Lets talk chairs...

So I am looking to buy a new chair. After researching here and elsewhere on the net, found the Herman Miller Aeron and Steelcase Leap to be most often recommended.

So, I head over to the local dealers and now have a demo of each here at home to try for a few days.

My problem is I find both to be quite comfortable, but neither is perfect.

On the Aeron, I love the way it reclines/sinks and the mesh seat and back. But I find it lacking in upper body/shoulder support and the arm rests don't quite go as high as I would like.

Is anybody familiar with the Embody? Is it better than the Aeron in those regards? I suppose I will have to head back to the dealer to try one for myself.

The Steelcase Leap is much better for the upper back/shoulder support, and it can be had with a head rest as well. The armrests have more adjustment. The seat has only minimal cushioning and is not as breathable as the Aeron. The recline is different in that the seat back moves back and seat slides forward. This is different than the Aeron but I find just as comfortable.

And it may be a vanity point, but I would expect a $1k chair to look a little more stylish than the Leap. No doubt the HM chairs win on the aesthetics issue IMO.

So, anybody have any long term experience with any of these chairs? I would be interested in your comments/opinions.

Ok, just to update if anybody cares...

I went back to the HM dealer today and tried a Mirra 2 and Embody. I like both of these much more than the Aeron. The Mirra 2 starts out much cheaper than the embody, but by the time you load it up with all the options, it is only a bit cheaper.

And I found both to be the equal or maybe even exceed the Leap chair.

Honestly, I think now I could live with any of the Embody, Mirra 2 or Leap chairs. I guess it will boil down to which I can get the best deal on.

I bought a pretty comfy chair from Costco last year for about $100. It's got all the bells and whistles as the expensive chairs and is ergonomically fit but for about 1/4 the price. I don't know what the brand is off the top of my head.

Quick update...

I got a great deal on a HM Embody from my local dealer, so I ordered one up. Supposed to arrive May 15th. Will provide a review on it then.

In the meantime, later on the day I ordered the Embody, found a HM Aeron in very nice condition on local Kijiji for $50! What a steal! Am sitting comfortably in it as I type this.

My nits about it before are still true, but for $50 vs $800 new, I can live with them. At least until my Embody arrives.

yeah those HM miller chairs are pretty expensive, my wife has one $850, way too expensive, I have a $120 staples chair and it's super comfy

So, just reviving this to give a 1 year (ok, bit more than 1 year) update on using the Embody.

In a nutshell, love it more now than I did when I bought it a year ago. Seriously one of the best purchases I have made for photography. I know that may sound kind of odd, but just think about it. How many hours do you spend in a chair at your computer processing photos or just surfing the web? Myself, I spend a minimum of 2-3 hours a day in this chair. Some days even more.

Everything about this chair is quality and comfort. From the super comfy seat pan, to the very adjustable armrests, to the funky looking but amazingly comfortable back that both supports and flexes with your every move. Nothing worn out. No squeaks or rattles. Looks and feels just like the day I bought it.

If you are looking for a serious upgrade to your workspace chair, I strongly recommend you at least look at/try out a Herman Miller Embody.

PS. If you are looking for more of a Sunday afternoon watching football type recliner/rocker, ask me about the La-Z-Boy leather Greyson recliner I just bought. Wow.

Glad you're enjoying it still. I got one of the small Herman Miller Setu chairs as I have a small desk in our entryway. It looks fantastic but was definitely designed with someone with slimmer hips in mind. For my situation it is just fine since I couldn't fit any of the 'full size' models.

I bought my Embody a few weeks ago, and it's the best chair ever. My kids (IT guys) have had them for a while and I was able to sit on them for hours before deciding to buy one for myself

Just ran across this thread. I have the Steelcase Leap, and I like it a lot. I have one at work and I wanted to get one for our home office so we bought it 7 years ago, still going strong. I'll keep the HM Embody in mind if we need to get another.

Football season is gearing up, anymore you can tell us about your new Lazyboy? Pics?

What would you like to know about the lazyboy?

I think I have discovered a problem with it though. Every time I recline in it for more than about 15 minutes, I doze off.

This is the one I have:

I havent been furniture shopping in several years so was just curious about it. Very nice, it looks like it would be a good home theater recliner too.

I also really like the Herman Miller "Embody" chair at my computer. I purchased one for my wife and another for myself after she started complaining about back pain with using her old chair. It takes a bit of experimenting with all the adjustments ... but once you dial in your settings, it is very comfortable for long periods of use. I especially like the range of adjustment of the arm rests.

My daughter is an Architect ... and they get special discounts (not sure why?) on Herman Miller products so she arranged the purchase for us, delivered to my local dealer.

Highly recommended!

Here is my chair next to the 9800:

I'm afraid most of it is missing.