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max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,374
2,027
What are some of the best office chairs for sitting in 8 to 10 hours + a day ?
 

monokakata

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,036
583
Ithaca, NY
I've been very happy with the Herman Miller Embody chair. Breathtakingly expensive but it works very well for me. I had an Aeron before it; this is much better.

An adjustable footrest and an adjustable-height desk make those long days easier, too.
 

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,374
2,027
I've been very happy with the Herman Miller Embody chair. Breathtakingly expensive but it works very well for me. I had an Aeron before it; this is much better.

An adjustable footrest and an adjustable-height desk make those long days easier, too.

How much is it ?

Is it really worth it ?
 

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,374
2,027
Hang on . . .

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IX5YHQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yes, for me it's worth it. My Aeron lasted 10 years before the arm broke off, which worked out to roughly $70/year. The Embody was twice as much, so assuming it goes 10 years then that's $150/year or roughly $13 a month.

True, you have to cough up the purchase price up front.

No problem. Thanks.

So how do you go about repairing the chair if it breaks? Must I ship the whole chair back to Herman Miller ?
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,987
46,452
In a coffee shop.
No problem. Thanks.

So how do you go about repairing the chair if it breaks? Must I ship the whole chair back to Herman Miller ?

I use a made to order (ergonomic, lumbar support, etc) chair from the German company Klöber which I ordered two years ago, and am extremely happy with it.
 
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hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
I too have been very happy with the Herman Miller Embody chair. I have 2 of them for my wife and myself. Once you fine tune the settings, they are very comfortable and supportive. Well worth the cost to us! There is a local Herman Miller dealer here who will repair the chair if necessary.

If you know an architect (my daughter ordered ours) or interior designer, they may be able to get a substantial discount on them.
 
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monokakata

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,036
583
Ithaca, NY
I don't know about repairs. One of the downsides of living on an outer island is that shipping something like a chair out for repair is unthinkable, and getting spare parts is always a headache. It's even a pain getting things to Honolulu, our metropolis.

But having been born and raised here, I'm used to it. Does get frustrating at times, though.
 

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,374
2,027
I don't know about repairs. One of the downsides of living on an outer island is that shipping something like a chair out for repair is unthinkable, and getting spare parts is always a headache. It's even a pain getting things to Honolulu, our metropolis.

But having been born and raised here, I'm used to it. Does get frustrating at times, though.

That sucks.
[doublepost=1480971424][/doublepost]
I too have been very happy with the Herman Miller Embody chair. I have 2 of them for my wife and myself. Once you fine tune the settings, they are very comfortable and supportive. Well worth the cost to us! There is a local Herman Miller dealer here who will repair the chair if necessary.

If you know an architect (my daughter ordered ours) or interior designer, they may be able to get a substantial discount on them.

Do you or your wife sweat in the Embody chair at all ?
 
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monokakata

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,036
583
Ithaca, NY
hfg is right. It's cool.

The only thing I wish it had is the ability to rotate the armrests. The Aeron could do that. I've gotten used to it, but it was nice to be able to flip them out at an angle.
 

monokakata

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,036
583
Ithaca, NY
That moves them in or out, which is helpful. I'm talking about rotating them so that they aren't parallel to the seat.

Not being able to do it isn't a big deal. I just liked sometimes altering the Aeron ones.

I did go for the upgraded cushion, though -- I think it added $200 to the cost. I can't compare to the other setup but I can say that what I have is very comfortable. Just the right amount of support. Also, something that's really useful is the ability to adjust seat depth. That's a great feature.

Unfortunately, this weekend I got my first paint smudge on the seat. I thought that I'd checked my pants, but there it was. I got most of it off but now the chair isn't pristine. The Aeron was covered with streaks and flecks because while I had it, I painted two houses inside and out and wasn't always careful when I came down from the ladder to use my Mac.

Oh well. Tools are meant to be used.
 

Crazy Badger

macrumors 65816
Apr 1, 2008
1,297
698
Scotland
Not sure if you're anywhere near an Ikea, but if you are take a look at their Markus chair. I've had mine about 2 years and for the money, it really is hard to beat. I'd happily buy another tomorrow, although this one still looks like it has many years of life left in it.

markus-swivel-chair-gray__0324506_PE517017_S4.JPG
 
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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,987
46,452
In a coffee shop.
Do you ever sweat in the chair?

Well, I'm from the British Isles, so, in truth, our summers cannot be described as hot.

Having said that, I ordered a chair called the "Moteo".

This is a chair that seems to be viewed both as a 'task chair' and an 'executive' chair.

Having the choice, I ordered it in leather - I like leather - with leather on the armrests, and equipped with castors, full armrests, and all of the special ergonomic and lumbar support that the chair allowed me to order.

Yes, it was expensive - it was made to order in Germany - but, given that I write a lot, and spend many hours a day at a desk, staring at a screen, it is more than well worth it.
 
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max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,374
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Thanks everyone for all the help! Everyone has given very helpful advice!
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
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campyguy

macrumors 68040
Mar 21, 2014
3,413
957
Chiming in late here. I'm tall, and a bit heavy in that I'm not svelte. I use two chairs, rather a chair at one of my offices and sit-stand stools at my other two locations. FWIW, I'm a Herman Miller fan as well and have input there too.

For my chair I use an HM 2nd-Gen Aeron, and love it. For my other two locations I use a HÅG Capisco Puls (the 8002 model, which has a plush seat, with the 265MM gas lift shaft) for my other two locations - and I love that chair as well. I'd buy another Capisco Puls 8002 if I needed another place to park my tush today... I'm an engineering construction manager, and appreciate a good sit-stand chair.

As to Herman Miller products, check out their site directly. They're currently holding a sale on many of their products that are well under what you'll find at Amazon and about in-line with what you can buy at wholesale (like I do, through my architectural buyer), with free shipping as well. I compared - that price for the Embody is about US$200 less at the HM site direct than what they're asking at Amazon, FWIW (my buyer tipped me off two weeks ago, just to pass it on...). Cheers!
 

Consultant

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,314
34
If you are over 6 foot tall:
Steelcase Leap is one of the taller back chairs. For me it's more supportive than the Aeron.
Steelcase Gesture is newer and has more features, but Leap fits me better.
 
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max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,374
2,027
Thanks everyone I will be looking at the Aeron, Embody, Leap , Gesture, and maybe some cheaper chairs at Office Depot just to see.

I just hate that you can't buy the Aeron, Embody, Leap or Gesture today locally here it has to be shipped to you.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,987
46,452
In a coffee shop.
Just to add that the chair that I ordered (built to order in Germany) - the Moteo "Style" Task Chair won the Red Dot Design Award for Klöber in 2010.

I do recall the when I was shopping around for a good quality chair, this was highly recommended, and I have found it excellent.
 

campyguy

macrumors 68040
Mar 21, 2014
3,413
957
I just hate that you can't buy the Aeron, Embody, Leap or Gesture today locally here it has to be shipped to you.
There are often options for a local evaluation that most of the people I know haven't even thought of, depending on where you live. What most people would do is go the the "local Herman Miller reseller" - in Portland, there are two resellers and there's one in Seattle for HM products that are shown on their website.

What that website won't tell you - but I will - that many of the cities that I have worked in have an architectural supply company, and all of them had showrooms of different brands set up for an evaluation and sometimes they'll sell directly to you. I've purchased directly from two architectural supply companies without telling them what I do for a living - I'm just some guy who walked in from the street, and I've always paid wholesale prices.

As to Steelcase/Leap products, I've never paid retail for one of them either. I look for their used products at liquidation stores and on CL - sadly, there are plenty of architectural/engineering businesses moving/consolidating/closing. I picked up 6 7-month-old Black Version 2 Leap chairs in perfect condition from a business in Beaverton OR that's moved to CA for $200 each, plus my time - there's 42 more at that price right now still available...
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,346
12,461
The "best office chair" is the one that fits YOU the best.

The only way to know this is to go out and try some.

What someone else recommends as "the best" may fit you terribly.
 
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