# How's your Herman Miller chair?



## Baron Greuner (Jan 17, 2016)

edited


----------



## JE Martinsen (Jan 17, 2016)

I don't have and use a Herman Miller chair myself, so I can't contribute much I'm afraid.

I've been spending far too many hours sitting on an uncomfortable office chair I bought on a flea market many years ago. I suppose I got used to it, and perhaps didn't realize at the time just how important sitting correctly really is. Well now my studio "chair" is falling apart so instead of buying some gear that makes a lot of noise, I'll invest in something that doesn't. I've been eyeing the Herman Miller chairs for a while and was considering that classic Aeron, but the Embody chairs also might be a good option perhaps? They certainly look gorgeous. Expensive though. But that's the thing, you can't put a price on your health.

I'm glad you ask about this, Baron. Looking forward to hear some opinions and experiences with these chairs.


----------



## dgburns (Jan 17, 2016)

Have a B,they come A B and C where A is the smallest,etc etc.You want to pick the size that the seat goes right under your knees while sitting,the A is for really small ppl and the C is for much larger people.i'm 5'10 and the B is the one for me.

Used to love them.Been sitting in one for 18 years now.It's only this year that my hips have been hurting a bit ,I changed the seat from being set ,to the tilt option where if you lean forward,it tilts forward too,helped a bit.Have heard from others that the hips issue is more common with these kind of ergo chairs.Also the rim under the front of the seat can hurt if you sit in a certain way.I try now to get up more often(pee break always good) just to get a break from sitting.

But the cloth material is good,it won't get too hot sitting in it for a long time .

Mostly the back support is the star of that chair.

would love to get a stand up desk like Walter Murch


----------



## muk (Jan 18, 2016)

B as well. If I remember correctly B should be the right size for about 90% of the people. A are for really small people, and C for big respectively. By the way, if you want to check which size an Aeron is: on the lid on top of the frame, just where the 'Herman Miller' imprint is, slide your finger under the lid and there are some bumps. One bump means A, two B, and three a C size. That was helpful for me because I bought mine used from somebody who had no clue what kind of chair that was, not to mention the size...

For me it's a very comfortable chair. No problems after sitting for a long time. I got it with the lumbar support kit, but I don't use that. For me no matter which height I use it, it's not comfortable. I feel that the mesh supports my lower back enough, and the support kit adds a pressure I don't like.

Another office chair I was interested in is the Wilkhahn On:

http://www.wilkhahn.com/en/products/office-swivel-chairs/on-office-chair/

It's highly adjustable and very comfortable as well. In the end I went with the Aeron simply because of an extremely good offer that popped up at the time.


----------



## Baron Greuner (Jan 18, 2016)

edited


----------



## babylonwaves (Jan 18, 2016)

i have a B size Aero as well. you can remove the arms easily by opening a couple of screws. this chair is great.


----------



## mickeyl (Jan 18, 2016)

B aeron here since 15 years, it's my 3rd one though. They start to wear a bit after 5 years of heavy duty.


----------



## samphony (Jan 18, 2016)

No matter which size or chair you use. I suggest to consider working in a standing position from time to time. Best of both worlds is a setup that allows to be adjusted or a duplicate peripheral setup with a standing table.


----------



## musicformedia (Jan 18, 2016)

I bought it a year ago but still haven't managed to get it up my stairs to the studio as it won't fit and I can't take it apart :(


----------



## Baron Greuner (Jan 18, 2016)

edited


----------



## musicformedia (Jan 18, 2016)

Baron Greuner said:


> What size is it and how much do you want for it? Is it basically new?



We'll its in Ireland so...might be expensive for shipping ha!


----------



## Baron Greuner (Jan 18, 2016)

Ahhh!


----------



## benatural (Jan 18, 2016)

I have a b and I find it to be very comfortable. I position mine so it's slightly reclined with the seat also reclined a little. It took me a while to find just the right setting, but it's worth it IMO.


----------



## Rob Elliott (Jan 19, 2016)

Food for thought - I have a humanscale - 10+years. 5 years into i didn't like the way the seat was wearing (nothing terrible) - called them and had a replacement seat in two days - no questions. Chair looks showroom new after all this time.


----------



## SeattleComposer (Jan 19, 2016)

Aeron B chair I found slightly used and in an awful color. I consider this basic studio equipment.


----------



## charlieclouser (Jan 19, 2016)

I'm still using the very first Aeron chair I bought the first year they came out, back in the late 1990s - they were around $1,500 back then, but I did buy it at a Herman Miller showroom so I paid full pop. Twenty years on and it's still in perfect working condition. This was back before there were multiple sizes, so I guess it's a B size. I have a more recent one, about ten years old and it's not quite as well made as the original. The newer one has less resistance to rotation, which I guess is supposed to be an improvement but the damped rotation of the original is better for me since I don't accidentally rotate off-axis as easily. I never use the tilt-forward mechanism or height adjustment, I keep them in the locked position. Likewise I lock the lean-back mechanism so that the only movement is rotation. Perhaps this is why it's lasted so long? The only thing I don't like is that the armrests gradually sink down, so every week or two I notice that they're lower than I like and I have to loosen, pull them to their highest position, and re-tighten the thumbscrews. The more recent one I have had some sort of lumbar support adjustment deal, but I removed that.


----------



## Baron Greuner (Jan 20, 2016)

edited


----------



## MisteR (Jan 20, 2016)

musicformedia said:


> I bought it a year ago but still haven't managed to get it up my stairs to the studio as it won't fit and I can't take it apart :(


I've taken mine apart many times for moves. The back and seat and arms all come off and are easily reassembled.


----------



## musicformedia (Jan 20, 2016)

Mark Rigby said:


> I've taken mine apart many times for moves. The back and seat and arms all come off and are easily reassembled.



How do you get the bottom legs off it? They're the main issue. I can't seem to take the bottom off at all


----------



## MisteR (Feb 21, 2016)

musicformedia said:


> How do you get the bottom legs off it? They're the main issue. I can't seem to take the bottom off at all


Sorry for the delayed response. I wasn't remembering entirely correctly, but on the back of the chair, not the bottom but the back, there should be four screws (you'll need an Allen key) that hold the back on. Remove them and the back should lift off. If you have a posture fit, you'll need to disassemble that first (I think). If you compress the seat down to its lowest position, it's quite compact. I had no trouble bringing it up my narrow stairs.

Just reverse this:


----------



## synthpunk (Feb 23, 2016)

I have the Miller Aeron "B" Chair for about 6 years. My back is in good shape. For now parts are still available on Ebay and other places. That can keep you going a long time. One of my hip bolts broke after someone plopped down on the chair. I was able to order a pair of replacements for $20. 

Mine suffers from the same arm drop that Charlie mentioned and the main piston will lower a little bit here and there as well. Simple adjustments. I do not not set the lean back often.

If you want to save some dough watch your local Craigslist. I picked mine up for $350 on there from someone who lost there job and took there chair  Be warned they go super fast. I just missed a few before this one.

I great chair is a must but as others point out getting up out of it is just as important.


----------



## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 23, 2016)

I have the large one, I think C, but they have a chart on their site showing which one is the right size for you. Love it.

I think I've had it for about 12 years now. Maybe longer.


----------



## Dietz (Feb 24, 2016)

Using (and loving) Aerons since many, many years, in different studios. I even bought a refurbished B-size for my small working environment at home about five years ago. (There´s a store in Berlin / Germany which buys used ones and re-sells them in perfect shape for reasonable money: http://www.designcabinet.biz )

Two things to be aware of: I´m not too fond of the vinyl-coated armrests, especially with short-sleeved shirts. The optional leather-covered armrests are much nicer to lean on. And due to the very breathable fabric it can get a bit chilly when sitting in cold or heavily air-conditioned rooms for longer time.

_PS: Miller Aerons all over the place: http://synchronstage.com ( ... wait for the second picture of the slideshow!  ...) _


----------



## SillyMidOn (Feb 24, 2016)

Baron Greuner said:


> Which one do you use and what size? How is it for long term sitting?



Stand and work instead of sitting - your back will thank you in years to come.


----------

