Some of the best office chairs around. Decent discount for series 1 and series 2
I hope that you're not in Sydney. I also need to try out some chairs - lockdown is killing my back, but this morning Gladys was clearly trying to prepare us for lockdown to continue through Sept and October.
Sadly, I am indeed in an Sydney LGA of concern
Very disappointing seeing cases rise everyday
Pleasingly there was a drop from yesterday, and also under 500.
Doesn't ship to QLD wtf?
Supposed to be one of the best but I don't think so. Have the Leap V2 without head rest, and IMO it DEFINITELY needs that. But I find the chair as a whole not that comfortable, perhaps not big enough. Glad I only paid $200 for it off Gumtree.
Really struggling to justify $1,500 for a chair even though I do want one. I don't mind plonking $2,000 on latest iPhone every year or an eBike but for some reason, I just cannot do so for a chair. Nor $1,000 for a Dyson vacuum cleaner. How do I push through this?
Would you prefer to spend $100 on a chair and $1400 in physio bills, or $1500 on a chair and $0 on the physio? :P
Not to mention, the chair will outlast the iPhone and potentially the Dyson.
If you are like me and sit on it for 12 hours a day sometime, your back will thank you.
I do believe there are better options at the $1500 pricepoint, even though Steelcase is quite good. I would direct you to the Flokk/RH chairs like the Mereo 220. About the same price but has an excellent, torsioned floating mechanism which engages your stomach while seated to hold your position. The seat pad is also shaped convex and makes you sit up better.
You can even get Herman Miller Embody's for $1850 (basic black only) from some sellers right now which is an excellent price, even if the chairs themselves are a bit over-hyped for what they are IMO. They are still great, just not as great as everyone makes out when you compare to some others out there.
What would you recommend as the best value office chairs under $1000 or $500? Actually, a forum thread might be good for this sort of thing.
I have sat on a few chairs (understatement). Generally look at the 'heavy duty' chairs that have a good warranty, or even better have a '3 shift' rating at a weight that is a good bump higher than your weight.
It also depends on your needs, body shape and mechanics, any underlying issues (ie back issues).
Under $500 I don't really like much personally but it is far better to test them out and see what works for you. If you can get a $500 chair that will last, then that's fantastic. Just do not buy it from Officeworks and expect the foam to last.
Under $1000, I like the Serati High Back since it is similar to my preferred RH New Logic 220 ($2.5k) yet less than half the price. If you are a bit larger or heavier, the Ranger Multishift. The HAG Sofi is also a good one without a headrest and can be had for under $900. It's similar to the Steelcase Series 1 but slightly better quality and build.
Again, get to the good Office Chair stores (not a general office furniture stop, but places like Bad Backs, Ergoport, and Seated as examples in Sydney) and have a look. Sit in them, see if any have the wow factor. That's how I chose my New Logic 220 - immediately knew it was for me soon as my arse hit the seatpan because it forced me not just sit in the chair, but sit upon the chair with better posture.
@Monsta-AU: I recently purchased a Serati chair with arms and headrest and i'm very happy with it. I was about to buy a steelcase but due to slow lead time forced me to look at alternatives. My google research lead me to a ozbargain thread https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/630348 where you mentioned the Serati as a possible option, so thanks for that :).
I still own a 14yo steelcase leap and a Ergohuman mesh chair with headrest. The Ergohuman never worked for me, i tried for months to use it but gave up! The Steelcase is a great chair and the fact it lasted 14 years and is still kind of OK shows it is built to last.
@trestylez: Glad it was a good buy for you, and I think the Serati is actually a great chair. It seems like the importers here are a bit of a 'import/marketing' company but they seem to have found a really good design with a high quality mechanism which is impossible to find in cheap off-shelf designs from China. It may even be a custom design, I cannot find anything similar elsewhere in the world.
I never got enough time with one to really play around and see if I could make it float like the RH chairs do, as it really makes you engage your abdominals along with balance to control the positioning. From the wording of the tech documentation it should though. If it does float properly, it would make it basically the equivalent of the RH which would mean it's a bargain.
I also had a 14yo Leap and it was mostly the seat pan that gave out, it moves around in the tracks, the front bends down, and generally is now just the wrong shape. This put my pelvis in bad positions for posture and really hurt my Sacrum / SI areas which my chiro needed to adjust often until I replaced it. I also tended to slouch in it, including propping up on my elbow which also causes issues. Still lasted a long time (I got it cheaply second-hand) so Steelcase is definitely a high quality, yet second-tier chair behind Flokk in my eyes.
@Monsta-AU: The Serati mechanism seems to be made by Donati, this is the mech https://www.donati.eu/en/product/epron-rv-forward-tilt-adjus… i'm pretty sure Donati do the mech and possibly the build for the haworth fern chair(another chair i was looking at), so i guess its decent quality.
I never understood what was so good about free tilt/float until i tried it on the Serati, its amazing! I use it all the time now, people should really try it out. Due to lockdown i never got to test the RH chairs and they were also quite a bit more expensive but sounds like its as good if not better.
People should be careful with the headrest on the steelcase leap (possible others?). It seems to be hit and miss and lacks adjustability. The RH chairs and Serati have lots of adjustability to position it exactly where you want it. Ultimately you should try to find a chair with as much adjustability as possible, particularly if you won't have a chance to test it properly.
@trestylez: Yes, it's a Donati mech which is one of the best OEM makers of chair mechanisms out there. You are correct that they go into some Harworths, ErgoSelects as well as some other mass-market rebranded chairs that many decent office furniture stores have but you see with different names. Most of them are not floating mechanisms though.
The floating mechs really are amazing, and I bet you understand what I mean by 'sit upon' and not 'sit in' like you would with another chair. Completely different posture engaging the abdominals. The shape of the seat pan and padding has plenty to do with that also.
Really happy you bought one and believe it was the best choice without spending more on the RH. I only did go for the RH because of existing injuries and issues. The Seratti Pro was one of the more surprising chairs I found, and they now have a mesh version for about $150 cheaper as well.
@trestylez: Sorry but that is competely incorrect, Haworth does all their mech in house - doesn't look close to the Fern chair mech (since i'm sitting on one)
@jaygee: The mech posted was for the Serati and not the fern. Donati would not publicly sell a design made for another large company and they are not going to reveal any specific deals. I wonder why Donati were given this award https://www.donati.eu/en/haworth-0-100-award/ if Haworth does everything in house? :)
@trestylez: Sorry, you might be right. the image you showed wasn't the right mech for Fern so i was confused.
You definitely need to try the chairs yourself. Everyone is different.
I had my heart set on a Steelcase Leap based on my online research, but when I went to try all of the chairs, I actually ended up liking the Haworth Zody, which hadn't even been on my radar… (I'm glad my body is comfortable in a cheaper chair - saved me about $900!)
@brotherfranciz: Unfortunately with lockdowns I don't even have a chance to go in to try the chairs. Got diagnosed with a disc protrusion at the neck so I'm looking for one that helps with that.
@hwtan80: If you have a disc protrusion then don't screw around.
1) Who diagnosed you (Chiro, Osteo, Physio, OT, GP, Surgeon)?
2) What is the diagnosis (ie C4/C5 herniation)?
3) What treatment are you getting? Which practitioners (Chiro, Osteo, Physio, OT, Surgeon)?
4) Is a chair part of your treatment plan? What type of chairs were you recommended?
Honestly, you need to go to a specialist shop or two at least. This is not something to just go and get without advice from your treatment team. Probably with an Osteo or OT in attendance while you test these chairs out.
@Monsta-AU: Thanks for the concern.
1/2. Initially, my shoulder was hurting and the specialist recommended an MRI which then found that the pain was due to a mild protrusion at C6/C7 pressing against the nerve. Just did a nerve root injection a week ago but haven't seen any effects yet. Still on medication.
3/4. Just started a couple of sessions with physio. Chair isn't part of the treatment plan yet - it's just me thinking I need a proper chair. I'm using IKEA Markus.
@hwtan80: The Markus is the worst after anything from Officeworks.
Definitely look after yourself, look for a Chiro and then invest in a good chair that suits you and your injury. Often C4 to C7 is looking down at phones or tablets flat on a desk, or possibly low laptops not on a stand to get them up closer to eye level.
Again, Seratti Pro w/Headrest, or any of the Flokk RH chairs with headrest is where I would start looking in terms of functions and shape for any new chair for a person with lower cervical issues..
i purchased the Herman Miller Sayl at the recent EOFY sale for $700. I went into Living Edge and tried all the chairs on display.
I decided to dip my toe in first before going full throttle and spending $2k on an Embody or Aeron.
After 2 months of use the Sayl is comfortable, i was worried about the lack of lumbar support however my lower back is holding up well. The netting is said to position your spine to maintain its natural “S” shape. Its working so far.
I dont work from home, however, I do sit in the chair majority of the time when at home tho and have yet to find any faults.
Ever tried an Ergoflip Active chair? https://ergoflip.com.au
Seems like a good idea but I haven't been able to find any suppliers in Adelaide.
it depends on how long you spend your life on that chair.
If you spend 25-30% of your day on the chair, then imo, it is worth it.. This chair supposes to last 10 years, while the $2k iPhone won't be supported after ~7 years..
Agreed $1499 is my absolute limit
Delivery is $99, wtf
$100 off just like free shipping promotion
Yeah the only delivery option they have is their 'white glove' delivery thing where somebody has to come inside of your home and assemble the chair because apparently they don't trust people to put together a chair, and if you do put it together yourself then you void the warranty. Ridiculous. I'd like to buy a chair from Steelcase but at this point I'm not buying one just out of principle. In the middle of lockdown and you have to let somebody inside to assemble a desk chair
Thank you for letting me know that, can't accept this stupid service.
Mirroring an above comment, I have the leap 2 for 4ish years. Its a great chair, but i got it off gumtree without a headrest and it needs it. I cant understand why they dont sell them separately. Id pay a lot to get the headrest. The only ones i know of are cheap ones on wish or something. If anyone has one or knows how to get one let me know
I've asked this question to Steelcase rep and she told me that the headrest is not an option. The leap 2 with headrest is manufactured from the factory hence you can't fit one after market.
I got my leap v2 few months ago and also found that it needs a headrest.
There are a few HM Aeron third party headrest hacks that can be found on reddit. I went with the Engineered Now H3 remastered from amazon and a pair of old shoe laces to fasten it. Set me back $138 but couldn't be happier.
Amazing suggestion. Can you send me a photo of how it looks? Ill get one! Also where you got it for that price haha
ahah also curious about how this looks
there was a 40% off coupon on my Amazon account. Not sure if it is targeted.
@earthling24354335: Thank you, appreciate it. Yeah it must be as its showing $299.99 for me. Does it show the code?
Great photo also. looks the goods
@Rifts: Should be $229.99 for the H3 remastered.
There was a tick box under the price and goes along the lines of "apply 40% discount coupon"; you tick it and get the reduced price at checkout. The 40% off doesn't show for this product on my account now; was there when I first replied to your post.
What do you guys recommend for some with sit bones inflammation, I already switched to standing desk which helped me a lot.
Not sure what 'sit bones inflammation' is. Is there a more medical term for what you are talking about?
I recommend high back chairs with headrests for anyone with back issues, and ideally a free floating mechanism.
Initial starting points for this in Australia is the Seratti Mesh w/Headrest, Seratti Pro w/Headrest, RH Mereo 220, and RH New Logic 220. Prices for these start at $700-ish for the Seratti Mesh and goes up to $2.5K for the New Logic 220.
Ischial bursitis, something like that
Then the best thing is less chair, more stand which you are already doing.
This can be irritated by hard chairs, so you want a deep and progressive support foam on the seat pan if possible. The chairs I listed above probably not the best on this as they are firmer and designed for position and not deep cushioning.
Ranger Multishift might be good for you. Buro Metro also has a heap of padding and is on the cheaper end of the scale. Therapods also have good seat pan padding, are an Aussie company and Aussie made too. Again, discuss with your allied health practitioners and ask for advice on something that might suit you and your condition.
You could also consider something like the HÅG Capisco Saddle which can work well with sit/stand desks: https://www.ergoport.com.au/collections/ergonomic-chairs/pro…
And a suggestion from left field: A kneeling stool/chair which puts more weight on your lower legs. Use that seated (desk down) or stand with the desk up. Something like https://www.badbacks.com.au/office-furniture/chairs/kneeling…
@Monsta-AU: Before pandemic, I worked 6 years WFH, before that I was in the field
I never knew what office job felt like until I started one, the office had the most expensive Herman Miller mesh chairs, everything was adjustable. I got the bursitis from those high end chair, a colleague told me I had sciatica, so I kept doing those roller in the gym 😂
The issue got so bad that I couldn't even sit on my recliners, or any high end chair or recliners. Not even in my car for long. It's a very bad feeling.
I have a Desky and Ikea Markus, I don't like the chair. I keep switching standing and sitting in Ikea Poang.
I like your recommendations, specially Buro Metro. I wish I could try it before I buy it. I use donut and special cushions as well. I really need like a boss chair. And I also don't want to spend a fortune haha
I tried to buy the Series 1 chair and the only deliver option is white glove - $187 delivery. No $99 delivery option.
😂
Can't order for deliver to ACT :(
waiting for lockdown to be over so I can test these instore before ordering, hopefully sale lasts a while