Chairs Thread

Didn't know if this should go under this forum or random thoughts.

This thread is about your favorite chairs. I'm particularly interested in computer task chairs, but also the comfy chairs you listen from. I am currently sitting in a $80 Ikea desk chair that kills my ass after an hour or so (I have a motorized sit/stand desk from them, so I stand most of the time), so I am looking to get something up to $500ish (used or refurbished ok) to cush my tush a little better.

For relaxing, I LOVE my leather Poang chair and matching foot rest from Ikea. Cradles my body so nice when I lie back with headphones on my head.

Please share your chair!

 

"The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion"

Oh man... this takes me back to my GeekHack days when I was first doing research on chairs. My research eventually led to a thread and guide for what to look for in a chair. I think you may find my small guide useful, as well as the discussions following it.

I could go on and on about chair features and the chairs that I've tried, but your budget limits you a bit on what you can buy. Anyways, you can't go wrong with Herman Miller or Steelcase. They're the two biggest task chair manufacturers for good reasons. HM tends to make some more out-there modern designs while SC tends to stick to things that actually look office chairs. But in the end, they'll both get the job done.

Unfortunately you pretty much missed the annual Herman Miller and Steelcase sales, but Smartfurniture will give you a discount if you give them a reasonable offer. I purchased my Steelcase Amia from them and they have excellent customer support.

For $500, you could get a base HM Sayl. But... you'll want to add on the optional features that improve on ergonomics and usage.

Since you don't mind buying used or refurb, try looking on ebay or craigslist for local listings. You might be able to find some really cheap chairs that way, especially from companies that are throwing away their old chairs. A friend of mine got an Aeron for free when his dad's office was throwing away old office chairs.

 

Cool! Thanks for the resources. Yeah, there are a ton of places here in Chicago to test out chairs so I have tried out a lot of top flight stuff. I'm hoping one of the office liquidators (buy the chairs from closing offices) nearby will have some good stuff for cheaper that don't have some horrible looking stains. Definitely a lot of Steelcase stuff. That Amia looks really nice. My sister has an Aeron, and while it is definitely nice, I think I want a cushioned bottom as opposed to a mesh one. I will keep looking. Thanks again.

 

I got a used Herman Miller aeron a few months ago. I used one at work and loved it. I had been going through cheaper chairs and got tired of changing them every 3 years or so. I'm betting this one lasts a wee bit longer.

 

You're welcome! Keep in mind your weight and height. I am ~125lb, 5'7" so I'm on the skinny side. Most task chairs that I've tried ended up being too big for me. The Amia is on the small side but it's a great chair if it fits you. The foam in it is supportive and firm, but very comfortable . If you want something a little bigger and with a head rest, you could move up to the Leap. If you get a cloth steelcase, go for the cogent connect because it will feel softer and cooler in the heat.

You could look into getting those "gaming" chairs from dxracer or maxnomic. They're often advertised by streamers and tournaments but I have no idea how they compare to HM or SC. They don't have as many features but they're significantly cheaper, especially if you use discount codes that you get from streamers or tournaments. If anyone has any experience with these chairs, I'd love to hear about it.

 

This is mine...

 

I'm sure that there are better now. Task chairs appeared to be getting quite a bit of attention when I went looking. Even Herman Miller was trying to get away from their ubiquitous Aeron. I briefly used one at work and decided to get the Aeron (small, I think Medium). Again, I expect this chair to last 20 years! Love the flow of air below from not having a cushion. Love how I don't have to worry about cushions wearing out on cheaper office chairs and getting pressure in a place you don't to be pressured.

I will probably never buy another chair for my desk with a cushion. Those DX Racer chairs have cushions, so they are instantly off my list.

EDIT: I have the Aeron Medium.

 

I'd actually like to try a mesh chair in the future. The only problem is that my Amia is probably going to last me for at least 5 more years.

I just didn't like any of the ones that I tried out in stores. I got pretty turned off from mesh chairs after trying one off of amazon. That thing was wayyyyyyyyy too big for me, and I couldn't sit back properly on it. Too bad the Sayl wasn't available when I was first looking into chairs. I may have gotten that instead of the Amia.

 

My Leap has served me well for the past 5 years. The new Steelcase seems like a nice upgrade though I don't expect to see a used one in awhile. A lot of the used Leaps are pretty worn and I'd avoid a v1.

 

I've used a Humanscale Liberty for the last eight years that I've been quite happy with. Got it used for a very reasonable price. It's a bit different than the other task chair options in that it's designed to have a minimum of adjustments. Good for folks who need to share their chair, or like to switch between different seating positions for which one set of adjustments wouldn't work—or for someone who finds it hard to stop fiddling with adjustments and get something done. ;-)

 

I have a Herman Miller Embody chair. I love it. Breathable and fully supportive.

 

I had a mesh Raynor Ergohuman chair at my previous work and some kind of XL Herman Miller Aeron at work now.

I found both to be fine but they tend to exacerbate issues if my back or neck hurt from sleeping funny.

Anyone know of a great chair for a big dude? 6'4" just shy of 300.

 

Just picked up a BNIB Steelcase Leap for ~$400 CAD, haven't had time to put it together yet. Should be a good upgrade from a Costco chair that's literally peeling apart.

 

How is the Ikea Bekant anyway? Any hickups with adjustment or durability? I've been going back and forth between that and an Ergo Depot Jarvis and it would be nice to save a few bucks.

Also, I'm going to go check out this liquidation stock today in the west burbs: https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/fuo/5349879584.html If they're legit and in good condition, great deal on a workhorse chair. EDIT: Just got back. Picked up a black one (they had black, grey, and red) - slightly cosmetic blemishes on the arms, but otherwise in great shape.

 

So far so good on the Bekant. Very straight forward build. Easy enough to level. I have only had it for about a month now, so I can't speak to long term durability. I have probably about half it's max load on it right now and no obvious signs of struggle when I move it up and down. Surface hasn't scratched yet. All in all, very pleased. Once I clean it up a little I will post a picture of all the stuff it is holding

 

I've been sitting in an Embody chair at work for 4 years. I don't love it as much as I used to. If I were to get a new chair I'd probably get something with more cushion such as the Lifeform office chair.

 

How's that Poang holding up? I intend to get one for my new home office once we're done moving in, along with an extension from BJC to reach the desk/main headphone setup.

At my desk the nicest chair I've had so far is an Ikea Markus, not bad for the low price tbh ($200 IIRC), but I've definitely laid my ass on better chairs. Still it's holding up pretty well, cushion and all.

It felt far nicer than anything else I tried at that price point when I bought it about a year ago... Obviously used HMs and such would encroach on that but being in Puerto Rico the used market is far more limited...

I've actually done IT work for 2 different office furniture refurbishers/sellers here and haven't seen anything very attractive while there. I guess the other places I've been to with nicer chairs just ordered them direct.

 

Is Herman Miller chairs good for tall people? I'm 196 cm.

 

Given your size I would look for something with adjustable seat depth, otherwise I think you will have a hard time finding something deep enough to fit you correctly. The newer Herman MIller chairs have that, but I know the Aeron doesn't. The only other thing to look for is a seat back that is high enough to support your upper back. Ideally the top should reach just below your shoulders. Even at your size most chairs will offer you sufficient height and arm adjustability.

Obviously trying out a chair is the best option to ensure you are getting the correct fit. Your height is on the extreme end of the size distribution so finding the right chair will be a little more difficult.