Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair Review: Still Worth $3,000?

Herman Miller Aeron is one of the most iconic office chairs in the world. Scratch that. It is the most iconic office chair in the world. But it’s not the best office chair for everyone.

The $3,000 price tag will disqualify many people. But even if you can justify its price, think twice before buying this monster ergonomic chair.

It may break your heart.

It broke mine.

See, my relationship with the Aeron is complicated.

I owned one for two years just before COVID. Cut a long story short – I enjoyed it but didn’t love it. It ended up on Facebook Marketplace.

We’re approaching the end of 2025, and I just bought myself another one. Will the second marriage last?

I’m not sure. The many “mistresses” I’ve had in between – the Fern, the Sihoo S300, Steelcase Leap and Series 2 – are hard to forget.

But one thing is for sure. I’m writing this review for you as I sit in my second Aeron. What could be more romantic?

Above: My latest wife Aeron – in Herman Miller’s off-white colour the company calls Mineral. Worth $200 extra over standard Graphite, aka charcoal grey? Time will tell.

Reasons To Buy The Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair.

Let’s continue riffing on the theme of longevity.

Herman Miller’s Pellicle mesh is outstanding.

It’s guaranteed for 12 years, but often lasts much longer – I’ve seen 15-year-old Aerons that still look brand new.

That durability is a big reason many people mesh over fabric-and-foam chairs.

Above: A Graphite Aeron I photographed in a Sydney showroon.

As you’d expect when dropping $3,000 on an office chair, the rest of it feels equally bulletproof.

Both the seat pan and the backrest are made from mesh, making the Aeron well-suited to the hot Australian climate.

This becomes particularly relevant if your home office is north of the Gold Coast – or doesn’t have air conditioning.

Even more comfortable is the Aeron’s recline.

I don’t like hyperbole, so when I use it, I really mean it.

Above: PostureFit SL up close and personal. The pressure pads are thin – but cover a huge vertical area.

Aeron’s recline really is the best in the world. There – I’ve said it.

It doesn’t recline – it glides.

Your body’s hip angle opens while your butt drops.

And the tension feels wonderfully progressive and smooth.

Lockable in 3 positions with adjustable tension, it feels more natural than the hip-thrust motion of Steelcase office chairs.

I’m less crazy about the Aeron’s lumbar – but it’s still pretty good.

It doesn’t adjust for height, but this isn’t an issue because it covers a wide vertical area – from your sacral region to around the T11 disc of your thoracic vertebrae.

But importantly, the Aeron’s lumbar support isn’t controlled by the PostureSL device alone.

The backrest frame itself applies firm pressure along the sides of your back, helping maintain a healthy C-curve.

Above: Notice how the gentle curve in the Aeron’s frame also contributes pressure to your lumbar region.

Personally, I like a firm lumbar, so it works for me. Just test one in a showroom first – you’ll know quickly if it’s your thing.

Armrests are some of the best in the world, too. Possibly the best.

They go very low and very high, ensuring people with extreme limb lengths find a comfortable arm position.

You don’t get true width adjustment, but it’s not an issue – because you can pivot the armrests to adjust width.

The arm caps are also fantastic.

(Related: Sihoo Doro S300 – The Aeron Killer?)

I don’t love their shape – they’re the only part of the Aeron that hasn’t aged well, design-wise – but they feel great. They’re soft, with a distinct premium feel and no hard edges.

How does the chair look?

I’m on the fence.

On one hand, the Herman Miller Aeron chair is striking and attractive.

Above: Armrests are epic. Soft and friendly, with pivot, height and depth adjustment.

It’s definitely a statement piece.

The downside? I’ll talk about it shortly, but let me give you a hint.

Forward seat tilt is an unusual option. I don’t see much value in it, but it apparently helps people who experience back pain.

It’s also useful for people who need to sit at the front edge of their seat as part of their profession (e.g., imagine your doctor looking at the back of your throat).

(Related: Best Budget Office Chairs In Australia).

It’s not cheap, but the Aeron is a forever chair.

Herman Miller’s 12-year warranty on mesh, parts and labour, combined with a huge supply of spare parts and a thriving refurbishment industry, means this office chair can last up to 20 years.

The resale value is insanely high. Most people use it for 5-7 years, get bored and sell it second-hand to the next person for over $1,000.

Last but not least, the Herman Miller Aeron chair arrives at your door ready to use.

Built and assembled in the USA, it ships inside a big cardboard box and does not require you to peek through manuals or fiddle with Allen keys.

Just open the box and enjoy.

(Related: Steelcase Gesture Office Chair: Worth $2000?)

Reasons To Avoid The Herman Miller Aeron.

Above: Strike a pose. Although its design hasn’t changed much in almost 30 years, the Aeron still appears quite modern.

I raved about the Pellicle mesh earlier, but it’s time for a warning. It provides a firmer seating experience than most office chairs.

If you prefer soft seats, the Aeron may not be for you. Yes, it does give you a magic suspended feeling without any pressure spots, but it’s also taut.

I don’t recommend getting into this habit (it’s not an ergonomic position and can cause pain) anyway, and the Aeron is really good at nagging you about it.

Its rigid bucket frame will hit the bony parts of your legs that don’t like to be hit.

Aeron’s backrest frame is equally rigid, with no flex on it. This translates to a very stoic sitting experience, with minimal flex and movement.

Above: Sculpted seat edges will prevent you from crossing your legs.

It reminds me of sitting in the ErgoTune Supreme office chair, which also features an all-mesh design and a hard frame (but costs $750).

Herman Miller offers a very generous return policy in the United States.

Sadly, Australian customers miss out on it, as the company sells directly through a network of resellers (likely Sit Back and Relax, Bad Backs or Living Edge) rather than directly to consumers.

The Aeron is available in 3 sizes, and you’ll need to decide upfront whether you’re an A, B or C.

Above: Cross-check your height and weight to find out which Aeron size will fit you best.

While this is ideal for solo home office users, it becomes more tricky if you plan to share your Aeron chair with your other half or a business partner.

For example, I’m tall and (still somewhat) lean (200 cm and 105 kg), so ideally, I’d like a C-sized backrest and gas piston, but seat width in B size.

Unfortunately, this isn’t possible, so I must settle for a B-sized chair that feels a tad too small.

Herman Miller doesn’t offer a headrest for the Aeron chair.

If you plan to use it as a task chair, you probably won’t care, but if you decide to use it for gaming or watching movies, you should consider buying this outstanding 3rd party headrest from Atlas.

It looks like a genuine original Herman Miller part, but it will set you back an eye-watering $400.

Aeron’s appearance is both a pro and a con.

Yes, it looks impressive, but it’s also showy.

Speaking of colour, you get a choice of only four (three of which are shades of black). That’s it.

Above: Armrest height adjustments are located on the rear. Problematic? Not really. Quirky? Definitely.

You also miss out on seat depth adjustment and backrest height adjustment.

While the ability to spec the Aeron in different sizes reduces their need, people outside the typical body proportions will wish for more fine-tuning options.

By the time you add the Atlas headrest and delivery, you won’t get much change from $3,500.

To put it into perspective, you can deck out your entire team with 5 ErgoTune Supremes for the same price or 10 Sihoo M57s budget chairs.

Classic vs Remastered Aeron: Which Is Best?

After tweaking the original design for a few years, Herman Miller released the Remastered version of the Aeron in 2016.

The chair looks almost the same, but has a few important differences.

The Remastered also features better lumbar support but keeps the Classic Aeron’s firm mesh seat (albeit made from a different material).

For a full list of differences between the Classic Aeron and the Remastered, read my Classic vs Remastered Guide.

How To Buy A Cheap Herman Miller Aeron Chair.

You can buy a used Aeron chair on Facebook marketplace, Gumtree or eBay for about $600-1,500, depending on:

How The Herman Miller Aeron Stacks Up.

My love-hate relationship with the Herman Miller Aeron continues.

On one hand, it’s one of the most expensive office chairs in Australia, has a firm seat, is somewhat tacky and doesn’t accommodate people with unusual body shapes like mine.

On the other hand, it’s the most ergonomic chair in the world – because it will force you to sit in a perfectly ergonomic position.

My Final Verdict On The Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair.

The Herman Miller Aeron is not just an office chair. It’s also a signalling tool that tells people visiting your office that you’re a success.

At the very least, it lets them know that you appreciate the finer things in life.

Remarkably natural recline movement, strong graphite frame and an outstanding recline mechanism make it one of the best chairs you can buy.

I’m keeping my second one – for now.

Steven