You would have to be insane to spend $600 on an office chair. But have you ever thought that you spend as much time in your office chair as you do in your bed? And that you invest enough in your bed to ensure that you only replace it every 8 – 10 years?

If you are spending a third of your life in the office and a third of your life in bed, it makes sense to aim to be equally comfortable in both of these important places.

How much will I have to invest for a proper ergonomic office chair?
To get the true benefits of a quality high-end chair you need to budget for an outlay of $400 or more.

Humanscale Freedom

And it’s quite possible to spend double this amount depending on the features and finishes you go for.

If you’ve only ever bought cheap chairs in the past then it may require quite a mind shift to take the plunge.

However when you consider how long a real chair will last you, it all represents good long term value for money.

No more rushing out to buy another $100 chair because the last one you had just gave up the ghost.

And as soon as you have proper chair you will notice some immediate advantages.

What benefits will I gain by investing in a high-end office chair?
Because your new chair is carefully designed to give excellent support hour after hour, you’ll find yourself getting more done. With a poor quality chair you tend to find as the day wears on you start feeling worn out. Things all start taking longer to complete as you shift and shuffle trying to get comfortable.

You will notice this doesn’t happen in a good chair, so you are able to keep going all day and keep up your work rate. All of a sudden that initial outlay will start to make perfect sense as your productivity increases. Nonetheless you still need to select the right model

How can I be sure it’s a good investment?
Just because a chair costs a lot of money doesn’t mean it offers great value. If it was that simple all you would need to do is shell out your hard earned cash. You need to think about what you like and don’t like about your chair.

Some will like the idea of a mesh chair like the Aeron because it allows good air circulation when you’re sitting. So if you tend to sweat easily this could be a good choice for hot summer days. And yet if you are of a skinny build, you could find its firm upholstery doesn’t give the comfort you need. You would likely be much better served by a well padded chair such as Steelcase’s Leap chair.

It’s worth spending time reading product and user’s reviews to gain valuable feedback on what’s likely to work best for you.

Then there’s the acid test. What’s that?
Before you commit to a particular chair take time to look at the warranty offered with it. This is important because it shows the manufacturer’s confidence in its product. Quite simply it’s how long the maker feels its chair ought to last as a minimum.

After all what chair maker would guarantee a product for twice as long as it felt it would last, warranty claims would likely cost a fortune. Look for a minimum of 5 years, many manufacturers offer a lot longer than this. Take Humanscale for example it Freedom chair carries a 15 year warranty, there’s value and confidence for you.

Let’s recap on what we’ve covered in this article

• Working long hours in the office every day needs the right tool for the job
• You need to budget a minimum of $400 to get a good chair
• Working comfort and productivity will increase significantly with the right chair
• Take the time to research what’s going to be best for you
• Apply the acid test and heed the manufacturer’s confidence in its product

So, if you spend long hours daily in an office chair and don’t have the right seat it’s time to look beyond cost and go for value instead. After all you wouldn’t sleep on a bed made of old planks would you? So why tolerate a chair that feels the like this?

Further information
Here are links to where you can find a summary of some excellent quality chairs that offer great long term value.

• Quality task chairs
• Executive office chairs

It seems that sitting all day in an office chair is slowly killing us all off if we are to believe recent reports and research into sitting.

According to professor Galen Krantz author of the book “The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body, and Design” it’s not that sitting is a bad thing rather it’s the way we do it that causes all the problems.

There is an excellent interview with professor Krantz at the Body Conscious Design website called Beyond The Chair in which she explains what is wrong with the way we sit and how simple changes can help to improve things.

How you sit is important
Krantz draws attention to the perils of right angled sitting, where the body is placed at a harmful 90° angle for hours on end. She highlights the problems this creates:

• It places your spine in an unhealthy C shape
• Your chest caves inwards
• Your pelvis gets crunched up
• The lower back collapses
• Your neck gets thrust forwards

All these debilitating postures end up giving us aches and pains due to the unnatural positions we get forced into. So how can we help improve things?

Setting up your work space properly
Simply getting your work area and how you address it sorted can make a big difference according to Krantz. And a lot of it is common sense too.

For example if you use the phone a lot then get yourself a headset. Without it the temptation to wedge the phone between shoulder and ear places enormous strain on your neck.

Adjust your screen so that the center is about 7 to 10 inches below your horizontal line of sight. And look away and focus on distant objects occasionally to keep your eyes healthy.

Set your office chair up so that your knees are below your hips. An angle of about 100° is good as it keeps your back’s lumbar curve healthy.

Reposition your mouse and consider getting a vertically operated mouse if you suffer wrist and arm pain.

Switch between different types of chair, say an office chair and a kneeling chair or a ball chair. I alternate between a task chair and a knee chair and it’s definitely beneficial. If you are on a tight budget a ball chair is going to be the more affordable option.

Do simple exercises when muscle start to tire. It will keep them toned and prevent them becoming chronically fatigued.

Finally takes frequent strolls even if it’s just around the office or home.

The key to most of these suggestions is movement. Your body hates being fixed in one position for too long and this is why 90° sitting is so harmful.

If it’s such a good idea why aren’t furniture manufacturers making suitable products?
Krantz believes that the furniture industry is aware of what’s needed. However she points out that the real problem lies in persuading customers to make the change and that’s not easy.

And she is not afraid to argue against products she believes aren’t good. She is a big opponent of the Aeron chair pointing out that the lumbar support was only put in because it’s what people expect in a good chair. So what does she believe is needed?

Movement and variation of posture is key
Krantz is a big fan of variable height work surfaces. Particularly the ability to perch when sitting as it opens up the body allowing much healthier posture.

In terms of chairs, she likes the rocking action of the Balans chair and also HÅG’s Capisco for its perching qualities and the Varier Gravity for lounging while computing. She also gives good advice for sitting in the home as well.

What you do at home matters too
Perching on a stool is good for back strength and she advises keeping the feet firmly on the floor. Work surface height is important and having it set just below elbow level keeps your wrists straight when chopping food for example.

In terms of altering posture Krantz recommends lying down on a hard flat surface with knees pointing upwards and breathing deeply for 15 minutes each day. This acts to relieve lower back pain and muscle fatigue.

Sitting cross legged on the floor is another beneficial posture and using a sloping cushion like the Zafu is handy as it conforms with your body angle.

Putting it all together
Let’s look at the key points Galen Krantz recommends for healthy sitting and working:

• Sitting isn’t necessarily bad, it’s how we do it that matters
• Sitting at a closed 90° angle is bad for the body
• Setting up your work area is important for a healthy posture
• Doing simple exercises helps keep muscles toned
• Taking walks around the office is good
• Alternating working at different heights keeps the body active
• Developing healthy habits at home is important too.

Further reading
Here’s where you can find the Beyond The Chair interview with Galen Krantz. It’s presented in a colorful PDF format with lots of useful illustrations highlighting the points in the article.

In this week’s post on branded chairs we’re taking a look at an alternative type of chair, the kneeling chair. Over the past 33 years Varier (and Stokke before it) has pioneered the concept of the kneeling chair.

It has worked closely with seating designer Peter Opsvik to produce a range of excellent chairs which challenge the normally accepted views on what makes a good office seat.

It all goes back to 1979 with the introduction of Opsvik’s Variable Balans knee chair. So let’s begin by looking at it now.

Variable Balans
This was the chair that started the kneeling chair revolution.

Variable Balans Kneeling Chair In Red

The design is based on a curved rocking chair style frame, however instead of sitting in it like a chair the user places their shins on the front kneeling pads.

The idea behind the design is that it places your body in a much more open and healthy posture allowing good circulation.

Not only that the curved frame allows the user to use it in many different ways. As well as kneeling forwards in the chair you can also sit back in it too. The whole idea is to encourage movement as you work, instead of the the fixed angle of an office chair.

You can even place one or both feet on the floor, there are just so many ways to sit in the Variable Balans. Maybe you want to think something through. Why not use it as a rocking chair and pause and reflect as you rock in it gently?

It’s now also available with a backrest too which acts as a support when reclining.

The next development in kneeling seat design came with the introduction of the Wing Balans.

Wing Balans
The Wing first appeared in 1983 and in many ways takes a more conventional approach in its design.

Wing Balans Kneeling Chair In Black Fabric

It has a 5 star swivel base similar to those found on office task chairs.

The main advantage of this addition is it makes it more mobile when working at a desk. Users can quickly get around their work area by moving their feet to reposition the chair.

Despite this it is still essentially a kneeling chair. You rest your shins on its forward shin support. This support is adjustable allowing different heights of user to set it to the optimum position for comfortable working.

Another thing you will find with the Wing is it has a great cushioning effect as you sit in it. This is made possible by the integration of heavy duty rubber buffers on the underside of the seat. These give the chair a natural springiness making it very relaxing in use.

Let’s move on to a more recent model the Thatsit Balans.

Thatsit Balans
In many ways the Thatsit which first appeared in 1991. looks a lot like the Variable as it’s built around a similar style of frame.

Thatsit Balans Kneeling Chair In Black Fabric

In reality it’s actually quite a bit different, despite first impressions.

To start with the frame is larger. And the shin pads are adjustable in height for individual user comfort. Not only that they pivot making it possible to sit much further forwards in the seat.

It also has an adjustable back which makes it great for reclining and relaxing when you feel like it. You can quickly adjust both the height and depth of the back position. And the shape of the back support is designed so that you can rest your elbows on it when reclining.

And in keeping with the Varier concept of healthy movement, you can even sit on it backwards and rest your arms on the shaped back. All in all it’s a deceptively versatile chair in use.

Summary

• Variable Balans was the original commercial kneeling chair and is one of Varier’s most popular products
• Variable places the body in a healthy open posture
• Wing is a great chair for moving around your work area
• Wing’s cushioning rubber buffers make it very comfortable in use
• Thatsit shin pad adjusters make it easy to sit forwards and still remain very stable
• Thatsit’s back makes it a great choice for reclining as you sit

Further information
Here are the links to the full reviews:

• Variable Balans
• Wing Balans
• Thatsit Balans

Welcome back to part 6 of our look at branded chairs. This week we taking a look at the top 3 offerings from Knoll a long established and respected seating manufacturer. In particular we are going to dig deeper into its Life, Chadwick and Generation chairs.

So let’s get started and first up is the Life chair.

Life chair
Knoll’s Life chair first appeared in 2002 developed in conjunction with New Zealand designers Formway Design.

Knoll Life Chair

The aim was to produce a chair that took care of adjustments automatically. This has been achieved by building in self adjusting components wherever possible.

So, as you recline in the chair there is no need to change the tension. Instead the chair recognizes the user’s weight and provides the right amount of support to handle you movements comfortably. Likewise when you lean forwards to work, no need to adjust anything, once again the chair moves as you move.

And, just in case you want to fine tune the automatic adjustments there is a tension preference selector at the rear of the base of the chair.

The Life also has a seat depth adjuster too, making it straightforward to set the seat to the correct length for your legs. It also has a high tech mesh weave back providing good support and air circulation.

Next let’s move on to the Chadwick chair.

Chadwick chair
When Knoll joined forces with legendary chair designer Don Chadwick its aim once again was to produce a chair that was simple to use.

Knoll Chadwick Chair Back

So this meant an absence of the usual confusing array of levers and knobs. And of course it had to be comfortable and functional too.

The end result is an office chair that once you have set the basics up you are good to go from there. This is possible through what’s referred to as its Active Suspension system. It starts with a tension control on the underside which the user adjusts to suit their body weight. Once this is set the chair automatically supports you as you work.

Key to making this happen is the specialist mesh fabric which is carefully tensioned and precision welded to to the seat and back. This provides a springy resilience and molds to your body as you move, giving great long term working comfort.

As well as being a workstation chair, it’s also designed for use in training and conference areas too.

And with the option of 3 different sizes of gas lift height adjuster the chair works well whether you are of short, medium or tall build.

Lastly it’s time to look at Knoll’s most recent addition its Generation chair.

Generation chair
Generation was developed with Formway Design and launched at NeoCon in 2009 winning a Gold Award for task chair seating.

Generation Chair Showing Flex Back

Again the emphasis is on ease of use, however the Generation takes things a stage further. It’s designed to encourage you to sit how you want.

So if you feel like sitting sideways in the chair for a while it will let you do that in comfort. This has been made possible in a number of ways.

First the seat pad flexes side to side. As you apply more weight the seat gives to accommodate you and yet still supports your body.

The adjustable arms not only adjust in height, but also in width and angle too. The wide variety of positions are quick and easy to set meaning you can use them in more ways than conventional arms.

The open cell flexible back acts as a great support and at the same time yields and moves as you move. The top edge of the back moves as you apply pressure. So if you feel like leaning over the back of the chair while you rest your arms the back will move with you folding down by up to 90° if necessary.

There are also 3 choices of gas lift to suit short, medium and tall users.

As Knoll says “It’s not a chair it’s a movement”

Summary

• Life chair automates most of the adjustments as you sit and move
• Life chair lets you fine tune settings via its tension preference selector
• Chadwick chair has a springy resilient feel and molds to your body in use
• Chadwick is also great for training and conference use
• Generation lets you sit how you want to sit
• Generation’s flexible back will comfortably support a wide range of different sitting postures

Further information
Here are links to the full reviews:

• Life Chair
• Chadwick Chair
• Generation Chair

This week we turn to Neutral Posture in our look at leading branded chairs from top manufacturers. Although not as well known as some brands Neutral Posture produces some excellent ergonomic chairs. It’s particularly good at making chairs to fit pretty much any size of user. Far too many chairs are made to fit average sized users. These simply don’t work for anyone whose build falls outside the size range of such chairs .

So if you are short built or very tall or maybe weigh over 300 lbs Neutral Posture is highly likely to have a chair that’s right for you.

Let’s start by taking a look at it 5000 series.

5000 Range
Neutral Posture’s 5000 range chairs are great for short built users.

Neutral Posture 5400 Model In Grey

They will work well for both male and female users from 4 feet 8 inches up to around 5 feet 7 inches tall.

The chairs will safely support users weighing between 90 and 275 lbs.

These chairs come with a comprehensive range of options to help you get the right chair for your needs.

There are 6 different models in the 5000 series mostly offering different sizes of seat including some offering contoured seat pads for those who prefer a molded seat to a flat one.

Arms are height and width adjustable ensuring a good fit for any user. These can be further enhanced with gel pads on the supports and even a swing arm option if you need the arms out of the way for a particular task.

Next up is the 6000 series.

6000 Range
The 6000 is ideal for both male and female users between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 2 inches tall.

Model 6500 In Grey

The chairs can cater for a wide range of different user weights starting at 90 lbs and going up to 500 lbs.

As with the 5000 series there are 6 models to choose from each has broadly similar features and is highly adjustable. Most of the variation is in seat pad size and style.

There is also an optional headrest which can very useful if you like to recline a lot in your chair.

Another clever idea built into the right hand armrest is a slide out guide which explains how to adjust the various settings. And the options of gel topped arm pads and swing arms are both available to order.

Let’s move on to the 8000 series

8000 Range
The 8000 range covers a broadly similar user profile to the 6000 and includes 6 models in total.

8600 Chair With Headrest

It’s intended for male and female users between 5 feet 6 inches and 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing between 90 and 500 lbs.

However where it differs is in the styling of the back. It’s more sculpted so when you sit in the chair the back molds round your back rather than the flatter squarer surface of the 6000 range.

So if you prefer your chair back to wrap around your body this will make a good choice.

It also takes the optional headrest and works very well with it because the combination of the high back and headrest means that you get great support.

And these headrests include a lot of adjustability with a 9 inch height range as well as a 5 inch front to back adjustment too.

You can vary the angle of the rest and even the resistance too.

Summary

• A 5000 series chair is great for short built users 4 feet 8 inches tall and upwards
• 5000 series chairs can support users between 90 and 275 lbs
• 6000 range chairs are designed for users between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 2 inches tall
• 6000 series chairs can support users between 90 and 500lbs
• 8000 series chairs have sculpted backs and otherwise similar capabilities to the 6000 range
• All Neutral Posture chairs have very comprehensive adjustments for great user comfort.

Further information
Here’s where you can find full reviews of these ranges:

• 5000
• 6000
• 8000
• Neutral Posture’s other specialist seating

Welcome to the fourth in our series on branded office chairs and this week we are taking a look at one of the most respected names in office seating HÅG of Norway. HÅG has been producing quality seating for decades and although a major player in Europe isn’t as well known in the US.

HÅG has a deep understanding of what’s needed in an office chair. All of its chairs encourage movement as you work to keep those muscles active. It also invented the sliding seat mechanism as long ago as 1976 allowing users to set their seat depth to suit their leg length. This vital function is still not fitted to the majority of office chairs.

Let’s begin by taking a look at the H04 Credo model.

H04 Credo chair
HÅG’s Credo H04 chair was launched in 1992 to update its Credo range.

HÅG H04 In Blue

Like many of its chairs it’s designed to keep the user moving while you work. Designer Peter Opsvik’s believes in dynamic movement and encourages people to use their feet when making movements and not just rely on the upper body.

Like many other chairs it has a tilt tension adjustment so you can set it up for your own body weight. However it’s different to other tension adjusters which just operate through an adjustable spring.

With the H04 tension adjuster when correctly set it requires no effort from the user as the body is placed in total balance with the chair. Consequently as you change position the chair naturally follows and supports you every move.

Next it’s time to move on to the H05

H05 chair
The H05 first appeared in 2000 and builds on the success of the H04 Credo.

H05 Chair In Grey

It retains the principles of dynamic movement and so moves and supports you as you change positions during the working day.

The controls have been simplified and one wheel adjuster is used to adjust the seat depth, back height and tilting resistance. However some simple overrides have been added to the H05 to make it more customizable in use. This allows users to fine tune the tilting pressure if desired by a simple switch arrangement.

It is also offered with adjustable swing back arms. As well as being height and width adjustable the arms can quickly be pushed right out of the way to the rear of the chair. Useful when you want them out of the way for close up work.

Finally, let’s turn to the Futu.

Futu chair
Futu first appeared in 2009 and came from some 7 years of development.

Futu Chair In Beige

HÅG has continued with its theme of simplification and has managed to reduce the number of materials used in its manufacture to just seven. This makes the Futu its most eco friendly chair yet with over 50% of the materials coming from recycled content as well as being 97% recyclable.

One of the biggest changes with this chair is its new mechanism called inBalance. As can be seen from the name it keeps the user moving in prefect balance with the chair.

The mechanism is able to sense the user’s weight and movements and automatically adjusts to give safe support. And for those that like to fine tune settings it has a slide control under the seat to allow this.

Its FutuKnit fabric is precisely shaped and fitted on both the back and seat. This 3D fabric self adjusts to the user’s body and is very comfortable in use as there are no foams or seams.

Summary

• H04 Credo moves as you move in it
• H04 Credo tilt tension lets you achieve perfect balance in the chair
• H05 has simplified controls for easier adjustment
• H05 swing back arms are great when you need them out of the way
• Futu adjusts automatically and yet still has overrides for fine tuning
• FutuKnit fabric offers great support and comfort

Further information
Here are links to full reviews:

• H04 Credo
• H05 Chair
• Futu Chair

Continuing our series on branded chairs, this week it’s the turn of Humanscale a relative newcomer to the office seating market, despite this it produces consistently good office chairs.

Humanscale’s first move into office seating came in 1999 with the introduction of its Freedom chair which remains one of its most popular products. Let’s take a look at it now.

Freedom chair
Humanscale’s Freedom chair was quite a significant departure from the normal type of office chair in use in 1999.

Freedom Chair In Green Leather

Designed by ergonomics pioneer Neils Diffrient the chair’s functionality is much more responsive than conventional chair mechanisms. It senses the user’s weight and movements and adjusts to support you as you move.

It’s a great chair to recline in when fitted with the headrest option as it gives excellent support to your neck and head.

As many of the adjustments are automatic it’s really a very simple chair to use. There isn’t the usual confusing array of levers, knobs and buttons. You just need to set the seat height and seat depth for your body height and leg length. All that remains is to slide the chair back to support your lower back and once that’s done it automatically supports your every move from there on.

It’s adjustable arms are also very flexible because if you want to work without them you can drop them out of the way. Clearly Humanscale got things right because a decade later it had sold its millionth Freedom chair.

Lets look at its Liberty chair next.

Liberty chair
The Liberty first appeared at the NeoCon show in 2004 and won a Gold award for ergonomic seating. Once again Humanscale chose to work with Neils Diffrient to create it.

Liberty Chair Blue Fabric & Mesh Back

It continues the idea of simplicity in use and once seat height and depth are set to your requirements it supports your automatically from there.

With the high use of specialist plastics and mesh back upholstery it a lot lighter than most office chairs.

Even so it’s robust and well engineered. The back mesh is cleverly constructed from 3 layers of high technology material which gives great support as well as allowing good air circulation.

It’s a very eco friendly chair with 95% of the materials being recyclable and over 50% of its parts made from recycled materials.

Finally, let’s move onto Humanscale’s latest chair the Diffrient World.

Diffrient World chair
Neils Diffrient spent nearly 10 years perfecting the design features of the Diffrient World which launched in 2011. In doing so he managed to get the number of components down to just 8 which is a fraction of what is in a typical office chair.

Diffrient World Chair In White Mesh

This helps to simplify the way the chair functions and as with the Liberty the only 2 adjustments are seat height and depth. With the reduction in the number of components significant savings in the cost manufacture have been made resulting in the Diffrient World being 39% cheaper than the Freedom chair.

In use the chair senses the user’s body weight and movements and has a unique ramp adjustment that automatically moves as you move. It uses 3 dimensional mesh back fabric giving excellent back comfort and eliminating the need for any separate lumbar support.

The front edge of the seat is frameless so no hard edges to dig into your legs.

Once again eco friendliness is part of the chair’s makeup as over 95% of its parts are recyclable.

As with all Humanscale chairs there is a 15 year 24/7 warranty, so build quality and durability is assured.

Getting the design of its seating products right has enabled Humanscale to become the one of the world’s top 3 manufacturers of high performance task chairs. That’s a pretty impressive statistic when you remember it only entered the seating market in 1999.

Summary
Let’s quickly run through what we’ve covered here:

• The Freedom chair adjusts automatically as you work
• Freedom adjustable arms are very easy lower out of the way
• Liberty’s 3 ply mesh is great for support and air circulation
• Liberty is very eco friendly over 50% is made from recycled parts
• Diffrient World has only 8 components helping to keep costs down
• Diffrient World doesn’t have hard edges making it very comfortable in use
• All 3 chairs have a 15 year 24/7 warranty

Further information
Here’s where you can find full reviews of these 3 Steelcase chairs:

• Freedom Chair
• Liberty Chair
• Diffrient World Chair

In this week’s post it’s time to look at 3 of the most popular office chairs from Steelcase. And we’re going to examine its Leap, Think and Amia chairs, let’s get started with the Leap.

Leap chair
The Leap is the most established of the chairs in this comparison and was introduced in 2000. It’s proved to be a very popular chair with the watchword definitely on comfort and performance.

Leap Chair In Orange Fabric

Steelcase tends to spend a lot of time and research on new products and the Leap is no exception as it took some 4 years to develop.

It was also the subject of extensive independent testing which showed an actual increase in user productivity of 17.8% from 200 participants that took part in a year long study.

Here are some of the useful functions on the Leap. The chair back is pressure adjustable independently at the top and the bottom. This means is works better for your overall back support.

Another neat feature is the way that the back reclines. When you lean back it lets you keep in eye contact with your work. Most chairs tend to push your whole body upwards forcing you to break the connection with your work.

And if you like a well padded seat you’ll find the Leap comfortable to use.

Next, lets move on to the Think chair.

Think chair
The Think chair was launched in 2004 and in many respects is a departure from traditional office chair construction.

Think Chair Open Back In Blue

It’s back has a series of steel wire flexors running from side to side known as Your Profile™ and these react to the user’s sitting position. So as you apply pressure the flexors move in and out to support you. The back is then finished in either an open mesh fabric or a more conventional upholstery with padding.

The seat also uses flexor supports which are hidden by the chair’s upholstery. With the Think it’s very easy to adjust to how you like to work via a 4 position weight activation control. This allows you to vary the chair’s pressure and movement to suit your needs. And if you want to work in a fixed position at any time you can lock it in an upright position.

It has a sliding seat so you can set the seat depth to match your leg length. Also the front of the seat has a flexible surface so you don’t find any hard edges digging into your thighs. Overall the Think offers good comfort and the fully upholstered back is the best choice if you prefer a padded backrest.

Its an eco friendly product and 99% of the components are recyclable.

Finally, let’s take a look at Steelcase’s more recent introduction, the Amia.

Amia chair
Steelcase’s Amia is its most recent new model first appearing in 2007.

Amia Chair In Light Grey Fabric

It follows the trend of more recent products with the emphasis on ease of use and comfort. Not only that, by standardizing on certain components like one size of chair back costs have been kept down resulting in it being 36% cheaper than the Leap chair.

Although it is constructed more like a conventional office chair it has some nice design touches.

The tension adjuster controlling the amount of pressure needed when reclining is conveniently accessed on the right side of the chair. This is much better than the more common control found under the middle of the chair which can be fiddly to adjust.

The front edge of the seat has a passive support which flexes downwards as you sit so the seat edge doesn’t dig into your legs.

It also has a concealed lumbar support within the back which can be easily slid up and down to fine tune back support.

Summary
Let’s sum up the key points on these 3 Steelcase chairs:

• Independent tests show that the Leap increased productivity by 17.8%
• Leap reclines in such a way that your eyes remain focussed on your work
• Think’s flexor supports move as you move to support you
• Adjusting the Think is quick and easy through the weight activation control
• Amia’s adjusters are simple to use and conveniently located.
• Amia price works out at 36% less than the Leap

Further information
Here’s where you can find full reviews of these 3 Steelcase chairs:

• Leap
• Think
• Amia

Following on from last week’s article on the benefits of going for a branded chair, this week we begin a series on specific manufacturer’s brands worth looking into.

This week we’re taking a look at 3 top sellers from Herman Miller the Aeron, the Embody and the Sayl. Let’s begin the Aeron its best known product.

Aeron chair
As office chairs go the Aeron ergonomic chair is getting quite long in the tooth it’s been around since 1994.

Aeron Ergonomic Chair

Even so it remains an immensely popular choice and has probably reached classic chair status in the process.

One of its biggest appeals is that it comes in 3 sizes making it possible for people to get a chair closely matched to their body size.

It also started the whole mesh chair revolution and is excellent for anyone who tends to sweat a lot, particularly in hot weather. It mesh seat and back material called the pellicle allows air to circulate more freely.

However, it’s not all plain sailing as the absence of padding makes for a firm sitting position which some find challenging. So if you prefer a nicely padded seat you may struggle to adapt to it.

And with the highly adjustable Aeron there are 11 separate adjustments. So if you like to be able to fine tune settings then you will find it can be set it up very precisely to your needs.

Let’s move onto a more recent model the Embody.

Embody chair
Miller’s Embody is a much newer introduction which first appeared in 2008.

Embody Chair In Blue Fabric

It’s a one size fits all chair and is quite different to the Aeron in appearance and use.

The chair has been produced from scratch and takes advantage of recent developments in plastics and polymers.

When you sit on it it feels like your are floating due to the 4 different components making up the layers of the seat.

The fabric finish is breathable and so is designed to be more user friendly for those who get hot while sitting.

It has a spine like back support designed to move as you move and no hard edges to dig into your body.

Finally there’s Herman Miller’s latest addition to the range the Sayl.

Sayl chair
This is Miller’s most recent addition and launched in 2010.

Sayl Chair Side View

As with the Embody it takes advantage of modern materials that simply weren’t available a few years ago.

The name is derived from the shape and style of the chair back which looks like a ship’s sail, hence the Sayl name.

The open cell polymer back works by providing the right level of support where it’s most needed.

Consequently the cells vary in size making sure that it can cope with the different pressures applied by the user’s back.

Another great benefit is it costs about 37% less than the Aeron making it much more affordable.

Summary
Let’s quickly recap on the what we’ve covered here:

• Aeron chairs are still a good choice, and come in 3 sizes
• Aeron has loads of adjustments to set it just right for you
• Aeron lacks padding some may find this a problem
• Embody feels like you’re floating and has breathable fabric
• Embody moves as you move, with no hard edges so doesn’t dig into you
• Sayl provides great back support
• Sayl is a much more affordable solution

Further information
Here’s where you can find full reviews of these 3 Herman Miller chairs:

• Aeron
• Embody
• Sayl

Brands are powerful in office chairs, just like they are in many types of product. However it’s important you don’t get suckered into buying the wrong thing.

When you shop at the supermarket for your favorite brands you’ll often see the supermarkets own version side by side with the real thing. And if you’re not careful you can end up buying the look alike because they made it look almost identical.

This happens with chairs too, the only difference is you won’t see the genuine article and copy sitting side by side. Even so you still need to take care to make sure you don’t get misled.

How chair names and descriptions can be misleading
Sometimes unscrupulous vendors will give their products very similar sounding names to the branded chair or use words like ‘type’ or ‘style’ to create the illusion that you’re getting the same quality as the real thing. They’re trying to take advantage of the branded product’s reputation. You need to be careful and watch out for these sorts of tricks.

One of the commonest terms you see used with office chairs is ergonomic. The reason it’s used so freely is it gives the impression of quality and comfort. And yet there is no laid down definition of what an ergonomic office chair is. Consequently it gets added to the description of loads of really poor chairs. And because people assume it bestows magical properties on any chair which includes the description ‘ergonomic’ they take it at face value and end up buying and regretting it.

This must be very frustrating for those manufacturers who do take the trouble to produce a chair that is good quality and comfortable and worthy of being described as ergonomic. So be careful of chairs labeled ergonomic. Whilst many of them are great chairs a lot aren’t. Sticking with well known brands makes sense.

How do office chairs gain brand recognition?
Any supplier hoping to develop an office chair into a respected brand isn’t going to do so by turning out a poor product. Creating a brand that’s going to last and become popular means it’s got to be well received by potential buyers. This is best achieved by offering a great chair that performs well and offers long term value for money.

Early movers who are amongst the first to buy an as yet unproven product are soon going to shout up if things aren’t right. With the Internet and the popularity of social sites like Twitter and Facebook anything that isn’t what it’s cracked up to be will soon be discredited.

On the other hand if the product is excellent those same channels will greatly speed up its acceptance and conversion into a brand that can be trusted. This is why the major players take so much care to do everything they can to get things right. By getting broad acceptance for a chair half the job of selling it is done.

Why buying a branded office chair is a good idea
Building a successful brand can take years so any supplier who has done so will want to make sure they don’t risk jeopardizing it. Look at one of the best known brand names in office seating the Aeron chair. Launched in 1994 it’s still one of the most popular chairs on the market.

Herman Miller Aeron

It wasn’t always like this though. Did you know when it was first developed Herman Miller sounded out the market and the feedback was pretty negative. However Miller bit the bullet and introduced it anyway and it soon became accepted. With over a million Aerons sold worldwide it stands to reason it must have a good bit going for it.

Major suppliers often spend years and millions of dollars to make sure that their new brand will perform as people expect. Steelcase’s took 4 years to develop and test its Leap chair to make sure everything was right about it

Other companies like Humanscale, Knoll, HÅG and Neutral Posture also take great care of their brands to make sure their users are happy.

Summary
Let’s recap on what we’ve covered here:

• Beware of look alike products with similar names
• Recognize that ‘ergonomic’ when applied to an office chair means very little
• Brand recognition is rarely built around a poor product
• Buying a brand name ensures a good level of quality

Remember just like supermarkets some suppliers will try and create their version of a brand, usually at a fraction of the quality and price. Here’s where you can find more about some of the most popular office chair brands from the likes of Herman Miller, Steelcase, Humanscale, Knoll, HÅG and Neutral Posture.