IKEA Markus

rwm24 said:
Let me know what you think when it arrives.

I've been using an IKEA Markus since Feb 2012 and I actually like it. However recently I've been getting a sore spot about half way up my back, I believe it's from leaning forward on the chair while working. I want to be able to lean forward a bit further but still rest my back, is that even possible?

I work from home, and also play games in the evenings sometimes so often on my chair for 8 - 13+ hours (with breaks, of course). I've been looking at the Steelcase Leap, Herman Miller Aeron and Herman Miller Embody, but there are no showrooms near me where I could try them. The leap and aeron look like they won't be very comfortable to sit on, as there is no padding, the embody looks comfortable but they are about £600 and I would have to drive ~2 hours to try a second hand one.
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do you live near a john lewis?
 
Just gonna weigh in here and say I hate the Markus too. The worst thing for me was that it was deceptive! Sat in store, felt pretty snazzy, got it home, felt snazzy, then after a while just felt absolutely awful. Hated it. Preferred an ancient cheap as chips basic office chair that is worn beyond belief.
 
Zefan said:
Just gonna weigh in here and say I hate the Markus too. The worst thing for me was that it was deceptive! Sat in store, felt pretty snazzy, got it home, felt snazzy, then after a while just felt absolutely awful. Hated it. Preferred an ancient cheap as chips basic office chair that is worn beyond belief.
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The £35 one I got from Asdas is better than the Markus
 
booyaka said:
Hardly a fair comparison - yes they are chairs but look at the price difference!

I'm sure it would be lovely to have a herman miller (even 2nd hand one etc) but I work from home 3 days a week and the MARKUS has been fine for me over last 9 months or so.
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There is crap and there is good, that was my point. People hold up the Markus as an ergonomic marvel and super comfy when it is neither. For the money of the Markus there are better chairs too. The padding is poor, the lumber support is poor, the back rest is poor, the coccyx protection is poor.

How much do you spend on your computer? How much do you spend on a phone? What about your car, your TV, your HiFi? £650 for a chair (purely as you are using my Herman Miller as an example), if it is somewhere you spend a lot of time is cheap in comparison. It is actually not a cost decision for most, it is a priority decision.
 
Yeah I've got a Herman Miller Celle chair, fantastically comfortable. As good as new pretty much after 5 years as well and it gets a lot of use.
 
Housey said:
There is crap and there is good, that was my point. People hold up the Markus as an ergonomic marvel and super comfy when it is neither. For the money of the Markus there are better chairs too. The padding is poor, the lumber support is poor, the back rest is poor, the coccyx protection is poor.

How much do you spend on your computer? How much do you spend on a phone? What about your car, your TV, your HiFi? £650 for a chair (purely as you are using my Herman Miller as an example), if it is somewhere you spend a lot of time is cheap in comparison. It is actually not a cost decision for most, it is a priority decision.
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This is what I have just come to realise. My TV cost £1,000 and I don't watch it that much. My old chair was £35 which I sit on all the time. Doesn't seem right does it.
 
Jokester said:
Yeah I've got a Herman Miller Celle chair, fantastically comfortable. As good as new pretty much after 5 years as well and it gets a lot of use.
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I had both so am able to provide genuine insight into good v bad. I went to IKEA, for me an event in itself and I sat on their chairs. Sitting in store I felt the Markus was OK and 'would probably do'. It wasn't expensive so I bought it on a whim with a view of nothing ventured. After about 2 months my back and in particular my coccyx began to hurt. After a visit to my back man this was put down to my known weakness, my pelvis alignment. He fixed that and asked if I had changed anything, to which I said yes my office chair. He felt that was most likely the cause so I bit the bullet and bought another Herman Miller after a few weeks as I felt the pains starting to come back.

As I keep saying, if you have a fit set of bones most chairs are fine. As you get older or if you have a weakness the body will often protest and cheap chairs show themselves. Ive had 3 IKEA seats over about 25 years and all 3 were crap. Lesson learnt, I shall never buy another seat from them.
 
glen8 said:
This is what I have just come to realise. My TV cost £1,000 and I don't watch it that much. My old chair was £35 which I sit on all the time. Doesn't seem right does it.
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Indeed, same with beds and sofas too. We spend so much time in/on the bloody things we should invest in quality, I know I do. My bed and sofa's together cost more than a new VW UP :)
 
Housey said:
Indeed, same with beds and sofas too. We spend so much time in/on the bloody things we should invest in quality, I know I do. My bed and sofas together cost more than a new VW UP :)
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There needs to be a balance here as an increase in cost doesn't necessarily mean an increase in quality, or just because something is very expensive doesn't mean it's very high quality.

People often over pay for things just because they assume that expensive equals quality.
 
spoffle said:
There needs to be a balance here as an increase in cost doesn't necessarily mean an increase in quality, or just because something is very expensive doesn't mean it's very high quality.

People often over pay for things just because they assume that expensive equals quality.
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But also they do that because it IS better, which in this case it is...significantly. I have nothing to prove, I bought both!!
 
Housey said:
Crap chair, said it many times, will continue to do so. Bought one, kept it a few months, gave it away, bought another Herman Miller. Young people won't notice its total crapness for the reason they are young. Get a bit older, start to have back issues and the Markus will make those issues MUCH more prominent, like all crap chairs.

To repeat, it is a crap chair. Looks OK, makes you think it's OK but it's a crap chair and anyone who knows anything about posture will confirm the same.
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Jokester said:
Yeah I've got a Herman Miller Celle chair, fantastically comfortable. As good as new pretty much after 5 years as well and it gets a lot of use.
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Herman Miller Mira here, bought direct with no arms to save money (~£520 from the factory in the colour of my choice). It's been fantastic over the last 3 years. A joy to sit in.
 
My steelcase leap v2 doesn't look as fancy as a herman miller granted but it is very comfy.

Struggling with the cheap crap chairs that work buy however so seriously considering shelling out £170 from my own pocket to get one for work as well (2nd hand of course)
 
MassiveJim said:
My steelcase leap v2 doesn't look as fancy as a herman miller granted but it is very comfy.

Struggling with the cheap crap chairs that work buy however so seriously considering shelling out £170 from my own pocket to get one for work as well (2nd hand of course)
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Is the seat comfortable? There is no padding, just mesh stuff? Doesn't look very comfortable in pictures
 
MassiveJim said:
My steelcase leap v2 doesn't look as fancy as a herman miller granted but it is very comfy.

Struggling with the cheap crap chairs that work buy however so seriously considering shelling out £170 from my own pocket to get one for work as well (2nd hand of course)
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I was thinking the same thing!

next year I might save up and get a decent chair for work
 
If you've read the chair thread then I'm sure you've seen the Kashmir Staples chair listed a fair bit. Personally I've had it for about 2 years and still find it very comfortable - just need a similar chair at work now.

Personally I'd go to a store and test them before buying.

Good luck with your new chair though.



M.
 
rwm24 said:
Is the seat comfortable? There is no padding, just mesh stuff? Doesn't look very comfortable in pictures
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My biggest problem with work chairs is the lack of padding in the base, I get a numb bum within about 30 minutes of being sat on them. So understand that I am very sensitive to a poorly padded seat.

The steelcase is comfortable and I get no such pain or numbness whilst sat on it, there is a decent amount of padding and there does seem to be some give in the base as well which aids the comfort.

Very happy with it. :)
 
My office both home and London is Herman Millered to the max. Our London office even has electric desks so you can sit or stand :)
 
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