Before it was Herman Miller, it was Michigan Star Furniture Company and D.J. De Pree had been working there for 4 years as a clerk, after its opening in 1905. In an effort to aid his son-in-law to buy the company, West Michigan businessman, Herman Miller bought Michigan Star Furniture Company in 1923. Subsequently, the company was renamed Herman Miller and within due time the Herman Miller brand name became synonymous with modern furniture as the company grew and employed well known designers such as: George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames; under who the company would produce pieces that would become some of the world's most iconic and well known designs. Since the company's re-branding, collaborations with designers like Isamu Noguchi, Alexander Girard, Robert Propst, Bill Stumpf, Don Chadwick, Ayse Birsel, Studio 7.5, Yves Behar, Doug Ball, and etc have aided with the company's growth; turning Herman Miller into one of the most influential brands in today's design market. Herman Miller furniture is well recognized around the world for elevating the design of any commercial or residential setting.
As a leading brand that boasts modern and mid-century modern designs, Herman Miller has effectively put itself on the map as a key and notable brand that continues to stay at the forefront of producing great designs that will not only maintain relevance but quality as well. From pioneering ergonomic office furniture to stewarding environmental leadership in business strategy and manufacturing processes, Herman Miller's commitment to quality and the world around us continues to be a factor in driving their design solutions for the modern home and workspace. And with proven, all-around reputable pieces, it is without a doubt that any authentic Herman Miller furniture will guarantees lasting excellence throughout the decades to come. See more from Herman MillerMost of us spend hours each day sitting in our office chairs, either working or playing in front of a computer. We've discussed how important it is to spend your money where you spend your time, so we asked you which office chairs were the best of breed, both for price and for health-saving, comfort-packing features.
You responded, we took at look at the five best office chairs, and put them to an all out vote. Now we're back to highlight the winner. The iconic Herman Miller Aeron chair took the top spot and brought home close to 42% of the overall vote. Its high retail price didn't deter many of you from praising its incredible comfort and customization options, and since it's been in circulation for so long, many of you also noted that Aeron chairs are out there are rock bottom prices from discount office supply stores, closing offices, or from people looking to sell their used ones. Hot on the Aeron's heels in second place is the affordable-but-comfy IKEA Markus, which brought in close to 28% of the votes cast. In third place was Herman Miller's next generation ergonomic office chair, the Herman Miller Embody, with close to 14% of the vote. In fourth with close to 10% was the Steelcase Leap, and bringing up the rear in fifth was the Raynor Ergohuman with just under 7% of the vote.The Hive Five is based on reader nominations.
As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it—it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? !Photo by Zach Copley.I do a lot of sitting.I sit in my home office for eight to nine hours every day doing TR-related work. Once I'm done, I go on sitting there doing other things—working on personal projects, playing Trackmania, wasting my time on Reddit, and so forth. I take breaks, of course. Every now and then, I'll walk to the kitchen, open the fridge door, decide that I'm not hungry, and walk back to my desk. If it's not raining, I'll go outside for a walk. Even if it is raining, I may venture out into the city to run errands. But, yeah, I mostly sit. That's why, nearly six years ago, I paid an almost outrageous sum of money for a fancy ergonomic chair.
The Herman Miller Mirra served me well. It encouraged me to sit properly, and even when I slouched, it was far more comfortable and supportive than the cheap office chairs I'd sat in before. I could get the lumbar support and seat depth just so, and I could make the chair lean forward when I needed. And, heck, the thing looked plain cool, like something out of Star Trek. Well, at least at first. A couple of years ago, I started noticing some tingling in my right pinky and ring fingers. I blamed my mouse initially, and when changing mice didn't help, I fiddled with the armrests and tried to use my left hand to mouse for a while. Some of those things helped. I got better, then worse, then better, then worse again. Finally, last winter, I got some x-rays done and went to see a physiotherapist. I was told that my upper back and neck were the problem. In short, it was a posture issue. I started going to the gym, doing stretches, and watching my posture more closely. But it wasn't just me showing signs of wear.
Over the years, the curve of the Mirra's back had flattened somewhat, and the lumbar support had lost much of its rigidity. The other day, I tried sitting in my girlfriend's cheap Ikea chair for a few days. The tingling in my fingers got better. In the end, I decided to call my local Herman Miller distributor and get the Mirra serviced—then to sell it and buy another, better chair. I settled on the Steelcase Leap. The Leap is a favorite among many, and some, like the folks at TheWireCutter, recommend it over the venerable Aeron as well as Herman Miller's new flagship, the Embody. The Wall Street Journal called the original version of the Leap "Best Overall" in 2005. I ordered the V2 model, which has softer arm rests, a taller back, and other design tweaks. It set me back $755 before tax, which is a lot, but not that much for something in which I spend most of my waking hours. On October 4, the Leap showed up at my door. Here's what I typed in our staff IRC channel immediately after sitting in it and making the requisite adjustments:
The Leap looks pretty unimpressive next to its Herman Miller counterparts. It has padded cushions instead of fancy mesh materials, and there's a lot of plastic covering things up. Steelcase has put an adjustment guide under each arm rest, too, and it has labeled the adjustment knobs with both printed text and Braille. Looking at this thing, you get the sense the Leap was designed to populate boring offices filled with normal people—not European design studios rife with iMacs and glass-top desks. If Herman Miller can be accused of favoring form over function, Steelcase is the polar opposite. Yet, as boring as it looks, the Leap is just as adjustable as the Mirra—and, more importantly for my needs, its back has a much more pronounced curve with some much-needed padding. Adjusted properly, the Leap almost punishes me for not sitting up straight. Even brand new, the Mirra only ever encouraged good posture, and it never insisted too terribly much. The Leap made my back better instantly, but it took me over a week to get really used to the thing.
See, the Mirra has a flexible mesh seat, kind of like a hammock, that molds itself to the shape of your butt. The sides and front of the chair are rock-hard, but the part where your butt hangs is very soft. The Leap is the other way around. The front edge never cuts off circulation to your legs, and the sides are soft, but the part where your butt goes is quite firm. There's a couple inches of padding and a hard surface underneath, and that's it. This is a deliberate design choice on Steelcase's part. Here's what the company says about it: Does a thicker seat cushion mean a chair is more comfortable? Not necessarily, some chairs have thicker foam that may feel softer initially, but will lead to user discomfort after an hour or two of sustained sitting since thicker foam typically provides little ergonomic support. This is not good for the life of the chair or the long-term comfort of the user. In essence, foam that feels great initially does not always translate into long-term seated comfort.
Steelcase also badmouths mesh seat designs like the Mirra's. It claims they restrict user movement and cause discomfort when your body touches the hard frame supporting the mesh. "Moreover," it adds, "the side forces that are felt when you push down on mesh will have a tendency to 'squeeze' you into the chair, resulting in uneven pressure distribution." I don't know about that; the Mirra's seat was pretty comfortable. The Leap, on the other hand, is literally a pain in the butt unless it's adjusted just so. Seriously, it's very unforgiving. However, now that I've found the correct seat depth, lumbar height, and back tension to accommodate my flabby body, the butt soreness has given way to a feeling of firm support. The firmness keeps me alert and aware of my posture—and every now and then, it encourages me to change position or to get up and walk around, which is what you're supposed to do. The back isn't cold and hard like the Mirra's, but it's just as punishing as the seat if you slouch.