Steel case
An ergonomic chair offers many health benefits. For example, a good office chair can prevent abnormal stress on the neuromuscular system, according to a 2012 research paper published by the National Institute of Health. Better posture support, less back and neck pain and improved circulation are some of the benefits as the chair helps keep the spine, neck and hips aligned. Chairs with a headrest also provide back and shoulder support, according to Open Access Government.
If you’re looking for an office chair and don’t want to spend a lot of money on bigger brands like Herman Miller, there are plenty of affordable options on the market today. We’ve put together some of the best deals on designer office chair dupes before deciding to make a bigger investment. While these models don’t necessarily have all the research and development required by more premium brands, such as Steelcase, our latest Dealmaster deals provide a great entry point into new ergonomic chairs.
Herman Miller Aeron dupes
Herman Miller
The Herman Miller Aeron chair has long been a favorite among our editors and office workers for its comfortable design. No one wants a sweaty back after a long day at work, and the Aeron’s use of mesh construction for the backrest and seat helps prevent heat from being trapped during prolonged sitting.
“[The Aeron] helped to accelerate the adoption of expensive office chairs in both the home and office, and it became known both as a great chair and as the office fashion accessory de rigueur in the Dot Com Bubble days,” our editors noted in our Chairs Technica roundup.
The mesh is also very comfortable to sit in and cocoons your body like a strong hammock. The downside is that the Aeron can get very expensive since it’s designed for businesses with big budgets, but our editors found great value and benefits in the adjustable armrests, lumbar support, and stellar warranty should the mesh wear out.
Fortunately, there’s a nice dupe if you want to test Herman Miller’s styling without the high price. Gabrylly’s ergonomic chair uses a similar mesh design to Herman Miller’s Aeron, and it adds a headrest for added comfort and neck and shoulder support. The chair is advertised as supporting your head, back, hips and hands, and it comes with adjustable seat height, headrest, backrest and folding armrest.
- Gabrylly Mesh Office Chair for $216 (was $330) at Amazon
For today’s deal, the Aeron dupe is available at a 35 percent discount off the regular retail price, bringing it down to $216 — 12 percent of the cost of the Aeron.
- Flexispot OC3B office chair for $180 with a $10 coupon (was $190) at Amazon
Another chair with a breathable mesh construction for both the backrest and the seat is the OC3B from Flexispot. The Flexispot office chair also has an adjustable headrest and numerous seat adjustments for comfort.
More affordable alternatives to Steelcase Gesture design
Steel case
Steelcase’s Gesture chair is another favorite among fans of sleek office furniture design, and the company’s office chair comes with an excellent backrest and plenty of adjustments. In our take on the Gesture, we appreciated all of the detailed adjustments and the chair’s simple design. “You can change the tension of the backrest from almost immobile to reclining freely, and everything in between, further enhancing this chair’s broad appeal,” our editors said of the chair. “There are four lockable positions within this range, as you’ll get on most other chairs, but the tension adjustments allow for perfect flexibility in between.”
- Steelcase Gesture for $1,107 to $2,456 at Steelcase
Like the Herman Miller chairs, the Steelcase Gesture costs a pretty penny, and the Gesture retails for over $2,400 in full configuration.
- Vari executive office chair for $495 with 10% coupon (was $550) at Amazon
- HON Ignition 2.0 Office Chair for $391 at Amazon
If you admire the sleek design of the Gesture, Vari’s office chair and HON’s Ignition 2.0 office chair are good alternatives at a fraction of the price.
While Vari’s chair doesn’t have all of the same detailed adjustments as its more premium counterpart, the office chair offers plenty of armrest adjustments, with height, angle, and forward and back positions, as well as pneumatic seat height adjustment, adjustable back tension control, tilt and lock, and adjusting the seat depth.
Herman Miller epitomizes not-quite-duped
Left: Herman Miller Aeron. Right: Herman Miller incarnation.
The Embody is one of Herman Miller’s more recent releases in its office chair catalog, featuring the company’s Pixelated Support system to adapt to your movements and numerous seat and armrest adjustments. Herman Miller claims that the Embody was designed with input from 30 doctors and scientists in the fields of biomechanics, vision, physical therapy and ergonomics. In addition to the ergonomic comfort, Herman Miller states that the Embody will help increase blood circulation and lower your heart rate.
Herman Miller, in collaboration with Logitech, has also created a gaming version of the Embody that is identical to the office version, but comes with a fabric build and some tweaks to the back padding. In our review of the Embody gaming chair, we found that the narrow backrest “gave the feeling that the Embody is designed to keep you moving forward and upright while you sit” and “might be the right choice for an office chair that gets spent hours every day used”. The armrest design further made the chair difficult to use when leaning back to game with a controller.
- Herman Miller Embody Office Chair for $1,990 at Herman Miller
- Herman Miller x Logitech G Embody gaming chair for $1,695 at Herman Miller
And while we didn’t test the company’s medical claims about the Embody, we just loved the sleek design and comfort of the Pixelated Support on the back of the chair’s back. You probably won’t find all of the promoted design and health benefits, but if you want to emulate the Embody’s aesthetic, there are some alternatives. While not a replacement for the original, these provide comfort and support at more affordable prices.
- Sytas ergonomic office chair with mesh back for $180 with a $20 coupon (was $250) at Amazon
- Kerdom ergonomic office chair for $130 with a $20 coupon (was $150) at Amazon
- Ticova office chair with lumbar support for $140 with a $50 coupon (was $300) at Amazon
None of the three chairs listed above come with Herman Miller’s Pixelated Support, but if you’re looking for extra back support, the Ticova comes closest with its lumbar support.
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