Herman Miller Embody Chair Review: The Next Generation Aeron

The Embody Chair is Herman Miller's spunky step-sister to the more classic Aeron Chair.

I will declare straight out right now that I am a great fan of the Embody Chair. This review is based on my personal experience with my very own Embody chair which I purchased last year when it first came out.

Let me give you a bit of background on the chair. The Embody was designed by Bill Stumpf who also designed the Aeron and it was created to be the next step from the Aeron, which now my husband owns and is very happy with. So, what can I say? Well, generally it is made up of mostly recyclable materials so it is easily disposable. From top to bottom, the seat is made up of four layers: textile, mat, local spring, and global spring layer. Basically, they all make up for your comfort and convenience. The most bottom part of the chair is composed of plastic bands which provide suspension and on top of that is a thicker layer which is made up of coils. When you’re moving, this layer supports the weight of wherever your behind is moving. The third layer is made up of silver rings that provide maximum comfort as you shift your weight in the chair. Lastly you have the Mesh layer, similar to that of the Mirra Chair, which makes sure you have a nice layer of circulation so that you don’t get too hot. Again, it’s fully adjustable. With the knobs, you can adjust about everything: the amount of recline, tension of recline, seat depth, back curvature, arm rests (how high and how far they come in). I mean, it’s an Ergonomic Chair so like all other Ergonomic Chairs, the Embody Chair has the same and even more adjustable features. Probably the most unique feature of the Embody chair and the thing that I think sets it apart from the Aeron is the back rest. The back rest, unlike that of the Aeron chair, is actually shaped like a human spine. Herman Miller claims quote on quote that “a matrix of pixel creates a dynamic seat and back surface that automatically conforms to your every movement and distributes your weight evenly”. Now, I don’t know scientifically if this is the case but what I do know from personal experience is that it is the most comfortable chair that I’ve ever sat on. It indeed does support my back in a way that my Aeron didn’t and since it has a thinner back, I’ve got complete movement on my arms as well. So, it’s pretty amazing in that respect.

Now to the hardest part of my review: the negatives. Well, if there’s something bad I have to say about this chair, I guess I can say that it’s a bit heavy. You actually have to be quite strong to move the levers, but once you’ve adjusted them then you’ll be fine. I guess the biggest downside of the Embody Chair is the price. Its price is substantially more than the price of the Mirra or even the Aeron. I bought mine for about $1,600. You can get one from around $1,200 up to $2,000 depending on its features. It really depends on whether or not you want to spend that much on a chair.

For me, I can honestly say the Herman Miller Embody is the best chair I’ve ever sat on and was well worth the money.