Is Herman Miller Chair Worth It?

There's no denying it's expensive, but this chair is supremely comfortable and comes with a stunning 12-year warranty

The Herman Miller Aeron is an iconic office chair, used throughout expensive offices and even on TV shows, such as in House. It comes as no surprise, then, that it's also one of the most expensive, starting at over £600 for the basic model.

Herman Miller Aeron

Don't just write this chair off as an expensive luxury, as it's as comfortable to use as it is pretty to look at. For starters, the seat and backrest are both mesh, comfortably moulding to the shape of your body when you sit down. It's incredibly supportive, while the air-flow through the material helps to keep you cool. There's a danger with cheaper chairs that this material can sag over time, but the Aeron comes with a stunning 12-year warranty, which shows you how durable it really is.

The seat size is not adjustable. Instead, you need to pick the size that suits you: A, B or C. Most people will be a B, but it's worth checking the size chart on Herman Miller's website to make sure before you buy.

What's nice about this chair is how adjustable it is. Leaning back is something that we all do, and the tilt tensioner lets you adjust the amount of weight it takes to let the chair slide back. Once you've got it adjusted, you sink slowly backwards perfectly.

Herman Miller Aeron Back

By default, the chair goes the entire way back, but you can add an optional tilt limiter for £44. If you're taller than average, it may make sense to add the tilt limiter with forward tilt (£84), which lets the chair lean forwards slightly over your desk. We didn't find either essential.

If you opt for the basic model you don't get arms. They're far from essential for good posture, but for leaning back and generally relaxing, we like them. Adding fixed arms costs £89, but to us that's a false economy as the £128 adjustable arms are much better value. As well as adding height adjustment, they pivot to perfectly suit your sitting position. With big padded armrests, they're incredibly comfortable. We have to say that paying £71 for leather armpads is probably a step too far, though.

Herman Miller Aeron Side

Of more interest will be the back support options. While the mesh material does a great job by itself, if you're sitting in the chair all day or have back trouble, extra support is essential. There are two options to choose from. At the top of the range is posture fit, which has a butterfly-shaped pad to support your lower back. It can be adjusted to give you more or less support using the dial on the side of the chair. It's expensive at £72, though. For most people the lumbar support at £25 is a better option. This pad supports your lower back and has two depths (shallow and deep). You adjust it by sliding the pad up and down in the housing. Once you've got it in the right position, you can feel it helping your posture, preventing you from slouching too much.

What's important to remember about the Aeron is that, although it's expensive, once you've chosen the right model for you, the chair is amazingly adjustable. Offering the highest degree of comfort and the best support we've seen in an office chair, it really is the best that you can buy. If the thought of this much money is too much to spend on a chair, the Herman Miller Mirra offers similar levels of comfort for a good deal less.

Details
Price	£635
Rating	*****
Award	Ultimate