Office Chairs
HAVE A SEAT
SIT DOWN AND MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE.
DISCOVER WHICH NEW OFFICE CHAIR IS PERFECT FOR YOU.
BY LEE GIMPEL
IF you work in an office, there’s a good chance you spend an awful lot of time sitting in a chair. For many people, it may be eight hours or more per day. That makes your daily seating choice an important decision, since you may pass half of your waking hours—and a third of your life—sitting. Finding the right chair is important if you want to be comfortable. Here are a few options, and how they stack up against each other.
THE RATING SYSTEM
EACH RATED ON A SCALE FROM ONE TO FOUR, FOUR BEING THE BEST.
****
HERMAN MILLER
*
Mirra • $799
HIGHS: While the newer Mirra costs less than Herman Miller’s revolutionary Aeron, it still provides the designer’s cachet and Aeron-esque looks. Beyond aesthetics, the warranty covers 12 years of 24-hours-a-day work. The seat is very breathable because of a light, stretchy fabric. It has an adjustable front lip. Using the pneumatic lever, the seat provides more catches than the other chairs for finer adjustments in height. Moving the lumbar support is intuitive and the tension control for reclining is well balanced.
LOWS: While the chair feels durable, it may feel too durable; the back is rigid and has an institutional hardness to it, making the seat less comfortable than other chairs. The armrests only allow for three positions, while other chairs provide more freedom in the arms. It’s hard to see what the various controls do while seated.
STEELCASE
****
Leap • $799
HIGHS: Steelcase says that, along with ergonomic training, this well-thought-out chair increases productivity nearly 18%. The arms allow greater range of motion than the others, and there’s a cheat sheet stenciled on the arms about the chair’s controls. The lumbar support can be adjusted on both sides, the degree of firmness in the back is also adjustable, and the changeable seat depth fits longer legs.
LOWS: The catch mechanism for lumbar support feels flimsy and imprecise. The thin cushion on the back of the chair is held to the bottom of the back with relatively thin elastic, perhaps a concern for longevity. Rubberized arms show dirt and scuffs, and the understated grey appointments on the frame give it a lackluster faux chrome look next to the sleekness of other chairs.
RAYNOR
****
Ergohuman • $599
HIGHS: You’ll either love or hate this chair’s looks; the styling seems to resemble an insect. The Ergohuman was the only chair tested with a headrest (there is also a version without), making it the nicest in which to fully recline. The mesh fabric has a springy feel, and it is so thin, one could spill coffee through it and not worry about stains. Although bulky, the elbow pad on the armrest is cushy. The controls are easy to read and adjust, although hard to see while seated.
LOWS: The headrest can feel over-supportive when not reclining, and the whole chair feels slightly tipped forward. The arms don’t move forward and back, thus are hard to stow away. There’s no specific lumbar support like the other chairs, although the back can move up and down.
Adjusting the height of the seat back is awkward while seated.
ALLSTEEL
***
#19 • $1,670
HIGHS: The name comes from the chair’s ergonomic origins: the sum of 18 integral parts, plus a person. The seat is well padded, and the stretchy back is made from thin but comfortable fabric. The thick chrome metal frame is substantial without being bulky. When reclining—with three settings—the seat pan keeps you naturally level. Allsteel claims the chair was designed to keep your body at a comfortable temperature.
LOWS: The controls feel sleek, but without labels there’s some guesswork required. The back frame is hard—not the sort of thing you want to lean back on. The armrests are springy, but when putting weight on them they can feel unsupportive. Adjusting the seat depth is awkward; the knob under the seat turns like a cantankerous gas tank cap.
BIOFIT
*
Esquire • $350
HIGHS: BioFit’s Build Your Own Chair website allows you to mix and match dozens of options—materials, backrests, seats, controls and finishes—to create your own special seat. Although the site assumes you have some knowledge about what you want in a chair, it does a good job of displaying the different options and how they fit together. With the model tested, the seat pan raised nicely and the footrest ring was a touch that the others lacked. The chair also felt sturdy.
LOWS: The interchangeability makes for plain-looking chairs. Rather than being light and responsive like other pneumatic controls, the mechanical controls felt like shifting a big diesel truck. The chair reclines, but there is no setting for a half-recline or tension control to set the recline resistance.
Fabric is attached to the bottom of the seat with staples.
CHOOSING A CHAIR
According to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, back pain affects one in four Americans, and an estimated 80% of all Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Make a dent in that statistic by sitting correctly at home and at work. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
• The best way to find a comfortable chair is to actually try it out.
• There should be enough room between the edge of the chair and the back of your legs to fit your fist.
• Armrests should not prevent you from getting close to your workspace; they should barely touch the undersides of your arms at 90 degrees.
• You should be able to adjust the chair while seated in it.
• When standing in front of the chair, the optimal seat height is just below the kneecap; your feet should be flat on the floor when seated.
• Your chair should allow your legs to fit comfortably under your desk or workstation.
Bookmark This Post