Desk Chairs. Bang for buck

[MrexD]

So I'm in need of a new Desk Chair. Currently using a cheap "Executive Desk Chair" that I bought in ASDA and it is slightly worn, to say the least.

What chairs do you guys use?
Hoping to compile a list of best bang for buck in each price range

Ideas? Both UK and US for comparison

[smknjoe]

Not cheap, but certainly not the most expensive. I would definitely recommend going to a store to try before you buy (any chair) if possible.
http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/performance-work-chairs/aeron-chairs.html
One of the most adjustable and comfortable chairs I've ever used. Add up the cost of a few crappy chairs from Office Depot and the price is comparable.

[CPTBadAss]

There's an ergonomic task chair discussion in ergonomics I believe. I think that's a great place to start looking at chairs.

I currently sit in Steelcase chairs at home and work. Steelcase Leap or Amia at work (Still not sure but I'm thinking Leap) and Steelcase Criterion at home. It doesn't look like anything special but it's still SO comfortable after a long day at work.

I've tried a Herman Miller Embody which was incredible but the price tag was a bit too much for me. To put it in perspective, I bought my Criterion for $220 refurbished at a office furniture supply company. The Embody was like $1200.

And I think work also has some Haworth chairs which are very hit and miss. One chair I sat in had terrible back support, another had great back support. But I'm not sure on the model names.

[smknjoe]

The Steelcase Leap is very nice too. How much do they run now? I haven't priced them in a while. The Herman Miller Aeron runs around $700-$800.

[CPTBadAss]

I've seen a V1 Leap for around $400-500 but that was a clearance sale at the store I got my chair at.

[microsoft windows]

I just drive by the road and look at the chairs that businesses throw into their dumpsters. They can have some good stuff in there sometimes.

[mashby]

Best bang for your buck is the Ikea MARKUS at $200, but The Wirecutter thinks the Steelcase Leap is the best office chair.

[vun]

Best bang for your buck is the Ikea MARKUS at $200, but The Wirecutter thinks the Steelcase Leap is the best office chair.

I have the Markus, and it's pretty good. Mine's starting to fall apart now, though, so I'm thinking of replacing it. Still not decided if I want tall or short back though.

[metalliqaz]

Let me come out in full support of used office furniture supply stores.  Commercial/Industrial quality office furniture is very expensive but I have found some amazing things at these places for super cheaps.  Even cheaper than the Ikea-type stuff and much more sturdy.  You can usually find things in like-new condition as well.  You just have to be willing to look around a bit.

[CPTBadAss]

I totally agree with metalliqaz. I got my Steelcase for SO cheap and my back thanks me.

[Parak]

YMMV, but craigslist sometimes has some amazing chair deals. I got a brand new allseating therapod high back with various options for $160 as an example. Chair that are more popular and in demand, like aeron and such will cost more of course.

[uzoc]

Bang for my buck, goes to the: Staples McKee™ Luxura™ it's on sale again $89 (free shipping):
http://www.staples.com/Staples-McKee-Luxura-Managers-Chair-Black/product_102394
Kudos for the lumbar support, leather feel of the material, and it looks like it will last for at least 5 years (have mines for about 6 months).

[eth0s]

I've sat in office chairs for 20 years, and I have the lower back inter-vertebral disk pain to prove it.  IMO, this is the best office that I've found:  Herman Miller Aeron.  Why is it the best?  It's cool, comfortable, fully adjustable, and comes with optional lumbar support.  But it costs $679 (USD) for base model, plus options cost more.

http://store.hermanmiller.com/store/servlet/dynamicKit__10151_-1_10051_55?utm_source=Google-Product-Search&utm_medium=CSE&utm_term=Aeron_Chair&utm_campaign=Official_Online_Store&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CN3_r4rn6bkCFdSd4AoduRAAkw

But I found this Office Depot imitation "Aeron" for only $329 (USD).  I dunno how the quality matches up with the Herman Miller, but it might be worth a try for half the price.

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/510830/Realspace-PRO-Quantum-9000-Series-Mesh/?cm_cat=

Mesh chair is better than leather chair, if you are going to sit for more than 45 minutes at a time.  Leather gets hot.  Cloth is also inferior to mesh. 

[smknjoe]

I was curious about the price of the Herman-Miller Aeron and Steelcase Leap since I haven't priced them recently. The base price for the Aeron is $629 and the base price for the Leap is $769. Both are great chairs. I like the Aeron a little better though. Herman-Miller offers a full 12 year warranty and Steelcase offers a 10 year warranty. If you can find either one used or open box then great.

I have had a few chairs from Office Depot or Staples that were up to $200 and they were fine at first, but after 1.5 to 2.5 years they are totally worn out (the cushioning) and it's like sitting on a plank of wood. 

[vun]

I was curious about the price of the Herman-Miller Aeron and Steelcase Leap since I haven't priced them recently. The base price for the Aeron is $629 and the base price for the Leap is $769. Both are great chairs. I like the Aeron a little better though. Herman-Miller offers a full 12 year warranty and Steelcase offers a 10 year warranty. If you can find either one used or open box then great.

I have had a few chairs from Office Depot or Staples that were up to $200 and they were fine at first, but after 1.5 to 2.5 years they are totally worn out (the cushioning) and it's like sitting on a plank of wood. 

If I could get a HM chair for $630 I would do it in a heartbeat. Like I mentioned earlier in the thread I'm looking to replace my Markus, and I had a look at how feasible either the Aeron or Leap would be. Turns out they are nearly impossible to get here in Norway, and the price for a new Aeron seems to be around $2500 if you can actually find one.

[Hypersphere]

I have had the Pollock Chair in my home office for many years and it is still going strong. The initial price might seem high, but these things are like the IBM Model M of desk chairs; they could easily last 25 years or more. In addition, this chair is the most comfortable one I have ever tried. For example, my current desk chair at work is a Steelcase Leap, but my Pollock Chair is much more comfortable.

http://www.knoll.com/product/pollock-executive-chair

[ComradeSniper]

My local Costco had SPACE Seating "Executive Mesh Task Chairs" in stock so I picked one up. It was only $190 so I wasn't expecting a lot, but it's a huge improvement over the super cheap chair I had before and I'm quite pleased for the price.

I don't think this is the exact chair but it looks identical.
http://www.staples.com/Office-Star-Space-Seating-Mesh-Mid-Back-Executive-Chair-Black/product_199923

I'd love to get a Herman Miller some day, but for now their chairs are far out of my price range. I know it's probably worth it in the long run but I can't stomach $600+ for a chair.

[Danule]

Teknion amicus. If you can get one used at a cheap price they are amazing.

[Danule]

Ive tried herman millers at my old work. Did not like those. The hard plastic around the mesh is very uncomfortable.

[SNF]

Chairs so damn expensive  )

[TacticalCoder]

Mesh chair is better than leather chair, if you are going to sit for more than 45 minutes at a time.  Leather gets hot.  Cloth is also inferior to mesh.

This exactly. Aeron here since many years: I like things designed to last (cars, watches, keyboards, printers, chairs, furnitures) and the Aeron is definitely something designed to last very long.I've tried other Herman Miller chairs but even though more recent ones have more configurable back support I still prefer the "full pellicle mesh" of the Aeron. No leather and no "cloth" chairs for me but YMMV

[demik]

Sat in ming's aeron yesterday and wow I need one. But dat price.

[noisyturtle]

+1 for the Ikea Markus. Good buy for that price range, only complaint is that I wish the seat cushioning was a bit thicker.

Between Aeon/Herman Miller, and Human Scale the latter is flat out the most comfortable to me. The Human Scale Freedom, if I ever had the money.