Spec me: An office chair. Again.

Akagi

Akagi

Akagi

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29 Jul 2011
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In acme's chair.
Hi all, I'll try not to make this a wall of text...

- I sit in my chair for extended periods every day, 18 hours is not uncommon.
- I ideally want something with a mesh or leather base, or at least something "breathable" - My faux suede Kashmir didn't smell too hot after 100,000 hours...
- I am heavily built and broad shouldered, so I can't have a seat which pushes on my shoulder blades
- Around the £200 mark +/- a reasonable amount for the right seat
- I get a £100 contribution from my company if I provide a VAT receipt, so second hand Herman Miller/etc might not work.
- It needs to lock upright and have a "sprung tilting" function, which I think most have.
- Adjustable flat topped arms

I have looked at:

- Staples Hyken - Seemed to tick all of the boxes, then I noticed it is no longer available in the UK...
- 'Alto' mesh managers chair - Looks OK, questionable quality, can't find any reviews.
- Various SIHOO or Hbada ergo chairs - They look very good, but plenty say they are badly made or too small for your average "European"
- Ikea Markus - Lots of recommendation for this one, but it doesn't look like it has much lumbar support?
- Ergo-Tek mesh manager chair - Seems like a good option, reviews seem good, only downside is the fabric base. But I'm sure its breathable fabric unlike the Kashmir?
- Second hand Herman Miller Mirra - I know these are more comfortable than they look, but they don't have head/neck support, and I would also need to get it from a VAT registered company.

Anyone have any recommendations, glowing reviews, ones to avoid?

I'm not interested in all the faux leather racer style chairs, although that DOOM one looks pretty amazing. :p

It may be possible to talk me into spending more... But not Aeron money.
 
Another recommendation for Ikea Markus, I'm a big lad and I've had mine over 5 years, love it.

Edit- Mines the mesh / fabric not leather.
 
I'm fairly small and skinny so my experience might not be as applicable, but the Ikea markus lumbar support was non existent for me, I think mainly because the seat was too deep for me to sit properly in it at my desk.

The seat would also heat me up loads and make me sweaty (i had the fabric not faux leather), it also eventually developed a deformity in the middle where the foam has lost strength but i'd had it for 7 years and i don't think that happened until recently. But that just made it even harder for me to sit properly in it comfortably.

Another thing you listed adjustable flat top arms, the arms are not adjustable at all on the Markus. This meant i had to have the seat lower than I'd have liked to not smash my desk.

I had to replace the chair though because it got to the point that sitting in the chair was causing me significant lower back pain, that wouldn't go away. I replaced it with an Embody which is way out of your budget but my back pain has gone, this also would have probably been achievable with a cheaper chair that fitted better, but I'm still happy with the purchase.
 
I have ordered a chair now, after ages of trawling I found an Umi Ergonomic chair, reviews are all good apart from some people saying the headrest is too low etc.
I got the tape measure out, and it looks like it will be perfect for me fortunately.
And I apparently had a £10 off voucher which I didn't know about!

:)

I don't know if I'm allowed to link it because OC sell chairs, but they sell gaming chairs not ergo chairs? But its easy enough to find.
 
luggles said:
I'm fairly small and skinny so my experience might not be as applicable, but the Ikea markus lumbar support was non existent for me,
Click to expand...

Yeah, I find my IKEA Markus ok as far as £150 chairs go but it's got issues and I don't understand the universal acclaim it seems to get.

Lumbar support-wise I find it ok but the lack of adjustment in the arm rests is frustrating and I don't find the fabric seat base very comfortable or breathable as you say.

If IKEA fitted adjustable armrests, a mesh seat base and made the lumbar support height adjustable it would be great. As is it's reasonable for a ~£150 office chair but i wouldn't buy another one. Better to spend another £100-200 and get something properly adjustable with full breathable mesh.
 
OK so the Umi Ergonomics chair was a big let down.

The armrests are too far forward to be of any use whilst also sitting far enough back to support your shoulders. The lumbar adjustment doesn't go high enough. The headrest is so far back that you have to invert your spine for it to be any use. The padding on the seat base was fine, but not great.

The build quality was reasonable, no complaints there. It just isn't ergonomic. It isn't uncomfortable, but I will be looking for something else.

Smacks of something that was made to look like an ergonomic chair, without input from anyone who knows anything about ergonomics.

Like most of them I suspect...
 
I'll be perfectly honest: if spending 18 hours in your chair is not uncommon then it should be well within reason to rethink your budget.

It can be harder to find chairs that really work for heavier built gents, but £200 for a new chair that you want to sit in for days on end is pretty limting.

That aside, I can recommend the Orangebox Do. It has a nice wide base with breathable fabric and a good quality mesh back. Height adjustable cushioned faux leather trimmed armrests (flat topped, curving off at the sides).

I'd recommend checking out some videos on it so you can see how it works. They can normally be had for around £350 new or at little as £120 second hand from a refurbisher (that's what I paid).

Might not be super easy at the moment, but I feel like you definitely need to try before you buy if you can. 18 hours per session is a long time to spend in a chair that you didn't try first.
 
I had an Orangebox Do at my last place of work, until I saw them online a few years later I assumed it was a £150 chair. I don't think I'll be buying one unless I see one cheap perhaps, but I appreciate the recommendation all the same! It does look like the newer ones are a bit better though perhaps.

I think you are right about rethinking my budget, or at least my plan. I had put it on hold for now, and I occasionally look at chairs on eBay. But I would be looking at second hand Steelcase Leap V2's and maybe Herman Miller Aeron's or Mirras. I do really fancy a headrest though, but its not critical.
 
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Not sure if this has been covered but there are various companies selling used office chairs. They all sold out a while ago as everyone started to work from home, not sure if that has subsided now. I guess as companies they would provide VAT receipts. The images I saw all looked in very good condition.
 
I know you've already made your purchase, but I cannot speak highly enough of the Teknik Titan.

My first one lasted 12 years of 10-12+ hours a day. The chair is rated for 24/7 use with a user weight of 170KG.
 
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