Anecdata: I have had good results with the Steelcase Leap. It's not cheap, but as you note, you're going to be spending a lot of time in it so this is probably not the place to economize.
I do wish there were more comparative literature on this subject, as it's difficult to find good objective ways to compare chairs.
I wish there were someplace where I could go and actually try high-end office chairs. Chair preference is going to vary from person to person (which makes written reviews and comparisons kind of useless), but office supply stores like Staples or Office Depot only stock the low end (which may work for some, but don't have the adjustability or durability of higher-end chairs). I'd like someplace I can go to actually try out and compare a few models of, say, Steelcase, Herman Miller, and Humanscale chairs before I commit to spending the $800+ on one.
I think your question should be, "should I be sitting so long?"
There's ample evidence that extended sitting, especially relative to the amount of standing and walking, is detrimental to health (especially including weight).
I spent years on the popular Herman Miller Aeron chairs, but eventually I developed lower back problems in my early 30s! So when I left my job and started working from home, I tried the standing desk thing...
Indeed it takes time to get used to standing a lot, but I've been doing it now for the better part of 13 years. Even without proper (or consistent) exercise, I'm more fit than most of my peers. And when I pushed and pushed my finance company to get adjustable height desks, many of the naysayer employees eventually started standing for as much as half of their days.
It's especially good after lunch when you're full and your body wants to just shut down and sleep.
Ikea makes a great, cheap, manual adjustment standing desk. Keep a chair or stool nearby for when you do really get tired. But give standing a try (for more than a few days). Also, get a good padded mat to stand on. You can get a good one for $30.
I think that even standing a lot is A Bad Idea. You're trading one mobility problem (sitting with little/no motion) for another (standing with little/no motion).
Moving is better, all the way around. I'm biased I admit... but I think a walking treadmill (like the ones that LifeSpan Fitness makes) is the best all the way around.
I've used an Aeron for close to 10 years, and it's the most comfortable and flexible chair for me. That being said, sitting down for 10 hours in any chair is not healthy.
I added a standing desk to my arsenal, and the routine of moving up and down every 40 minutes or so. Taking brisk 10-15 minute walks at least every 1.5-2 hours is crucial as well.
Core strength and flexibility have become so important to my fitness routine that if I go several days without exercising or stretching properly, I get pretty severe lower back pain.
Steelcase Leap. Similar to the HM Aeron, but has cushion instead of mesh, and offers a bit more adjustment. It comes down to a matter of personal preference, but many prefer the comfort of the cushion. Personally, I sometimes sit with a leg crossed under me, or sideways in the chair, just because I like moving around, and the Leap is comfortable in all positions. Before I purchased it, I was having horrible wrist and shoulder pain, but it vanished once I swapped to the Leap. I've owned mine for a few years and it still looks pristine.
I also bought it on Craigslist for $200 brand new, which was quite a steal.
The Leap and Aeron are among the best in class, and it's hard to go wrong with either. Go to an office store and try both for yourself.
I love my Steelcase Leap! The cushion is very comfortable and is holding up well after a few years. I sit criss-cross and am able to easily do this with the Leap. The Aeron prevents this because of the hard plastic around the seat dug into my legs. I also got mine with the adjustable headrest, which is very nice for reclining.
I basically live in my chair, so it was a solid investment.
In 2011, I went on a search for the "perfect" chair. Want to know what it is? :-) There is not one!
Of course I bought the Aeron because the internet told me to. In less than 8 hours I was really hurting and had to return it. Today, I use something from neutralposture.com. However, what is "best" for you depends on your body type. The most correct answer is "change your chair, sit and stand, move around" throughout the day, weeks, and years of your life. The desk is super important too. I use a very flat desk. I wished it could raise and lower on demand.
Today, I need to change my chair because I've had it for so long. I think you'll only find the perfect chair if you make it yourself. I really wanted a combo of the Aeron and the Neutral Posture 8500 for my body type and work habits.
I wish I had, but did not, explore all of these options. I wished I had tried the Humanscale. Please do and tell me how it works out for you. Options: Herman Miller, Nuertral Posture, Steelcase, Humanscale.
Recently went on the chair search, of course people said get the Aeron. One co-worker said he got one for 50 bucks off craiglist. I wasnt getting that lucky. Ended up just going to local staples/office depot and sitting in a bunch of chairs. Found one for two hundo that adjusts and is quite comfortable. It's a beautyrest chair (mattress company).
Others are right it's about the measurements and angles. I measured up my desk , keyboard level etc and made sure my chair fit those measurements. Also have an old varidesk from 2014 that still works. So i spent about an hour standing during morning & afternoon sessions. This really helps me , avoiding the sitting for 8+ hours which really sucks.
Depending on your situation, when i was in office i would take a 5-10 min walk in morning and afternoon to stretch, close browser tabs, and collect thoughts. Take breaks & walks if you can!
> I think you'll only find the perfect chair if you make it yourself.
Has anybody done this? It's a difficult thing to search for because so many companies let you "build" your own chair when really they mean choose the color and add arm rests.
I've been using the same Aeron chair for 17 years. It is robust, comfortable, and fine for long sessions in front of the computer. The value proposition remains quite positive.
The complete question is how to achieve the ideal seated posture and/or maintain it. I like the idea of height adjustable desks for the simple reason that it can be lowered/raised to the exact height that's correct for your build. For ideal posture, your thighs should be parallel to the ground, your back should be straight, and your arms slightly lower than parallel to the ground when you're typing. Ideally your monitor should be at eye level to avoid getting "tech neck" which all suggest having height adjustable monitors and desks, and your chair able to adjust height and offer optimal back support.
It's a really long way of saying that even if there is an ideal, perfect chair for you there's no way that can be a universal recommendation.
Ikea sells desk legs that can be adjusted to the right height when you install them, but don't have all the machinery needed to adjust it's height while using it. If all you want is a desk that suits you body, grab a set of Olov legs from Ikea for $15 each and take what you saved and put it towards other ergonomic equipment.
One of those $10 gym balls from Walmart. It'll make you move around and get stronger. After a couple of weeks you'll be comfortable and a new chair only costs $10.
Took me a while to figure it out, but Varier balans by Peter Opsvik is the best for me. It is a bit pricey, at $400 or so, but well worth it in my mind. Already I have purchased three, one for home, one for the office, and one for my father who enjoys it a lot. I am in a chair in front of the computer for most of the day, too. As a dancer, body positioning is important to me, and the varier balans forces me to use good form, one simply cannot slouch in it.
FWIW, I find these good for playing guitar, too. Downside in that case is you can't always tap your foot, but it lets you play with the instrument hanging from the strap which is good for when you play standing up.
Our team has been using Ideon's SitOnIt TR2 task chair for many years and it's a great chair. Before we moved to this chair, I'd been sitting on Herman Miller chairs and I had significant back pain. It's been much better since we moved to the TR2. The mid-back version is what we use. We get the multi-function add-on for it as well (seat back tilt, tension control, back height adjustment).
The prices listed on their website are much higher than you'll pay if you buy through a store that offers workplace design services. Finding a place that sells them was way harder to figure out then it needed to be, but we finally figured out that the best way to do it was to contact the sales rep for our region. You can find the rep for your region on this page and they'll point you to a retailer.
I have personally owned an Aaron, Embody, Steelcase Leather Leap.
In a nutshell, I found the Aeron the most uncomfortable chair of just about every office chair I've had the pleasure of sitting in personally and at work. It was the right size and it was fully loaded with every top option. I gladly and quickly sold it.
The Steelcase (Leather) Leap is probably my favorite. The Embody is a close though. The Leap I have is leather, so it's very easy to keep clean. The best part about the leap though is not only is the build quality top notch and feels like a tank (and weighs it), is how configurable it is. The sweetest part though is that instead of rocking back like probably most chairs, it actually reclines keeping your rear end in the same place. It's excessively comfortable.
All my friends ended up getting a Leap after trying mine. I got the embody out of curiosity, again I topped it out with every option to make sure it was the best model. It's far superior to the Aeron for me and close to the Leap in terms of comfort, but I do think the Leap wins, especially for longer days or when you just have one-of-those-days.
At work, I had a Mirra, it was pretty nice also, which looking at it, surprised me. Much better than the Aeron in my opinion for just pure comfort. I've had a number of there chairs, from the $50 Staples specials to other big brands. The Leap and Embody are still by far my two favorites.
I kept the Embody and Leap because I couldn't part with either. I let my dad swap back and forth with me since he is now retired and does a lot of Ham Radio contests now sitting at his desk.
Anytime any asks about office chairs and the mention of Aeron comes up though (what would be an office chair discussion without the Aeron mentioned?), I always think of this: https://dack.com/misc/aeron.html
This is a highly personal preference, but since you asked...
I’ve been sitting on a yoga ball for about 5 years and it has relieved a lot of back pain I used to have from sitting long periods programming. I alternate to standing and using a portable laptop platform, it was about $25 on amazon. Not the most sturdy, but it’s fine and I don’t leave the laptop on it when walking away.
I like having a standing desk with a tall stool. This way I can alternate between standing and sitting without any obstacles, and my stool forces me to have good posture while sitting. My stool isn't very comfortable (though not uncomfortable), so I actually end up standing.
[+] [-] grzm|6 years ago|reply
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20371095
[+] [-] smacktoward|6 years ago|reply
I do wish there were more comparative literature on this subject, as it's difficult to find good objective ways to compare chairs.
Here are the Wirecutter's recommendations: https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-office-chair/
[+] [-] JonathonW|6 years ago|reply
I wish there were someplace where I could go and actually try high-end office chairs. Chair preference is going to vary from person to person (which makes written reviews and comparisons kind of useless), but office supply stores like Staples or Office Depot only stock the low end (which may work for some, but don't have the adjustability or durability of higher-end chairs). I'd like someplace I can go to actually try out and compare a few models of, say, Steelcase, Herman Miller, and Humanscale chairs before I commit to spending the $800+ on one.
[+] [-] anbop|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blunte|6 years ago|reply
There's ample evidence that extended sitting, especially relative to the amount of standing and walking, is detrimental to health (especially including weight).
I spent years on the popular Herman Miller Aeron chairs, but eventually I developed lower back problems in my early 30s! So when I left my job and started working from home, I tried the standing desk thing...
Indeed it takes time to get used to standing a lot, but I've been doing it now for the better part of 13 years. Even without proper (or consistent) exercise, I'm more fit than most of my peers. And when I pushed and pushed my finance company to get adjustable height desks, many of the naysayer employees eventually started standing for as much as half of their days.
It's especially good after lunch when you're full and your body wants to just shut down and sleep.
Ikea makes a great, cheap, manual adjustment standing desk. Keep a chair or stool nearby for when you do really get tired. But give standing a try (for more than a few days). Also, get a good padded mat to stand on. You can get a good one for $30.
You back, heart, legs, and mind will thank you.
[+] [-] akulbe|6 years ago|reply
Moving is better, all the way around. I'm biased I admit... but I think a walking treadmill (like the ones that LifeSpan Fitness makes) is the best all the way around.
[+] [-] dmackerman|6 years ago|reply
I added a standing desk to my arsenal, and the routine of moving up and down every 40 minutes or so. Taking brisk 10-15 minute walks at least every 1.5-2 hours is crucial as well.
Core strength and flexibility have become so important to my fitness routine that if I go several days without exercising or stretching properly, I get pretty severe lower back pain.
[+] [-] rewtraw|6 years ago|reply
I also bought it on Craigslist for $200 brand new, which was quite a steal.
The Leap and Aeron are among the best in class, and it's hard to go wrong with either. Go to an office store and try both for yourself.
[+] [-] haldora|6 years ago|reply
I basically live in my chair, so it was a solid investment.
[+] [-] ghostbrainalpha|6 years ago|reply
I wonder if this model is as good as the others, or if it isn't really the same thing.
[+] [-] pcunite|6 years ago|reply
Of course I bought the Aeron because the internet told me to. In less than 8 hours I was really hurting and had to return it. Today, I use something from neutralposture.com. However, what is "best" for you depends on your body type. The most correct answer is "change your chair, sit and stand, move around" throughout the day, weeks, and years of your life. The desk is super important too. I use a very flat desk. I wished it could raise and lower on demand.
Today, I need to change my chair because I've had it for so long. I think you'll only find the perfect chair if you make it yourself. I really wanted a combo of the Aeron and the Neutral Posture 8500 for my body type and work habits.
I wish I had, but did not, explore all of these options. I wished I had tried the Humanscale. Please do and tell me how it works out for you. Options: Herman Miller, Nuertral Posture, Steelcase, Humanscale.
[+] [-] brootstrap|6 years ago|reply
Others are right it's about the measurements and angles. I measured up my desk , keyboard level etc and made sure my chair fit those measurements. Also have an old varidesk from 2014 that still works. So i spent about an hour standing during morning & afternoon sessions. This really helps me , avoiding the sitting for 8+ hours which really sucks.
Depending on your situation, when i was in office i would take a 5-10 min walk in morning and afternoon to stretch, close browser tabs, and collect thoughts. Take breaks & walks if you can!
[+] [-] asciimo|6 years ago|reply
That's a criterion I hadn't considered.
[+] [-] criddell|6 years ago|reply
Has anybody done this? It's a difficult thing to search for because so many companies let you "build" your own chair when really they mean choose the color and add arm rests.
[+] [-] dano|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mikece|6 years ago|reply
It's a really long way of saying that even if there is an ideal, perfect chair for you there's no way that can be a universal recommendation.
[+] [-] adrusi|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] duxup|6 years ago|reply
There are great Aeron chairs out there I like. I work from home a lot and I've got a $100 ikea chair that I find plenty comfortable.
Keep an eye out for places that resell used office furniture if you're buying, you can save good money that way.
[+] [-] bravoetch|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ngneer|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sathomasga|6 years ago|reply
It's even more expensive, but worth every penny to me.
[+] [-] abakker|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] paulmay|6 years ago|reply
https://chairbuilder.sitonit.net//#Task/TR2/_/config
The prices listed on their website are much higher than you'll pay if you buy through a store that offers workplace design services. Finding a place that sells them was way harder to figure out then it needed to be, but we finally figured out that the best way to do it was to contact the sales rep for our region. You can find the rep for your region on this page and they'll point you to a retailer.
https://www.sitonit.net/contact/replocate.html
[+] [-] tw1010|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] coldtea|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] b3b0p|6 years ago|reply
I have personally owned an Aaron, Embody, Steelcase Leather Leap.
In a nutshell, I found the Aeron the most uncomfortable chair of just about every office chair I've had the pleasure of sitting in personally and at work. It was the right size and it was fully loaded with every top option. I gladly and quickly sold it.
The Steelcase (Leather) Leap is probably my favorite. The Embody is a close though. The Leap I have is leather, so it's very easy to keep clean. The best part about the leap though is not only is the build quality top notch and feels like a tank (and weighs it), is how configurable it is. The sweetest part though is that instead of rocking back like probably most chairs, it actually reclines keeping your rear end in the same place. It's excessively comfortable.
All my friends ended up getting a Leap after trying mine. I got the embody out of curiosity, again I topped it out with every option to make sure it was the best model. It's far superior to the Aeron for me and close to the Leap in terms of comfort, but I do think the Leap wins, especially for longer days or when you just have one-of-those-days.
At work, I had a Mirra, it was pretty nice also, which looking at it, surprised me. Much better than the Aeron in my opinion for just pure comfort. I've had a number of there chairs, from the $50 Staples specials to other big brands. The Leap and Embody are still by far my two favorites.
I kept the Embody and Leap because I couldn't part with either. I let my dad swap back and forth with me since he is now retired and does a lot of Ham Radio contests now sitting at his desk.
Anytime any asks about office chairs and the mention of Aeron comes up though (what would be an office chair discussion without the Aeron mentioned?), I always think of this: https://dack.com/misc/aeron.html
[+] [-] vuln|6 years ago|reply
Ask HN: Best office chair for home office work? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20371095
[+] [-] ghostbrainalpha|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] akulbe|6 years ago|reply
I say this as a person that has used a ~$400 chair with mesh on the seat and back.
I've had several bouts of sciatica over the last few years, even with a moderately soft chair.
A registered massage therapist recommended an "exercise ball" and I got a Trideer brand from Amazon.
It makes for more small movement, and less/no soreness at the end of the day.
[+] [-] ruffrey|6 years ago|reply
I’ve been sitting on a yoga ball for about 5 years and it has relieved a lot of back pain I used to have from sitting long periods programming. I alternate to standing and using a portable laptop platform, it was about $25 on amazon. Not the most sturdy, but it’s fine and I don’t leave the laptop on it when walking away.
[+] [-] Tade0|6 years ago|reply
https://www.profim.eu/products/category/task-chairs/veris/sw...
had the same model in the office for two years and was happy enough with it to purchase one for myself. €400 give or take.
[+] [-] beatgammit|6 years ago|reply
It's not for everyone, but I like it.
[+] [-] bovermyer|6 years ago|reply
https://www.dxracer.com/au/en-au/product/1/gaming-chair/king...