Hermon Miller Aeron - will I get used to it?

[Ari]

After suffering from back ache in the car and arse ache (not to put too finer point on it!) in my office chair, and as I'm working far more from home and spending hours and hours at a time in it, I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade to the Hermon Miller Aeron chair that everyone seems to rave about.

It only arrived this afternoon (reconditioned from an office supply specialist for about half what they are new although that's still circa £400!) and I couldn't wait to try it.

A couple of hours in and I can't say I'm blown away by it to be honest. The squab seems short and the edge of the squab feels quite hard against my thighs. (Having looked on line and on youtube at how to adjust it correctly, it seems there is a version that will tilt forward by five degrees seperate to the normal range of movement. Mine doesn't have that...).

I just wondered how others got on with theirs - instant bliss, or a few days/weeks/months to get used to it?

[singlecoil]

I've had mine for about three years. I couldn't go back to ordinary chairs. If it was stolen I would buy another.

Only drawback is that farts pass straight through.

[MrBarry123]

singlecoil said:

Only drawback is that farts pass straight through.

Isn't that a benefit in that your chair doesn't end up with a putrid, and perhaps slightly damp, cushion?

[singlecoil]

MrBarry123 said:

singlecoil said:

Only drawback is that farts pass straight through.

Isn't that a benefit in that your chair doesn't end up with a putrid, and perhaps slightly damp, cushion?

Mine tend to be a) dry and b) smell delicious.

But in a mixed environment it's sometimes useful to have the sound of one's gaseous emissions damped by a cushion, and the odour produced released slowly

[Sheetmaself]

In order to stick within the rules, if you can't get on with it and can't return it definitely don't pm me with details thinking i would be interested in taking it off of you.

[Original Poster]

I wasn't 'blown away' by mine either until I sat in it for 10 hours solid and realised how refreshed I still felt. I was constantly fidgeting in all my other office chairs, trying to get comfortable. It's the sort of thing you can't appreciate immediately after sitting in it, you have to spend several hours in it to 'get it'.

I could not be without mine, either.

[Ari]

Sheetmaself said:

In order to stick within the rules, if you can't get on with it and can't return it definitely don't pm me with details thinking i would be interested in taking it off of you.

I'll definitely not do that if I can't get on with it.

Hopefully it's just a matter of acclimatising though, hence wondering how other people got on when first using them.

[essayer]

I had to take the lumbar support out, I don't find it comfortable in any position.
I also leave the tilt unlocked, with the tension enough to support my weight - that way I can lean back occasionally to stretch.
Make sure your arms are the correct height relative to desk and use a foot rest if your feet aren't flat on the floor.

[singlecoil]

essayer said:

I had to take the lumbar support out, I don't find it comfortable in any position.

Me too.

[miniman]

Uber comfortable when set up right. Which is deeply frustrating an an "agile workspace" where desks are a free-for-all every morning.

[mizx]

Yes getting it set up properly might help, then give it a go for a while. It may well be that it just doesn't suit you as unfortunate as that is, it's worth giving them a good try out, especially before buying if it's a custom order; not so bad if it's refurb or shelf-stock spec and you can return it.

I made a very expensive mistake recently with a custom order HAG Sofi. I've had an RH for years, in need of replacement as there's a big hole in the seat fabric (from transferring, wheelchair user), was in the back of my mind I wanted another RH, but a change seemed a good thing.

The problem for me is trying stuff out is a tricky. I bought a Humanscale from John Lewis last year and had to send it back, but this HAG felt ok in the shop. Once it got here I've struggled to get on with it, I've now got seat covers on my old RH and I'm using that again. £1k of new chair is sitting in the spare bedroom and I don't know what to do with it It's bloody bright orangey red and white frame too...

Edited by mizx on Monday 27th March 20:35

[Ace-T]

miniman said:

Uber comfortable when set up right. Which is deeply frustrating an an "agile workspace" where desks are a free-for-all every morning.

Or use the HSE excuse of I need this chair set up as I have a bad back?

OP have you got the right size Herman Miller? Sounds as if you need the next size up.

[Ari]

It's the mid (B) size, which I was advised by the shop (they had all sizes apparently). I'm in the sticks so couldn't try it. I'm 6ft 1in and about 15 stone, on the chart it placed me as either B or C.

[Ari]

It's certainly fine for width and the height of the backrest. The squab feels a little short, there's about 8cm from the front edge to the backs of my knees, but that might just be how it should be.

I think (hope) it's just a case of getting acclimatised to it. A bit like German car seats, sometimes they feel too firm to begin with but you appreciate them after a few long hours.

[Ace-T]

I have had one in work since about 2007.

I sneezed and put my back out so badly I ended up on my knees in the middle of the foyer at work unable to move which resulted in being stuck in an ambulance taken to the local hospital. Looking back it must have looked comical as it was lunchtime with a ton of folks wandering past (luckily before smartphones and inappropriate selfies were the norm ). Shortly after I moved to a new office where they had splashed out on some Herman Miller Aerons. That chair has been with me ever since as it is the only chair that does not give me backache if I sit on it for more than 20 mins.

So I recently bought 3 refurbed ones for me and the OH at home and one for his work.

If it is digging into your legs it is either not adjusted properly or is not the correct size. Give the shop a call and see if they can offer advice.

[CountZero23]

Can't comment on the Aeron though I've heard it's very good.

Purchased a Herman Miller Mirra 2 last week as we have the original 'Mirra' at work and couldn't find anything which came close.

Both chairs are designed to promote a good posture rather than being 'comfy', a big over stuffed leather chair might be more comfortable for an hour or two but will be terrible for your back.

Might take a bit of getting used to but I spend a similarly daft amount of money on my chair after using almost the same thing at work for 4 years - so a pretty good endorsement.

Good take on them here.

Investing in a Quality Programming Chair
https://blog.codinghorror.com/investing-in-a-quali...

[tvrforever]

any recommendations on good suppliers?

[Ari]

CountZero23 said:

Can't comment on the Aeron though I've heard it's very good.

Purchased a Herman Miller Mirra 2 last week as we have the original 'Mirra' at work and couldn't find anything which came close.

Both chairs are designed to promote a good posture rather than being 'comfy', a big over stuffed leather chair might be more comfortable for an hour or two but will be terrible for your back.

Might take a bit of getting used to but I spend a similarly daft amount of money on my chair after using almost the same thing at work for 4 years - so a pretty good endorsement.

Good take on them here.

Investing in a Quality Programming Chair
https://blog.codinghorror.com/investing-in-a-quali...

I'm thinking that's probably why I'm finding it a bit weird, it's maybe pushing my body into the 'right' position rather than the most short term comfy.

[Ari]

Ace-T said:

I have had one in work since about 2007.

I sneezed and put my back out so badly I ended up on my knees in the middle of the foyer at work unable to move which resulted in being stuck in an ambulance taken to the local hospital. Looking back it must have looked comical as it was lunchtime with a ton of folks wandering past (luckily before smartphones and inappropriate selfies were the norm ). Shortly after I moved to a new office where they had splashed out on some Herman Miller Aerons. That chair has been with me ever since as it is the only chair that does not give me backache if I sit on it for more than 20 mins.

So I recently bought 3 refurbed ones for me and the OH at home and one for his work.

If it is digging into your legs it is either not adjusted properly or is not the correct size. Give the shop a call and see if they can offer advice.

I'm probably over-egging it describing it as 'digging in', it's more that I'm aware of it.

[Sheets Tabuer]

Ace-T said:

miniman said:

Uber comfortable when set up right. Which is deeply frustrating an an "agile workspace" where desks are a free-for-all every morning.

Or use the HSE excuse of I need this chair set up as I have a bad back?

OP have you got the right size Herman Miller? Sounds as if you need the next size up.

Written warning in my place to adjust someone elses chair, bizarre policy if I'm honest but people do get upset if you touch their chair, especially if they have been here 20 years.