Stealcase Amia vs Leap: Which one is best?

The Stealcase Amia is one of those chick-looking chairs with high versatility. 

You can effectively use it in various settings and it provides extreme comfort for long working hours that involve sitting. 

Flexor technology forms an integral part of this design to provide consistent, yet dynamic support.

The Stealcase Leap mimics the movement of your spine to accommodate the different movements of the upper and lower back. 

It senses what your body needs and then adjusts to provide comfort and support whenever you move or your posture changes. 

This chair is ideal for the person that sits all day.

Buyers need to make an informed choice, therefore we will compare various features, as listed below:

Breaking it down

By weighing up the different features of the Amia and the Leap and also showcasing the pros and cons of the two chairs, potential buyers will be enabled to make an informed decision on their preferred office chair option.

Seating 

When it comes to seating for people sitting a great deal of every day in an office chair, the size, structure and comfort of the design become important.

All individuals have different bodies and therefore different seating requirements, even if they are of the same build and height.

An interesting feature of the Amia is the waterfall design of the seat. 

The reason for this is to promote blood circulation while relieving the pressure on the thighs. 

The seat height has 6 adjustment settings and the seat depth can be customised for the user.

The seat width measures 26.625 inches and is padded for comfort.

The Leap has a comfortable seat design with a flexible seat edge that needs no adjustment.

It is manufactured with 9 easy seat height adjustments as well as debt adjustments for lower back and leg support. 

The seat is 27 inches wide. Some surveys concluded the seat needed more padding as it became uncomfortable after sitting for too long.

The Amia reigns superior when sitting for long periods.

Armrests

The proper position for your arms on the armrests is when you sit with your arms at your side, forearms supported, without too much muscle tension and without allowing your shoulders to hunch forward.

With upholstered leather arm caps that are height-adjustable, the Amia armrests are comfortable.

The arm adjustments include height, width, depth and pivot adjustments for maximum comfort. An armless option is available.

When it comes to the Leap, there is an additional feature of independently adjusting the arm rest position for each arm.

The standard width, pivot and depth adjustments are available.

Both of these chairs have excellent armrest support but the individual adjustment favours the Leap as the winner.

Back support

To avoid back pain, back support is one of the most important features to consider when evaluating potential chairs.

Back support prevents your muscles from getting tired and plays a crucial role in the maintenance of a good posture with the proper alignment of the spine. 

The Amia notably has a high back with a quite flexible plastic top.

Fitted to the chair is life lumbar technology that includes multiple flex points. 

The chair also features adjustable back tension and provides dynamic back support.

Built into the Leap is firmness in the lower back for constant support for the lower spine.

Additional adjustable lumbar support is a feature that is available if this is a preference.

The chair is a little more flexible for easy depth control. 

Lumbar support plays a huge role in making the Leap the winner in this category too.

Reclining

Regular changes in posture help you stay comfortable and you can also focus better while you work. 

The purpose of having a reclining feature in an office chair is to provide the ability to stretch your back and adjust your body from time to time when you spend long hours sitting in an unnatural position with a poor posture.

With the Amia, the recline function is almost too easy to push back and makes it quite easy to slouch.

The recline can only be locked in the upright position. and it adds to an extra stretch of the back muscles every now and then.

A natural glide system is fitted to the Leap that enables you to comfortably recline without putting strain on your arms, neck and eyes.

You can also control the amount of pushback when you recline because of adjustable back tension.

The chair has 5 settings with locks for your favourite recline position.

The extra features of the Leap make the recline experience superior to that of the Amia.

Adjustability

For some people, the adjustability of an office chair is a big selling point. 

They are willing to pay more for the options to customise their sitting experience.

The Amia offers the options for seat height and depth adjustments, armrest 4-way adjustability and backrest adjustment but it does not have the option for lumbar depth adjustment.

This chair can lock one position for reclining in the upright position.

With the Leap, all the same adjustments are available as well as the lumbar depth adjustment. 

You can choose from 5 tilt position settings and you have the option to fit a headrest to the Leap.

With an add-on ottoman, the leap can be transformed into the Leap WorkLounge.

The Leap clearly has the most adjustable features.  

Weight

Some office chairs are big boy designs and do not have the intention of necessarily being lightweight for their main purpose is to be extra strong rather than movable.

It is quite surprising to find out that the Amia weighs an astonishing 54,5 lbs.

The Leap comes in at a hefty 50 lbs itself and the manufacturers make no excuse for this sturdy design.

Both chairs are equally heavy and we call it a tie in this category of comparison.

Warranty

The warranty for a higher price range office chair becomes important to ensure you get the best value for money in the long term. 

One of the most important furniture items in an office remains office chairs and if they come with a warranty, it is a bonus.

Both the Amia and the Leap are covered by the Americas Limited Lifetime Warranty that warrants their products to be free from any defects in material and also guarantees the workmanship. 

The warranty becomes valid from the date of delivery. The Stealcase warranty is still the strongest in this industry.

After-sales service

The reputation of a company to provide excellent after-sales service might clinch the deal for many buyers.

The Stealcase products can be purchased from carefully selected resellers and dealers for this very reason.

In addition, the company can assist with workplace surveys to determine the tender for the needs of the business and supply appropriate solutions. 

They also tender for maintenance and installation services for various products.

Web-based tools make procurement of furniture a streamlined process.

Buyers rating

On Amazon.com, you can see honest feedback from customers who bought either the Stealcase Amia or the Leap.

For the Amia, the rating is 4,5 with a whopping 76% of customers giving it that confident 5 reviews.

The Leap received a 4,3 average rating where 72% of customers gave it a 5 out of 5.

These results were influenced by some fake chairs being sold as original Stealcase Leaps.

Nevertheless, Amia performed better on Amazon with regard to buyer satisfaction.

Our rating

We rate the Leap at a 4,7 and the Amia at a 4,5 out of a total of 5, making the Leap our favourite.

Price

You may favour a specific chair and when testing it out, the potential buyer falls in love.  In the end, the price will play a major factor in making the final decision.

At Steelcase, the price for the Amia is $823.  The Leap will cost you $1128, a difference of $305.

When adding any additional features, you will have to re-calculate the cost.

When it comes to the price comparison, the Amia wins because it is less expensive while still providing excellent quality.

Pros and Cons

Let’s look at a few pros and cons in table form to help us with the comparison.

AMIA	Pros	Cons
	Life lumbar technology. Great design with stability and comfort. Ergonomic adjustable features, making it customizable.	Very heavy. No headrest option. Non-breathable back Tilt-lock only works in the upright position.
LEAP	Pros	Cons
	Sturdy construction Ample advanced adjustability features.	Pricey Metal parts may squeak

Final Verdict

The Amia is a very comfortable chair in a good price range. 

The thicker seat is a strong feature for people that sit for many hours.

This is one of the Steelcase products that have great resale value. 

The Leap has fantastic back and lumbar support.

This chair allows you to move while you work, supporting the back very effectively.

This is the chair that makes you forget that you are sitting for long hours.

The chair is elegant and is fitted with fantastic technology. This chair has a superior recline function

The Leap clearly stands out as the superior chair except for the fact that it is quite pricey. 

For the customer looking for adaptability, this is the chair to buy.

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