5 ms·

Ask HN: What is the best qualtiy office chair for long stretches of coding?

13 points by mattew 17y ago

I am setting up new office space for my new company and want opinions on chairs for coding. Our budget is up to $800 per chair. Are the Aeron chairs worth it? I am

Hates_ 17y ago
I love my Aeron. Even more so when I was able to pick it up for a great price second hand. There seems to be a tremendous abundance of them available from second hand office furniture companies.
buss 17y ago
I got a used Steelcase Leap on craigslist and I am really happy with it.
akadien 17y ago
Not a joke, whatever chair you buy, budget $20 or $25 for a professional grade stability ball for "sitting breaks". It's good for posture, core, etc. and helps one to stretch out a bit. I thought it was weird until I tried it, and now I always keep one next to my desk.
mattm 17y ago
I recently purchased a chair for my home. I looked at Aeron chairs. They were nice but I didn't get the WOW factor I thought I would. I also realised that I would be paying for the 10+ years guarantee. Since I would be the only one using the chair, I thought it was not necessary for me. It makes sense for businesses though as they will be subject to more wear and tear from moving and different use plus don't need to worry about your chairs for the next decade at least. The best way to help coders keep their health is to encourage them to take a 5-10 minute stretch break every 45 minutes or so. You may also want to look into getting standing desks that can be easily adjusted so people can stand while they work if they so choose.
stcredzero 17y ago
Sitting on one of these right now: Bungie LoBack Office Chair: http://amzn.com/B0002XQJQ4 http://amzn.com/B0002XQJQ4 It may not be quite as good as an Aeron, but I had an Aeron chair for two years at a former job, and this holds its own, especially for $129. I've had it for something like 7 or 8 months, and both the chair and its comfort have held up well. I can sit in this thing all day. The cheap task chair it replaced, I would get tired of sitting in after 45 minutes. YMMV. I also supplement the lumbar support: http://amzn.com/B000AP0HY4 http://amzn.com/B000AP0HY4 The combination may not be stylish enough for some. I would recommend trying it to a student. (I do not sell chairs, nor am I affiliated with Amazon. I'm just a programmer who needs a comfortable chair.)
ruang 17y ago
I noticed my neck and back problems started going away when I went to the gym. No chair will make your neck and back muscles get stronger.
- wenbert 17y ago
  Agree. Even by jogging for about 30 minutes to an hour a few days a week solved my lower back pains.
- JamieEi 17y ago
  Also stretch your hamstrings. Works wonder for me.
kbob 17y ago
Aeron. My wife and I have both spent our own money on Aerons, and if we lost them, we'd get Aerons again. They also last forever. My older Herman Miller chair from 1993 is still in good condition too, in spite of having logged something like 40,000 butt-hours. BTW, Aerons come in three sizes, so get the right size for your people. At 6'2" and 240 lb. (187 cm, 110 kg) I need the large size. My wife is on the cusp between small and medium.
- xinsight 17y ago
  I wouldn't say they last forever. My aeron is about 15 years old, and it's starting to get some wobble in the main stem. (There might be a bearing that i can replace, but I haven't looked into it.) Also I never did understand the +/- dial on the side. It increases the stiffness of the chair, but I have to crank it about 5-8 times every few days. It feels like the mechanics are wearing out. (And my back is bugging me more recently, but that may just be me getting old.)
karzeem 17y ago
When you have a seat in the Aeron, you won't think, "Wow, this is incredibly comfortable." It's fine, definitely comfortable, but not mindblowing. Where it earns its price is after you've been sitting for, say, six hours and realize that you're still comfortable. In most chairs, you'll get sweaty and crampy long before that. The mesh in the Aeron is important, by the way. I find the limiting factor for chair comfort is usually sweatiness/stuffiness.
itistoday 17y ago
I honestly don't know why people rave about the Aeron. I went to a store and sat in a few and wasn't impressed, maybe it's because I'm skinnier than most people, may (as some suggested) you need to sit in them for a long time to appreciate them. What I do know is that for a period of time I was on a mad chair hunt. I went from store to store trying to find that perfect million dollar chair that would stop my legs and feet from hurting due to lack of circulation because of how long I'd sit for. In the end, after sitting in Aeron after Aeron and others, I gave up, realized every one of them was a waste of money. The solution was cheap and simple: 1) I kept my cheapo $70 chair from Office Max 2) I put a $90 cushion on it (one of those you can carry with you and put in your car). 3) I put a wooden tangerine crate inside of a cardboard box, taped it up, and used it as a foot support to elevate my legs, thus relieving pressure on them from the chair's cushion. That's it. I was able to code much longer now without taking breaks, for a fraction of the price. Then again, if you're buying for other people, this sort of setup might cause them to roll their eyes, this is mainly just advice for people looking to buy chairs for themselves. Of course, don't forget to take periodic breaks and exercise. No matter how expensive or ingeniously setup your chair is, unless it's levitating you in the air with force perfectly distributed on every square inch of your body, you'll need to take breaks to allow your blood to circulate properly.
- joevandyk 17y ago
  You sure you sat on the right size of Aeron? Sitting on one that isn't the right size can be uncomfortable.
- jon_dahl 17y ago
  I honestly don't know why people rave about the Aeron. I went to a store and sat in a few and wasn't impressed I hear that from people from time to time. I'm sure it's body-specific - the Aeron probably works really well for some people and not for others. I tried out a few chairs before settling on an Aeron, and it was my favorite of the bunch. Two years later, I still absolutely love it. Best of all, I've now purchased 4 Aeron chairs (for myself and for my employees), and I've found all four in the $300-$500 range on Craigslist.
hakan 17y ago
I have an Aeron at work and I love it. It's absolutely worth the cost over time. There's no 'wow' factor when you first sit, but you'll still feel comfortable in it after many hours, which is not the case with most chairs. I also have had some lower back issues recently and sitting in the chair actually makes me feel much better. At home, I have a Steelcase Think plus lumbar support. I wanted something a bit less expensive and nicer looking for my bedroom. It's also great - I don't spend as many hours on it as I do on the Aeron and it's done a wonderful job so far - no back pain at all. Before that, I used a $10 Ikea chair for two years, and I felt serious back pain after a few months. It's absolutely worth it to invest in a quality chair. Even though the price tag is depressing, make the purchase once. Your chair / back pain will become a solved problem for at least a decade.
- trafficlight 17y ago
  I have an Aeron and I just don't like it. I don't think it's comfortable at all. I've adjusted pretty much everything on that chair and nothing works for me.
jgeewax 17y ago
Recently got an Aeron for about $600. http://www.madisonseating.com/aeron-highly-adjustable-by-herman-miller.html http://www.madisonseating.com/aeron-highly-adjustable-by-her...
sfriedrich 17y ago
I've had one of these since 2002. It's a little over your budget but it is worth every penny (Get the gel seat-pan). I've survived shipping pushes that had 14-16 hr./day coding with this chair http://www.mcergo.com/humanscale-freedom-chair-with-headrest.html http://www.mcergo.com/humanscale-freedom-chair-with-headrest... http://www.humanscale.com/products/freedom_index.cfm http://www.humanscale.com/products/freedom_index.cfm
tptacek 17y ago
Eight hundred dollars per chair? That's a crazy high budget.
- TrevorBurnham 17y ago
  Not if the $800 chairs are substantially more comfortable. Keep in mind that the $800 chair will last several years, so the cost of giving a programmer such an expensive chair is miniscule relative to their salary. Joel Spolsky (a big fan of the Aeron) has written about this subject at length: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FieldGuidetoDevelopers.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FieldGuidetoDeveloper...
- mattew 17y ago
  We spend a lot of time sitting. I want myself and the people who work for me to be comfortable. $800 isn't much to spend on something you use all day, every day.
cosmicray 17y ago
Steelcase 454 Concentrix Old, make sure you get the one with steel 5-way legs & hard casters, and without arm rests (unless you really want them). These have not been made new for ~20 years, but you find them occasionally on craigslist, or stuffed way in the back of used office furniture warehouses. My first one lasted 15 years, I found two more last year ( @ $25/ea ).
zackola 17y ago
I like my Mirra at home better than the Aeron I have at work. I'd check them out. Also been meaning to try out some sort of balance ball part time.
apowell 17y ago
Go sit in everything before you make up your mind. You may have to drive to several office furniture stores to do this -- one store may not carry all the major brands. In the end, I purchased a Steelcase Leap, and I've been very pleased with it. Unlike cheaper chairs I've used, it doesn't leave me feeling fatigued after hours of use.
DanBlake 17y ago
Am I the only one that doesn't sit on a hard chair? :) I tried them out and I much prefer the "sofa chair" http://ioj.com/v/h6qxu http://ioj.com/v/h6qxu <- photo of my aging chair
wdewind 17y ago
humanscale = amazing. http://www.humanscale.com/products/liberty.cfm http://www.humanscale.com/products/liberty.cfm i have that one at work and it's definitely added to my productivity. it adjusts in everyway i could want and definitely beats aerons that ive tried. the back support is perfect.

13 points by mattew 17y ago

I am setting up new office space for my new company and want opinions on chairs for coding. Our budget is up to $800 per chair. Are the Aeron chairs worth it? I am

Hates_ 17y ago

I love my Aeron. Even more so when I was able to pick it up for a great price second hand. There seems to be a tremendous abundance of them available from second hand office furniture companies.

buss 17y ago

I got a used Steelcase Leap on craigslist and I am really happy with it.

akadien 17y ago

Not a joke, whatever chair you buy, budget $20 or $25 for a professional grade stability ball for "sitting breaks". It's good for posture, core, etc. and helps one to stretch out a bit. I thought it was weird until I tried it, and now I always keep one next to my desk.

mattm 17y ago

I recently purchased a chair for my home. I looked at Aeron chairs. They were nice but I didn't get the WOW factor I thought I would. I also realised that I would be paying for the 10+ years guarantee. Since I would be the only one using the chair, I thought it was not necessary for me. It makes sense for businesses though as they will be subject to more wear and tear from moving and different use plus don't need to worry about your chairs for the next decade at least. The best way to help coders keep their health is to encourage them to take a 5-10 minute stretch break every 45 minutes or so. You may also want to look into getting standing desks that can be easily adjusted so people can stand while they work if they so choose.

stcredzero 17y ago

Sitting on one of these right now: Bungie LoBack Office Chair: http://amzn.com/B0002XQJQ4 http://amzn.com/B0002XQJQ4 It may not be quite as good as an Aeron, but I had an Aeron chair for two years at a former job, and this holds its own, especially for $129. I've had it for something like 7 or 8 months, and both the chair and its comfort have held up well. I can sit in this thing all day. The cheap task chair it replaced, I would get tired of sitting in after 45 minutes. YMMV. I also supplement the lumbar support: http://amzn.com/B000AP0HY4 http://amzn.com/B000AP0HY4 The combination may not be stylish enough for some. I would recommend trying it to a student. (I do not sell chairs, nor am I affiliated with Amazon. I'm just a programmer who needs a comfortable chair.)

ruang 17y ago

I noticed my neck and back problems started going away when I went to the gym. No chair will make your neck and back muscles get stronger.

wenbert 17y ago
Agree. Even by jogging for about 30 minutes to an hour a few days a week solved my lower back pains.
JamieEi 17y ago
Also stretch your hamstrings. Works wonder for me.

kbob 17y ago

Aeron. My wife and I have both spent our own money on Aerons, and if we lost them, we'd get Aerons again. They also last forever. My older Herman Miller chair from 1993 is still in good condition too, in spite of having logged something like 40,000 butt-hours. BTW, Aerons come in three sizes, so get the right size for your people. At 6'2" and 240 lb. (187 cm, 110 kg) I need the large size. My wife is on the cusp between small and medium.

xinsight 17y ago
I wouldn't say they last forever. My aeron is about 15 years old, and it's starting to get some wobble in the main stem. (There might be a bearing that i can replace, but I haven't looked into it.) Also I never did understand the +/- dial on the side. It increases the stiffness of the chair, but I have to crank it about 5-8 times every few days. It feels like the mechanics are wearing out. (And my back is bugging me more recently, but that may just be me getting old.)

karzeem 17y ago

When you have a seat in the Aeron, you won't think, "Wow, this is incredibly comfortable." It's fine, definitely comfortable, but not mindblowing. Where it earns its price is after you've been sitting for, say, six hours and realize that you're still comfortable. In most chairs, you'll get sweaty and crampy long before that. The mesh in the Aeron is important, by the way. I find the limiting factor for chair comfort is usually sweatiness/stuffiness.

itistoday 17y ago

I honestly don't know why people rave about the Aeron. I went to a store and sat in a few and wasn't impressed, maybe it's because I'm skinnier than most people, may (as some suggested) you need to sit in them for a long time to appreciate them. What I do know is that for a period of time I was on a mad chair hunt. I went from store to store trying to find that perfect million dollar chair that would stop my legs and feet from hurting due to lack of circulation because of how long I'd sit for. In the end, after sitting in Aeron after Aeron and others, I gave up, realized every one of them was a waste of money. The solution was cheap and simple: 1) I kept my cheapo $70 chair from Office Max 2) I put a $90 cushion on it (one of those you can carry with you and put in your car). 3) I put a wooden tangerine crate inside of a cardboard box, taped it up, and used it as a foot support to elevate my legs, thus relieving pressure on them from the chair's cushion. That's it. I was able to code much longer now without taking breaks, for a fraction of the price. Then again, if you're buying for other people, this sort of setup might cause them to roll their eyes, this is mainly just advice for people looking to buy chairs for themselves. Of course, don't forget to take periodic breaks and exercise. No matter how expensive or ingeniously setup your chair is, unless it's levitating you in the air with force perfectly distributed on every square inch of your body, you'll need to take breaks to allow your blood to circulate properly.

joevandyk 17y ago
You sure you sat on the right size of Aeron? Sitting on one that isn't the right size can be uncomfortable.
jon_dahl 17y ago
I honestly don't know why people rave about the Aeron. I went to a store and sat in a few and wasn't impressed I hear that from people from time to time. I'm sure it's body-specific - the Aeron probably works really well for some people and not for others. I tried out a few chairs before settling on an Aeron, and it was my favorite of the bunch. Two years later, I still absolutely love it. Best of all, I've now purchased 4 Aeron chairs (for myself and for my employees), and I've found all four in the $300-$500 range on Craigslist.

hakan 17y ago

I have an Aeron at work and I love it. It's absolutely worth the cost over time. There's no 'wow' factor when you first sit, but you'll still feel comfortable in it after many hours, which is not the case with most chairs. I also have had some lower back issues recently and sitting in the chair actually makes me feel much better. At home, I have a Steelcase Think plus lumbar support. I wanted something a bit less expensive and nicer looking for my bedroom. It's also great - I don't spend as many hours on it as I do on the Aeron and it's done a wonderful job so far - no back pain at all. Before that, I used a $10 Ikea chair for two years, and I felt serious back pain after a few months. It's absolutely worth it to invest in a quality chair. Even though the price tag is depressing, make the purchase once. Your chair / back pain will become a solved problem for at least a decade.

trafficlight 17y ago
I have an Aeron and I just don't like it. I don't think it's comfortable at all. I've adjusted pretty much everything on that chair and nothing works for me.

jgeewax 17y ago

Recently got an Aeron for about $600. http://www.madisonseating.com/aeron-highly-adjustable-by-herman-miller.html http://www.madisonseating.com/aeron-highly-adjustable-by-her...

sfriedrich 17y ago

I've had one of these since 2002. It's a little over your budget but it is worth every penny (Get the gel seat-pan). I've survived shipping pushes that had 14-16 hr./day coding with this chair http://www.mcergo.com/humanscale-freedom-chair-with-headrest.html http://www.mcergo.com/humanscale-freedom-chair-with-headrest... http://www.humanscale.com/products/freedom_index.cfm http://www.humanscale.com/products/freedom_index.cfm

tptacek 17y ago

Eight hundred dollars per chair? That's a crazy high budget.

TrevorBurnham 17y ago
Not if the $800 chairs are substantially more comfortable. Keep in mind that the $800 chair will last several years, so the cost of giving a programmer such an expensive chair is miniscule relative to their salary. Joel Spolsky (a big fan of the Aeron) has written about this subject at length: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FieldGuidetoDevelopers.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FieldGuidetoDeveloper...
mattew 17y ago
We spend a lot of time sitting. I want myself and the people who work for me to be comfortable. $800 isn't much to spend on something you use all day, every day.

cosmicray 17y ago

Steelcase 454 Concentrix Old, make sure you get the one with steel 5-way legs & hard casters, and without arm rests (unless you really want them). These have not been made new for ~20 years, but you find them occasionally on craigslist, or stuffed way in the back of used office furniture warehouses. My first one lasted 15 years, I found two more last year ( @ $25/ea ).

zackola 17y ago

I like my Mirra at home better than the Aeron I have at work. I'd check them out. Also been meaning to try out some sort of balance ball part time.

apowell 17y ago

Go sit in everything before you make up your mind. You may have to drive to several office furniture stores to do this -- one store may not carry all the major brands. In the end, I purchased a Steelcase Leap, and I've been very pleased with it. Unlike cheaper chairs I've used, it doesn't leave me feeling fatigued after hours of use.

DanBlake 17y ago

Am I the only one that doesn't sit on a hard chair? :) I tried them out and I much prefer the "sofa chair" http://ioj.com/v/h6qxu http://ioj.com/v/h6qxu <- photo of my aging chair

wdewind 17y ago

humanscale = amazing. http://www.humanscale.com/products/liberty.cfm http://www.humanscale.com/products/liberty.cfm i have that one at work and it's definitely added to my productivity. it adjusts in everyway i could want and definitely beats aerons that ive tried. the back support is perfect.