Ask HN: Do Aeron chairs make a difference in the office?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11283192

by emmasz • 10 years ago

11 17 10 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

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?

ainiriand• 10 years ago

I've had the luck to work in one of those black thrones (Henry Miller Aeron) for 1 year and a half and it is awesome. It is very different from your usual chair in many different levels. Comfort and customization mostly.

ibash• 10 years ago

It's worth it to invest in good chairs. But:

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

pacey• 10 years ago

I've read up and down on that issue because I have problems with my lower back and after reading many many reviews I decided against the Aeron.

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.

emmasz• 10 years ago

Thank you, they seem really good.

caw• 10 years ago

I used to use a Leap at my previous job, and have an Embody at home. I tried the Aeron at a store prior to purchasing, didn't see what the fuss was about.

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.

skylark• 10 years ago

What a coincidence, I also have an Embody at home + use the Steelcase Leap at work. I can confirm that both are outstanding (and better than the Aeron).

EdwardMSmith• 10 years ago

I've experienced the "lip" issue on the Aeron - the transition between the mesh and the hard frame was very uncomfortable for me.

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.

monknomo• 10 years ago

I had an issue with the hard lip - it would make my butt go numb after about half a day. I switched to an Embody, and after spending the time to get it dialed in, I can sit in it all day with no complaints.

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.

motoford• 10 years ago

When you first sit in an Aeron you think, what's all the fuss about?

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.

thenomad• 10 years ago

A good chair is definitely that good. Incredibly valuable purchase.

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.

gitcommit• 10 years ago

A good chair is a good investment, because it makes you more productive and you use it thousands of hours every year.

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'...

tmaly• 10 years ago

I have been using an Aeron for 10 years in my office. I would recommend it any day.

canterburry• 10 years ago

I too have been working on Aeron chairs for the last 10+ years and have never found a better chair. I may not have researched as thoroughly as many others here but I too have back problems and they never show up on the Aeron.

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.

euroclydon• 10 years ago

Do you consider foam rubber a good insulator? Do you work in an office environment with an ambient temperature about 50F? Would you strap a highly insulating layer of clothing against your buttocks on a normal day?

If you answered: Yes, Yes, No to the questions above, consider the cool and breathable rear-end attire that is the Aeron chair.

dsacco• 10 years ago

I have an Aeron chair in my home office, where I sit for most of my workday. I love it. I'll add this to the discussion about finding (and assessing) a good office chair.

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.

vldx• 10 years ago

I'm measuring almost everything in my day-to-day life - sleep patterns, calorie intake and nutrition, weights lifted and their progression, hours worked, and such. One of the benefits of this border OCD behaviour is that you can see the effects of every single variable - input and output.

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.

dakrisht• 10 years ago

First, don't sit for 13-15 hours per day. You will regret it later and it is detrimental to your health. Either pomodoro every 30 minutes and walk around for 5-10 mins or do a combination of standing desk / sitting.

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.

Ask HN: Do Aeron chairs make a difference in the office?

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