
Ask HN: Do Aeron chairs make a difference in the office? - emmasz
We have a small software company working remotely on outsourced projects. We&#x27;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!<p>Of course, that Herman Miller&#x27;s Aeron and Embody seem best to be sitting on for 12-15 hours&#x2F;day. But I never tried them... never even touched or saw one physically. Are they that good? Should we go ahead with it?
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pacey
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.

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caw
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
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).

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dakrisht
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.

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motoford
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.

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canterburry
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.

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dsacco
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.

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vldx
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.

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euroclydon
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.

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gitcommit
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'...](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Emperor's_Throne.jpg)

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thenomad
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.

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

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ainiriand
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.

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ibash
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

