Herman Miller® Celle® Chair Review
First introduced to the market in 2005 the Herman Miller® Celle® Chair adds yet another choice to today's spoiled office worker. But it is used for more than just office work. Students, boardroom- and healthcare workers all benefit greatly from the numerous adjustments the Celle offers. Let's have a look what the Celle® brings to the work environment. I think a few questions and answers will highlight the main points.
How is my back supported?
The backrest consists of a plastic like material (polymer to be exact) which Herman Miller® calls the cellular suspension system. The plastic consists of 1578 pads or cells (I will take Herman Miller's word, I didn't count them) which are bonded together by elastic loops. This makes the material flexible - allowing it to adjust every time you move. This in turn ensures that your weight are evenly distributed and that no pressure points develop.
The amount of flex that different areas of the backrest allow differs as well. Certain parts of the human back are more flexible than others. By making certain areas more rigid it ensures that each part of your back receives just the correct amount of support.
The construction of the backrest provides lower back support, but an additional lumbar pad takes it one step further. The pad can be moved up or down by 4 " and in or out by 1 " to best match the curve of your back.
I have heard that the chair seat and backrest is hard. Is it true?
You have heard right. The seat and backrest is definitely firm and unless you are used to it, it will feel hard in the beginning. Most people report that it took them about a week to get used to the firmness. Some never do. Interesting enough, once used to the Celle®, many report that they will never go back to a soft chair again.
I like to recline. What does the chair offer?
Here the Celle ® greatly benefits from technology it inherited from the Herman Miller® Mirra chair, known as Harmonic™ Tilt. The Harmonic™ Tilt mechanism does a few things all aimed at increasing your reclining experience.
When your body reclines it pivots around your hip joint. The point at which the chair's back rotate mimics your body's natural pivoting. There is thus very little resistance from the chair when you recline as the chair and your body move in unison.
The Harmonic™ Tilt system further ensures that your body stays in touch with the backrest and the seat when you recline. Naturally, as you recline more weight is shifted from the seat to the backrest. The Harmonic™ Tilt function ensures that the backrest and seat each deliver just the right amount of support as the chair tilt.
You can set a limit to the amount of tilt, as well as the resistance you feel when you recline simply by adjusting some levers. The tilt range is 28 degrees.
Does the chair heat up and become sweaty?
No. The backrest allows air to flow through it and all materials used on the seat and backrest is fully breathable.
Tell me about the Armrests
OK, since you ask so nicely. The first thing I would like to mention is that you have an option to go for a chair with fixed arms or adjustable arms. Forget about the fixed arm option. It is extremely limiting. The armpads are wide enough to provide proper support to the forearms of the vast majority of users. The surface is not too hard and most users should find it comfortable.
Is it easy to adjust the armrests?
You can adjust the arm height, width and also tilt the arms in or out. The arm height is easy to adjust. Underneath the front armpad there is a lever that unlocks the armpad when pushed. Adjust the height of the armrest and release the lever so that the armrest locks into place. The angle of the armrests is also easy to adjust by twisting the front part of the armpad. They adjust 11 degrees inward and outward. And the width of the arms is also adjustable. All it takes is applying a bit of pressure at the back of the armrests.
Can I adjust the arms so that they slide underneath my table?
The answer is yes unless you have a very low table. But for the vast majority this will not be a problem. If this really bothers you a chair with no arms is also available.
Your options
The most important choice you have to make is between the loaded and the basic version. The basic options lacks certain key features which the loaded version has namely:
- The seat depth is not adjustable
- The arms are fixed
- No lumbar pad
For this reason I recommend the fully loaded version.
Upholstery is available (as an option) in a wide range of colors and if you want a bit more padding on the seat and backrest this is the option to go for. A thin seat cushion is also available as an extra. Upholstery is available in a wide range of colors.
If you are very short or tall you can choose the low or high seat height option respectively.
What don’t you like about the Celle®?
Overall I think the Celle® is a good chair. All chairs have their weaknesses and the question we all must answer is whether we can live with the particular weakness. When it comes to the Celle there are two things to point out.
- The chair is pretty big, but the width of each arm is only adjustable by 1 ". For the average or bigger build users this should not be a problem, but it may be an issue for a smaller user with narrow shoulders. Nobody wants their arms to fly everytime they sit.
- Like I previously stated the backrest and seat are firm. Unless you are use to it, it may take some getting used to. If you are looking for a soft cushy like chair, like a sofa, give the Celle® a skip. However, if you are looking for good back support and are willing to get use to the firmness you may learn to appreciate it.
That is the Celle in a nutshell.