Best Office Chair for Working from Home & They are Better Than Gaming Chairs [Cheap Herman Miller Alternatives]
This post may have been more appropriate a year ago when we all started working from home, but here goes.
Like many, I spend a good 8 hours or so per day sat on my office chair. When I was fat, I used to break them about once a year, which led me to the famous and expensive Herman Miller range of chairs.
I couldn’t justify the expense of the Aeron, instead getting the Mirra. It is sad to say, but the 12+ year warranty was one of the main selling points, knowing that the chair would be covered even if my overweight body broke it. In over ten years, I have never had an issue with the chair. It has possibly been one of my best all-time purchases.
I think the warranty has changed a little in recent years, but you still get an incredible 12-year warranty on the chairs (I’m sure it was lifetime of certain parts of it).
My chair is basically the Herman Miller Mirra 2 Triflex which is actually still semi-affordable at around £550. Though, it looks like the price escalates quickly if you want it to have any sort of adjustability or back support.
Why I love Herman Miller Chairs
Along with the amazing warranty, the chair offers a wide range of adjustments and back support, so there is reduced risk of things like back pain which is common for office workers.
The mesh design is a major selling point too, even now that I am thin and athletic, I overheat easily. The fabric mesh seat cover and plastic mesh back offers perfect breathability to keep you cool during the summer.
Gaming chairs are not for me
Taking all this into account, I am not a massive fan of the increasingly popular gaming chairs. I have reviewed a few, and I generally do like them, but I’d argue that the vast majority of people, including gamers, would be better off with an ergonomic office chair.
If you do overheat easily, all the pleather and memory foam is not good for long sessions in the office or for gaming.
So what are the best office chair options for working from home, or gaming?
What are the best office chairs for working from home?
Used Herman Miller
My main recommendation is obviously going to be Herman Miller, but I will assume you are not eager to spend up to a grand on a chair. One option is to look for refurbished second-hand chairs. Herman Miller is used in business a lot so you can normally pick them up with big discounts from specialists.
Ebay is a great starting place, it looks like you can get an Aeron for around £420, a Mirra 1 for around £270 or the Celle for a little less
- Herman Miller Aeron – £425.00
- Herman Miller Mirra Task chair Fully Adjustable Black seat – £270
- Herman Miller Celle Executive Task Chair – £245
Search for used Herman Miller chairs
Ergonomic Mesh Backed Chairs
On amazon, you then have lots of Herman Miller-like chairs. I’d personally recommend mesh-backed chairs with plenty of back support and customisations. If I were buying something, I’d look for something that covers the full height of your back, so it supports all your weight, I am indifferent to headrests.
UMI. by Amazon – Ergonomic office chair around £169.99
One of Amazon’s in-house brands so you can have some confidence in the quality and warranty you will receive.
There appears to be two options with slightly different designs. One option has a mesh seat while the other is a more traditional padded seat. I’d personally go for the mesh seat option, so it remains comfortable when the weather gets hot. I sit on a blanket during the winter when my office is freezing in the morning.
Max user weight is 150 kg.
SIHOO Ergonomic Home Office Chair around £169.99
A very similar design to the Umi, again with two options. The cheaper M18 models appears to have a padded seat with adjustable armrests while the more expensive M57 states “Skin-Friendly Mesh” which I think just means the seat is ventilated. This has 3D arms so they go up down and forwards/backwards plus a 36-degree rotation.
Max user weight is 150 kg, and both these come with a 3-year warranty. They also come in two colour options, standard black, then the cheaper one has an attractive bright orange or, the more expensive M57 can be in grey.
SIHOO Ergonomic Home Office Chair around £114.99
- 【Ergonomic Design】SIHOO ergonomic office chair is equipped with adjustable headrest, armrests and lumbar pillow, which fully fits the curvature of the spine and relieves pressure on the waist and neck. Suitable for anyone under about 5 '6".
- 【High Quality】SHIOO office chair is constructed with high quality lever, gas lift, base and PU silent casters. The gas lift has certified by American BIFMA and SGS. The casters of our home office chair fits carpet, tiles, wood floor and move without noise.
- 【Adjustable Desgin】The height of the headrest can be adjusted, and the shape of the head is slightly curved, which can better support your head. The height of armrest and seat are also adjustable to meet different needs.
- 【Comfortable Padded Seat】The backrest of our desk chair is made of breathable mesh material. Well Padded seat is fabric and allows airflow. Our office chair can be usd as a work chair, study chair, gaming chair and releaxing chair. It's also a great gift for your family and friends.
- 【Lifetime Warranty】 This chair is backed by a lifetime warranty. If you encounter any quality issues, please do not hesitate to contact us. Once we have verified the problem, we will promptly replace the necessary parts for you at no cost.
Same brand as last time but more affordable. It is similar to the previous two but generally fewer customisations, including less recline.
This can still handle up to 150 kg and has a three-year warranty
Office Hippo Ergonomic Chair Office around £185
- FUTURISTIC OFFICE CHAIR: Enjoy the sleek look, comfort, and support of this desk chair with a breathable mesh back, fabric seat, and new-age frame. 5 Year Component Warranty & 2 Year Fabric Warranty
- ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIR: Features include: adjustable lumbar support, seat slide for seat depth adjustment, seat height and tilt adjustment plus height adjustable arms, all providing maximum support.
- PERSONALISE YOUR MESH OFFICE CHAIR: A torsion control knob allows the tilt tension to be adjusted to match body weight. Designed for 8-hour daily use and users up to 115 kg.
- DIMENSIONS: W66 x D68 x 113 to H125.5 cm Seat width 52 cm, seat depth 50 cm, back width 48 cm, back height 56 cm, seat height 46 to 55.5 cm, arm height 63.5 to 82.5 cm depending on seat height)
- MAKE YOUR OFFICE HOME: Office Hippo offers a wide range of office furniture including office desks & office chairs to help make your space as work friendly as possible.
On paper, this isn’t as good as the other recommendations, but I am mainly listing it as it offers a similar sort of aesthetic to the white Herman Miller Embody chair you may frequently get seen posted online in places like /r/battlestations
Obviously, the design isn’t quite a nice, you don’t have that skeleton-like back support, but it costs one-fifth of the Embody.
It can only handle 115 kg, which is just 18 stone, so not the best for larger people. It does have a 5-year component warranty though.
IntimaTe WM Heart Ergonomic Office Computer Chair – around £100
- 【Good Mesh Back Ventilation】The premium fabric mesh backrest allows air circulation all year round to prevent body heat and humidity.
- 【Lumbar Weary Released by Correcting Bad Postures】 When you cling to the chair back, your back will be supported by a stretchy and strong lumbar support and a curved back support, which will help you develop the habit of sitting with good posture.
- 【Foldable Armrests】 When you don't need the armrests, fold them up so that you can keep your posture as close to the desk as possible. The keyboard should be as close to your chest as possible.
- 【Rest for Your Neck & Back】 The high back design is ideal for a midday rest. It is a great feature of this desk chair to have a break when you lean back.
- 【Durable While Fits All Circumstances】 There is a plastic injection moulded back frame and a variety of features on this chair. In addition, the tilt function does not need to be locked backwards.
The most affordable and well-received model I can find. It doesn’t have as many adjustments as others, but it does have a mesh back with some back support
It claims to support 150 kg, but they make no mention of a warranty, so I would assume this is just standard.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
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