# Just Ordered a Herman Miller Chair: Convince Me I Did the Right Thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 24, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876 "2006-07-24T20:49:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/1 "2006-07-24T20:49:48Z")
I just ordered the Mirra chair made by Herman Miller, who also makes the famous Aeron chairs. It’s a lot of money, but I plan to use it at home at the computer to alleviate the back pain I get when I use the computer for very long. I ordered it with all the tilt and adjustment options, including the upholstered back. Now it’ll be 3-4 weeks before I get it. I figure some women go out and spend $500 on a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, but I’m spending $800 on a good ergonomic chair with a twelve year warranty. Still I’m nervous about making the right choice. Does anyone else have one, or did you decide against one for some reason? I’d love to hear how you like it after using it for some time. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/2 "2006-07-24T20:57:41Z")
Meant to add a link: [Mirra Chair](http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/SSA/Product/0,,a10-c440-p205,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![amijane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@amijane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amijane)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/3 "2006-07-24T21:03:29Z")
Oooh, pretty! My 250lb brother bought an Aeron 7 years ago and it’s still going strong with daily heavy use, up to 20 hours if he’s on a deadline. It’s seriously comfortable, I would rather have one of those than the shoes. He bought it as he has terrible scoliosis (curvature of the spine) so he needed a super-adjustable chair. Plus he’s turned into an Aeron geek, shouting and pointing everytime one turns up on TV or in the movies. Although turning you into a chair geek may not be quite the encouragement you’re after… ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/4 "2006-07-24T21:35:33Z")
If it’s comfortable and helps keep you from having back pain, it’s worth it. Would you rather have a good, expensive chair, or have a cheap, crummy chair that makes your back hurt, leading you to spend money on painkillers and doctor visits? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/5 "2006-07-24T21:42:26Z")
Do you plan to use it for work? If so, maybe you could write the cost off against tax? I don’t how that works. It sure look pretty, though. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/6 "2006-07-24T22:02:39Z")
I bought a Steelcase Leap chair and it is one of the best furniture purchases I have ever made. I don’t regret a penny of it. Of course I got it at a office liquidation place and paid a fraction of its’ retail cost but still, $200 was the most I ever sepent on an office chair. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/7 "2006-07-24T22:20:00Z")
When we got new chairs at work a few years ago, we were given a choice of Aeron or Leap chairs. Truly adjustable chairs made an incredible difference. Make sure, though, that your entire workstation/desk is set up ergonomically. Your chair is just part of it. Monitor height and placement and keyboard height and placement make a big difference as well. GT ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/8 "2006-07-24T22:29:40Z")
I tried the Aeron chair, not planning to spend that much, but although the back was cushier, there was a definite bar pressing into my back for lumbar support. The Mirra’s back is stiffer, but the lumbar support is a continuous curve. I didn’t know about the Leap chair, and now I’m afraid to look… No one else has a Mirra? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/9 "2006-07-24T22:44:45Z")
I’ve heard that the pellicle fabric of the Aeron chair tends to wear the fabric of one’s pants away. Has anyone experienced that or heard anything similar? I’ve also considered getting one of these high-end office chairs Given how many hours I spend in my current one, it’s not that extravagant a purchase. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/10 "2006-07-25T01:13:41Z")
I’ve read that too, about the Aeron fabric. Maybe that’s why their newer Mirra doesn’t use it. I was lucky to find a Herman Miller authorized dealer and repair center in my smallish town. They also charged me less than the most popular website does. Now I know I won’t have to ship it if I have any problem with it. Another, more extravagant purchase (which I’m now regretting), was my monster gaming computer in April, which I cannot use at all during these unusually hot summer months due to a lack of home air conditioning and the tremendous heat shot out the back from the 650-watt power supply. The downside of a great cooling system for a computer is the heat it sends into the room (in my case turning the coolest room in the house into the hottest room). ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/11 "2006-07-25T01:20:22Z")
I’ve read that too, about the Aeron fabric. Maybe that’s why their newer Mirra doesn’t use it. I was lucky to find a Herman Miller authorized dealer and repair center in my smallish town. They also charged me less than the most popular website does. Now I know I won’t have to ship it if I have any problem with it. Another, more extravagant purchase (which I’m now regretting), was my monster gaming computer in April, which I cannot use at all during these unusually hot summer months due to a lack of home air conditioning and the tremendous heat shot out the back from the 650-watt power supply. The downside of a great cooling system for a computer is the heat it sends into the room (in my case turning the coolest room in the house into the hottest room). ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/12 "2006-07-25T03:33:54Z")
Herman Miller makes very good stuff. You will likely have that chair until you decide to get rid of it. So on the whole I’d say it was an excellent investment. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/13 "2006-07-25T13:47:46Z")
We have Herman Miller stuff here at work and out of the 100 or so people that tried (a very similar model) chair only a handful liked it. Personally I prefer a far less expensive high back model but your mileage may vary. ---
**Author:** ![VenusProbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e495f1/32.png) [@VenusProbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VenusProbe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-ordered-a-herman-miller-chair-convince-me-i-did-the-right-thing/365876/14 "2006-07-25T14:54:57Z")
Personally I prefer [this one.](http://www.hrgiger.com/furniture/furnit18.jpg) But only when I’m dealing with my underlings or captured enemies.