that the chair feels very plastic-like. Comes in one size.

Setu Chair - The Setu Chair is Herman Miller's newer creation - different from all their other chairs.
This chair is elegant and sleek, does not have any knobs or levels like the Aeron - but rather balances on a cylinder according to how you sit.
This chair is more suited for meeting rooms rather than a workhorse for your desk where you would be sitting for long periods of time.

Sayl Chair - This is the newest of Herman Miller's creations - coming out in 2011.
The Sayl is an unframed chair that seems to combine the seat back from mirra & celle with the seat of an embody/setu.
The price point is also very low - costing $399 - with a one size fits all model.
Final Thoughts
There you have it - a list of all the herman miller ergonomic desk chairs available today.
I would say that if you sit a long time in front of a computer as your job and really want to treat yourself - go ahead and buy yourself a high-end Aeron Chair. Second options = Mirra or Embody.

If you're looking for a big office meeting seating - go for the Setu chair. If you're on a tight budget and want to get into the ergonomic seating arena - go with the Sayl chair.

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