[Closed] Office chairs, what would STW get?

As you don't suggest a budget I'm going with the default spendy option; Herman Miller Aeron. New starts from about ~£1,100, used refurb from about £400.

Weird, you posted this and I have the same question.

Usual STW answer is a second-hand Herman Miller Aeron. I just need to know if there's something similar that isn't as expensive as they are £400 used, I don't even want to look at new prices.

I have a Secretlab Titan - excellent for long hours wfh and gaming in evenings.

Go down to your local second hand office furniture warehouse and try them out. I got a really good one for ~£100 from https://cityusedofficefurniture.co.uk/

https://sellitedesign.co.uk/product/biccq-iw-320-imperator-works-brand-gaming-chair-computer-chair-for-office-and-home-for-triple-monitor/

This topic was done extensively at the start of lockdown and the view was to get a 2nd hand/reconditioned office spec one.
I used https://www.2ndhnd.com/ and got a Giroflex G64 for a very good price. Can't compare it to others, but it's worked really well for me.

I suspect that Darth Vader + Transformers love child chair up there ^^ would probably fail the spouse test.

I have one of these and love it https://www.2ndhnd.com/products/humanscale-diffrient-smart-task-chair

Just ordered a draughtsman version of that humanscale chair from 2ndhnd.com. Fingers Crossed it's good - 2ndhnd.com have been recommended to be by numerous sources as good to deal with and products, whilst 2nd hand, being in good nick.

My old Ikea chair was starting to kill my back after I started WFH.

I looked hard at Aerons but new was too expensibve and every 2nd hand one I found had been used to death, sloppy, rattley and just didn't feel like it was worth £400.

After much research I ended up buying a Noble Hero gaming chair in a work friendly 'grown up' design, they use the same factory as Secret Lab and are based in UK so easier for spares etc.

Had it 16 months now, very happy so far.

I don't think any chair is that great.

Go the stand up route (of feasible) and get an architects style stool that you can mostly just lean against.

This set up transformed my back after 20 years of stiffness and back problems.

I've recently bought an office chair from a local supplier priced2clear.
They sell new and used and you can try them in their showroom before buying which I strongly recommend you do.
They are local to me in Chorley but I'm sure there are similar sellers close to you

Website is https://www.priced2clear.co.uk/

Must be loads of hardly used / new second hand chairs out there as offices have sold off buildings. I suppose any chair has to be better than a kitchen chair.

Say's he who has a sit stand desk, and a special chair at work - been working sat on a dining chair for 2 years now, either in the conservatory or the shed ! Fortunately, the desk is 'higher' than a typical office desk which is OK for my back - certainly struggled at first.

I don’t think any chair is that great.

Go the stand up route (of feasible) and get an architects style stool that you can mostly just lean against.

This set up transformed my back after 20 years of stiffness and back problems.

I totally agree with this. I've got a 1950's drawing board that I bought for next to nothing and replaced the board with a bit of ikea wooden worktop (with power cnc routed into the underside so the desk plugs into the wall and everything else plugs into the desk). I use a bimos standing chair with it.

https://shopimex.com/ergo-chairs/bimos-fin-standing-chair/?sku=9144-2000-2234-600-821-903&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4Y7SmoCY9QIVQIxoCR0sygwOEAQYAiABEgKNTPD_BwE

But can't persuade my wife that it's a good idea (even though her back is completely shot), she won't even try it to see as she 'already knows' it won't work. Hence the draughtsman chair purchase above.

But a standing desk and that bimos has been awesome for me. 70/30 standing to the leaning chair for me.

you have to try them, no point ordering something untested and then sending it back.

I went to the back shop and tried all the chairs, the Aeron didn’t suit me so went for a Humanscale (can’t remember which one) but on sitting on the mesh base for a while my bony arse sit bones were touching the hard base underneath when i shifted my weight, not something i noticed in the shop with a quick try.
If i had a fatter arse the weight would be spread.
The shop collected it and delivered an Orangebox DO which had been my second choice, i find it very comfortable for working hours at a time.
quite liked thew Miller Sayl chair also.

you don’t have to spend £800.

I bought a beautiful Vitra https://www.2ndhnd.com/collections/vitra/products/vitra-meda-task-chair-black-fabric which is stunning. It's not the most comfortable but am sat in it now. We have aerons at work.

2ndhnd are to be recommended. My sister bought one of the same on my advice. They sent one that had very marked chrome, so she complained. They then sent a second that was immaculate and didn't want the first back. With that sort of customer service, I can't fault the company.

My vote is for the Humanscale Liberty. I've had mine over a decade now and despite being used all day every day (I've been full-time remote since 2004), it's basically as good as new.

Mine is basically https://www.2ndhnd.com/collections/humanscale/products/humanscale-liberty-task-chair-in-original-black-fabric but with grey metal instead of black.

I got a Steelcase Leap v2 which I bought for under £200 used some years ago, it's very adjustable & been very pleased with it! But I agree that the key is regular breaks from sitting - I'm probably in the chair for no more than ½ hr at a time before I usually need to get up to check or do something else for a few mins.

https://www.orangebox.com/products/do

Bought myself one of these secondhand (refurbished) last year (£100 approx inc delivery), after spenfding 15 months perched on a dining table chair and 2 cushions under my behind, and sorted my bad back out!

If you have the budget for a Hermen Miller go for it, if not then I can't complain with the chair.

I used 2ndhnd.com to get a Steelcase please v2 for a little over £200 - very happy with it over the past year.

Previous employer used Giroflex G64 which were good once adjusted correctly. Was issued with a Orangbox Do for homeworking which is also great and accidentally forgot to give back when I left. Current employer uses Humanscale Freedoms which are brilliant and the teams using these have less than 2% of people requiring a different chair bought for them. Conversely my team buys the cheapest office chairs it can find and then has to buy special chairs for approx 40% of its members who end up with back trouble from the cheap chairs. It's like a chair jumble sale in our room as every desk has a standard chair then half the desks have a 2nd decent chair which may be used by an assigned person only or can be used by anyone but not adjusted. I've given up and steal a freedom chair from the sensible teams.

A couple of points about the liberty and the DO
Mrs has the liberty but i personally didn’t like the tilt position as it’s high up near the arms, with the DO it’s tilt point is below the seat (think VPP santa-cruz V single pivot!) which you lock in set positions.
i like to sit bolt upright and push my bum right back, the DO is great for this. you have to unlock and recline but there’s enough resistance to still sit in your favourite position.the arms can be moved in/out which is great for using a graphics tablet all day.

both great chairs but as i posted before you really need to sit in one to know if’s going to work for you.

Another vote for Steelcase. 2nd hand a lot cheaper than Herman Miller, I've been using a Leap V2 for years now. It's far more comfortable and more durable than any of the office chairs we had at work, and simple enough to replace parts if needed.

Aerons hold their value really well but they're a bit old hat now. I had one for years (and sold it for what I paid for it!) but the arms don't wear well, they're really heavy and the front edge of the seat base digs into your legs.

Herman Miller have released a load of different designs since that build on the Aeron design. I've got a Cosm now which has the a similar mesh (which I find comfortable and cool) but is much better looking.

Everyone has ignored @core 's original spec which was 'not a swivel chair' but any height adjustable "task" chair will be. You could get a fixed 'meeting room' style chair but won't really be any better than a kitchen chair.

+1 on the buy good used from an office clearance co. My Cosm came from https://recycledbusinessfurniture.co.uk/ but was brand new (and about half price). Their stock seems a bit limited right now but they've got Aeron's from £250+vat

I picked up a meeting room chair made by Brunner at the start of lockdown - Vitra level build quality, lovely leather but don't have the brand so a bargain used. Eg these are at least £1300 new, £150 used

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/jaervfjaellet-office-chair-with-armrests-gunnared-beige-white-s99297196/

I use this.

I like it.

It is good value at £145 ex VAT.

Oh - and if you're putting a castor chair on floor you don't want trashed get something like this - to protect it

I got the Giroflex G64 after the thread on here in the first lockdown from 2ndhnd. It is a swivelly chair that belongs in a corporate office but is very comfortable and for £130 reupholstered and delivered has been great for over a year now. Only had a couple on tony marks on the arms when I got it. Would get a chair from them again if I ever need to. Much better chair than the ones in the office.

I've tried a couple of variations of saddle stool or standing stool, all in an attempt to open up the hips and give the back a break.

One problem I have with stools/standing desks is heel pain, I really need to distribute SOME weight through my arse or my feet get really sore by about lunchtime.

@convert does that Bitos take some weight off the feet?

I don’t think any chair is that great.

I've read a few articles on posture and there's basically no evidence that the recommended ergonomic work position which every HR department / consultancy recommends is any better for you than just slouching, in many cases the forces on your spine are lower when slouching.

I've been WFH for the last two years sat on a wooden Habitat Radius bench and can't say it's any more or less comfortable than the expensive office chairs we had at work:

Assuming you don't have an air-conditioned house, I'd recommend getting one with a mesh bottom as well as back. Reduces the sweaty leg / crack sensations in the warmer months.

FWIW, I've had my Aeron for 6+ years now, and it's still going strong. Armrests have a bit of a depression where I rest my elbows, but it's not uncomfortable.

@convert does that Bitos take some weight off the feet?

You can vary it. Ultimately it's a tripod with your legs two of the....legs. Perch and its 20% through your arse and 40 through each foot. Lower it a bit and then it's 50 through the arse and 25 through each foot.

I was hesitant about the Herman Miller Aeron, but two years ago, when we went into lockdown I decided to take the plunge and I'm very glad I did.

I've tried other chairs, but after a few weeks I usually get muscle contractures in my back, not with the Aeron.
Also my piriformis doesn't hurt after long hours.

Bear in mind I'm 45 and spend an average of 9-10h per day on it, if you're younger and spend less time, maybe it doesn't make much of a difference.

All in all, I would buy it again.

Also bought a steelcase leap V2 which was in great condition for £200 and its way better than the £100 IKEA chair that it replaced.

Bought my Steelcase Think about ten years back from an office reclamation place and I'd definitely buy again if it died, but it's built like a tank so probably a chair for life.