What deals are available?
Herman Miller, Steelcase & Humanscale are all running Thanksgiving Sale Specials with a chance to grab up to an extra 15% off all their office chairs. Miller and Humanscale are offering a 15% saving with Steelcase giving 10%.

This is a great chance to get a top deal on a wide range of high quality ergonomic office chairs

How long do they last?
Each manufacturer’s sale has slightly different dates.

Herman Miller starts their sale today finishing on Monday 12 December 2011
Steelcase starts Thursday 24 November and runs for 1 week until Wednesday 30 November 2011.
Humanscale’s sale starts on Friday 25 November and ends on Monday 12 December 2011

Where can I find the details?
You can find a quick summary of the key points about some of the best chairs on offer using the links below:

Herman Miller Chairs
Aeron chair
Embody chair
Sayl chair
Mirra chair

Steelcase Chairs
Think chair
Amia chair
Leap chair

Humanscale Chairs
Freedom chair
Liberty Chair
Freedom Saddle Seat

So, if you are ready for a new chair this is an excellent opportunity to lock in a great price. Don’t leave it too long because the special pricing will soon be finished.

Imagine if your car’s driving position was fixed. The manufacturer just decided the car seat would be set to suit the average driver. From the maker’s point of view it would be a lot cheaper. For drivers it would be a disaster and none more so than big and tall people who would likely end up with their knees wedged up against the steering wheel.

Fortunately automakers aren’t so shortsighted. Unfortunately office chair manufacturers often are.

Why are some office chairs a problem for big and tall people?
If you’ve ever worked in an office where everyone has the same office chair it’s likely you may have noticed how big and tall colleagues sat a little awkwardly.

For someone with longer than average legs the wrong seat can be a real hassle. Even sitting right back in the chair can still leave the user’s legs jutting out miles further than anyone else. Having to sit in this unnatural posture soon becomes uncomfortable.

Then there’s always the problem for those heavily built users when they want to recline. What they frequently find is that the fixed tension in their chair isn’t nearly strong enough. Consequently when they lean back the chair offers little resistance ands just shoots straight back.

To counter these two common problems it’s necessary to insist on a couple of vital options.

What essential features do big and tall people need?
The first problem can usually be taken care of by making sure that your chair is fitted with a seat slide adjuster. That way you can set the depth to suit your legs and get rid of the overhang issue.

The second problem can be easily fixed by making sure your chair has tilt tension adjustment. This enables heavier built users to increase the spring tension in the back. Now when you recline you don’t feel unstable in the chair because it supports you comfortably.

So, is that all you need to take care of?

What other features should you be aware of?
Apart from the 2 vital functions we just covered, what other features are desirable?

You should always go for adjustable arms. Even no arms would be a better option than fixed arms.

Fixed arms rarely end up in the right position for comfortable support. They often place your shoulders at an abnormal angle and the outcome is always the same – neck and shoulder pain.

Check the seat’s dimensions and make sure it will allow you a clearance of an inch on each side. There’s nothing worse than feeling shoehorned in your seat as it restricts movement and causes discomfort.

You will probably be best to go for a medium or high chair back to make sure your back gets proper support. So avoid small chair backs unless they have a high degree of adjustability.

Won’t all this work out pretty expensive?
Unfortunately there’s no getting away from it, you just won’t find the features you need on a $100 chair. Realistically you’re going to need to budget between $300 and $600 an maybe more to get the kind of chair you need. You need to look at it as an investment. And if you spend long hours sitting to work the added comfort you’ll gain will help you become more productive. Instead of being distracted by aching muscles you will get more work done. This is particularly true as the day wears on.

Look at the payback you’ll get. Let’s say you value your time at $30 an hour and you gain just 10 minutes a day in increased productivity. That’s $5 a day, so even if you shell out $600 you’ll see your investment paid off in less than 6 months. A pretty healthy return. Lets consider which models are likely to be most suitable.

Which chairs are good for big and tall people?
Because office chairs are mostly made to fit average sized people, you’ll need to look beyond many popular models. Fortunately some manufacturers produce chair ideally suited for big and tall users.

Neutral Posture is a top specialist in this sort of seating. It offers a huge range of options and they can be tailored to the individual. This is possible because you literally can make up a ‘made to measure’ set of features for your exact needs.

Herman Miller’s Aeron is also a good chair to consider as it comes in 3 sizes. Big and tall users will probably find the size C is best for them. There’s a useful size chart to take out any guesswork.

It’s open mesh upholstery is great for keeping you cool on hot summer days if you tend to sweat a lot. Keep in mind it’s fairly firm to sit on, so if you like a lot of padding on a chair it might not be ideal.

BodyBilt is another seating specialist catering for bigger users. As well as off the shelf chairs they also have a bespoke option where you provide measurements so your chair can be custom built.

Lets run through a checklist of the key points:

• Everyday chairs rarely work for big and tall users
• You need to be able to adjust the seat depth
• A tilt tension control is vital for smooth reclining
• Choose adjustable arms, fixed arms cause discomfort
• Make sure the seat and back are big enough
• Look to invest between $300 and $600
• Stick to specialist manufacturers who understand your needs

Make sure you avoid chairs with fixed driving positions. For proper comfort you need to look to a seating specialist. Here’s where you can find more about Neutral Posture, Aeron and BodyBilt chairs.

What is on offer?
Herman Miller and Humanscale are running a Summer sale special offering an extra 15% of all their office chairs. The offer covers both companies seating ranges and is a great opportunity to grab an outstanding price on some quality ergonomic office seats.

How long does the offer last?
Both sales started on Friday 03 June and run until Monday 13 June 2011, so as of today that leaves you 7 days to take advantage of this special pricing.

Where can I find the details?
You can find a quick summary of the key points about the chairs on offer together with where to buy them using the links below:

Herman Miller Chairs
Aeron and Embody Range
Sayl Chair
Celle Chair
Mirra Chair
Eames Management Range

Humanscale Chairs
Freedom chair
Liberty Chair
Freedom Saddle Seat

So, if you have been hankering after a new chair now is a great time to lock in a great price. Don’t leave it too long though because it all finishes next Monday.

Herman Miller Sayl™ Chair

Leading office chair manufacturer Herman Miller best known for its Aeron and Embody chairs is launching another offering in mid-January 2011 with its Sayl™ chair.

The chair is the brainchild of designer Yves Béhar who has cleverly applied the principle of suspension bridge design into the new product.

3D Elastomer Suspension Back
The result is an ingeniously designed back which is frameless, so no nasty hard edges digging into your back. Its back is made up of a framework of 3D open cell elastomer strands where varying thicknesses are used to give good support where most needed yet still allowing freedom of movement for the user.

Basic and Highly Adjustable Models + Extras
As Miller chairs go the Sayl™ is competitively priced starting at $399 in its basic format rising to $599 for the highly adjustable model and both versions carry Herman Miller’s 12 year warranty.

To be fair the basic version is somewhat limited having fixed arms, tilt tension for user weight control and height adjustment, although adjustable can be added as an extra.

To get essential features like sliding seat adjustment for optimum leg comfort and height and swivel adjustable arms you need to look to the highly adjustable version. It’s also possible to add some extra features like forward seat tilt for those doing close up computer work. There is an option to add an adjustable lumbar support too which could be handy for lower back pain sufferers.

Launches Mid-January 2011
You can get further information at Herman Miller’s site on the Sayl™ which is due for launch early New Year and I plan to add a full review of this chair in January. Miller is expecting a lot of interest in its new chair and this site is already taking Sayl™ pre-orders for what is likely to be a popular product.

Howe 40/4 Chair

When Contract Magazine asked destinguished designer Carl Magnusson to produce a list of the top 10 interior products of the past 50 years, it wasn’t surprising he included 3 chairs in his final list, after all office chairs are an integral part of any office interior.

It also didn’t surprise me when he placed the 40/4 by David Rowland as his top choice.

This wonderfully versatile chair launched in 1964 is a masterpiece of design and although 40/4 may look like nothing more than a part number it actually defines the chair.

40/4 Chair Stacked

First 40 is the number of chairs which can be placed in a single stack, pretty amazing in its own right and yet equally incredible is when stacked 40 high it only takes up a stacking height of 4 feet and remains stable as a rock.

Can you imagine trying to stack the average office stacking meeting chair 40 high? You would need a scaffold to stop them falling over and a fork lift to place them in position.

I have supplied hundreds of these chairs over the years, they are so versatile and can be used in many different areas like waiting rooms, auditoriums, conference and training areas and out of the office they are very popular with churches too.

Sapper Chair

In position 7 was Knoll’s Sapper chair first released in 1985, named after its designer Richard Sapper and still part of its current range.

The chair was the first to utilize auto industry construction techniques giving a slim line appearance and creating a far more attracive looking chair and quickly making traditionally heavily foamed chairs look bulky and dated.

Aeron Chair

Finally, position 8 went to Herman Miller’s Aeron chair which is no surprise as it is probably the best known office seat of all time with well over a million sold around the world.

For many people it still represents the chair of their dreams and still maintains a huge following.

It’s interesting to note all 3 of these products are still going strong many years after they first appeared, which is surely an indicator of the significance of good product design.

You can find full details of the top 10 products in March issue of Contract magazine.

Whilst we would all like to think that corporations supply employees with quality chairs, like an Aeron or Freedom Chair, the reality is that there are still an awful lot of employers out there who supply staff with lousy office chairs, buying on price with little thought for user comfort.

So if this is you, chances are you are already spending six to eight hours each working day sitting in discomfort with inadequate support, which is not good. Now maybe when you get home, you spend a few more hours at the computer surfing online or working at an online business to escape working for the man.

Well, after the pounding your body has taken at work all day, the last thing it needs is to be given more of the same when you get home. So if you’re sitting in a dining chair or on a breakfast stool or in a cheap office chair, you really ought to think about giving your body a break.

By treating yourself to a new quality office chair, you will find it a pleasure to sit in after that back-breaker at work, and it may even motivate you to work harder on that online business too so you can sit in it even more. Here is a quick summary of some ergonomic office chairs worth considering.

Although most manufacturers tend to make their chairs with generous sized seats, if you are very tall and or well built you may find your chair is cramped in the length or width leaving you feeling wedged into it.

This makes it very difficult to get comfortable as it restricts your movements and so consequently you can end up sitting in a very rigid way which is bad news for your posture and muscles.

Fortunately, the answer is pretty simple to fix because just as certain manufacturers realized the need to make below average seat sizes for petite users, a number also produce larger than average sizes.

Frequently these are referred to as Big and Tall chairs which is a good thing as it alerts potential buyers who they are best suited for.

A word of caution though, just because a chair is referred to as big and tall by no means makes it a good chair, it’s just a name with no guaranteed level of quality.

Here are some ideas for quality built big and tall chairs from specialist manufacturers.

First, Neutral Posture really understands the sort of chair needed by well built and or tall users and its NP6000 and NP8000 ranges are well worth a look. You could also consider an Aeron it comes in 3 sizes and likely a size C will be best, you can check here on the size chart, the new Embody is another potential answer. BodyBilt is yet another manufacturer to check out

A lot of office chairs are just plain big and petite and slim built people find them almost impossible to get comfortable in, for some it’s like having to wear size 10 shoes when you real size is a 6, not very practical.

So why does this happen? Well there are 2 reasons, first people frequently buy chairs on looks and more often than not big looks good, it carries a sense of importance.

Second manufacturers try and produce seats fitting the widest spectrum of users and consequently usually make things bigger rather than smaller. I suppose it makes some sense, a small framed user can always fit into a big chair, whereas a large framed person may not be able to sit in a small chair.

You should never buy a chair which looks big and imposing unless you are the right build for such a seat. As a rule of thumb a suitable office chair should leave around an inch at each side of the seat. So, simply measure the distance across the top of your thighs when sitting and then check it against the seat width and make sure it is a good fit for you.

Some of the better quality seating manufacturers recognize the need for producing chairs specifically designed for a petite office chair user and lighter framed people.

So, if you need a more compact sized seat take a look at HÅG H04, HÅG Futu, Aeron or a Neutral Posture 5000 series as these should work well for you.

In the next post I will take a look at seating problems big and tall users face and how to resolve them.

For day 3 of replace the office chair turkey it’s time to call on the other office seating giant Herman Miller which has the distinction of producing what has become the best known chair brand in the world, the Aeron®.

Since launch in 1994 the chair has been hugely successful and features on many peoples’ wish list of their ideal chair.

It is a great chair for those preferring a firm seating position and like the idea of good air circulation on those hot summer days.

Miller actually has many models in its different ranges and one which has been creating quite a buzz is the Embody, launched a year ago and already proving highly popular with office workers and some users report it feels like they are floating when sitting in it.

You can read more about these 2 highly popular models in these reviews.

• Aeron® Chair Review
• Embody Chair Review

Tomorrow I’ll be looking at Neutral Posture which has quietly built an enviable reputation for producing some excellent office seating solutions over the past 20 years.

Links to earlier articles in this series
Gobble Up The Office Chair Turkey This Thanksgiving
Replace The Office Chair Turkey – Day 1 HÅG Seating
Replace The Office Chair Turkey – Day 2 Steelcase

For some reason many people put hardly any thought or effort when buying a new office chair, their blinkered approach too often comes down to one thing – price.

They look for the cheapest chair they can lay their hands on, regardless of its quality and fitness for purpose.

Of course price is important we all want to save spending unnecessarily, however looking at the price should be the final part of the process, it’s far more important to get the specification right first, once this has been established then price can be taken into account.

Here are some key questions you need answering before you can decide on the best chair for you.

• How much time do you spend in an office chair daily?
• What sort of work do you do in it?
• Do you suffer any back pain and discomfort presently?
• Do you like a firm or a well padded seat?
• Do you perspire a lot on hot days?
• Are you above or below average height/weight/build?

Your answers to these questions will help you to pinpoint the right sort of chair for you. For instance if you spend 8 – 10 hours a day in a chair you really need to buy a well built chair with a good guarantee period – 5 years minimum. If you don’t you will be regretting your decision very quickly.

Where you do a lot of interactive work like typing, a chair with great support will surely be high on your shortlist of possibilities.

The same can be said if you suffer back pain and discomfort, you have to select a chair with good back support.

If you are the sort of person who prefers a well padded seat, chances are you will find chairs like the Aeron a challenge due to the firm seating position and something like a Steelcase Leap may be better. On the other hand if you are given to sweating a lot in hot weather an Aeron could very well make an excellent choice due to its open mesh upholstery as it allows good air circulation.

Most chairs are made to fit the average person whatever that might mean, those who are below or above average height will need to take more care with their selection. Neutral Posture seating has some excellent solutions tailored for people who are below or above average height and or weight.

A chair designed for a tall person would be disastrous for a small framed person just as a chair intended for a petite person would be completely unsuitable for a large framed user, regardless of how stylish or sexy the chair looks.

So, spend time weighing up the above points and how they may affect you. This article discusses the key components on an office chair you need to assess and will help you to evaluate the important things you need.