Most people who have been around an office environment for some time have seen the distinctive mesh chairs that many employees covet. Herman Miller’s Aeron Chairs are typically accepted as being among the best for comfort and ergonomic design, so we tried one out. Although there are several styles and materials, all the chairs have adjustments that make them ideal for sitting at a desk for extended periods. They didn’t end up in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection for nothing.
Types of Adjustments
In fact, Aeron Chairs allow for so many adjustments that they come with a small but clearly written instruction manual affixed to a lever under the seat. One of the most important features aside from the wide range of seat heights are the lumbar support adjustments. You can easily adjust the depth and height of the thick lumbar pad to fit your back. Another surprisingly important set of adjustments turned out to be arm height and arm angle. Changes here seem to impact the neck, shoulder, arm and wrist.
There are several other adjustments depending on whether you buy the Basic or Highly-Adjustable model. Getting the seat adjusted perfectly for your body and posture might be an evolving process, but well worth the effort. Office Designs, where you can purchase chairs at a discount, features short videos for adjusting the Aerons.
It’s In The Mesh
One of the big attractions of the chair is that it’s covered in a flexible mesh material, rather than fabric over cushions as are most office chairs. The advantage of the mesh fabric, according to the manufacturer, is that it conforms to the user’s shape, distributes a person’s weight evenly over both the seat and back and allows air to circulate through the chair, avoiding heat build-up. The chairs are also earth-friendly and are 94% recyclable.
Sizing
The Aeron chairs come in three sizes—small (A), medium (B), and Large (C)—and it’s quite important to find your correct size in order to get the most benefit from the chair. Retailers have a large customized sizing chart for this purpose.
Is It Worth The Money?
The big question most people ask is, “Do I really need to spend more than $500 for an office chair?” The answer is, “It depends.” If you spend most of your time at client sites, it may not be worth investing in a high-end chair, unless your back demands it when you are back in the office.
On the other hand, if you spend most of your time in front of the computer, have physical conditions that can benefit from better posture, or have enough disposable income, then it probably is worth the investment. The new Herman Miller Aeron Chairs come with a twelve-year warranty and the prices have come down over the years.
You can purchase a new Aeron Chair in a variety of colors at OfficeDesigns.com. We’ve partnered with this merchant because they offer free shipping, no sales tax and a low price guarantee.
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