Office chair recommendations ?

[Bud_E]

What's a good office chair for me to get ? My old lower back has been giving me grief lately so it's time to upgrade from the secretary chair I've been using since forever. I'm a nerdy computer guy who doesn't deal with the public so style and looks are secondary for me. My priority is a comfortable, ergonomic chair that I can sit in all day long. I'm about 6' 0" fwiw.

Any suggestions from our learned forum members ?

[Mat]

What's a good office chair for me to get ? My old lower back has been giving me grief lately so it's time to upgrade from the secretary chair I've been using since forever. I'm a nerdy computer guy who doesn't deal with the public so style and looks are secondary for me. My priority is a comfortable, ergonomic chair that I can sit in all day long. I'm about 6' 0" fwiw.

Any suggestions from our learned forum members ?

I have a bad lower back and had to have surgery late last year. With a doc's script my office purchased a Herman Miller Aeron chair for me: Aeron - Office Chair - Herman Miller

For working from home, I got very lucky and picked up a Herman Miller Embody chair for a really great price: Embody - Office Chair - Herman Miller

These two chairs have made a world of difference for me. I do try to stand up and walk around every so often (and I may get a stand-up desk), but for sitting, these two chairs are really comfortable and provide the support you need for your back.

Hope this helps.

[maunahaole]

+1 on the Herman Miller offerings. However, be ready for the sticker shock - that said they are very well made pieces. Like anything, you need to go try things out. In a city like LA, there will be some high end office furniture stores. Go try some on for a few hours. Some folks have had good luck addressing their back issues by sitting on an appropriately sized yoga ball. Not sure that I would want to do that all day.

[vjp]

+1 on the Aeron, large for me, medium for my wife.

[dhoff]

+1 on the Aeron, large for me, medium for my wife.

+1 Large for me

At home, I either sit on a balance ball or on a cushion on the floor at low table. I work from home now, used to be at an office with the Herman Miller's but no more. I do 10-16 hours a day sitting on the floor. This is a very good thing.

[randonneur]

I like the aeron too, but i've been sitting in a herman miller mirra for a really long time now, and I like it just as much. doesn't hurt that it's half the price either.

[Peter Polack]

Steelcase Sensor Chair



They come in widths, back heights, colors, with options such as wheels for carpet vs. hard floor, arm style, and a number of comfort adjustments.

If they're no longer available you're likely to find them used at office furniture stores.

Mine's over 20 years old and still as comfortable and supportive as ever. I have a buddy that visits occasionally and every time he sits in that chair he asks me if I want to sell it!

[jonathanb]

I prefer the Hag Capisco chair. It's a very versatile chair that is designed to foster better posture than most other chairs.

[Roman]

Focal Upright Furniture - Standing Desk and Chair

I just got the chair/desk combo and it is great. From the founder of Keen footware.

[ron l edmiston]

Focal Upright Furniture - Standing Desk and Chair

I just got the chair/desk combo and it is great. From the founder of Keen footware.

--- fix'd gear..? snowplow hitch..?

ronnie

[Chad]

Visit a legitimate office furniture store. Try several, then take one to "test drive' for a couple weeks. Then you'll know for certain. If they won't allow you to test drive one, go to a different store. The company we use is happy to let you try chairs, they offer loaners if your chair needs to be repaired for any reason as well.

[aaronv]

My work week is split between the office and home. For the office I use a standing desk adapter and a plain old office chair for when I need a rest. For home I have a one of these. contemporary-adjustable-bar-stool-49974-3053805.jpg

I am not a doctor, but over the years the I have found the solution to back issues is largely related to strengthening your back by forgoing the back support. You have to work up to it, but in the "works for me department" I can say that the standing desk and backless chairs have had a significant positive effect on my overall health.

[pdmtong]

+1 on the h-m aeron. I have two. Easy to get locally when start-ups go out of business.

The only "issue" I had with them was at woirk - if the aircon was on cooling overdrive my a$$ would freeze since the seat is all mesh.

[robin3mj]

Son, I recommend you get a real man's job, where you work with your hands, and you're on your feet all day.
ron-swanson.jpg

Kidding aside. My job's just changed from ~40% travel to about 10%, and the Aeron in my office is about to get a lot more use.

Stand up for phone calls, if possible.

[benkiel]

Herman Miller always does a sale around Thanksgiving and in the Spring. 10% off. Smartfuniture.com will ship for free, give the discount, and if you're not in Tennessee, not charge sales tax. And they'll take things back for 365 days. Really, really good customer service — I know from having gotten a Herman Miller Sayl chair, which did not agree. Switched to the Aeron which does.

[billrick]

Aaronv - Who makes that stool/chair? Thanks!

[dhoff]

I am not a doctor, but over the years the I have found the solution to back issues is largely related to strengthening your back by forgoing the back support. You have to work up to it, but in the "works for me department" I can say that the standing desk and backless chairs have had a significant positive effect on my overall health.

Thanks for this

[aaronv]

Aaronv - Who makes that stool/chair? Thanks!

Varier makes them.

Move

They are made in Norway, so if you are paying in US dollars it will sting a bit. Mine was purchased from a store that was using it as a demo and it has been trouble free for several years.

[EDS]

I have a HumanScale Freedom chair at work which is not bad, but not as good as the Aeron I used to have.

[Bud_E]

Thanks much for the responses. I popped for the Aeron . There's an office furniture store not far from where I work where I could try out several chairs. I liked the Aeron much more than anything else they had there including a few more expensive chairs. With all the adjustments on the Aeron I would have to be a freak not to find an adequate position. I'll report back if the chair renders me a cripple within a few months.

I'm just not man enough to want to sit on a backless chair all day much less get a "real man's" job.