Office Chair Guide | Herman Miller

Office Chair Guide: Which office chair is right for me?

For short stints at your desk or long workdays, the right office chair can be critical to your productivity and well-being. Comfort – or lack thereof – can have a profound effect on focus, especially as the hours tick by.

Embody Gaming Chair

£1,845.00

Photo of Herman Miller chairs lined up including Verus mineral white & grey, Cosm mid back in canyon red, Embody black, Aeron graphite with lady sat in and Mirra 2 in cordovan red

The best office chairs are designed to accommodate the nuanced needs of the human body, with features that relieve unwanted pressure, provide crucial lumbar support, regulate temperature and more. Our Office Chair Guide below will help you to identify the best ergonomic chair for your body type, living space and work style.

Embody Gaming Chair

£1,845.00

Photo of music production studio with 2 Aeron office chairs in graphite next to another containing Embody black office chair and Jarvis sit stand desk with black legs and hardwood top

How long do you usually sit?

If you’re often on the go and only sit down for short periods, the ideal office chair will provide quick comfort on demand. Whereas if you’re frequently spending long workdays at your desk, it’s vital that your office chair promotes long-lasting comfort and mitigates the ill effects of sitting for long periods of time.

Quick, Short-Term Sit: Asari, Cosm, Zeph, Setu

Long Hours of Sitting: Aeron, Asari, Cosm, Embody, Lino, Mirra 2, Sayl, Verus

White outline drawings shwoing the size difference of the 3 Aeron office chairs A, B & C on a blue background

Height

Our chairs are designed to accommodate the vast majority of people, but if you’re especially short or tall you may find some suit you better than others.

Tall: Aeron Size C, Mirra 2

Short: Sayl, Cosm Low, Aeron Size A

Home office setting with Sayl office chair in black in front of Jarvis sit stand desk next to another one of Cosm low back inglacier grey in front of wooden desk with deisgn mood boards in background

How many people will be using the chair?

Is this office chair for you and you only? Or will this be in a shared space, and likely to be used by other members of your household? Some chairs have a variety of adjustability options you can fine-tune to meet your individual needs, whereas others are self-adjusting - designed to respond intuitively to each person, no matter the activity.

Individual Use: Aeron, Embody, Mirra 2, Sayl, Verus, Lino

Shared Use: Asari, Cosm, Setu, Zeph

Close up photo on adjustment mechanism on back of Aeron office being used by man sat in chair next to another one showing adjustment mechanism on back of Sayl office with person sat in chair

Adjustability and Features

The level of adjustability you would like from your chair is very personal to you. Some prefer immediate comfort without any personalisation required, whilst others like their office chair to be tailored to suit their needs on an individual basis. Whilst all our office chairs offer natural balanced movement and total spinal support, there are some additional features that allow you to fine-tune your perfect sit. This can be broken down into three areas: arm type, tilt options, and adjustability.

Arm Type: We offer a range of arm options, from no arms and fixed arms to height-adjustable arms (up-down movement) and fully-adjustable arms (up-down and forward-backward movement).

Tilt Options: All our office chairs move with you, allowing for a full range of motion. Some are automatic, while others allow more manual control. Forward tilt allows you to change the angle of your seat from horizontal to a 5-degree forward tilt, ideal for people who like to work from a more forward position. The tilt limiter lets you limit the maximum range of your recline. Tilt tension control lets you adjust the amount of force needed to recline comfortably while feeling balanced and supported.

Breathability

Temperature-regulation is a priority for the design of all our chairs - but depending on the climate you’re working in, you might appreciate the extra ventilation of a mesh seat and back.

Extra Breathable: Aeron, Cosm, Setu, Mirra 2, Sayl

Embody Office Chair

£1,845.00

Mirra 2 Butterfly Office Chair

From £1,119.00

Close up photo of the seat adjustment being used by person sat in Embody office chair next to another Close up photo of the back being adjusted by person sat in Mirra 2 office chair

Adjustability

All our office chairs have an adjustable seat height. However, some also offer adjustable seat depth, which allows you to fully support your thighs without putting pressure on the backs of your knees.

Our office chairs are designed with built-in sacral support to keep your pelvis upright and your spine properly aligned. This is usually a static feature built directly into the form and design of the chair. But in some cases you will find additional adjustability and control, allowing you to perfectly customise the placement, angle and strength of your support.

High-Level of Adjustability: Aeron, Embody, Mirra 2, Sayl, Verus, Lino

Low-Level of Adjustability: Asari, Cosm, Setu, Zeph

Home office setting with Asari mid back office chair in marigold yellow in front of OE1 fixed height desk in black with hardwood top next to another one with Zeph office chair in carbon with blaze red seat pad in front of OE1 fixed height desk in black with white

How do I want it to look?

The aesthetics of your home office can be just as important in creating a welcoming and engaging space in which to spend your workday. And if your setup is in a shared space – like the corner of a living or bedroom – the right look can help you keep things more home than office.

Whether you prefer more classic colours and materials, for an executive look - or vibrant and colourful designs for a more contemporary aesthetic, we’ve got something for everyone. From elegantly engineered ergonomic design to upholstered finishes in a range of fabrics that will blend effortlessly into any space.

Classic: Aeron, Asari, Embody

Contemporary: Cosm, Lino, Mirra 2, Sayl, Setu, Verus, Zeph

Chair Comparison Tool

Shop the best ergonomic chair for you to unlock your optimal posture, comfort and energy. Or if you’re still undecided, explore our Chair Comparison Tool - which allows you to contrast up to four seating ranges to find your perfect fit.

To use the tool, visit our seating department and use the check box labelled "Compare" to select up to four models to view. Click the black "Compare" button at the bottom so see their specifications and features alongside each other.

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