Selecting a good quality office chair that meets your requirements can be tricky, especially if you have to choose between two of the most popular ones in the market manufactured by two of the biggest names in the furniture industry – Herman Miller and Steelcase. Let’s have a head-to-head comparison of two of the best office chairs in the market right now – Herman Miller Aeron vs Steelcase Leap.
These chairs have been designed with ergonomics in mind and are thus extremely comfortable and feature-loaded, which are very useful for the users.
Since both the Herman Miller Aeron and Steelcase Leap chairs look very similar, choosing one over the other is a tough decision.
Thus, we are here to make it easier for you! In this article, we will compare each feature of one chair against the other and will help you decide which one will be ideal for you to rest your back and mind!
Also read: Steelcase Amia vs Steelcase Leap
Get ready for some hardcore comparison!
Herman Miller Aeron vs Steelcase Leap – Head to Head
In order to find out which of these two are best, we will dive deep into specs of these chairs, from manufacturing material to built quality.
The idea is to leave no stone unturned so that you can choose the best chair.
Adjustability
This is one of the most crucial features to look into when buying an ergonomic office chair. The adjustability factor of a chair will determine its comfort level of the same. The armrest, headrest, and height of the seat should all be adjustable ideally to suit your needs. How can you feel at ease on the chair otherwise?
Thus, we are going to compare the adjustability factor of Herman Miller Aeron against Steelcase Leap.
Herman Miller Aeron
The adjustability factor has been well looked after in this ergonomic office chair.
The chair’s crucial components, including the height of the seat and the armrest, can be adjusted as per your comfort (if you choose to opt for it). You can also choose to buy the chair without an armrest.
Steelcase Leap
The makers have paid special attention to the adjustability factor of this chair. The height of both the armrest and headrest can be adjusted as per your requirement and comfort.
And like the HM Aeron, Leap one can be purchased without the armrest too.
The standard Leap comes without the headrest but if you want to buy the one with a headrest you can buy it from Amazon.
So, if you like resting your head while coding or gaming, this might seem like a good deal.
[su_note note_color=”#008037″]Winner: In this case, Steelcase Leap takes the lead over Aeron, since the Steelcase Leap allows you to add a headrest to the chair. [/su_note]
Size
How would you like to fit yourself in a stuffy small chair designed for kids? No way, right?!
If the chair’s size is not suitable for your size and body type, it is going to be super uncomfortable. Imagine working from a cramped up stiff chair for 9 long hours!
Your back will become numb in no time. Thus you need to give special attention to the size of the chair you plan to buy.
Herman Miller Aeron
This chair comes in different sizes! But that’s not all. The company will allow you to add customization to each chair in different sizes!
How cool is that?!
Customization makes everything good and comfortable, and Herman Miller Aeron has played on that tune well.
Steelcase Leap
Unlike Herman Miller Aeron chairs, the Leap one comes only in one size.
Although the Leap comes with adjustable seat height, adjustable seat depth and adjustable armrests, it sometimes creates an issue since the one-size-fits-all sometimes doesn’t work.
People vary by weight and by height, and one chair that is customized for a heavy person cannot be comfortable for a lean and tall individual or vice versa.
[su_note note_color=”#66ffbe”]Winner: Aeron steals the show in this category since the size of the chair is flexible. There are three variants for different heights of people so people can choose the one that suits their height.[/su_note]
Material
This is yet another very important factor that determines the comfort level of an ergonomic chair. If the material used in the making is not sturdy, chances are it will rip due to constant heat and sweat.
Low-quality material will also make you feel hot and sticky when you lean on the seat and that’s not on the cards. Who wants a Velcro sound effect every time they try to get up from their chair?
However, both of these chairs use supreme quality recycled and sustainable material
Herman Miller Aeron
The Aeron makes use of a suspension pellicle mesh material that is ideal for keeping you cool, dry, and comfortable. If you are located in a warm climate where it’s apparently summer all year long, this is the chair you should opt for.
This mesh material is more breathable than any other material used in the construction of ergonomic office chairs.
Steelcase Leap
The Leap, on the other hand, comes with 100% polyester. Polyester is supposed to wick away the moisture from the body but it’s not considered to be a fully breathable material.
[su_note note_color=”#66ffbe”]Winner: Aeron! Because of the better quality material used on the chairs. Though both of the chairs are made out of comfortable fabric, the breathability factor of pellicle mesh material gives an edge to Aeron.[/su_note]
Build quality
In addition to the seat material and the comfort, you would want the build quality of the chair to be supreme. If you are spending handsomely on an office chair, you will surely want its components to be sturdy enough to support your weight and be last long.
To that end, both of these chairs are not going to disappoint you.
Herman Miller Aeron
Manufactured in the USA, this chair uses premium quality molded aluminum, plastic, and steel in its construction. The chair is super smooth to the touch and has a plush feel.
There are no loose or ill-fitted parts. Every piece of the chair fits perfectly. Additionally, the pellicle mesh material that has been used in the upholstery of the chair is one of the best materials tested so far.
Steelcase Leap
This one has a unique feel since it’s made out of very high-quality plastic. Thus the chair is quite flexible and lightweight. Your office chair should ideally allow free movement and space. This idea backs up Leap’s design, which results in this great chair. Even though made out of plastic, all the components used in this chair are nicely done.
[su_note note_color=”#66ffbe”]Winner: Aeron chair leads in this category too. While Steelcase Leap does use high-quality plastic in the manufacturing of its chair, Aeron takes it a step forward by using sturdier construction materials like quality molded aluminum and steel.[/su_note]
Assembly and Shipping
Though there are many semi-assembly chairs in the market that require just the basic tools to set up, to a few, it may seem like a hassle. You might be one of them and that is alright.
You might not be comfortable with tools, and using even the most basic ones for setting up an office chair can seem tricky to you.
Thankfully, both Herman Miller Aeron and Steelcase Leap chairs are shipped fully assembled. Trusted partners like FedEx and UPS are used to ship the units.
Also, both these chairs have manufacturing units in the US and Europe, where most of their customers come from.
[su_note note_color=”#66ffbe”]Winner: There is no clear winner in this case as both the chairs are well packaged and shipped through reliable partners.[/su_note]
Ergonomic Backrest
The importance of this factor to ensure the comfort of an office chair cannot be highlighted enough. If the ergonomic chair does not move with your back or support the same, the entire purpose of getting an ergonomic office chair is lost. Additionally, an ergonomic backrest is ideal for you if you suffer from back problems.
So how do these two chairs perform on this line? Let’s find out:
Herman Miller Aeron
As mentioned earlier, this chair comes in different sizes. Aeron Classis is the most basic one paired with non-adjustable lumbar support. A slightly pricey version is Posture fit SL. This one offers more lumbar support, particularly in the sacral and lumbar areas.
Steelcase Leap
This one just offers one S-back-shaped chair. The lumbar position of this chair can be adjusted to a great extent, and its firmness can also be changed. The backrest can be moved up and down to adjust its curve or flat as per your convenience.
[su_note note_color=”#66ffbe”]Winner: Aeron is a clear winner in this category since it offers the ultimate comfort with its adjustable lumbar support feature. Additionally, since the chair comes in different sizes, its support and comfort can be customized to an extent. [/su_note]
Warranty
Even though you have to choose between two of the most popular office chairs in the market, checking out the warranty of the same is essential. To our surprise, there is a difference in the warranty policy between the two leaders.
Herman Miller Aeron
This includes a 12-year warranty that covers all parts of the chair including the padding, upholstery, casters, and mechanism. The warranty, however, covers 24/7 usage with not more than 300 lbs. This is the capacity of the size A version of the brand. The B and C ones come for 350 lbs. The brand either sends a technician to fix the chair on-field or takes it to the workshop.
Steelcase Leap
Like Herman Miller, this Steelcase Leap also offers a 12-year warranty which covers padding, frame, upholstery, casters, and mechanism.
The only difference with Herman Miller is that the maximum weight of the basic chair is 400 lbs, and the oversized one is 500 lbs with 24/7 usage. But Steelcase takes a different approach to the warranty.
They will either replace or repair the chair with a similar product free of charge for any component that might have been damaged due to normal use or if a replacement is required commercially, the brand refunds or credits for the damaged product.
[su_note note_color=”#66ffbe”]Winner: Steelcase adds another feather to its hat in this category owing to its unique warranty approach. Unlike Aeron chairs, Steelcase offers replacement of a damaged product and also refunds the money for a commercial replacement.[/su_note]
Aeron vs Leap (Pros and Cons)
| Herman Miller Aeron | Lumbar support cannot be adjusted as per height. |
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| Steelcase Leap |
Verdict
The winner is clearly Herman Miller Aeron since the score stands at 4.8/5. Herman Miller Aeron chairs are not only available in different sizes but they are also made out of high-quality material and offer great ergonomic support to the back and lumbar. It is a little bit more expensive than Leap and a few other good office chairs in the market however if you’re looking for a chair for the long term then Aeron should be your first choice.
All these features make this chair ideal for you if you suffer from chronic back pain. The chairs from this brand are long-lasting and highly recommended.
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