Your Guide To Buying The Right Herman Miller Task Chair.
If you're reading this, you probably understand that a good task chair is more than just a chair - it can improve your productivity, but more importantly it's an investment in your health and long-term wellbeing. By now we all know the risks associated with sedentary lifestyles and the health benefits of standing desks, but even the best of us can't (and shouldn't) stand for hours on end either. As with most things in life, it's all about striking a balance. The only problem is, how do you decide which one is right one for you?
To save you from poring over pages of specs, we've compiled a list of features that define Herman Miller's top task chairs.
Aeron
The most famous of the bunch, Aeron is a masterclass in ergonomics. Introduced in 1994, it was designed for a wide range of body types, and pioneered a new, better way of manufacturing office furniture.
Key Points
- Three sizes - A, B and C. Each size comes with slight variations in size for the right fit, including backrest height, seat width, tilt mechanism - all the way down to the base.
- PostureFit SL - Supports the sacral region to nurture the natural S-shape of the spine and activate a healthful posture. A secondary pad adds support to the lumbar region.
- 8Z Pellicle - Offers unprecedented comfort through first-of-its-kind elastomeric suspension, with eight varied zones of support, eliminating pressure points that restrict circulation and keeps you cool.
- Harmonic 2 Tilt - Helps the chair move with you thanks to an innovative tilt mechanism under the seat.
- Ocean-bound Plastic - Aeron now uses ocean-bound plastics in its construction, diverting more than 150 metric tons of plastic from the ecosystem annually. Learn more about the program here.
Embody
Said to be so intelligent, sitting in it actually helps you think.
Spending too much time interacting with our various devices, moving nothing but our fingers, can make us stiff and tired because our bodies are made to move. This was the problem designers Bill Stumpf and Jeff Weber set out to solve with Embody.
Key Points
- Pixelated Support - You feel Embody's Pixelated Support the moment you sit down - a sense that you are floating, yet perfectly balanced. Thanks to a dynamic matrix of pixels, Embody's seat and back surfaces automatically conform to your body's micro-movements, distributing your weight evenly as you sit. This reduces pressure and encourages movement, both of which are key to maintaining healthy circulation and focus.
- Backfit Adjustment - Embody's back is designed like a human's, with a central spine and flexible ribs. The Backfit Adjustment allows you to position the backrest in line with your spine's natural curve, so you achieve a neutral, balanced posture. Once the chair is tuned to fit you, the backrest adapts to your movement, adjusting automatically to your shifty positions. Whether you lean forward or recline, support remains constant.
- Layers of intelligence - The Embody seat is comprised of four different support layers - each with its own set of material properties, and each created with a different manufacturing process. Every layer works together, orienting themselves to your shape with a degree of fidelity so high they even accommodate for pockets. These layers were designed for airflow, keeping you cool and comfortable as you sit.
- Function you can see and feel - Form doesn't just follow function with Embody. Function is on full display. Every part of the chair was designed to serve a very specific purpose. Embody's technology isn't hidden, but is instead part of its aesthetic.
Cosm
Cosm's sophisticated ergonomic design instantly responds to your body, movement, and posture to provide natural balance and total support.
The Auto-Harmonic Tilt, Intercept Suspension, and flexible frame work together to give you a feeling of weightlessness. Cosm also offers Dipped-in-Color, which adds a splash of personality to your workspace.
Key Points
- Auto-Harmonic Tilt - No adjustments necessary. Auto-Harmonic Tilt instantly and automatically provides balanced support and movement depending on your body and posture.
- Intercept Suspension - Breathable and temperature-neutral, the Intercept suspension has a continuous form that eliminates the gap between the seat and back, providing continuous support. It conforms to each person's body to provide dynamic spinal support.
- Flexible Frame - Comfort in motion, the flexible frame is thin but strong and feels nearly nonexistent. It offers support while flexing so you can comfortably move your upper body.
- Leaf Arms - To offer as much comfort and ease as possible, Cosm's Leaf Arms feature soft but firm cradle design that provides a large, cozy resting place for your elbows.
- Two back heights - Cosm is available in a low-back and high-back configuration to suit your best fit.
Mirra 2
Lean, light and responsive as your own shadow, Mirra 2 moves with the user. As work evolves, we need tools designed to be as agile as our work style. Mirra 2 is a high-performance chair designed to support people who work in a constant state of motion.
Key Points
- Personalized ergonomics - When you sit, the seat and back adapt to you instantly. With dynamic surfaces that respond to your slightest movements and simple, intuitive adjustments to fine-tune the fit, Mirra 2 balances immediate comfort and personalized ergonomics.
- Loop Spine - Supports free and natural movement by providing torsional flex, allowing you to stretch and reach laterally.
- Harmonic 2 Tilt - Provides a smooth, balanced feel as you recline.
- Two back options (Butterfly or TriFlex) - The ultra-responsive Butterfly Back results from inventing a method for merging a fabric layer with polymer veins to create a dynamic hybrid structure that acts like a suspension membrane. The TriFlex back meets more rigorous cleaning protocols because there is no fabric layer.
- PostureFit - Both back options offer passive sacral support to keep your spine properly aligned as you sit. Both are ventilated to keep you cool, as well as supported, no matter how active you are.
Sayl
A new reference point in its class. Good design, healthy support, and exceptional value are always attractive - and Sayl delivers all three.
Key Points
- 3D Intelligent Back - Sayl's unframed back lets you stretch and move, striking a healthy balance between support and freedom. The elastomer strands of the suspension back vary in thickness and tension to provide greater support in the transition areas along the spine and less everywhere else to encourage a full range of seated movement.
- PostureFit - In tandem with Say's unframed back, PostureFit allows your spine to maintain its natural S-shape and empowers your body to maintain a healthful posture with less fatigue.
- Responsible Design - Inspired by suspension bridges, which deliver the most using the least materials, the Eco-Demateriallized design of Sayl uses less material in more inventive ways to privide ergonomic support for people up to 350 lbs (159 kg). The chair is produced on three continents to reduce the distance between factory and buyer. No PVC is used in the construction, and its materials are almost entirely recyclable.
Setu
The most compact, minimalist option on this list, Setu represents instant comfort for anyone, anywhere, providing a unique combination of flex and strength.
Key Points
- Kinematic spine - Material innovation gives Setu chairs their unique combination of flex and strength. The Kinematic Spine uses two types of polypropylene to control resistance and support your weight as you recline. It bends and flexes with every movement, responding to the natural ways your body moves.
- Lyris 2 mesh - More structural element than textile, the finely tuned Lyris 2 elastomeric material creates Setu’s one-piece seat and back. The breathable, pliable woven suspension adapts to your sitting bones, providing contouring comfort as well as aeration.
- Less is more - Setu is a dematerialized design that uses less material—only 17 pounds for the multipurpose chair—to support people of all sizes, up to 300 pounds. A range of upholstery and material options means you can customize Setu to serve as a focal point or to blend into any space where you work or live.
