Office Chairs Reviews

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Office Chairs Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Office Chairs Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Slate Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Sit Happens Seth Stevenson Dec. 6, 2005		In this entertaining review, Seth Stevenson and seven fellow Slate magazine editors test six office chairs for several weeks. Stevenson asserts that the Aeron chair, though revolutionary at its debut, has overstayed its welcome. While still a good chair, the Aeron doesn't recline that well and is too inflexible -- not adapting well to different sitting styles. The Steelcase Leap is comfortable, but makes an embarrassing "whoopee cushion" sound when you sit too fast. The Steelcase Cachet and Herman Miller Celle are both deemed "unsittable." The Turnstone Let's B is a good choice for those who like a stiff-backed chair. Best overall is the Humanscale Liberty, which is called "the Aeron's logical successor."
2. The Wall Street Journal >> Details/Subscribe	Sitting Pretty Smartly Troy McMullen Jan. 7, 2005		The Wall Street Journal tests five office chairs, including the Steelcase Leap, the K-Series by Bodybilt, the Humanscale Freedom, the Herman Miller Mirra and the IKEA Verksam. The Steelcase Leap is rated Best Overall, while the testers say that the Mirra isn't comfortable. The Humanscale Freedom balances weight evenly but has uncomfortable armrests. The Bodybilt's controls are hard to reach, and the IKEA Verksam is of poor quality, writes Troy McMullen.

Office Chairs Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Office Chairs Ratings Comments on Reviews

3. My Business magazine	Idea Network: Buying Guide: Office Chairs Editors of My Business magazine Feb. 1, 2005		This article lists general buying tips for office chairs. It recommends four models, but with just a short description of each and no indication that these chairs were tested. Chairs don't appear to be rated in any particular order. The Allsteel Sum is similar to the Humanscale Freedom, with automatic positioning in response to the sitter's body movements. Other models mentioned are the IKEA Joakim Swivel Chair, the Neutral Posture 8000 Series and the Steelcase Think, which is up to 99 percent recyclable and made of 44 percent recycled materials.
4. Kiplinger Personal Finance >> Details/Subscribe	Best Seats in the House Sean O'Neil and Elizabeth Kountze Feb. 4, 2004		Chairs are recommended based on their ability to relieve back/spine pressure, meet back contours and accommodate various body types. The Steelcase Leap Chair is said to work for most, providing proper lumbar support. Rated in second place is the Herman Miller Aeron chair. A more budget-friendly option is Haworth's Improv H.E.
5. Red Dot.org	Office Furniture: Best of the Best Editors of Red Dot Not Dated		This German-based publication is said to stage one of the largest design competitions in the world. Products winning the Red Dot have earned the title because of exemplary design but don't appear to be tested for other considerations such as durability, performance or comfort. Award winners in past years include the Steelcase Think, Klober Ciello (Germany and through select distributors), Klober Cato (Germany and through select distributors) and Herman Miller Mirra office chairs. The winners are often made by international companies and difficult to find in the U.S.
6. About.com	Top 4 High-End Office Chairs Catherine Roseberry Not Dated		A short paragraph describes each of the chairs listed here. Chairs appear to be rated, but they aren't compared to each other, and it's unclear if any testing was involved. The Herman Miller Aeron chair is said to be expensive but worth it. Obusforme chairs are mentioned, along with the Office Star Matrex. One other chair is discussed, but it has been discontinued.
7. Inc.	Take a Seat Stacy Perman Aug. 2003		This article recommends several office chairs, some with unusual names that we didn't find discussed elsewhere, including the Maui and Allsteel #19. The Herman Miller Mirra and Steelcase Leap WorkLounge are also mentioned. Just a short description is given of each model, with no information about any product testing, and chairs do not receive ratings. Several other chairs are also described, but they have been discontinued.
8. Popular Mechanics >> Details/Subscribe	Ergonomics with Flair Christopher Allbritton Jan. 14, 2003		This article gives recommendations for ergonomic office equipment of all types, including chairs. Herman Miller's Aeron chairs are mentioned as "excellent devices," but the author goes on to describe the Humanscale Freedom's automatic adjustment as "it's like having a second spine." The article provides extensive information about the Freedom, but doesn't compare it to any other chairs through either discussion or testing of any kind. No other chairs are rated.
9. The (London) Independent	The Ten Best Office Chairs Kate Watson-Smyth May 3, 2007		This article lists ten office chairs available in the U.K. and describes them briefly in terms of their merits and features. While there is some good research here, no means of testing is explored, and we're really not sure how the list was compiled or if the rankings are even meant as a comparison to other chairs on the list. Of those currently available in the U.S., the Herman Miller Mirra, the IKEA Allak, the Schneider Chair (UK but available by mail), RH Logic 400 (UK but available by mail), and Herman Miller Celle are all mentioned.
10. Business Week	Sguig: The Chair that Bounces Back Aili McConnon July 31, 2006		This article discusses the Sguig, a chair inspired by the creator's experience with a Pilates ball. The chair, according to the article, is more responsive to the needs of the spine and therefore less likely to induce back pain. The piece also goes on to say that this chair with the quirky name was selected by NeoCon -- the group that holds annual conventions to show the latest and greatest in office furniture, who awarded the Sguig its 2006 Innovation and Editors' Choice Award. No testing or comparison is done by the author of this article. The piece is helpful, however, in discussing many considerations those using office chairs for long periods of time might want to ponder, such as their own personal posture or position while they sit.
11. Entrepreneur Magazine	The Best in Ergonomic Chairs Amanda C. Kooser Feb. 2007		This article offers some interesting and unexpected sources for office chairs, with La-Z-Boy being the most widely known of the bunch and the Staples/Sealy Posturepedic Valencia Chair being the best priced of the lot. While no testing is done as part of this piece, the article is informative and useful in its suggestions to the reader. In addition to the La-Z-Boy Sintas Managerial Series Mid-Back Chair, the HON F3, the Jobri Ergonomic Task Chair, the Staples/Sealy Posturepedic Valencia Chair and the Herman Miller Mirra are also discussed.
12. Wired News >> Details/Subscribe	Best Seat in the House Roger Thomasson Apr. 2006		Six men and women of various builds tested an unknown number of chairs for comfort, adjustability and appearance. The results for four chairs are given, and the office chairs are rated on a scale of 1 to 5. The Steelcase Think is the number-one pick, with a rating of 4. The reviewers say it gives excellent support, although it looks a bit "homely." The Humanscale Liberty, Steelcase Leap and Herman Miller Mirra are also reviewed.
13. Money.com >> Details/Subscribe	Our picks for… office chairs Andrew Tilin Sept. 14, 2007		Andrew Tilin of Business 2.0 magazine reviews his picks for the top three office chairs. He reports that the Haworth Zody has easy-to-use controls, but its lumbar support is not as strong as other chairs. The Humanscale Freedom is very comfortable if you are sitting upright, but awkward for reclining. Tilin says that the Herman Miller Celle reclines perfectly, but the lumbar support is a little difficult to adjust.
14. About.com	Steve Bass's Home Office: Essential Gear for a Home Office Steve Bass Jan. 23, 2002		Steve Bass lists his top picks for a home office, including the Steelcase Leap Coach Edition (discontinued, though the Steelcase Leap is still in production) and the Bodybilt. There's just a short paragraph about each, but Bass does include links to other articles. It is unclear if these recommended chairs were tested extensively.

Office Chairs Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Office Chairs Ratings Comments on Reviews

15. Real Estate Weekly	Care More About Your Chair Mark Benhar Aug. 18, 2004		This article describes why ergonomics are important and gives a lengthy description of the Herman Miller Aeron. No other models are mentioned or rated, and Mark Benhar notes that Herman Miller is "represented" by his company, Benhar Office Interiors.
16. Amazon.com	Office Chairs Contributors to Amazon.com As of Mar. 2008		Amazon.com can be a good place to find consumer opinions and ratings about products. Office chairs don't receive as many comments as some other items, however. We found both positive and negative comments for most well-known chairs, including the Herman Miller Aeron and Mirra chairs. The Office Star Screen Back Task Chair is inexpensive and highly rated, though some complain of durability issues. The Office Star Deluxe Ergonomic Chair is considered more dependable and more durable.
17. Cabinet Maker	Are You Sitting Comfortably? Sonia Soltani Nov. 10, 2005		Although this article doesn't feature any ratings of office chairs, it does offer an excellent overview of how and why to choose an ergonomically efficient chair, which can be of great help considering everything that's available on the market. The benefit of purchasing a good chair is linked to the fact that people are working from home now more than ever.
18. Staples.com	Office Chairs Contributors to Staples.com As of Mar. 2008		This retailer has dozens of office chairs to view online. The beauty of this site is its organization. Shoppers can narrow their search by fabric, manufacturer, style or materials used for construction. Sadly, there are very few user reviews here. Still, for the buyer looking for a very specific type of chair, this site is one of the easiest to navigate. Those chairs getting consistently solid reviews include the Staples Classic Leather Executive Chair, the Staples Greeley Manager's Chair and the Trump Office for Staples Bedminster Chenille Fabric Executive Chair.
19. BestBuy.com	Office Chairs Contributors to BestBuy.com As of Mar. 2008		While the selection of office and gaming chairs here is really nothing compared to that of other more business-focused retailers like Staples, there are a large number of reviews for those that are listed here. The True Seating Vinyl PC Gaming Chair gets strong reviews. Although it's designed for gaming, its comfort and durability make it worth investigating for office use. The AK Designs -- Octane PC Gaming and Office Chair gets great reviews for its comfort, but some complain of its odd odor and iffy durability.
20. OfficeChairAdvice.com	Office Chair Resource and Information Hub Duncan McIntyre As of Mar. 2008		OfficeChairAdvice.com is a website devoted to quality office seating founded by Duncan McIntyre, a 25-year veteran of the office chair business. The site is neatly organized and there are ratings and detailed reviews of a number of popular chairs. There's also a blog about seating of all kinds, and McIntyre certainly finds a lot to say about this area. No testing or comparison with other models appears to be done, however, and a lot of chairs get 5-star ratings. McIntyre does supply tons of good office-chair background, and this site is a good prep for shopping for office chairs.