# Looking for good comfy Chair Recommendations



## Mistro (Aug 22, 2022)

Hi. Not sure if chairs are considered gear but since we all have to sit in one at our desks....why not. I threw out my old office chair because it was made with fake leather that started pealing and it got so bad I have scars under my forearm. Went on Amazon and thought I found a good one but I ended up keeping it with a 85% refund (seller must know it's bad to give me back 85% plus let me keep it) and I still wouldn't sit in it if it was free. I liked the height adjustment and the flip up arm rests but the seat is too shallow and it does not rock back far or loose enough making it feel like it wants to throw me off forward. My takeaway from that experience is I don't want to shop for a chair online because it's better to go to a store and feel the chairs, unless I get some credible strong recommendations. I actually went back to Staples only to find the same type of chair I just threw out was the most comfortable one in there for me lol. So many chairs I see online have the same bad quality materials issues. But at the same time, I'm not sure I'm looking in the right places.

I sit at my computer for many hours. Not only doing music but also graphic design. I learned I have 2 must have options. 1-seat depth to be 20 inches or more. 2-Rock/recline should be smooth, deep and easy, not stiff and shallow. 3- This is a strong "nice to have"...flip up arms. Feels better when playing my keyboard and one day I do want to get a guitar. And it should be well padded and comfortable. No mesh chairs.

I was wondering if anyone in here have such a chair or could recommend one of good quality and that would last for years?


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## Release (Aug 22, 2022)

Get on Facebook Marketplace and look for a used Herman Miller Aeron chair. Built to last, comfortable and checks all the boxes. I do music and graphic design as well and went through the search for a good chair for _ages_. Bought 4 of 5 that I though would work and they were junk and they all went back. Finally bit the bullet and bought a nice one and couldn't be happier. The arms don't fold down, but playing guitar isn't a problem. You'll pay more than what you would on Amazon.... but you'll only buy it once.


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## jbuhler (Aug 22, 2022)

+1 on the Herman Miller Aeron chair. By all means get it used if you can, but I find it's worth it at full price. I've never had a chair as comfortable for sitting for long periods. It is mesh, but mesh that is designed to last (and provides much of the form fitting for the comfort). The other investment that is totally worth it is a desk that converts easily to standing.


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## b_elliott (Aug 22, 2022)

Mistro said:


> I was wondering if anyone in here have such a chair or could recommend one of good quality and that would last for years?


Maybe how I found the chair that was the best fit for my body:

1. Go to a business depot that sells office chairs (Staples for me in Canada).
2. Briefly sit in every damn chair they have in their collection (@ 40 in my case.)
3. Within a few moments each chair will inform your arse and body which will suit your needs best. ---Some will be too soft, too hard, too stiff, etc. -- find one that suits you. 
4. Having noted the most comfortable chair, make your purchase.

I did this process 10 years ago and have not regretted a single day's use since then.

Tip: Notice the dif in a cheap-o chair vs an over-priced chair. You may find both chairs are duds for you. I believe mine was @$100 chair (medium priced) but perfect for me.

Hope this works out well for you.

Best, Bill


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## Mistro (Aug 22, 2022)

Thanks,


b_elliott said:


> Maybe how I found the chair that was the best fit for my body:
> 
> 1. Go to a business depot that sells office chairs (Staples for me in Canada).
> 2. Briefly sit in every damn chair they have in their collection (@ 40 in my case.)
> ...


Haha, Yeah, that's exactly what I did today. Like I wrote, the one that I found to be the most comfortable was in the same exact style as the one I just threw out. Maybe I been sitting in it so many years, my body is used to it. But, at the same time, no other chair in Staples had the deeper seat depth of 20 inches. I actually borrowed a ruler from one of the isles and measured every seat I sat in. 2 others had 20 inches but were double the price and too bulky. So that chair I liked in there right now is the one to beat.

The only thing missing is flip up arms or I would've walked out with it. At the same time, I'm finding most flip up armrests are pretty high so might ditch that idea for now. I also expect it to start shedding the fake leather after a year or 2 so have to be prepared to look at it like a pair of sneakers and maybe by the time it starts shedding, I will find THE chair. Giving myself another week to shop around.

As for the Herman Miller chairs, thanks for the suggestions but not the style I'm looking for.


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## holywilly (Aug 22, 2022)

Viking™


The multifunctional chair designed for musicians. Armrest with Foldable and Height Adjustments Functions Users can simply rotate the armrest backward to create more spaces while playing instruments.



wavebone.com





I have this Viking chair, great for composer who tracks guitar/bass. This chair is totally built for musicians. 

If Aeron has the folding arms, I’ll go for that.


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## dunamisstudio (Aug 22, 2022)

I have a La-Z-Boy Office chair and it's pretty dang comfortable.


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## MarcusD (Aug 22, 2022)

Not long asked this very same question a few months ago, and recommended Herman Miller by most 🙂 Got a Herman Miller Sayl, refurbed, which has been very, very comfortable. No folding arms for that particular chair, so it won’t suit your needs. But the quality is excellent.

Don’t buy chairs from new, very expensive. Look for refurbished that come with a warranty (for any decent chair TBH). eBay or Facebook market places will have listings.


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## JimDiGritz (Aug 22, 2022)

This was discussed on here before: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/best-office-desk-chairs.124396/

I stand by my decision - A swiss ball. Best $20 I ever spent on my studio/office. I've used nothing else in probably 15 years.






I blew 2 discs powerlifting in my 20s and have suffered from chronic back pain for many years. However 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...

The 'science' of course isn't cut and dried, and YMMV.


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## rectiii (Aug 24, 2022)

MarcusD said:


> Not long asked this very same question a few months ago, and recommended Herman Miller by most 🙂 Got a Herman Miller Sayl, refurbed, which has been very, very comfortable. No folding arms for that particular chair, so it won’t suit your needs. But the quality is excellent.
> 
> Don’t buy chairs from new, very expensive. Look for refurbished that come with a warranty (for any decent chair TBH). eBay or Facebook market places will have listings.


SAYL!

(sorry couldn't resist)

I have had a lot of problems with chairs over the years screwing my hips and making walking difficult (!) I have a hernia thing in lower back. And bought a Secret Labs Titan thinking I was buying a better quality chair and it just about crippled me.

Then, I bought the Herman Miller Embody Logi black (new, and yes its a lot but these are backs and physiques and hours and hours of abuse we are talking about!). And it creaks a bit. But it's a damn good chair, no more issues for me (5'11" 82KG) and was a great investment! Think HM make good chairs really. I looked at the Aeron too, supposedly also good but just preferred the Embody overall.


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## alfredrapidly (Oct 31, 2022)

I have a Smugdesk single recliner chair, and I can swear by it. It's insanely comfy, delivers outstanding back support, and lets your legs rest comfortably. If you'd ask me to pick one out of the entire list of best tv watching chairs, it'll be my first pick, and I wouldn't have to think twice. 
The only thing I should warn you about in this model is that it's large, so you need to have enough space for it. Otherwise, it's perfect. At least for me because it delivers the comfort and support I need when I get home from work and want to relax.


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## Dewdman42 (Oct 31, 2022)

I don't know a good answer, I am watching this thread for ideas. I think my next chair is going to be some kind of gaming chair, but I don't know which one, if anyone here has recommends on that line, I'd love to hear it.

I had a HM Aeron for years, but actually found it very uncomfortable and literally gave two of them away when I sold a house. Something about the plastic edge under my hamstring caused my hamstring nerve to get pinched a lot and so ultimately it was simply not the best chair for me at all, I am currently just using a much less expensive HM chair...and I can vouch for their build quality in general they are industrial grade..the one I have now....has big cushions and is pretty darn comfortable..and I routinely recline it and put a lot of stress on it at weird angles...and its still basically completely in great condition after more than 20 years of abuse. Their chairs are very very solid construction built for constant all day use in an office environment...

Ergonomically, however, I think there has been a lot of stuff in the recent years which may surpass HM stuff and that is what I am interested in hearing more about.


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## HammyHavoc (Oct 31, 2022)

Dewdman42 said:


> I don't know a good answer, I am watching this thread for ideas. I think my next chair is going to be some kind of gaming chair, but I don't know which one, if anyone here has recommends on that line, I'd love to hear it.
> 
> I had a HM Aeron for years, but actually found it very uncomfortable and literally gave two of them away when I sold a house. Something about the plastic edge under my hamstring caused my hamstring nerve to get pinched a lot and so ultimately it was simply not the best chair for me at all, I am currently just using a much less expensive HM chair...and I can vouch for their build quality in general they are industrial grade..the one I have now....has big cushions and is pretty darn comfortable..and I routinely recline it and put a lot of stress on it at weird angles...and its still basically completely in great condition after more than 20 years of abuse. Their chairs are very very solid construction built for constant all day use in an office environment...
> 
> Ergonomically, however, I think there has been a lot of stuff in the recent years which may surpass HM stuff and that is what I am interested in hearing more about.


The average "gaming" chair is usually quite poor ergonomically speaking, but obviously seems some people really like them. They're mostly based off of race car bucket seat designs, which are meant to keep the user in place. As you can probably imagine, they restrict arm and shoulder movement, which if you're playing instruments, reaching for gear etc, you will probably hate. The forward-tilt is also quite poor on most of them (non-existent on some!), so if you need to reach beyond your QWERTY keyboard for any knobs, you may struggle.

Currently in the market for another chair, my current one is a gaming chair, but it's wingless in the shoulder area, and was designed by an ergonomist⁠—but hasn't worn well whatsoever in the couple years I've owned it. The pleather on most of these things don't last any time whatsoever (seems to disintegrate, and they aren't ever in sunlight 🧛🦇), and this one went creaky/squeaky very quickly. I was thinking that my next chair would be an HM just for something non-pleather and perhaps something I could source spare parts for, but reading your post, I've got mixed feelings!

Having an arse-in-seat at a store isn't really all that revealing about what it's like to thrutch about it and try doing things. I've had an arse-in-seat in an HM on a few occasions for extended periods of time, and thought they were pretty good, but it's different long-term.

What might be worth mentioning re your hamstrings is that the Aeron comes in several sizes, and there's also different versions of it too. You may have simply had the wrong size but I'm no ergonomist, so take that with a very large pinch of salt.

I'll also add that I've tried a lot of 'operator' and 'task' chairs, and hated every one of them. The seats are generally so hard on the ol' buttocks, but awesome forward-tilt, admittedly. None of those were mesh seats, always a traditional cushion with a cover.


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## ZeroZero (Oct 31, 2022)

Be careful about Facebook marketplace ads. I see a lot of ridiculous chair scams in my feed. No money back support from Zuckerman


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## SyMTiK (Oct 31, 2022)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y8BXBX8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (Gabrylly Ergonomic Chair)

I have one of these at home.

Almost every professional studio out there (and offices) use Herman Miller Aeron's, which are the gold standard of ergonomic chairs. They are excellent, but expensive. Even second hand you could be looking at 600+ for a chair. New they are 1200.

I wanted an Aeron badly, but couldn't afford a brand new one at the time I was looking for a chair, and the wait time to get a refurbished one from a wholesaler was months.

This chair I listed that I own is 90% as comfortable and well built as an Aeron for a fraction of the cost. I have had it over a year now and it has held up great so far. I love that the arms can fold back out of the way which is very helpful for playing piano or guitar.

The only thing I will say that can be nice about spending the extra money for an Aeron is the fact that since they are so widely used in the professional and corporate world, it is very easy to get replacement parts to repair them when things break, and to modify the chair to your liking. But for me, this chair on Amazon had every modification that I wanted.


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## Dewdman42 (Oct 31, 2022)

What I want is a chair that is as comfortable as the drivers seat in my Audi. With removable arms


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## HammyHavoc (Oct 31, 2022)

SyMTiK said:


> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y8BXBX8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (Gabrylly Ergonomic Chair)
> 
> I have one of these at home.
> 
> ...


Re the Gabrylly—no forward tilt? The Aeron has forward tilt. For me, that's unfortunately a deal breaker. Other than that, looks like a surprisingly nice chair for the price.


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## Stringtree (Oct 31, 2022)

Local dusty place with used office furniture. Costs a fortune up front to institutions, then is traded out for new stuff and ends up there. Perfectly fine, and really nice. Herman Miller. Pennies on the dollar. 

The furniture business is saturated with copycats. Much of it is the same stuff, being USA-branded goods from the usual suspects: China, Vietnam, Malaysia. 

Buy used, for your body's sake. The Aeron is as ubiquitous as the SM7B. You can't possibly be a podcaster without both of those; they're in the starter kit. 

Herman Miller is plucked by architects and designers. Schools, clinics, hospitals, state and local institutions, hopeful startups. Take advantage of hubris and get yerself a nice chair. As an artist, you deserve it. The life cycle of fine goods is obscene.


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