Herman Miller has always brought to us the best ergonomic chairs in terms of support, comfort, versatility, and built quality.
The Aeron chair is one of the most iconic office chairs in history. It was designed by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf in 1994, and it has been a staple for offices everywhere ever since.
But now there’s a new competition on the market: Herman Miller Mirra 2. Which one should you buy? Let’s take a look at what they’re offering!
Mirra 2 and Aeron are two of those chairs and it is really a tough job to compare them as both of them are quite exceptional ergonomic chairs. There are lots of similarities between them and some key differences too. Let’s find out which one is better and why?
Backrest: Which has a better backrest? Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron
Herman Miller Aeron Task Chair:
➔ The backrest of the Herman Miller Aeron is made from the proprietary 8Z pellicle mesh.
➔ The backrest has a substantial natural curve for the lumbar support and is designed in a way to keep the spine supported and embraced against it all the time.
➔ The mesh is breathable and properly ventilated for long working hours and resists overheating or sweating issues.
Aeron comes with 3 backrest options:
- Standard or Zonal Back Support: has a standard backrest without any extra lumbar support
- Adjustable Lumbar Support: dedicated lumbar with height adjustability feature
- Adjustable PostureFit SL: Most advanced and expensive back support with more focus on the lower back along with an adjustable lumbar support
Herman Miller Mirra 2 Task Chair:
➔ The backrest on Mirra 2 is large enough to support the entire back of the user with utmost comfort and consistent support even while reclining
➔ The backrest is made up of polyester mesh which has good breathability and is flexible enough to allow the user to move around freely
➔ You can install additional lumbar support as an add-on to support a larger range of your back. This will provide improved support to your lower back and embrace the natural curvature of the spine in a more apt way
➔ The additional lumbar support has a 4.5” height adjustability range along with 1” of depth adjustment. The depth support can be controlled on both sides of your back separately. This allows you to have one side more supported than the other if that is more comfortable for you.
Herman Miller Mirra 2 Task Chair backrest options:
- TriFlex backrest: flexible but hard backrest. Durable and easy to clean but if you move constantly, you will notice resting your back against a hard surface.
- The Butterfly Suspension: If you are someone who doesn’t like to rest your back against hard support then this is the option for you to go. The Butterfly Suspension is pricier than the TriFlex option but contours your back better. It also merges a fabric layer with the polyester which gives a much softer feel.
Verdict:
- AERON vs MIRRA 2 with a TriFlex back – Aeron is better
- AERON vs MIRRA 2 with a Butterfly suspension – It is a tie
Armrests: Which has the better Armrests? Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron
Herman Miller Aeron Armrest:
➔ On the Aeron, the armrests are attached to the backrest and move with the movement of the user. This allows the user to have a comfortable arm position and supportive posture even while reclining.
The Herman Miller Aeron armrests come in 3 options
- Fixed or stationary arms: No adjustment of height, angle, and arm pad depth
- Height-adjustable arms: 1D vertical adjustability only
- Fully adjustable arms: 3D adjustable arms with height, tilt, and arm pad depth adjustment
The upholstery of the armrests come in two options as well
- Standard armrests with pads made from PU foams that are soft and comfortable
- Leather arm pads for better feel and executive look
Herman Miller Mirra 2:
➔ The armrests on Herman Miller Mirra 2 are one of the characteristic features of the task chair.
Herman Miller Mirra 2 armrests come in 2 options
- Non-adjustable or fixed armrests
- 4D adjustable armrests: This is an upgrade that comes at an extra cost but is worth the price. The adjustability feature is great with a huge height range. They can accommodate people with height around 6’4” very easily and go low enough to get out of the way of the user.
➔ The width and depth of the arm pads are adjustable as well and the 4D feature allows the armrests to pivot in all directions.
➔ The arm pads are quite soft and feel slightly squishy which makes them utterly comfortable. They are covered with a urethane membrane to protect them from wear and tear.
➔ The combination of all these adjustments allow the user to fine-tune into their best sitting position
➔ The armrests have a functional steep waterfall design which prevents the arms of the user from sliding forward.
➔ The slope on the chair is useful enough to allow the user to place the chair close to the keyboard tray of their desk while still resting their arms properly. The slope will prevent the armrests from hitting the pad
Verdict:
Both Aeron and Mirra 2 have comfortable and functional armrests and it’s hard to decide a winner
Seat design and comfort: Which chair offers better Seat design and comfort? Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron
Herman Miller Aeron:
➔ There are two groups of users when it comes to the seat of Aeron. They either love it or completely loath it.
➔ The patented 8Z Pellicle mesh is flexible, breathable, and feels great against the skin. On paper, the seat is designed in a way to provide the user with a feeling of floating. But, in reality, some people complain about the stiffness of the seat.
➔ There are side bolsters on the Aeron’s seat which makes the user feel like sitting in the seat rather than on top of it. This can be counterproductive if you move a lot on your chair.
➔ Big guys can feel the frame while sitting on Aeron which can be uncomfortable to them.
➔ The depth adjustment feature is missing on the Aeron, so you cannot adjust the front of the seat frame according to your comfort.
Herman Miller Mirra 2:
➔ The seat on Mirra 2 is made up of a plastic frame with patented AirWeave 2 mesh stretched over it.
➔ The AirWeave material makes the seat soft and flexible with a slight firm feeling
➔ The seat has a functional contoured surface and endows proper support to the user who doesn’t have a hard feeling against a firm seat.
➔ There is an upgrade available for the seat depth adjustment called FlexFront adjustment. This is really important for users who move constantly on their seats and multitask.
Verdict:
Mirra 2 leads here due to the softer fabric material and FlexFront seat depth adjustment feature
Ergonomic Adjustments: Which chair offers better Ergonomic Adjustments? Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron
Herman Miller Aeron:
➔ Aeron is not the most ergonomically adjustable office task chair as it is missing some key adjustable features like seat depth, back height, and arm width. Given the price point, all of these features should be there
➔ Having said that, it has some cool adjustable features that cover the faults to some extent. Armrest heights have a great adjustment range along with substantial seat height adjustment.
➔ The adjustable lumbar support counterbalances the missing back height adjustment feature to a great extent.
➔ The Aeron also comes with a tilt feature with tension adjustment and tilt lock option.
➔ The forward tilt feature is the best adjustment feature on Aeron as it allows users to lean forward while still providing ample support to the lower back.
➔ The lumbar support on the Aeron is exceptionally functional. The user can get into a comfortable supportive posture even while reclining.
Herman Miller Mirra 2:
➔ Mirra 2 is the most ergonomically adjustable chair from Herman Miller. It has every possible feature except the back height adjustment which is compensated to a great extent by the exceptional adjustable lumbar support.
➔ The forward tilt option comes as an add-on feature and can be incorporated if you’re not on a budget as it is great for tasks like typing for long hours.
➔ Seat height and seat depth adjustments along with 4D adjustable arms allows the users to find their sweet sitting position
➔ Tilt lock and tilt tension allow the user to recline while maintaining a comfortable and supportive position while offering a relaxing rocking motion via the recline.
Verdict:
Mirra 2 wins by a wide margin
Distinct Pros and Cons of Aeron and Mirra 2: Which chair is better? Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron
Pros of Herman Miller Aeron
➔ Manufactured in the USA, has a great build quality
➔ Recline and forward tilt
➔ Comfortable padded armrests
➔ 12 years of warranty
➔ Ships fully assembled
➔ Made up of recyclable material
➔ Awesome lumbar support
Cons of Herman Miller Aeron
➔ The seat is firm
➔ Heavy users can feel the seat frame
➔ No seat depth adjustment feature
➔ Back height adjustment feature missing
Pros of Herman Miller Mirra 2
➔ Fully adjustable
➔ High-end build
➔ 4D armrests
➔ Environment-friendly material
Cons of Herman Miller Mirra 2
➔ Every add-on feature increases the price tremendously
➔ Mesh seat is not for everyone
➔ Wide armrest not good for petite people
➔ TriFlex backrest is too firm