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Comfy office chair

Office chairs seem to come in two types; cheap & shitty, or $1,000 ergonomic torture devices. Can anyone recommend a plain, comfy office chair? Nothing fancy, nothing stylish. Just a comfortable seat (padded not mesh) and an adjustable back. Doesn't have to be cheap but preferably not $TEXAS.

Posts

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    How many hours a day do you plan on spending in it?

  • ArtereisArtereis Registered User regular
    You should look to see if you have something like a Healthy Back Store in your area. Sometimes they have an outlet where they sell old floor models and refurbs. I got my Herman Miller Mirra there for $400.

  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    schuss wrote: »
    How many hours a day do you plan on spending in it?

    I work from home and I play a lot of PC games. So, a lot.
    Artereis wrote: »
    You should look to see if you have something like a Healthy Back Store in your area. Sometimes they have an outlet where they sell old floor models and refurbs. I got my Herman Miller Mirra there for $400.

    All the high end chairs look like that. But I find ergonomic chairs very uncomfortable. I want a comfortable chair with a cushy seat. No mesh.

  • illigillig Registered User regular
    the expensive chairs tend to be worth it... it's like a mattress or shoes... buy a good one b/c you spend a significant part of the day using it

    personally, i swear by Herman Miller Aeron chairs - you can get them used for $2-300 and they're built with replaceable parts, so they'll last a long time (i.e. a broken wheel does not mean you get rid of the chair)

  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    +1 For the Herman Miller.

    Embody chair is the tits for long work days.

  • ArtereisArtereis Registered User regular
    edited December 2014
    If you want one with a nice padded seat, you could look at the Steelcase Leap. We got one for my wife and it's pretty great. Personally, I prefer mesh because if I'm spending hours at a time in a chair I find the mesh keeps me cooler.

    Artereis on
  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    Artereis wrote: »
    If you want one with a nice padded seat, you could look at the Steelcase Leap. We got one for my wife and it's pretty great. Personally, I prefer mesh because if I'm spending hours at a time in a chair I find the mesh keeps me cooler.

    After trying the Leap I (and many others) had pain in my ass and lower back after sitting in it for an extended period of time, its a good chair no doubt but be aware of that in the event you need to return it.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    My girlfriend has one of these in grey cloth and it is very comfortable. Solidly built, too.

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Yeah, if you work from home and game, you want a herman miller, steelcase or knoll. Really all there is to it. You can deduct it on your taxes and it will be worth the money.

  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    Hmm, I went for a cheaper one with a cushy seat because all the expensive ones looked like insane torture devices. Maybe not ergonomically perfect, but got to be better than the kitchen chair I'm using right now.

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Hmm, I went for a cheaper one with a cushy seat because all the expensive ones looked like insane torture devices. Maybe not ergonomically perfect, but got to be better than the kitchen chair I'm using right now.

    Proper office chairs are incredibly comfortable in general. Ergonomic is incompatible with "torture device". I cannot imagine life without my Aeron's now (bought one for home too). They keep my back in the right spot, they're comfortable and the venting means my back doesn't sweat. Life is good.

    If you don't want/like venting, there are plenty of non venting chairs. The real torture devices are when you have look-alikes to the real thing that don't incorporate high quality materials and design. For example, the Aeron can adjust 7 different ways (up/down, tilt, seatpan forward/back, resistance of tilt, armrests, and some other stuff I don't use) so you can get to the right spot. There are also 3 different sizes for different body sizes.

  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    schuss wrote: »
    Hmm, I went for a cheaper one with a cushy seat because all the expensive ones looked like insane torture devices. Maybe not ergonomically perfect, but got to be better than the kitchen chair I'm using right now.

    Proper office chairs are incredibly comfortable in general. Ergonomic is incompatible with "torture device". I cannot imagine life without my Aeron's now (bought one for home too). They keep my back in the right spot, they're comfortable and the venting means my back doesn't sweat. Life is good.

    If you don't want/like venting, there are plenty of non venting chairs. The real torture devices are when you have look-alikes to the real thing that don't incorporate high quality materials and design. For example, the Aeron can adjust 7 different ways (up/down, tilt, seatpan forward/back, resistance of tilt, armrests, and some other stuff I don't use) so you can get to the right spot. There are also 3 different sizes for different body sizes.

    I wouldn't say "Incredibly comfortable" out of the box, because they force you into correct posture and if you have shit posture to begin with it might hurt for a bit.

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    iRevert wrote: »
    schuss wrote: »
    Hmm, I went for a cheaper one with a cushy seat because all the expensive ones looked like insane torture devices. Maybe not ergonomically perfect, but got to be better than the kitchen chair I'm using right now.

    Proper office chairs are incredibly comfortable in general. Ergonomic is incompatible with "torture device". I cannot imagine life without my Aeron's now (bought one for home too). They keep my back in the right spot, they're comfortable and the venting means my back doesn't sweat. Life is good.

    If you don't want/like venting, there are plenty of non venting chairs. The real torture devices are when you have look-alikes to the real thing that don't incorporate high quality materials and design. For example, the Aeron can adjust 7 different ways (up/down, tilt, seatpan forward/back, resistance of tilt, armrests, and some other stuff I don't use) so you can get to the right spot. There are also 3 different sizes for different body sizes.

    I wouldn't say "Incredibly comfortable" out of the box, because they force you into correct posture and if you have shit posture to begin with it might hurt for a bit.

    True, but better to have some initial issue than a lifetime of back problems.

  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    edited December 2014
    schuss wrote: »
    iRevert wrote: »
    schuss wrote: »
    Hmm, I went for a cheaper one with a cushy seat because all the expensive ones looked like insane torture devices. Maybe not ergonomically perfect, but got to be better than the kitchen chair I'm using right now.

    Proper office chairs are incredibly comfortable in general. Ergonomic is incompatible with "torture device". I cannot imagine life without my Aeron's now (bought one for home too). They keep my back in the right spot, they're comfortable and the venting means my back doesn't sweat. Life is good.

    If you don't want/like venting, there are plenty of non venting chairs. The real torture devices are when you have look-alikes to the real thing that don't incorporate high quality materials and design. For example, the Aeron can adjust 7 different ways (up/down, tilt, seatpan forward/back, resistance of tilt, armrests, and some other stuff I don't use) so you can get to the right spot. There are also 3 different sizes for different body sizes.

    I wouldn't say "Incredibly comfortable" out of the box, because they force you into correct posture and if you have shit posture to begin with it might hurt for a bit.

    True, but better to have some initial issue than a lifetime of back problems.

    You just need to clarify because I've had people sit in my chair and go "Oh jesus this thing is horrid, my Serta is so much more comfortable" and then when I see them working in a chair they're slouching forward and not against the backrest.

    So if someone were to read that and think they'd be uber comfortable out of the box and sit in it and it isn't they might think its defective or "not worth" without realizing that it is actually their posture and not the chair.

    But I agree, back issue suck.

    iRevert on
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    I get a sore bum sitting in one of those "stylish" office chairs all day. Give me a comfy seat any day. That's why I asked about comfy chairs, not the most excellent ergonomic chairs. I'm pretty skeptical about them. If you go by the conventional wisdom, we should all be sitting on exercise balls for perfect posture. I tried that and it was murder.

  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    I get a sore bum sitting in one of those "stylish" office chairs all day. Give me a comfy seat any day. That's why I asked about comfy chairs, not the most excellent ergonomic chairs. I'm pretty skeptical about them. If you go by the conventional wisdom, we should all be sitting on exercise balls for perfect posture. I tried that and it was murder.

    And sitting for 6-12 hours a day isn't good for your health either, conventional wisdom would tell you to go with a sit/stand desk and rotate from sitting to standing ever X# of minutes/per hour.

    At the end of the day its your health and well being and you decide what's best for you, the rest of us can only chime in on what we've used or think is good and hope you make an educated decision based on it.

  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    iRevert wrote: »
    I get a sore bum sitting in one of those "stylish" office chairs all day. Give me a comfy seat any day. That's why I asked about comfy chairs, not the most excellent ergonomic chairs. I'm pretty skeptical about them. If you go by the conventional wisdom, we should all be sitting on exercise balls for perfect posture. I tried that and it was murder.

    And sitting for 6-12 hours a day isn't good for your health either, conventional wisdom would tell you to go with a sit/stand desk and rotate from sitting to standing ever X# of minutes/per hour.

    I think this is basically crank medicine. Sitting 12 hours a day is bad for you because you aren't moving. Getting a standing desk to "fool the body" into thinking you are not sedentary isn't going to help. Are supermarket checkout workers who work for 12 hours at a "standing desk" models of health? No, they are martyrs to bad feet, bad backs, and varicose veins. Standing still is just as bad as sitting still.

    My new chair arrived and is very comfy, with a nice seat and an adjustable back (lots of adjustments in fact). Perfect.

  • kaliyamakaliyama Left to find less-moderated fora Registered User regular
    edited December 2014
    iRevert wrote: »
    I get a sore bum sitting in one of those "stylish" office chairs all day. Give me a comfy seat any day. That's why I asked about comfy chairs, not the most excellent ergonomic chairs. I'm pretty skeptical about them. If you go by the conventional wisdom, we should all be sitting on exercise balls for perfect posture. I tried that and it was murder.

    And sitting for 6-12 hours a day isn't good for your health either, conventional wisdom would tell you to go with a sit/stand desk and rotate from sitting to standing ever X# of minutes/per hour.

    I think this is basically crank medicine. Sitting 12 hours a day is bad for you because you aren't moving. Getting a standing desk to "fool the body" into thinking you are not sedentary isn't going to help. Are supermarket checkout workers who work for 12 hours at a "standing desk" models of health? No, they are martyrs to bad feet, bad backs, and varicose veins. Standing still is just as bad as sitting still.

    My new chair arrived and is very comfy, with a nice seat and an adjustable back (lots of adjustments in fact). Perfect.

    Right, because standing is necessary but not sufficient ( see e.g. http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUESitStand.html)

    if you have a non-ergo generic chair and it's comfy, it's because something is wrong with your posture.

    Same thing with the exercise ball - the point is that it is supposed to be murder until your core is strengthened.

    kaliyama on
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  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    Eh, this is pretty much what I expected to be told. Arguing this is about as futile as convincing paleo guys that there are other healthy diets out there.

    My new chair is extremely comfortable. It's sorta ergonomic as in it has lots of adjustments. Back adjustment is the most important one to me. It's not crazy ergonomic as in a $1000 thing that looks like a cross between a jet engine and an iron maiden, but whatevs. Exercise balls just remind me of all those other funny crank things that people have sold over the centuries as "good for you" but are really, long term, bad for you. Time will tell, I guess, and maybe when I am 60 I will be like "If only I had listened to Penny Arcade Forums and bought an exercise ball to sit on!"

  • CambiataCambiata Commander Shepard The likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered User regular
    CelestialBadger, I hear you 100%. My office got expensive Steelcase ergonomic chairs that pretty much instantly gave me butt pain when I'd never had pain sitting before. I switched back to one of the older model comfy chairs once I realized the problem.

    What chair did you get, by the way?

    "If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    Cambiata wrote: »
    CelestialBadger, I hear you 100%. My office got expensive Steelcase ergonomic chairs that pretty much instantly gave me butt pain when I'd never had pain sitting before. I switched back to one of the older model comfy chairs once I realized the problem.

    What chair did you get, by the way?

    Hey, thanks! I got a pretty standard Staples thing.

  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    @ceres‌

    I think this thread has run its course and is only circling the drain from here on out.

  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    See and here I was like "I don't need to keep an eye on this thread, it's not like you can really sit and argue about fucking office chairs"

    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
This discussion has been closed.