What chair to replace an Aeron?

[wombar]

Well after spending the best part of £900 on a fancy chrome aeron last year and getting a brand new replacement two weeks ago, I'm going to be getting rid of it next week (i.e the shop have agreed to refund me). The reason for this is that it creaks, pops, squeaks and generally annoys the hell out of me when I'm trying to record and work, I told them I needed a quiet chair when I was looking at it and they assured me Aerons were whisper quiet. Having to re-record parts because it sounds like someone has farted isn't funny (well the first time it is, but not the 90th time)

So, I'm going to be left chairless next week and will be needing a replacement chair. Having looked around Staples and Costco this morning on my travels I saw a few nice chairs but none that quite fit the bill. I NEED this chair to be comfortable, and not a £35 chair from Viking because I sit in it all day as I work from home. I've had one of those £35 chairs in the past and they're fine for 3-4 hours a day but not much longer than that.

I need adjustable arm rests, and it would be nice if it had adjustable lumbar and forward tilt, but after spending £900 on a chair, I'm willing to sacrifice a few features if the chair is £200 Anyone got any suggestions or links? I'm happy to pay anything up to £900 again but for that money I expect a quiet chair

[g8ina]

Try Kinnarps, Ive had mine since 2001 and its sooooo comfy. Lots of ergonomic features, lots of adjustments.

Mine was about £450 I think, but no idea what current prices are, google Kinnarps.

[wombar]

Thanks for the suggestion g8ina, I think my dad a Kinnarps chair and whilst it's not as visually fancy as the Aeron, it's certainly got just as many (if not more) adjustments on it. It looks like Kinnarps has a showroom in London so I may take a trip up there and have a look at the range.

Keep the suggestions coming.

[Tumble]

Try the one in THIS THREAD

I have tried them and they are mostly comfortable and don't squeak

[wombar]

Cheers Tumble. Looks like it might fit the bill and isn't horrendously expensive either which is a plus. Just a couple of quick questions if that's okay?

- Does the seat back move independantly of the base of the chair (like a proper car seat)? i.e. that back moves but nothing else

- Does the recline function tip the seatpan of the chair as well? i.e. like a normal executive chair, the entire seat just tilts backwards for those "thinking moments".

Certainly looks like a nice chair, definitely a strong contender.

[Tumble]

Yes, the back will adjust like a normal car seat, and the whole thing reclines when you lean back, office chair stylee... The ONLY gripe I've got with them is the lenght of the legs on the base... when you're reclined, unless you've got 6' legs you can't rest yer feet on them... Aside from that, they're great.

[wombar]

Cool, I'll probably end up with one of these for a while until I find something that 100% fits the bill (i.e. a zillion adjustments). I don't mind if a chair squeaks when it costs ~£100 but I had a £35 Viking chair for a year that didn't make any more noise than the £900 Aeron. I resented having to push the Aeron aside to sit on a £5 drum stool for recording sessions

[wombar]

Just thought I'd update this thread should anyone be interested in what happened. In the end I went for a Kinnarps 9000 (http://www.kinnarps.com/4xMissions/int/9000/range.html) which was a LOT cheaper than a fully spec'd Aeron. Many thanks to g8ina for pointing me in their direction.

In case anyone is interested I'll just give a quick review of the chair in comparison to an Aeron (which I lived with for a year btw so know it's strengths weaknesses).

To start with the 9000 is one of the most adjustable chairs I've sat in, EVER. Seriously, this chair is so far above the Aeron when it comes to finding the absolute best position for the sitter it's not funny. The biggest gripe I had with the Aeron was that my right thigh was always sore after a few hours of sitting because I couldn't adjust the depth of the seat pan. The Kinnarps allows you to move the seat pan back and forth to suit the individual rather than having 3 different sizes.

Forward tilt on the Kinnarps is also a MASSIVE improvement on the Aeron. You can control the tension of the seatpan on the forward tilt which means you can either have a fairly loose seatpan that tilts easily or something with a firmer feel. The arms are also a revelation compared to the Aeron, who only offer up/down, left/right. The Kinnarp arms offer up/down, left/right and most importantly forward/back so you can get under a desk whilst still having proper arm support.

Disadvantages over the aeron are few, but worth noting. It's definitely not as sexy as a chrome Aeron. That was certainly one of the things I loved about the Aeron, it looked fantastic (but it should for £900) and everyone who saw it commented on it. The Kinnarps I've got looks like any other office chair and if you're worried about looks spend some more and get it customised in leather etc.

It's also a foam/cloth seat instead of mesh which I really liked about the Aeron. However, the Kinnarps is extremely comfortable and you won't be disappointed. It's also not a lounging chair like the Aeron could be, the Kinnarps is all about getting you into the right position and making sure you're comfortable while you're working.

Tracking these chairs down can be a bit of a task though. As it turns out, the manufacturer sells direct from their HQ in Slough and allow people to view their chairs by appointment where you can pick colours, styles etc. However, I was put in contact with one of their distributors who is based in Hemel Hempstead and is a top bloke who sells these chairs at amazing prices. If anyone wants his number, PM me and I'll send it over.

So basically, I've got a chair that in my eyes is far superior (for my needs) to the Aeron in everything but the looks department for a third of the price. Aerons are great chairs, but horrendously overpriced for what you get. If you can afford an Aeron, I'd say buy with your head and not your heart and look at other manufacturers who offer more functional chairs for less money.

[Saracen]

Just thought I'd update this thread should anyone be interested in what happened.

Even if noone else is interested, I certainly am. And I'd bet I won't be the only one.

I need a new office chair and, like shoes, it's one of those things I'm quite happy to spend money on if it makes a difference to comfort. I spend a lot of time in my office chair, and finding a chair that's both comfortable and supportive makes a large difference to my productivity. It's money well spent.

Thanks for the update, and the review.

[Marcos]

How much is one of those kinnarps 9000?

[wombar]

No problem Saracen. It's one of those things, you don't know what a product is like until you've owned one. The Aeron is a great chair, but IMO vastly overpriced for what you get in terms of functionality and comfort. I bought the Aeron (brand new I might add) with my heart as I thought I was buying the "best" and would never need to replace it. I've learnt a very important lesson when it comes to chairs, it doesn't matter what they look like, they have to fit you properly.

The key thing with the Kinnarps is that they're so adjustable. There's no size A, B or C to contend with. The chair you buy is going to fit you, it's just important you choose the chair with the features that are important to you. For me, forward tilt was very important and the 9000 has a seatpan that moves independantly of the back. The locking mechanism isn't notched (i.e. X amount of positions) and you lock in literally ANY position the chair can go in, unlike the aeron which only had 7 or so locked positions.

I paid £275 for my 9000 but this is a basic cloth model without a headrest from the dealer I mentioned (probably nearer £600 direct from Kinnarps but not 100% sure). It's not the prettiest chair in the world, but my god does it do it's job well (i.e. keeps you sitting properly in comfort). If anyone wants the number for the dealer, PM me and I'll send it along.

[Marcos]

what do you reckon are the chances of me getting a basic one for under £300 too?

[Saracen]

....

I paid £275 for my 9000 but this is a basic cloth model without a headrest from the dealer I mentioned (probably nearer £600 direct from Kinnarps but not 100% sure). It's not the prettiest chair in the world, but my god does it do it's job well (i.e. keeps you sitting properly in comfort). If anyone wants the number for the dealer, PM me and I'll send it along.

I'd appreciate a PM with that contact details.

I also spoke to Kinnarps today. They tell me that the price of the 900 starts at around £600, but depends on exactly how you specify it. They quoted me £620 for the 9334, and £675 for the high-back version (9534 or 9354, whichever). But, there are dozens of variations and combinations, especially when you get into colours, dual-tone, etc.

Marcos, your chances of getting a basic one for £300, direct from Kinnarps are, I'd say, about zero. The bloke wombar used ....? Dunno. I guess it depends what the setup is.

Was your chair new, wombar? If so, was it a case of taking what's available, or ordering exactly what you want? At that price, could it be a surplus stock clearance? Not that it matters much. As you say, if it's what you want and its comfortable, the rest doesn't much matter. Personally, I'd customise it a bit if it just means waiting for delivery, but if it's £300 for a black one (with headrest, that I do want) or £650 for one in fancy two-tone colours, then plain, boring ol' black it is.

[wombar]

PM sent to Saracen.

Yep, the guy basically takes their surplus and ex-demo stock and sells it on at a knock down price (and I do mean knock down). Some chairs are new, others are nearly new, mine is definitely brand new. I think he can get customised chairs, but I'm not 100% on that. The ones he has in stock will probably be cheapest as he gets them in job lots I suspect. I bought what he had because it fit my budget and requirements at the time, for me it was a good deal as I was going to spend £600 kitting out an 8000 series chair which doesn't have quite as many controls.

Pretty sure mine is the 9114 without a headrest in a flecked blue cloth. I really just wanted something that wasn't horrendously expensive that allows me to upgrade in a years time should I feel the need so I wasn't being too picky. If I were buying it from Kinnarps, I'd probably put a few extras like fancy stitching etc, but for the price this chair was spot on for what I needed.

I'd be stunned if you can get any 9000 model direct from Kinnarps for £300, if that's your budget, you're better off giving that dealer I mentioned a call as he has a variety of stuff. PM me for details.

[g8ina]

Glad to see some club members

We're sitting pretty then ?

[wombar]

Haha, not sure I'd say pretty (as my kinnarps isn't exactly a looker) but most certainly more comfortably than with the Aeron. I think the most important thing when buying chairs is to get one that fits the person. It doesn't matter what it looks like or who it's made by, as long as it's comfortable for the user.

However, as far as I'm concerned, the more adjustments the chair has the better.