The Herman Miller Aeron chair is actually a collection of ergonomic chairs. There are three chairs included in the collection; the Aeron office chair, the Aeron work stool and the Aeron guest chair. However, when most people think of the Aeron chair they think of the office chair version. This article will focus solely on the work chair or “desk chair” version.
The Aeron chair is the most widely recognizable ergonomic office chair in the world, and for good reason. It is the quintessential classic ergonomic desk chair. When the Aeron chair was introduced into the office chair market it broke all preconceptions on what a desk chair should look like, be and do. It has been in production since 1994 and is considered to be the first mass produced ergonomic chair available to the workforce at large. Over the years the Aeron chair has won numerous industry awards. The most important and prestigious recognition of the chair came when it was added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The Aeron was the first chair to not use foam as a way to make the user more comfortable.
The Aeron Chair Design
Although the design of the Aeron chair is ultra modernistic and invokes thoughts of futuristic office-scapes it is much more than just art. There is real science and research behind its design. Bill Stumph and Don Chadwick used four basic observations to guide their design efforts. An ergonomic chair should safeguard your health, offer functional support, be inclusive of most body types, and environmentally sound.
The final design of the Aeron chair revolutionized how we view work chairs and what we expect from them. The Aeron was the first chair to not have foam padding in the set pan and the back rest. This created an ultra modern look that many chair manufacturers have attempted to duplicate. It revolutionized what we expect from a work chair in that it was one of the first widely accepted ergonomic chairs on the market. It changed our expectations of what a chair should offer the user.
The Two Aeron Chair Models
There are two Aeron chair models; the Basic Aeron chair and the Highly Adjustable Aeron chair. There is a big price difference between the two models. With the Basic model you should expect to pay between six hundred and one thousand dollars, depending on the features you add. With the highly adjustable model you should expect to pay eight hundred dollars and up. Below you will find a brief summary of the differences between the two Aeron chair models.
The Basic Aeron Chair
The Basic Aeron chair is considered an entry level chair. It is very similar to the Highly Adjustable model except for three major items. First, neither the armrest height nor armrest angle are adjustable. Being able to adjust armrest height and angle are important to good ergonomic posture but not absolutely necessary. Second, the tilt limiter and forward tilt are not options. Third, lumbar support is available but the upgrade to Posture Fit is not. For more detailed information read the review of the basic Aeron chair.
Full Feature Aeron Chair
The fully featured, highly adjustable Aeron chair has everything you could possibly want in an ergonomic chair. It is the same design as the basic Aeron chair. Several retailers are describing the Highly Adjustable Aeron chair with the polished aluminum base as an Executive Aeron chair. Do not fall prey to this marketing ploy. The polished aluminum base will add several hundred dollars to the cost of the chair. It is an absolutely beautiful look. But, that is the only difference between the Highly Adjustable Aeron chair and the so called “executive” Aeron chair. Some retailers will try to charge more by labeling it an “executive chair.” Read the review of the full featured Aeron chair for more information.
Also to get a better understanding of the differences between the Highlky Adjustable and the Basic models of the Aeron chair take a look at the Aeron Chair adjustments page where we have videos outlining each adjustment, what it is and why it is important.
Where To Buy The Aeron Chair
Where you buy your Aeron chair will be a matter of preference. Some people prefer to purchase from traditional brick and mortar retailers; whereas others prefer to purchase online. Whether you prefer a retailer you can walk into or one that offers the convenience of ordering from home you should always purchase from authorized dealers. If you do not purchase from an authorized dealer you may not get a valid warranty. You can also purchase the Aeron through the Amazon and eBay marketplaces.
Buying Aeron Chairs Online
Aeron chairs are expensive. If, for whatever reason, you decide to make a purchase from an online retailer that is not an authorized Herman Miller reseller, then you should take special precautions in protecting your purchase. If this is the route you decide to go then you should read this article and the precautions you should take.
Top Rated Herman Miller Authorized Online Resellers
Cheap Aeron Chairs For Sale
The Aeron chair is one of the most popular and sought after ergonomic chairs on the market. Not everyone selling Aeron chairs are authorized resellers. If a deal is too good to be true it probably is. When you find an Aeron chair sale online touting steeply discounted prices, you should be leery. Often the chairs being sold are brand knockoffs, or older model chairs being sold as new.
The Aeron has been on the market since 1994. It is a high end designer ergonomic chair. In short this means that there are a lot of old used Aerons on the market. Moreover, there are a lot of people out there looking to make a quick buck off reselling a cheap product relabeled as an Aeron chair or used Aeron chair. Herman Miller chairs are expensive. If a deal seems too good to be true then it probably is. One way to protect yourself is to make sure you are purchasing your chair from an authorized Herman Miller reseller. Also purchasing through a market place like Amazon and eBay can also give you a bit of buyer protection. However, purchasing from these market places presents their own unique challenges. Read this for a few ideas on how to protect yourself.
Buying Used Aeron Chairs
If you are on a budget or just looking to find a deal on an Aeron chair then buying a used chair may seem to be the best way to go. You need to be careful. There are a lot of unscrupulous sellers out there that would sell you a low quality used chair as if it was in mint condition. There are authorized resellers that sell used Aeron chairs. These chairs are usually inspected repaired if any are needed. Not all sellers of used Aeron chairs are as scrupulous.
Buying used Aeron chairs is a buyer beware scenario. How much money you could potentially save should not be the only determining factor in making a purchase. Knowing who you are purchasing from and their reputation should be the most important factor in determining who you should make your purchase from. Here are a few well known authorized resellers that sell used Aeron chairs.
Aeron Chair Around The Internet
In researching this article I read close to a hundred user reviews on the Aeron chair. Most of which were resoundingly positive. However there were several complaints about the chair that were constant throughout any reviews that were negative. First, the some complained that the seat pan cut off circulation to the legs. Second, there were a few complaints about the lack of upper back support. Third, there were a small number of complaints about the quality of materials that go into building the Aeron.
The issues with the seat pan cutting off circulation to the legs are, in my opinion, solely due the wrong size chair being used. One of the most difficult aspects in designing an ergonomic chair is designing one that can be mass produced for the widest possible audience. Herman Miller’s solution to this challenge was to design three different sizes of Aeron chairs. Three sizes, A, B, and C – small, medium and large – are available for correspondingly larger body types.
Buying the right size chair is paramount to you being comfortable. If the Aeron you buy is too large the front of the seat pan will rest against the back of your legs and cut off circulation. More over a seat pan that is too large will encourage a body posture where your legs are pushed further out causing your lower back to be pushed away from the back rest and pushing the lumbar support further up your back. If you buy too small of a chair your back will not rest agains the back rest properly causing discomfort as well. When you buy an Aeron chair from an authorized dealer, or a market place like Amazon or eBay the size of the chair that you are purchasing will be clearly market.
The complaints of lack of upper back support could be due to the wrong size chair being purchased. There are two other possibilities that could cause this issue, arm rests not being adjusted properly, or seat height not being adjusted properly. Clear instruction on adjusting the Aeron chair, for your comfort, are included in the packaging. Moreover there are videos galore all over the internet and on Herman Miller’s website outlining exactly how to properly adjust the chair. I have put together a page outlining how to properly adjust the Aeron chair.
I am not sure about the quality of materials. I think to a certain degree anything mass produced will have a few flawed end products. But, Herman Miller backs the quality of the Aeron chair with a 12 year warranty. So, if you bought the chair from an authorized reseller you should never have to deal with a poor quality product. None of the complaints about poor quality mentioned the age of the age or whether the bought the chair new or used.
That leads me to the next point. You need to be very careful about buying a used Aeron chair. There are reputable online retailers where you can buy a used Aeron chair. You are taking a risk when you do not purchase from an authorized dealer.
Authorized retailers can be found online and they usually make sure you know they are authorized. Moreover, in online market places like Amazon and eBay authorized dealers use will let you know as well.
If a deal is too good to be true then it probably is too good to be true. If you come across a retailer offering Aeron chairs several hundred dollars below MSRP then it is either used, and they should tell you so, or they are not an authorized dealer that may be potentially selling a knockoff product instead of a real Aeron chair
The Aeron Chair In Video
The Aeron chair has been the top selling ergonomic office chair for the last fifteen years. In that time the Internet has grown and the use of sites like Youtube have become very popular for not only promoting products but also people speaking out and letting their opinions be known. Below you will find a collection of videos about the Aeron chair. These videos will definitely give you a great idea of what a fantastic investment buying an Aeron chair is.
This first video is an marketing campaign that Herman Miller did to promote the Aeron chair in the UK. Lots of British humor, tastefully done. It is commercial like so if you are not intereested in that type of stuff then you probably won’t enjoy it.
These next Aeron chair videos show Aeron chair hockey being played. These videos were included because i have a few places where people have said the Aeron is not very durable and it tips over. Well these videos should completely dispel those notions once and for all. Try playing this game with your tradional office chair.
This last video is a great overview of ergonomic chairs. But, it also presents the Aeron chair as the best selling ergonomic office chair in the world. Although it also presents other ergonomic chairs as well, it focuses squarely on the Aeron chair and how it has revolutionized office seating.
I realize this has been a huge overview of the Aeron chair. A lot of the information presented here has been rather general. For more detailed information on different aspects of the Aeron chair and different subjects surrounding it, use the section on the left side of the page labeled -- Learn More About The Aeron Chair
