Anyone own an Aeron chair? Are refurbished Aeron chairs worth it?

[Brian Elfert]

How many here own an Aeron office chair? Did you buy it new, used, or refurbished? I hear enough horror stories about worn out used Aeron chairs that I don't know that I want to go used. It seems like some of the companies that refurbish the chairs do a very good job, and others barely do anything to their refurbished chairs. One has Youtube videos showing how they refurbish the chairs and exactly what parts they replace on every chair. They also explain how some of the older chairs are different than newer Aeron chairs. The changes on the new chairs make them better, not cheapen the product.

I don't know if it is worth the nearly $1500 (with tax) for a new Aeron chair with all the options. Eliminating some of the extra options would reduce the cost, but I might want the extra options.

[roger wiegand]

I've bought a couple new ones on closeout from Madison Seating for under $500. If they are fakes they are indistinguishable from the ones we've paid the big bucks for at various companies I've worked for. It's a very comfortable, supremely adjustable desk chair.

With the current work from home trend I'd think the used office supply places would be overflowing with them.

[Dave Fitzgerald]

I got a one 4 or 5 years ago for about a third of that from an online retailer called Madison Seating. No problems with the order, and the chair looked essentially new when it got here. I think the bells and whistles are worth spending for - adjustability is one of the Aeron's selling points, and the back support really improves the chair. Certainly not the only comfortable chair out there, but it is comfortable.

[Brian Elfert]

Madison Seating is the last place I would buy an Aeron chair from. I'm happy you two got good service from Madison Seating, but I will not use them. They have pages of complaints at the Better Business Bureau, and many other bad reviews online.

BTOD literally takes their refurbished Aeron chairs completely apart and cleans everything. They also replace the cylinder and other common wear items. The cost is more, but it seems to be a better product in the end.

[mike stenson]

I've had one for about 20 years. A good chunk of that time it's been used daily for work. I bought mine used, but I've replaced a seat, and the cylinder in that time. It's ended up being cheaper than buying cheaper chairs.

[Brian Elfert]

My current office chair was a good quality chair twenty years ago when I bought it, but it isn't as nice when you sit in it eight to ten hours a day for remote working instead of an hour or two per day. It is starting to get wobbly. I would like a chair with mesh for the warmer parts of the year.

[mike stenson]

Yeah, the aeron is comfortable for an entire work day. I bought mine because I had one in the office before I started working remotely.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Brian, not sure if you're already decided on an Aeron or not (if you are, the only advice I have is to watch craigslist or such, as I've bought some Aerons that way for very cheap). But if you're still deciding, consider trying out some different options (Aeron, Sayl, Mirra 2) - I had an Aeron but replaced it with a Mirra2, then a Sayl. We have both Aerons and Sayls and others at our office, and while the Aeron is fine for a meeting room, it feels awfully spongy and uncomfortable to me for long periods of sitting.

Design Within Reach at the Galleria in Edina has all these models on the showroom floor for you to try.

[Brian Elfert]

My employer has used Humanscale Diffrient World chairs since March 2015. I find them quite comfortable. They are $1,100 so I was looking at the Aeron in the same price range. They have two major flaws. First, at least 20% of them had failed lift cylinders by the time COVID hit in March 2020. They wouldn't stay where you set them and would sink a couple of inches when you sat down. Second, the machine screws holding the arms on back out. If not discovered in time the casting can break. Once the screw backs out once it will keep backing out and need constant vigilance. Our maintenance guy tried Loctite on my chair and it still backed out again within months.

[Andrew More]

They have two major flaws.

The Aeron or the Humanscale chairs have major flaws?

[Brian Elfert]

The Aeron or the Humanscale chairs have major flaws?

Humanscale. That is why I am looking at Aeron even though the Humanscale are comfortable. The price is also similar.

[George Yetka]

I have a couple in my office. They are comfortable and have held up really well. The downfall was the armrests, they only lasted a year or so before the leather wore off. I replaced with aftermarket vinyl covered ones that look good and have held up very well. I paid 500 a piece on ebay

[Derek Meyer]

I have an Aeron at work, purchased about a year ago directly from Herman Miller. It's been the best chair I've ever had the pleasure of using - very comfortable and durable. I liked it so much that I splurged and bought an Embody chair for home. I haven't decided whether I like the Embody or the Aeron better, but I'm leaning towards the Aeron. But the embody has been great too.

I decided to get the Embody for home after going through about 5 chairs in the span of 6 years. They would all break in some way, either the armrests, or gas cylinder, or the tilt mechanism. I realized I had spent more than $1000 on chairs in that time, so I just bit the bullet and got the Embody. It's warrantied for something like 12 years, and parts are available forever (it seems), so I thought it was a good investment.

Derek