New chair opinions wanted

jjgreenwood

jjgreenwood

jjgreenwood

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21 May 2010
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Well my chair I've been using for the last few years is looking a bit worse for wear. Its an operator style chair I bought off amazon in a sale for a couple of hundred quid with a mesh type back and a standard foam type seat. Its been alright but the market looks to have changed significantly in the 6 or 7 years since I last needed to replace my chair so I'm looking for opinions on what people think I should replace it with.

I use my computer almost exclusively for leisure and normally spend a couple or more hours a day browsing the web, playing games and occasionally watching films, editing photos or doing a bit of typing. As such I don't really need an office type chair but have found the one I've got comfortable for the use required. I don't mind spending money to get something decent, but equally given the use don't want to go over the top for something designed for someone working for 12 hours a day.

I'm curious about the gaming chairs on sale. I quite like the look at a black and white dxracer king chair for about £300ish I've seen on the site. Reading reviews around the net these seem to be well liked. The recently released noble chairs also look similar but also come in real leather for another £100, not sure if this is worth the extra or not. The small room I have can get quite warm when gaming due to the heat coming out of the PC so I'm not sure how well either seat would do in such a situation. Do any owners of these seats get hot after a period of time - much like a car seat?

Another option is a Herman Miller seat of some description. These are sold locally to me nearly new for between £330-£470 depending on whether its a mirra or an aeron and the spec of it. Is it a bit too office for a casual chair or would it be the best value for the use. I don't know and am a bit confused. The gaming chair thing looks comfortable but I don't know if the office type thing I've been using is better and the gaming branding thing is just a bit of an excuse to push the price up.

What have you used/are using and have you experienced these types of chair and what do you think is best?
 
Quite a range of options there for sure.

For quality of product you will not come close to Herman Miller with any of the 'gaming ' chairs, but that is why you pay what you pay for Herman Miller.

If you want something that will blend in and not attract attention then the Mirra or the Aeron are good options and for the sort of time you say you spend in them either would be a great purchase.

If you want something that makes more of a statement then the gaming chairs are a good solution. They are less about the ergonomics that they are about the style and presence, but again for 2-3 hours sessions that is not so vital.

What is important is that you get one that suits your body shape and height as they tend not to be so adjustable as the Herman Millar options so you need to start with the right one in the first place.

The King that you mention is build for the tall and to some extend heavier user. I say 'some extent' because users who make full use of the broader seat of the King do report that the bolsters on either side can cut into their legs in an uncomfortable way.

Also when considering height you need to look at not just your overall height but also leg v body length and consider if the head/neck cushion is fixed or moveable.

Anyway, just a few thoughts to get you started.
 
Thanks, I think I do have to decide the sort of thing I want to go for. As with all these things it seems to generate more questions than answers. The more I consider things the more I'm tempted to redo the entire room which makes me tempted to bin off the desk entirely and maybe go for an obutto type setup which might be good for future vr type experiences. The downside to this is it is much less casual, which ironically is how I use my setup mainly so I am probably looking at it and thinking "that looks cool" without actually thinking through the use.

I'm fairly average in build and height being 5' 11, thought the king or something similar just because I don't really want the seat to hug me in due to my casual type use. I've also looked at maxnomic and also seen a Jefferson chair elsewhere which also seems very comfortable. I see ekornes also do an office chair but that is in yet another price bracket and although I have one of their chairs in the living room its hard to see the value in the office.

I suspect a fresh lick of paint, a bit of new carpet and then a wooden worktop on top of alex units like many use in the case thread seems to be the best option. Just need to decide on a good quality, probably padded chair to go with it.
 
Only comment I'd have on the King is that as long as you do fit in between the raised edges of the seat you should be fine, but I've seen reports from a few people who comment that the raised sides are hard so if you do reach them it can be uncomfortable.

If you are average build odds are you'll be fine.

I went for the 'Classic' as the entire seat cushion is soft. Although I use the term 'soft' somewhat loosely as the foam they use is anything but soft at first :)

However, a few days later it is starting to wear in nicely.
 
Few things to keep in mind:

  • Everybody is different, and thus what one person finds comfortable may not be what you find comfortable. Personally have never been a fan of the Aeron, and the Mirra is fairly similar but slightly less comfortable. The Embody on the other hand is hands-down the best chair I've ever sat in.
  • You're going to be sitting in this thing for hours every day, and it'll likely stay with you for years. Don't skimp out.
  • A decent chair is useless if the rest of your setup is poor. Your display and desk should be at the right height in the first place, otherwise it's a pointless endeavour.
  • Padded chairs are going to be fairly clammy and will eventually compress and become hard. Higher-end chairs will likely be better, however it's inevitable.
I wouldn't buy without trying, however it's almost impossible to test anything other than an Aeron if you're looking at Herman Miller specifically. The second-hand market is also flooded with Aerons, and it's unlikely you'll find any other model in your stated price range.

Steelcase Leap and Gesture are the other popular options to consider.

Personally wouldn't touch the gaming chairs, but if you're looking for a certain style and prioritise aesthetics over comfort (if their designs are your thing) then of course, your choice. I just question how much lateral G-force you will be exerted on your person whilst typing at your desk to require bolstering.
 
I'm in dire need of a new chair but i have no interest in how it looks, purely how comfortable it is over long periods and how much it costs. An embody would be nice but who has £900 for a chair.
 
I wouldn't mind spending £900 on a chair if it was much better than those that were cheaper. My stressless chair in my living room cost that but I couldn't find anything of the same quality and style for any less.

My office is a place pretty much only me will ever see though so style is a bit more open as I can design the room around the chair and desk. I suspect a stressless office chair would be overkill and I also suspect the Herman millar is designed for work rather than relaxing which is why I'm looking at other options. If my perception is wrong then I'm happy to think again. I have found the Herman miller chairs not overly comfortable when trying them in John Lewis but I suspect you need to play with the settings a lot and I have no idea how they work.
 
if you have a good budget I say a lazyboy / armchair style thick cushioned computer chair would be best.All these thin padded chairs hurt no matter what.
 
I wanted to add a slightly different perspective as I too am sorting out my office/gaming furniture atm.

I think I am going to opt for a corner sofa bed for comfort + storage and an office chair for posture to get the best of both worlds. What I did do (which I'm rather pleased with) is buy a 2nd hand sit/stand desk from Conset so I can adjust the desk height and a big 40" monitor which can double as a TV. Its all about blending the different needs together imho the chair is one part of a bigger picture.
 
jjgreenwood said:
Got a link for one?
Click to expand...

just any swivel armchair with recline

Every computer chair ive ever owned has been uncomfortable soon as the padding wears a bit

I grant you hard to find height adjustable ones, this kind of thing I am thinking of
leather-swivel-recliner-chair-reclining-black-w-arms-footrest-lounge-oversized-coasterfurniture-contemporary.jpg
 
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Looks like a cushy barbers chair. I think that would be good to slouch in and watch tv with, not sure about being productive with the pc.
 
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Teal said:
They make great chairs for console gaming but no so much for a PC ...
Click to expand...

I regularly work on my sofa at home using my laptop, but literally use a short plank of wood to sit my laptop and mouse on and find our reclining sofa lovely to sit in for hours for work.

If someone sold a frame to hold the HOTAS, pedal box, keyboard and mouse, that would probably be a great solution.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
I regularly work on my sofa at home using my laptop, but literally use a short plank of wood to sit my laptop and mouse on and find our reclining sofa lovely to sit in for hours for work.
Click to expand...

I don't doubt they are comfortable and I can see the use with a laptop, but if you have a desk based PC this isn't going to work sadly...
 
C64 said:
just any swivel armchair with recline

Every computer chair ive ever owned has been uncomfortable soon as the padding wears a bit

I grant you hard to find height adjustable ones, this kind of thing I am thinking of
leather-swivel-recliner-chair-reclining-black-w-arms-footrest-lounge-oversized-coasterfurniture-contemporary.jpg
Click to expand...

I could make it work if I set the desk high enough but I still can't find anything like that for sale in the UK outside of a stressless showroom.

I suspect this is why the gaming chair has been the success it has been.
 
C64 said:
if you have a good budget I say a lazyboy / armchair style thick cushioned computer chair would be best.All these thin padded chairs hurt no matter what.
Click to expand...

I can assure you our noblechairs are well padded and extremely comfortable. The foam is on the firmer side of the scale, but this is to ensure long term comfort and no degradation of padding during the chairs life cycle.
 
I tested a Humanscale Freedom chair in John lewis. For the £999 it cost it was very comfortable but there was no padding just hard plastics, which didn't look very expensive either. I guess the cost was in the design and aluminium structure. Was a comfortable chair but couldn't bring myself to pay a grand for a chair especially when it had no padding at all. As a skinny bugger I'm not sure how my bu** would feel after a few hours sat in it.

I hate the race car seat looking chairs :)
 
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