Full time worker on my laptop easily 10 hours - 12 hours a day…
Looking for some chairs but not sure if $500 + is justified for a chair.
What do you think?
Do you have a chair you would recommend?
My physical profile: 188cm, 80kg, occasional back pains from long hours
Use a lumbar spine roll. Cost $30 and most often they do the trick. Having said that, $500 is expensive for a chair - but if you really like it then go for it and claim back under tax.
Great thank you for the advice
Yes, currently using the Buro Metro which was around $280.
Looking to get the Ergohuman V2 which is around $500.
Great thank you for the recommendation I think i saw a promo here somewhere about that Ergohuman V2
Ergohuman v3 is 400 inc del on one of the lists
You should list this as a deal.
Yes, but you would really benefit from a few minutes of stretching a couple times a day, particularly the hips and hamstrings. If you're anything like me your hip flexors will be incredibly tight. Ended up having a pretty bad back strain at home from tight hip flexors - a physio sorted it all out but now I'm much more careful and stretch more.
You only have one back.
Can you ditch the chair completely and get a stand up desk?
Or get an adjustable one and slowly transition?
I've got a stand desk but at the same time bad knees from excessive sports participation since i was young - i was advised not to use a stand desk :(
Fair enough
Advice these days is not to stand full time. Need a combination of sit and stand suited to body.
Can you ditch the chair completely and get a stand up desk?
Why stand for work when one may sit?
Definitely. If you go down to Officeworks they rate the chairs by how many hours you can use them each day. Most chairs the average person uses are not suitable for sitting on all day.
Just grab a used one off gumtree. You can get Haworth, Herman Miller, Ergohuman, Steelcase etc all for below $500. Sometimes offices just want to clear them out and offer them well below market value, I've seen chairs in great condition go for like $50-$100 each. Just keep an eye out and you'll get something. I definitely don't think they are worth 1k+ each, personally I find sitting for long periods to be very uncomfortable and I start to get fidgety no matter what chair I am in. But a good one is definitely going to be better for your back long term.
Definitely.
The question here is, is the $500 chair better than a $200/$300 chair?
*Would also advise looking online. Dam chairs can be stupidly expensive in store.
Spending $500+, $1000+ for years of comfort? God yes.
Herman Miller chairs have a 12 year warranty. Yes, they cost a fair bit up front but if you take off the 10% you'll be claiming as a work expense (assuming you're sitting at a laptop all day for work) divide that by 12 your yearly cost will probably be less than swapping out chairs every few years from just plain wear. If something goes wrong they come to you, if you rip your chair fabric they will replace it.
We have a 20 year old HM Aeron which is used extensively every day and it looks like new and is a pleasure to sit on.
i bought one of these to help with back pain caused from sitting and using a computer all day. even if worn for 30mins-1hour when youre not at your desk it might help.
Aliexpress has plenty of them, different styles. ive got similar physical specs to you
Looking for some chairs but not sure if $500 + is justified for a chair.
A good chair lasts for a few years, let's say 3. That's 1,095 days, meaning 46 cents per day. I'm sure you can save 46 cents per day somewhere to give yourself less back problems when you're older. That's being generous with the lifespan.
5 days * 48 weeks (52-4 holiday) * 3 years = 720 days = 69c ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) /day
Air tasker it for half the price and spend your time horizontal.
My wife bought one of the baby maternity feeding rocking chairs for 600… It is the best thing my butt has ever touched.
$500 is cheaper than a series of sessions at the physio.
$500 is less than i would spend on a bed and i spend less time there
I've the ergo human v2 plus deluxe with leather seat. On special for $599. Bargain https://www.templeandwebster.com.au/Ergohuman-Leather-and-Me…
Some users comment they are too small, but for me perfect and the leather is perfect for comfort under the thighs vs mesh. I'd try before you buy. However i think your height is okay for it
Where can we try these chairs out before committing a large wad of cash to them?
I'm all for delivered goods, being an hour from the nearest city, but I need to know that a chair that costs as much as a TV is going to actually suit me. And I'm assuming that Officeworks isn't going to have the grade of chairs that OzB would be recommending… but that's the only place I can access to try any chairs.
Suggestions? Any sellers with free returns, or trial options?
Do the usual research to find some chairs you are interested in. Then use the brand's retail store locator tool. Most of the stores returned focus on business grade office furniture. If you are making a trip to a store to try one specific chair it would be best to call first and see if they have it on display.
You have to do 20 minutes a day of the exercise 'butt lifts' and pretend you are an exotic dancer, 50 floors of stair climbing and push ups.
occasional back pains from long hours
With that much sitting, I would suggest get a sit/stand desk So you can switch from sitting to standing with press of button, and still continue working.
I have back pain/injury. I find the sit/stand desks are a great help.
Be sure you get 1 that raises high enough for you, since you're taller than most.
They come in all shapes and size. I like the electric ones, rather than having to wind up/down.
I also really like a large work space, so I can spread everything out.
Not sure your age; but sitting 50 hours a week isn't good for anyone, no matter what chair you sit on. Reduce the sitting with sit/stand desk, and I expect your back with thank you for it when you're older
If you're spending that much time on a laptop, consider a separate keyboard and mouse, and either a laptop stand or a separate screen for ergonomics.
And yes spend big on a chair.
I paid almost $400 for my chair from Officeworks when it was on sale and after spinal surgery my back thanks me for it.
I expect to get several years use out of it so it's only a few cents a week.
You only have one back, look after it.
Depends. I feel you should ask for chair advice instead.
If the chair actually helps with the back pain, then yes it's worth it.
Although, I would advice not to sit for long hours in one setting even if you have a good chair. Maybe these chairs should have a timer to tell you to get up and exercise periodically :)
Yes. A lot of stores selling high-end chairs will let you take a chair home for a week to try it out – I highly recommend this. I spent $1000+ on a Herman Miller chair and it actually made my back worse. Ended up settling for a $150 IKEA chair that seems to be a much better fit for me.
they definitely are worth it
look here for a chair
https://secretlabchairs.com.au/collections#sizing-guide
it says a Titan chair would suit you the best
I bought one last week & can't recommend it enough (I bought the black one with suede :))
they are having a sale tomorrow with 23% off & free shipping to most capital cities
disclaimer:- I do not work for them
Bought a secondhand Ergohuman off Gumtree to test out, found it worked wonders so then bought a new one for the office and kept the secondhand one for home.
Currently I use a sit/stand desk and the Ergohumans. With deals off Ozbargain, the new Ergohuman and the sit/stand cost me about $700 before tax deductions etc. That and Yoga/Pilates classes were the best money I'd ever spent for my health.
For reference, 184cm, 70kg, had a headache, shoulder pain and upper back pain at the end of every working day. Now I only get pain if I get lazy.
Yes.
HM Aeron owner here, had it for 7 years, best decision I ever made. I'm largely desk-based, used to work 60+hrs/wk (self-employed), had zero back pain since changing from $150 Officeworks chairs.
I have had a very heavy premium padded leather chair for about six months (for a real bargain) and it is soooooo nice, the best I've ever had. If anything beyond your comfort, it also makes you feel mentally good to be working in a very nice chair.
Yes, and Yes