Herman Miller Aeron Chair Review

As is the case with many professions, designers are often forced to sit on their arses for extended periods of time. But how many of us give appropriate attention to matters of ergonomics? Most of us are unconcerned with such questions until we are already crippled. Admittedly, my initial yearning for high end seating was less about facilitating a healthy posture than it was about having a slick new chair to match my recently renovated office.

But the more I researched, the more I began to understand the importance of ergonomic seating. The lower back needs proper support, the tilt and height of the chair should be adjustable to accommodate different activities. And perhaps most importantly, the chair should feel comfortable to sit on.

But which chair to choose? Twenty minutes of Googling revealed the availability of an assortment of high end, ergonomic and stylish office seating. There was the Leap, the Liberty, the Mirra. But it was the Aeron that held my eye. Despite being designed in 1994, the Aeron still has a cutting edge appearance. But more than just looks, the Aeron chair boasts that it:

adapts naturally and adjusts precisely to fit people of all sizes and postures doing all kinds of activities, all day long. The imaginative design of the work chair [...] gives superior comfort, body support, and style that is widely copied but never matched.

I ordered the chair through a reseller in Sydney. Because I wanted it in a titanium/smoke frame rather than the standard graphite finish, I had to wait some time for it to be built and shipped from the factory in Michigan. Three and a half months later the chair turned up and within a few hours, my excitement had turned to dismay as I noticed a tingling sensation in my legs and feet. The foam crescent beneath the pellicle at the front of the seat had been pressing against my thigh. I thought, perhaps, it was simply a matter of needing to adjust the chair to my personal requirements.

Over the next few days I tried several different configurations of the chair height, tilt and tilt limiter, hoping to find a position that allows for proper blood circulation of the legs. Regardless of the configuration, within hours of sitting my legs became numb, tingly and uncomfortable.

Thankfully, after emailing Herman Miller about these concerns I discovered that with some effort, the foam crescent was removable. Since removing the crescent, the chair couldn’t be comfier.

The foam crescent issue is actually a common grievance among owners of the chair. For every ten people who sing only songs of praise for the Aeron, there is one who finds the foam crescent crippling. I was from the later group, but fortunately the issue was resolved fairly easily.

Apart from that problem, the chair is quite satisfying. The meshy fabric of the seat and back rest is known as a ‘Pellicle’ – it is firm enough to retain its shape, but its elasticity allows for even distribution of weight, eliminating pressure points. The pellicle is also very breathable. The chair’s tilt can be disabled entirely if desired, or the tilt’s resistance can be adjusted to an almost unlimited degree. The armrests are fully adjustable; they can be lowered or raised, and even swivel outwards or inwards.

Overall, it is a very solid feeling chair that makes my office look a million dollars. The foam crescent problem was annoying and unexpected for a piece of furniture of this price, but once overcome, it’s blue skys from there on.

Tags: aeron, chair, ergonomic, herman miller, posture