# Best Office / Desk Chairs?



## MarcusD (Apr 28, 2022)

Chairs, looking for a reliable brand where the product doesn’t start deteriorating after a couple months..

Last experience involved a wheel snap and a swift and unfriendly encounter with the edge of the radiator 🤕🤣

In your experience, which have most reliable brands with long lasting quality and priced fairly?


----------



## Lex (Apr 28, 2022)

Very happy with Herman Miller Embody chair for 7 years now.


----------



## timbit2006 (Apr 28, 2022)

Herman Miller. 




It really doesn't get any better. I'm slowly working towards getting an Embody, the one in the center there. One thing I found right away with a lot of chairs is they restrict arm movement particularly when playing on a piano. The Embody is one of the few high end comfort based chairs that allows full arm articulation.
Easily moveable arm rests are essential too, many chairs don't have this feature.
Like 3DC mentioned, the price though... I don't think there's any chairs that are long lasting that are cheaper than 600-1500USD. They all have to cut corners somewhere, quality chairs just simply aren't cheap to ship and manufacture. 
Eames Chairs are also really cool.
Steelcase is a worthy competitor to Herman Miller's quality as well.
If you want to go cheaper just search for "Best Herman Miller Knockoffs" or something like that. There's some brands that make very similar chairs at a cheaper quality level.


----------



## MarcusD (Apr 28, 2022)

3DC said:


> Herman Miller Aeron is industry standard. Unfortunately the price is not "standard".


I’ll have a look. I don’t mind paying so long as the quality’s good..

It’s annoying when you spend 300-400 on something that doesn’t even last! A lot of over priced cheaply made chairs on the market.


----------



## timbit2006 (Apr 28, 2022)

Lex said:


> Very happy with Herman Miller Embody chair for 7 years now.


Would you mind telling me if it is easy to lower the armrests on the chair and do they go flat to the seat of the chair? I've only sat in an Aeron before.


----------



## TomislavEP (Apr 28, 2022)

I'm very happy with the Ikea Jarvfjallet chair. IMO, its backrest and seat are very comfortable and the build quality is also quite high. I have opted for the model without the armrests for easier work with guitars and similar instruments. However, I sometimes miss those while doing more extensive edits. You can, of course, buy these separately. As a pianist, I also use the keyboard bench when playing my 88-keys Studiologic placed to the side of the main rig.


----------



## Lex (Apr 28, 2022)

timbit2006 said:


> Would you mind telling me if it is easy to lower the armrests on the chair and do they go flat to the seat of the chair? I've only sat in an Aeron before.


They don't go flat, but they go low and to the side. Watch this, it shows all the movement possible.


----------



## emilio_n (Apr 28, 2022)

I am using one HAG Capisco, and I am quite happy. Is not the kind of Aeron and other Herman Miller chairs. Capisco is very comfortable but is designed for more movement. I don't like to spend several hours sitting without rest, so is perfect for me.


----------



## MarcusD (Apr 28, 2022)

The Herman Miller Sayl looks interesting. Found one for under £500. Anyone used one of these?

Not too fussed about all the bells and whistles with the more expensive chairs. Just a good seat that doesn’t loose shape after a while.


----------



## mywordsaidmat (Apr 28, 2022)

just to note I've got the Aeron 2 and the arms swing out easily & enough to fit guitar playing ok if you sit slightly sideways. not perfect, but arm rests the rest of the time are essential! 👍🏻 (sorry Marcus I know you were asking about the Sayl, just thought I'd mention this as I love my chair)


----------



## AlphaCen (Apr 28, 2022)

Make sure to also check Humanscale chairs, they are amazing.


----------



## Zanshin (Apr 28, 2022)

Not much to add but - another very happy Embody user here


----------



## MarcusD (Apr 28, 2022)

mywordsaidmat said:


> just to note I've got the Aeron 2 and the arms swing out easily & enough to fit guitar playing ok if you sit slightly sideways. not perfect, but arm rests the rest of the time are essential! 👍🏻 (sorry Marcus I know you were asking about the Sayl, just thought I'd mention this as I love my chair)


Handy to know, also a guitarist and not having chair arms annoy you when you don’t feel like standing up, is always nice.🙃 

Will have a look more into them when I get home.


----------



## shponglefan (May 4, 2022)

Currently I use an Ergocentric T-centric chair (fully loaded including the headrest).

It's the best office chair I've ever used and this includes having used Herman Miller Aeron chairs for years. IMHO, the newer redesigned Herman Miller Aeron chairs aren't as comfortable as the older models. Which is why I switched to the Ergocentric chair.


----------



## pinki (May 4, 2022)

An alternative view:
Use a low solid wooden bench. Upper legs parallel to the floor.
Use your own spine and core to sit correctly and don't rely on a chair. Never use a chair with wheels as it constantly undermines basic stability of the core.


----------



## davidson (May 4, 2022)

I have back issues and must have bought or tried almost every chair. I've ended up with one of the remastered aerons and me and my back both love it. 

Make sure you get one with the forward tilt option.


----------



## Loïc D (May 4, 2022)

Look for aftermarket, you can have great chair very discounted, some being used only a couple of years, in very good condition.


----------



## SupremeFist (May 4, 2022)

pinki said:


> An alternative view:
> Use a low solid wooden bench. Upper legs parallel to the floor.
> Use your own spine and core to sit correctly and don't rely on a chair. Never use a chair with wheels as it constantly undermines basic stability of the core.


Yes to all of this. I am very happy with this wheel-less IKEA task chair:









KULLABERG black, Swivel chair - IKEA


KULLABERG black, Swivel chair. A desk chair inspired by old-fashioned industrial-style chairs, complete with modern functions. Comfortable seating position, thanks to the swivel and adjustable height. The metal ring underneath can be used as a footrest. Easy to move and lift thanks to the...




www.ikea.com


----------



## Garlu (May 4, 2022)

Ergohuman and Herman Miller.



Personally, the lumbar support for the low back is amazing on the Ergohuman. I have been recommending it to a few friend composers/engineers, and they are a good investment!


----------



## JyTy (May 4, 2022)

I had issues with my back (up to the point that I could not walk for more than 30 mins without serious pain) so I spent quite a lot of time investigating chairs and was prepared to throw some serious money at this. Was choosing between two industry standards Herman Miller Aeron and Steelcase Gesture.

I tested only the Gesture chair and you are just buying a premium chair and experience, nothing else. The chair itself didn't feel anything special to me. But it is like buying a car, you can choose between 200 colors and materials, each chair is specially assembled in the factory per your order and is delivered and assembled at your home by their team... and the price tag reflects this... not saying it is a bad chair - but it is a very expensive one compared to some alternatives. It is like buying a Ferrari of chairs.

Luckily my brother bought this one and I've spent an evening sitting at it, loved it and then bought it: https://www.ergovision-office.com/en/smart-plus/ It is an incredibly comfortable and very adjustable chair, built like a rocket (there is also a cheaper variation that is all plastic, but still feels very durable)

It is a 1/3 of a price compared to HM or Steelcase but I don't think it is of any lesser quality than those two. I have it for more than a year and I'm still super happy with my purchase!

I added a https://www.jysk.com motorised desk for 300 eur and a two hour reminder to get up and move for two minutes and no back pain or issues for over a year now.


----------



## Quasar (May 4, 2022)

I found a Herman Miller chair in a used store for $10. Most of the chairs there were more money, but this one had a broken arm rest. Since I dislike arm rests anyway, I bought it, cut them off and put tennis balls on the cut edges. Great chair for almost no cost:


----------



## LatinXCombo (May 4, 2022)

3DC said:


> Herman Miller Aeron is industry standard. Unfortunately the price is not "standard".


I agree, using one right now, Herman Miller Aeron is the standard for a reason. You get what you pay for.


----------



## rgames (May 4, 2022)

If you spend so much time sitting that the chair matters, you're doing it wrong 

rgames


----------



## GregSilver (May 4, 2022)

I am using a Steelcase Please and can't recommend highly enough. I had severe problems with my back which are gone completely after getting the chair. One big pro is that you can get these models often used from 2nd hand dealers who buy lots of them from companies (same goes for Herman Miller chairs, always worth watching local classifieds).


----------



## cel4145 (May 4, 2022)

I have a Hon chair similar to this one that has been great. Had it for over 5 years, and it has held up very well



https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06Y3PGPR2/


----------



## Bollen (May 4, 2022)

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Secret Lab chairs... They changed my life!


----------



## aamatniekss (May 4, 2022)

Just wanna pitch in that https://www.autonomous.ai/ makes some really nice ergochairs, as well as standing desks. I have both and its quite good. I have a neck problem due to sitting too long on crappy chairs, and the ergochair helped me A LOT. Took me like 5 other chair changes before I got it and It finally felt ok.



> If you spend so much time sitting that the chair matters, you're doing it wrong
> 
> rgames


That said, I agree with this.


----------



## Pier (May 5, 2022)

MarcusD said:


> The Herman Miller Sayl looks interesting. Found one for under £500. Anyone used one of these?


I used a Sayl for 4-5 years and then upgraded to an Embody. My neck and back are much happier now.

I've only owned my Embody for about a year now but I have only positive things to say about it. My wife has owned hers for about 6 years now. It's rock solid and still like new.

If you don't have back/neck issues maybe the Sayl will be good enough for you. I'm tall and heavy. For my body the lower back support was insufficient and the cushion was uncomfortable for long work sessions (I sit all day in front of a computer). I bought it with the lower back support add-on, but it's just a little piece of plastic that I ended up removing because it did more bad than good. For the cushion I tried to solve it using a Purple chair cushion. My bottom was definitely happier but the mesh on my back never felt right since the Purple cushion is quite tall.

Edit:

Before the Sayl I worked a couple of years from a recliner with a setup similar to this.






Super comfortable for programming and gaming. It's great for long working sessions but tedious to stand up frequently. Also probably not practical for DAW use unless using a very small controller.


----------



## MarcusD (May 7, 2022)

Pier said:


> I used a Sayl for 4-5 years and then upgraded to an Embody. My neck and back are much happier now.
> 
> I've only owned my Embody for about a year now but I have only positive things to say about it. My wife has owned hers for about 6 years now. It's rock solid and still like new.
> 
> ...


Not going to lie, that recliner setup looks epic. Probably spend more time falling asleep than working though! 

Thanks for the info, I found a few new Sayls going for £350 from a chap who sells liquidated / shut down business, equipment near me. Selection is limited but these ones are all black. They Look nice!

Luckily don’t suffer with any back problems yet, but from the manual lifting work it’ll probably become more apparent few years down the line. Will look to see if I can find a new Embody for the long term.

Did you find the seat on the Sayl loose it’s shape and support after a while?


----------



## Pier (May 7, 2022)

MarcusD said:


> Did you find the seat on the Sayl loose it’s shape and support after a while?


You mean the cushion? Yeah a bit although not as much as with cheap chairs.

The mesh in the back doesn't deform though. I mean, of course it's a bit elastic, but I haven't noticed it changing its shape after a couple of years of heavy (10+ hours per day) use.


----------



## Paulogic (May 7, 2022)

I had several chairs, from "gaming" chairs of a few 100€ to even a so called pro-chair, specially
for long office work and they all did not last very long. So I gave up the expensive ones and
bought one of these 3 years ago : https://www.ikea.com/be/nl/p/millberget-bureaustoel-murum-zwart-70489394/
Still in great shape so a year ago I bought another one to replace the pro one for my work desk. I use this one almost 8 hours a day, get up an sit down quiet a few times and it is like new. Extra benefit :
the sitting hight is the highest I ever had, that is within office chairs of course...


----------



## Pier (May 7, 2022)

Oh yeah that reminds me I've heard great things about the IKEA Markus chair although I've never owned one myself.


----------



## JimDiGritz (May 7, 2022)

A swiss ball. I blew 2 discs powerlifting in my 20s and despite sitting at my desk 8+hrs a day my core and back are tippity top. Conversely when I had to work from an office on a 'good' office chair and even after a couple of hours my back was in agony...


----------



## SandChannel (May 11, 2022)

stevehernes said:


> I prefer to work from my couch to be honest.


Same here. Your couch is awesome.


----------



## MarcusD (Jun 10, 2022)

Finally got my chair… after some shipping issues. If you’re in the UK check out an eBay store called welovechairs, picked this up for £350, fully refurbished with 3 year warranty and it has everything apart from the crome base.

Cheers everyone!


----------

