Customer Reviews

Aeron Chair by Herman Miller - Highly Adjustable Graphite Frame - with PostureFit - Carbon Classic (Large)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I've purchased 5 Aaron chairs within the last 14 months. I've had the technicians out to replace parts under warranty. Because of those issues, I had to repeatedly contact the vendors, Amazon, Herman Miller and the local chair technicians. Even so, I don't regret buying the chairs pending arrival of a worthy competitor to drive prices lower.

The ones I purchased include three highly adjustable models with lumbar support and two of the PostureFit. To be certain I know what I'm talking about, you can see my verified purchase logo on this review and here Aeron Chair - Highly Adjustable Graphite Frame - Carbon Wave (Large) by Herman Miller. Below I offer inputs based on recent experience with these chairs. One more thing. I've had back problems - I had spinal fushion surgery (it was successful). I mention that because it explains why I was motivated to research ergonomic chairs.

We'll get to what to do if your Aeron chair has problems, but first let's cover the basic decisions to get the right chair as numbered below.

(1) Price. I'd never guess an Aeron chair would be this expensive from looking at one in person. Yet it costs less than most true ergonomic chairs. Unless you're into fashion and have the budget, forget about almost all competitors to this chair. As style increases, price increases geometrically. So far nobody beats Herman Miller, in my view, probably because it benefits from scale. Herman Miller (HM) sells large orders direct to the federal government too - using a GSA Schedule (contracting vehicle to sell to the feds). By definition, that's the lowest price anyone pays for this chair. As soon as I find a worthy competitor to this chair with at least equal value, I'll update my review.

Unfortunately for me, I found out late that HM runs semi-yearly sales on the Aeron. I called HM only after my last purchase. Their week long sales run starting the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), and then again about six months later. Typically, HM allows authorized vendors to sell at 15% discount from suggested retail price - but only during the official sales.

Hopefully you can qualify this purchase as a business expense. The tax code currently favors furniture purchases by businesses that have offsetting revenues. If you want to know more about this, look up "Section 179" on Wikipedia.

(2) Warranty. You always get a 12-year warranty when you buy an Aeron from a HM authorized dealer, period. I have no insight on whether HM will be a viable company 12 years from now, but remember the warranty. If you buy new, go through the channel that includes warranty, and if you buy used, get the remainder of warranty transferred to you.
For goodness sake, don't unpeel the sticker on bottom of frame underneath the seat. That sticker is about .5" x .5". The all-important sticker gives the Factory Order Number and the Born-On date, needed to exercise the 12-yr warranty. Write it down the number on the sticker; keep a duplicate record. When you call HM or the local technician, they only ask for the number on the little sticker. Literally, no other information was requested of me.

(3) Size. They come in A, B or C. A is the smallest, C the largest. Find Aeron chair dimensions for all 3 sizes posted on the Internet. I've never seen size A. Most people should go to a brick & mortar store that carries Aeron chairs and sit on the sizes they carry. B, the medium size, will cut off short on the bottom thigh for many. I believe C will fit many more people than B. Beware that if you're quite tall, then even C will cut off short under the thighs where you need support. If so, you might not even want an Aeron. Also, there is one easy way to tell the size of an Aeron: stand behind chair and feel under inside of upper frame lip (just behind the embossed Herman Miller logo) for Braille-like dots. 3 dots is for size C, 2 for B, and 1 for A.

For some, there'll be a tradeoff because size C is a little wide. I have size Cs, all my Aerons. You can get used to sitting on a wide chair but you need support along the bottom of the thighs. Notice the waterfall edge of seat shape on all Aeron chairs - that is to easily allow blood circulation when seated and it works.

(4) Model type. This is where I'm likely to be most helpful to you. For most people the highest end model, the PostureFit, is not the best. The PostureFit X-shaped support piece protrudes too low for almost all of us. We need support in the curved lumbar region of our backs. Take a look at "vertical column" in Wikipedia and see the diagram. Incidentally, orthopedic surgeons perform more surgeries related to the disk between L4 & L5 than any other area of the back.
For this reason you almost certainly should go with the model that has the Lumbar Pad. I have both and the Lumbar Pad can be placed to support the lumbar region whereas the PostureFit mechanism is set too low and is not adjustable up and down. Look hard at the pictures of these two models right on Amazon. See it? The PostureFit is lower support.

The chair technicians have now made 4 visits to my office. They confirmed that Lumbar Pad is better and also that changing PostureFit chairs to Lumbar Pad is their 2nd most common reason for an Aeron site visit. Please be warned that the lumbar pad is not going to last as long as the rest of the chair. Expect to replace it, but I don't know how often.

(5) Color and also, some of Amazon's Aeron offers have many mesh pattern choices. I don't have a notable preference regarding colors or mesh patterns and have no advice on the fifth decision point. From an ergonomic standpoint, you care that the mesh is tight.

Additional points including using the warranty:

A. Assembly. This is easy, especially if you avoid getting the PostureFit. The only tool used is the included hex key (Allen key). Assembly will probably take 10 to 15 minutes, with most of that unwrapping the parts. Assembly for PostureFit may take 25 minutes because you have to place a wire mechanism and actually poke a hole through the mesh. But if you believe me, you'll probably get the highly adjustable with lumbar support model and have zero trouble in assembly. If you get the chair with lumbar support, you will ONLY have to attach the back of the chair to the rest of it by screwing 4 bolts with the included hex key.

B. Defective parts. One of my chairs came with loose arms that kept falling to the lowest adjustable position. Upon telling HM my chair number, I was given contact info for local chair technicians. They first came to document the problem. They returned a couple months later after I called a few times to expedite the process, and installed new and good arms. They also gratuitously gave me a used lumbar support part and installed it on one of my PostureFit chairs because they're nice guys.

One of my chairs came with loose mesh in the seat. You want a seat to feel like a taut trampoline, not spongy. The technicians came to document the problem. They didn't think it was all that loose but I insisted. Again, after calls to expedite, they returned one day with a really good seat. As they tested the chair, they explained that their company bills HM for these site visits. Their company does better when fixing many chairs at one site, hence indirectly explaining why I had to make so many phone calls.

The technicians also told me with enthusiasm the #1 cause for their site visits. The most common complaint is the height adjustment stops working. These chairs are designed to handle the weight of up to a 250-pound person. Somebody heavier than that will often cause this up-down function to cease working, but the techs say it's a real easy thing to fix and the warranty covers it. Best for them, they can fix it on the documentation visit, not having to return with parts.

I have another compliant that the techs can't solve. One chair came without the sticker. The dealer has promised to have HM mail me a Certificate of Authentication. But not before I make some more calls to expedite it.

Finally, you are considering a big purchase so I've done my best to help you through the process and beyond. It took me awhile to graduate to increasingly more expensive chairs until I finally caved and got this expensive chair. Everyone in my little accounting firm gets to sit on an Aeron, no exceptions. I can work longer sitting without discomfort as a result. I and others are more productive using these chairs. Your body is worth it. You are a creative person who deserves a bona fide ergonomic chair.

May 2, 2010 UPDATE: The main support cylinder for the height adjustment has started to leak so the chair slowly will lower down as the day goes on. I contacted Herman Miller and they said it is covered under their 12 year warranty. But, I would have to go back to the original seller. I contacted The BackStore and they had their Herman Miller service person call me (after several days of waiting for the call). I was informed that they will mail me a box for the chair and it would be up to me to ship the chair to them for repair. I explained that I can't do without the chair that long. I don't have another one for a backup. She told me that's the only way the warranty will work. They won't send me the part so I can install it myself. This is VERY disappointing to have an expensive chair that can't be repaired without going through a lot of trouble. Keep this in mind when you buy something from an online retailer. The initial price might be a lot better but sometimes things like this happen. I think I will contact Herman Miller and explain it to them. Perhaps I can get their dealer in Fargo (70+ miles from Grand Forks) to do the needed repair under warranty.

Herman Miller Aeron Chair w/PostureFit Lumbar Back...

When my office chair broke recently I decided to look for one that is not only very comfortable to sit in but will last a long while. I searched all over the internet and asked questions of a lot of people. It was a general consensus that if price is of no object, the Herman Miller Aeron chair is the way to go.

I'm a hefty person (360 pounds) and I'm hard on furniture. I spend a lot of my time in front of my computer and being well supported and comfortable is very important to me. Most chairs have little to no warranty, are not made in sizes to suit a wide variety of body types, and are flimsy for the most part.

The Herman Miller Aeron chair has been around for some years now so they already have a good track record for durability and quality. I don't think I've seen any other manufacturer's warranty that can come close to the 12 years they offer.

The Aeron chair is made in a wide variety of ways to suit almost anyone's body type. They are made in three basic sizes, A, B, and C with the C size being the largest chair. You can buy it with no lumbar support or with two types of lumbar supports. I opted for the PostureFit adjustable version.

The Aeron chair is totally different from other chairs. There is no foam rubber, cloth upholstery or springs to sit on. The seat material that they call "pellicle" is stretched drum tight in the frame and it conforms to fit you according to your weight and shape. It's also cool to sit on as air passes right through the fabric.

The chair is highly adjustable too. Seat height, forward and back tilt tension, arm height, arm angle (the arms turn inward and outward according to where they are comfortable), forward tilt, tilt limiter, and the lumbar depth adjustment. It comes with a booklet and the Herman Miller website also has videos on how to adjust the chair. [...]

I've found that the forward tilt is an added comfort I've not had in the past. If I have to reach forward for something the chair follows me and keeps my back and hips well supported.
The MSRP for a chair with the options I chose is $1350.00. But, I don't know anyone why actually pays full price. The "street" price varies quite a lot. I found a company that sells on eBay (seller ID "drtomy"), Amazon.com ("BackStore"), and their own website [...]

I ended up paying $847.00 for the chair shipped to my door.
Assembly was very easy. It took about 5 minutes and the necessary allen wrench is provided. The only thing I needed a little bit of help with was fishing the lumbar support control cable through the fabric and to the adjustment mechanism. Once I had an extra pair of hands it took only a couple of minutes.

I could tell this was a way different chair immediately. It's actually quite heavy in comparison with any other chairs I've owned. I watched the videos, and read the adjustment booklet while I set everything to my liking. The chair is basically personalized for the owner by making the various adjustments. Other people can sit in it OK but they won't feel as comfortable as if it were adjusted specifically for them.

I think this is the best chair I've ever owned. It's comfortable, heavy duty, and I expect that it will last me a very long while. If anything should break, the 12 years in home parts and labor warranty gives me a lot of peace of mind.

The price of this chair is on the high end but it's far and beyond what you would expect a chair to be. My low back and hips feel so much better and I can sit in it all day if necessary with complete comfort. So, I feel it was money well spent. I highly recommend the Aeron chair.

Recommended: Yes

The chair is amazing and helps alleviate a lot of back pain caused from desk work. Herman Miller is definitely the best ergonomic designer and manufacturer of chairs.

There is no difference between this chair and the aluminum one other than materials for aesthetic appeal. They function the EXACT same way but you pay more for "metal" versus graphite. The better value is this one, the graphite classic.

A plus is this company VitalityWeb (aka BACKSTORE from Amazon). Shipped fast, shipped in perfect condition, brand new... These chairs are NOT supposed to come pre-assembled -- if you buy one that does, then it is a USED chair or a floor model. If it is NOT assembled, double-check and look for a paper tag that should be on the seat height lever. It will be impossible to remove this paper tag without RIPPING it (and no way to put it on unless you were the one building it prior to installing the lever). If there is no Herman Miller paper/tag attached, it is USED.

They have more selection than DWR (Design Within Reach, a very high-end designer store) and Great Outdoors combined. NO TAX, FREE SHIPPING, NO HASSLE, GREAT PRICE.

Just make sure you know your size and type of chair you want before you buy. Simply visit a DWR or Great Outdoors store and sample these chairs there. Then buy them from Amazon without the hassle of carrying the large box yourself, paying for taxes, dealing with a salesrep, or getting a floor model.

Everyone has an opinion when it comes to politics, religion and office chairs.

I've bought a dozen different chairs, (task chairs, office chairs, conference room chairs), for our Downtown Chicago company over the past few years: Humanscale, Steelcase, Herman Miller, Lazyboy and others. I've bought them for Tall people, short people, overweight people, thin people and everyone in-between.

I tell everyone to get what makes their life comfortable and makes their work day productive. We are lucky here in Chicago and we can walk over to the Merchandise Mart, one of the world's largest Marts, and can try out almost any manufacture.

Here is what I can tell you - no one chair fits everyone. There are lots of great chairs - my two favorites for our company are the Herman Miller Aeron and Humanscale. Right now I'm sitting in a Herman Miller, fully loaded, adjustable Aeron and love it. But my associate can't stand it because the seat doesn't slide out like it does on the Humanscale - he is tall and likes a longer, protruding seat. I am average height and weight but have a bad back, so I love the lumbar adjustment on the Aeron.

Try them all if you can. There will be some people who love this chair and others who will hate it. But that's going to be true with any office chair of this quality. For me, I sit in a Herman Miller Aeron and I love it. In our office, we have about a 60/40 split with Herman Miller Aeron over Humanscale. But a lot of people in our office love their Humanscale too. So as I said, everyone has an opinion.

If you, like me, have Kyphosis then you would know how uncomfortable most chairs are. After trying a few lower priced office chairs I bought this one in desperation. Needless to say I am very satisfied.

The PostureFit feature allows you to adjust the lower back support. I find myself having it on a low setting (not much support) and tightening it a little more throughout the day as fatigue sets in. I am able to stand up straighter and have more energy by the end of the day thanks to the support on this chair.

This chair can also be adjusted in pretty much any way you'd like it to. In fact I am surprised how flexible this chair turns out to be while also providing much needed back support. I would definitely recommend this chair to anybody that I know, especially if you spend most of your time during the day sitting.

I'm reposting my review of the Herman Miller Aeron here. I own a size B (medium) chair, and have a review with a product link that is no longer active or which I cannot modify. I feel the info in this review is relevant to all Herman Miller Aerons (size A, B, and C).

ORIGINAL REVIEW 1.29.2010

I finally bit the bullet and got one of the Herman Miller Aeron chairs a couple months ago. I'm very happy I did.

I had been in and out of a few standard office chairs, from the cheap to the expensive ($200'ish). None really met my needs fully, and I spend a lot of time at my computer working on imaging, video editing, gaming, etc. My basic office chairs ranged from wobbly to solid but unadjustable. My latest chair was an expensive leather executive type chair I bought from a local office supply store. It felt great in the store, but the lack of practically any adjustment took its toll over time. I could not adjust the back, and the seat had a bucket depth to it. When I gamed or worked on image editing, I would sit on the very edge of the chair. This would make me end up slouching, which then made me not breathe properly. My shoulders and back would get sharp pains in them after a bit of time. Basically if I sat back and watched a movie, I was fine and it was comfortable. However, when I played or did work, it was a nightmare.

So how would a $800-900 chair work for me, and could it be so much better than the $200 leather executive chair I was using? Was it worth the money? In a word, yes. I had purchased the Aeron size B with the lumbar cushion.

The Aeron was solid as a rock. It had the perfect weight, the perfect mix of materials, and was fully adjustable. I could sit perfectly upright without slouching, due to the lumbar support. Most importantly, the forward tilt of the chair, which is rare even among ergo chairs, was ultimately what sealed the deal. With the forward tilt combined with the lumbar cushion, I could be leaning slightly forward WITHOUT having to sit on the edge of the chair. I could be very engaged with my editing or gaming, and not have to always think about or remind myself to sit with proper posture, since the chair did it for me. I went from aching shoulders and back, to a very comfortable computing experience, without any fatigue to my back, shoulders, or syatic nerves.

Now about myself specifically, and a warning to others looking at the Aeron. I got the size B chair, which is the middle size between the small A (which few but the most petite would fit) and the large C (which is great for larger folk). I also went with the Lumbar over the Posturefit. I would make sure that anyone who gets one of these takes the time to get properly fitted for it. I'm told that many people who might be best in a size B get the size C due to the fact that it is a bit more roomy. However, for me the larger C chair's bench pushed right up to the back of my knees when I sat properly in the chair. I knew that this would, over time, cause problems with my legs. Don't buy the chair you think you will "grow" into. Buy the chair that properly fits you now.

I also looked at the Posturefit chairs, but quickly discounted them. With the way I sat in the chair, the Posturefit supported my butt, not my back. The Posturefit is not adjustable up or down, so the Lumbar chair was the only option for me. If the Posturefit supports you properly, all the more power to you. However, I preferred the adjustability of the Lumbar. Plus, the larger side of the lumbar cushion gives VERY strong support for people who like that forward tilt, engaged type posture that I like. Best of all, I can easily set the forward tilt limiter back a bit, and easily sit back and watch movies in full comfort.

This chair is the best of all worlds for me. When I get home, I find myself still using the computer for a good amount of time. I figured since I'm in a computer chair so darn much, $850 was really a bargain for the comfort it provided me over cheaper chairs.

One final thought, I also compared this chair directly with the Herman Miller Mirra before purchasing the Aeron B. I had actually walked into the store intent on buying a Mirra, after reading many reviews. Yet, I knew the smart thing was to try both, sit in each for a good amount of time, and make my own decision. I'm glad I did, because I found the Mirra a bit too light, without the very solid feel of the Aeron. I also didn't like the bench length adjustment of the Mirra, and the Mirra doesn't have the forward tilt option that the Aeron has.

Again, though, that's not to say that a Mirra won't work for you. My advice, try the chairs directly. Sit in one for 15 min or 30 min at a store... then give that store your business unless the price is just grossly different than what you can find online. I actually got my Aeron at the 2nd store I demo'd it in... because the first store didn't actually sell them on-site, and I would not only have had to pay local tax, but also a fairly steep shipping fee. Made no sense to me, who spends my time going to their showroom to try the chair... etc. But I digress.

Try the chair. If you like the Aeron, make sure you get the size (A, B, C) that properly fits your frame. If you do, you will certainly feel the difference, and you will be hooked.

UPDATE 12.30.2010

Still love my chair. Over the time I've spent with it, nothing's really changed. No deterioration of quality or comfort. The lumbar cushion, arm rests, mesh seat and back, rollers, levers and adjustments have all held up very well. This is a very solid chair. Again, yes it's pricey, but the longer I own it the less it costs... and I figure I am sitting in it maybe 1/3 to 1/5 of my life. I still highly recommend this ergo chair. Just make sure, as stated above, you get the correct size for your body.

This review is intended to augment the review written by "Citizen John". IMO, all the info in John's review was right on. I think he missed some points.

A little intro. I recently bought an Aeron, highly adjustable, size C. I like it. So far, I think it is worth the (considerable amount of...) money. I hope it will last. I wish somebody had told me how to get to my current state (sitting in my Aeron) with a little less hand-wringing.

1. Authorized dealers. There is a whole thing about counterfeit chairs, used chairs, chairs without the "born-on" sticker. If you go to the Herman Miller website, they list *every* authorized dealer. I bought from one of these outfits, and got a new chair with a sticker and registered it with HM with no problems.

2, "Pellicle" design. The bottom line is that this chair is unconventional. The heart of the chair consists of a frame, over which is stretched a thin membrane or "pellicle". If you like your chairs soft, forget this one right away. The pellicle needs to be stretched really taut to work out. The fabric they use is an open weave. They tout that this makes the chair cool in summer. I believe it. It also makes the chair cool in winter. I never realized before that my butt stays warm sitting on a conventional chair.

3. Choices. There are a large number of choices to be made. Type of fabric (different weaves). Color of fabric. Frame material (faux-carbon or chrome). Ability to tilt forward and lock, and to tilt back and lock (together called "highly adjustable".) Size (A, B, C). According to the HM website, my size could work with either B or C. I have a C and I know that for me a B would have been a mistake. Choice of no arms, arms, or adjustable arms. Option of leather material for arms. Lumbar support (for lower back). Posture fit (for upper back). Rollers designed for carpet, or rollers designed for hardwood, or no rollers for the feet. None of this is rocket science, but there are a lot of things to decide.

After I've been sitting in the chair for an hour or so, the feeling imparted to my butt and my back from the "pellicle" suspension is totally different from the feeling I have gotten from sitting in any other chair. If I had it to do again, I'd try real hard to have a 1 hour sit in the chair before buying. It is not that there's anything wrong about sitting on a "pellicle", it is just that it is different, and when I'm forking over this much money for something, I want to have confidence that I'm going to like it.

Again, I like my chair. I hope this review will take a little of the unnecessary anxiety out of buying an Aeron.

Bought Aeron and Mirra on Amazon March 2011 and Kept Aeron. The Mirra does not have the comfort of a chair like the Aeron and due to its design, could never approach it. The Mirra back while I think the coolest and best looking back you can get on a chair is made of a hard plastic. It is a flexible plastic kind of like what holds cans together in a six pack, so it does flex. The problem is that you will have stress points or pressure that is not even on your back. You will feel your weight on your shoulder blades and lower back while it is much less so on the other parts of your back. So you may get tired of being poked by the chair on those points after a little while like I did. Now if you are fat or heavy with lots of body padding so to speak this should be less of a problem. The back does not evenly distribute pressure and weith like on the soft mesh of the Aeron. The seat on the Mirra is mesh much like the Aeron but smaller and the edges stick up more so you will feel them unless you adjust the chair all the way forward (forward tilt). So again that can be a pain if you are not fluffy.
I do like the Mirra chair, it is supportive but in a more aggressive manner and you will feel the aggressiveness in a short time. I sat on mine for three days until I had enough. If you have no back problems the Mirra can be a good chair for you, or if you like the harder surfaces it will suit you fine. I did return the Mirra for a Quartz color full adjustable Aeron and it is doing its job. One thing I will say is dont get the Posture Fit on the Aeron like I did. The lumbar pad works much better and is cheaper. I will be ordering a lumbar like I had on my other Aeron and doing away with the posture fit as it does not do much at all. Its kind of like someone putting their palm on you lower back gently to support your lumbar. Kind of lame, and why the posture fit would cost more I dont know other than it looks cool back there. Also you must install the posture fit yourself when it comes in. There is a good youtube video that will show you how (poke a pencil throught the mesh and all) if you go that route. I should have listened to the long review on here that said dont do it. My first Aeron was the carbon and it does show dust and animal hair. For some reason my combat cat loved the chair. I did have a modern leather desk chair that he clawed the snot out of, but does not jack with the Aeron and at nine hundred bucks with all the add ons (hard floor wheels) I am glad. Classic and still the best. A little warning on older ones you may get on Ebay the Aron does tend to wobble when older so you may want to rethink the used thing. IF yours wobbles call herman Miller for 12 years and they will un wobble it. Intersting note, I thought that the design would stay the same form day one until now and that is not true the cahirs design keeps evolving and they do make improvements to varouse mechanisms, like the adjustable arm rests etc. They were plastic on my first one and metal frame on the new one with different adjustment latches instead of knobs that twist. 'woud have rated five stars except for the redicoulous price. Comfy sitting to you.

I've owned the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller since 2005. I did not purchase it from Amazon but I had to review this excellent chair. The reason why I am reviewing it now, is because I bought this for my home office. But now I need a good office chair for my actual job office. In researching office chairs, I always seemed to come back to the the Aeron Chair. So I thought it was about time I reviewed this chair.

I purchased the "C" size because I'm 6'3" tall and needed a longer seat length to support my upper legs. I purchased the fully loaded model just as pictured here.

I paid about $1,000 for mine. I have leather arm rests and upgraded casters. The cost was well worth it. This chair has saved my back!

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Pros
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-- Clean lines, modern, tasteful and sophisticated:

First and foremost this chair is not only functional but a true work of art. By looking at the minimalist design you'd think it was over priced. However, you would be wrong because this chair is fantastic and in this case less is more.

-- Solid and rugged design:

If you're going to spend this much money on a chair, you want it to last. First of all this chair has a fantastic warrantee. How many chair manufactures are that confident to give you a long warrantee? Not many. I bought this chair in 2005 and it is just as comfortable as the day I bought it and I use it 5-10 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Mesh Covering:

The mesh covering is durable, breathable and moves with your body. It supports your rear-end, legs, and back as if you are sitting in a hammock. The big difference is, this supports you unlike a hammock. Like I said, I purchased this chair in 2005 and I use it 5-10 hours a day. The mesh on this chair is just as resilient, and supportive as the day I purchased it. The mesh has not sagged one bit, and has never torn. Okay let me clarify that statement a bit because if we want to get super technical and talk about pure physics then I'm sure the mesh has lost maybe a tiny fraction of it's original support. However with that being said, it is nothing that you will ever notice, nor will it ever compromise the support of your back or legs. To me it feels just as comfortable as the day I bought it.

The frame of the seat and back rest:

This is constructed of a very ridged, solid, hard plastic. From the picture, this is what you see around the edge of the seat and back rest, where the mesh is connected to. It is molded and countered in such a way that it cradles you when you sit down. The front lip of the chair is molded to swoop downward to conform to the natural curvature of your thighs and knees. It helps with circulation and helps to prevent your thighs and legs from loosing circulation. The fact that it is a solid, ridged plastic means that it is light weight and can be pushed easily with your feet when sitting in it. This is a high-back, task chair. I'm 6'3" tall and the back rest comes up to the base of my neck, so it supports my whole upper and lower back.

Arm Rests:

Mine has leather pads. I totally recommend you upgrade to the leather arm rests. The leather is supreme quality and stitching. After 5 years of continuous use there is no wear or tear at all on the arm pads. Many fabric arm pads get frayed or get worn down and look awful after a few years. This Aeron chair with leather arm pads looks just as new as the day I bought it.

The arms can be moved upward to accommodate for any height you want. They also tilt inward and outward for easy positioning of your arms for typing or any other task.

By the way, the arm rests are extremely comfortable and have not lost their padding.

Seat Adjustments:

The seat adjusts to many different positions. You can set it for a free motion style where you can tilt backward and recline. Depending upon how you set the tension, it can recline back more ridged or softly so that you can sort of rock back and fourth.

It can be locked into an upright position for ergonomic, upright sitting.

The really cool feature is that you can do a forward tilt on this chair. What is that you ask? Well, a position where the chair is tilted forward so that you work on a keyboard or computer in a more comfortable position. Many office chairs don't have this feature and I find it useful when I do allot of long typing.

The seat height adjustment is smooth and easy with the air lift. Mine has never lost any air nor has it ever failed to respond. It works just as good as the day I bought it.

Legs and casters:

Now I purchased upgraded casters for rolling on both floors and carpets. The casters are smooth and glide easily.

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Cons
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NONE.

This chair is honestly the best chair your money can buy. Mine was purchased in 2005, I use it 5-10 hours a day consisting of sitting for long periods. Getting up and sitting down often. Twisting, turning and rolling to other areas of my work space. Moving the arms in and outward daily. Reclining backward daily.

The only thing I can say is the seat controls can be a bit confusing at first. But once you get accustomed to operating it, you'll have no problem. I recommend practicing with it.

This is not really a con but more of a comparison. This chair does not have head and neck support. As the picture clearly illustrates, this is NOT an executive chair with head rest. This is not the chair for those who like to smoke stinky cigars and put their feet up on the desk all day and do nothing. NOPE this is a "task" chair for getting work DONE. Which you can do in great comfort and style. BTW, if you're a tall guy and not a VP or higher up, don't get a high-back executive chair. They're just too pretentious and really not made for dynamically moving around in your work space. Quite honestly, high executive chairs are not any more comfortable than the Aeron Chair.

I plan on taking this chair into my office and buy another, temporary chair for home use. When I get enough money, I will replace my home office chair with another Herman Miller Aeron Chair.

Some advice. If you're going to buy this for your actual work office, lock it to your desk somehow when you leave for the day. (I'm not quite sure how to do do this yet) After all, this is an expensive, highly sought-after, quality chair. If anyone who knows anything about chairs sees this chair in your office and then sees the Herman Miller logo on the top back, they will instantly know this is a highly valuable chair. We want to believe that all of our co-workers are honest but, you just never know. What if someone breaks into your office? What if someone from another department comes by after hours? What about the cleaning crew? It would be a shame to come into the office and find it gone. After all, it has casters and can be easily rolled away. It's an investment you just don't want to loose. Oh and BTW, if you're worried your co-workers will think you're a bit distrusting of them or a bit fanatical, don't tell anyone you're locking it up. Nobody needs to know it's secured, only you do. Just some friendly advice to consider.

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Conclusion
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If you're looking for an office chair that is modern, sophisticated, stylish, artistic, comfortable, functional, durable, and long-lasting, than look no further than the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller.

A true work of art, where form meets function.

Buy it and you will not be disappointed.

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I've had several hoity toity ultra deluxe executive leather office chairs over the years and thought I was living large in my home office. Boy, was I wrong! Now that I've got the Aeron chair I know what luxury is and I won't be looking back (unless I spin around in my chair, cause it does that too).

If you have any sort of lower back pain or general discomfort from sitting for long periods of time in an office chair you really should consider forking over the cash for this chair.

Now, you might be saying "why would I spend so much of my hard earned monies on a chair when the turned over 5 gallon bucket does the same thing?"

Well, I say to you sir or madam you should get this chair and use that bucket for what it was intended... your worm farm, and what's better, you can take your Aeron chair to the river and fish in comfort like a pro bass fisherman from his fancy chair on his boat, but you'll be so much more comfortable and stylish. And, as an added bonus, you no longer have to lift a cheek to fart, with it's flexy mesh contours you can just let it rip!

I highly recommend this chair for all kinds of reasons, so just get it will ya?