Last updated: November 9th, 2023
The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is in a tough spot. Retailing for about $2,000, it’s not a budget office chair – unless you’re an investment banker with an underperforming portfolio.
Yet, it’s not as posh as its bigger, more famous and expensive sibling, the Herman Miller Aeron.
Should you save another $500 and buy the Aeron ergonomic office chair instead? Or should you buy the $2000 Mirra 2 for its careful balance of comfort, cost ergonomics and style? I wrote this review to help you make the right decision.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Polite and attractive aesthetic. Friendly, modern design that takes cues from the Aeron. | Cheap-ish build. Doesn’t feel like a $2,000 office chair. |
| Plenty of adjustments. You get seat depth, bi-directional lumbar support, 3D armrests and tilt lock with 3 settings. | Poor attention to important details. No headrest option and suboptimal armrest ergonomics. |
Reasons To Buy The Herman Miller Mirra 2 Office Chair.
Above: Curved lines and all-mesh construction give the Mirra 2 the appearance of a baby Aeron.
Let’s talk about looks. The Mirra 2 office chair will appeal to both men and women, but it’s not a power chair for Wall Street banker wannabes.
If you buy one off the showroom floor in Australia, you’ll likely be offered the option of Graphite (black) colour only.
Expert Tip.
Herman Miller can build the Mirra 2 in over 50 colour variations, with separate options for the frame, backrest and seat pan. I recommend that you explore this option, as the generic black colour makes the chair look cheaper than it is. The downside? You’ll need to be patient, as custom orders have a 2-3 months lead time.
Above: You can order the Mirra 2 in custom colours, like this one with a blue backrest and a bright red seat pan.
Despite the gentle appearance, the Mirra 2 is rated to a very impressive 136kg.
But while it will cope with the weight of larger people, it will struggle with width, as the seat pan size is not generous.
Mesh is exactly what you’d expect from a $2,000 Herman Miller chair – taut, thick and doesn’t look like it will sag any time soon.
Herman Miller Mirra 2 offers seat height and depth controls, fully adjustable arms with height, width and pivot controls and two-way adjustable lumbar support.
Above: Adjustable lumbar support locks into position using levers on each side of the backrest.
Speaking of lumbar support, it’s one of the best I’ve ever experienced in an office chair, although the mechanism is somewhat fiddly.
(You adjust the height by clipping the lumbar’s wings onto backrest holes).
Thankfully, the adjustment range is generous.
It will move very high or surprisingly low to fit the curvature of most people’s lumbar spines. Depth adjustment is also included and is aimed at people who dislike pokey lumbar support.
The chair’s recline offers three tilt lock positions and has a satisfying rocking motion. I prefer it to that of the Aeron, as it feels less like you’re falling backwards and more like you’re actually reclining.
I’m a big fan of the mesh seat.
Fun Fact.
Most mesh seats don’t have a true seat depth adjustment because it’s a hard engineering problem to solve. (How do you control the depth of a frame with taut mesh stretched across it?)
Herman Miller solved it with a unique seat depth adjustment mechanism that allows you to bend the front edge of the seat pan at whichever point feels most comfortable to you.
It’s a nifty feature that I wish was available on the Aeron chair, too.
Above: You can control seat pan depth by adjusting the falloff steepness of its front edge
Herman Miller is committed to sustainability, which is apparent in the Mirra 2 chair.
It’s made from 90% recycled materials, and it’s also 90% recyclable. The chair is made in the USA at Herman Miller’s factory, which only uses renewable energy sources.
As you’d expect, Mirra 2’s warranty is great. You get the standard Herman Miller’s 12 years of coverage on all parts.
Where The Herman Miller Mirra 2 Falls Short.
Above: Mirra 2 is made almost entirely from plastic. It doesn’t feel cheap to the touch, but not quite premium, either.
My biggest gripe with the Mirra 2 is that it doesn’t feel like a $2,000 chair. Even though it has the coveted Herman Miller badge, its build reminds me of dashboards on 2005 Ford Falcons.
Call me old-school, but when I pay $2,000 for an ergonomic office chair, I want it to feel rock-solid.
The Mirra 2 doesn’t. In fact, it’s more flimsy than the $750 Ergotune Supreme office chair and the famous $1500 Steelcase Leap office chair.
Herman Miller doesn’t offer one with the Mirra 2, so if you like to lay your head back while snoozing, this isn’t the right chair.
Armrest ergonomics are also disappointing. Their curved top design isn’t ideal for resting your forearms for long periods of time, despite their generous width.
Above: Mirra 2’s armrests need to be less flimsy and have a flatter surface.
I prefer the flat, soft, leatherette-topped armrests, like the ones on the Aeron chair and the Steelcase Leap.
How The Herman Miller Mirra 2 Stacks Up.
The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is under a lot of pressure to perform – because of its $2,000 price tag. Herman Miller’s brand takes the edge off, but only so much.
| Adjustments | 4/5 |
| Comfort | 4/5 |
| Aesthetics | 3.5/5 |
| Build Quality & Waranty | 3.5/5 |
| Cost | 3.5/5 |
| OVERALL | 3.7/5 |
My Final Verdict On The Herman Miller Mirra 2 Office Chair.
The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is a mid-range ergonomic office chair in the company’s lineup. It’s unofficially touted as the “poor man’s Aeron” – both a compliment and a death sentence.
Sensible people who believe the Aeron is overpriced will likely think the same about the Mirra 2.
Meanwhile, ostentatious people who want a status symbol won’t like the Mirra 2 because it’s not blingy enough.
- Yes, the Herman Miller Mirra 2 is an ergonomic chair that will help you find a good sitting position.
- Yes, it’s cheaper than most other Herman Miller chairs.
- Some people will buy it despite the $2,000 price tag.
If it were priced at $1500 – exactly the same as the Steelcase Leap 2 – I’d consider it a good (but not excellent) product. But at $2,000, it’s overpriced for what it is.
Steven
