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Herman Miller Mirra Chair In the past four years of working out of my home-based office, I have gone through two low-end office chairs. The chairs cost around $300 (Canadian) and the first chair lost the pressure in the cylinder that makes it go up and down within 2 years. The second chair's fabric surface started to stetch after less than a year and a half, which caused the foam padding to dislodge. I decided it was time to invest some money into a piece of office equipment which I use 9+ hours a day. If you think about it, we will spend a lot of money on the latest and greatest computer, but when it comes to our bodies (and ultimately our health) most people seem to skip that part. I know that when I was building my home office, I didn't want to spend the money on a chair. But in the long run I would have saved myself a lot of money and trouble if I had just gone out and bought the right product in the first place.
Take the Plunge
 So I dove right in and purchased a new Mirra chair by Herman Miller. This chair is very much like the award winning Aeron chair by the same maker but with a few new twists. The first benefit over the Aeron chair is the price. The Mirra cost me $900 Canadian with all the options whereas the base Aeron chair started at $1000 plus options. For those of us building a home office, the Aeron may be a bit too expensive.
Having worked at several employers that supplied an Aeron chair, I am well acquainted with the huge benefits of a great chair. I could sit in the Aeron chair for hours at a stretch and not feel any discomfort. After having the Mirra chair now for two weeks, I can say that this chair has the same positive effect. I can sit on it for hours with little or no strain on my back. (Just a side note, the dealer let me try it out for a week before signing the bottom line. I was hooked within hours)
With my old chairs, my back would feel horrible, with shooting pain up and down my back after sitting for couple of hours. With the Mirra chair I quickly forgot about those problems. All ergonomic specialists will tell you that sitting in your chair too long is bad for you, but as a web designer I often need to sit for hours uninterrupted to get into the "groove" to produce good designs. Lots of coffee, long hours sitting at my computer and waiting for inspiration to come. Eliminating my back pain was the first thing the Mirra did. I will be the first to admit, productivity is enhanced when one is comfortable.
This chair also makes it much more comfortable to sit when it's hot because the web or mesh seating surface, called "Aireweave Suspension seat" (similar to what the Aeron chair was famous for) breaths, so you don't get all sweaty. It "conforms to the sitter" as the brochure says and they're not kidding. It also has "Flexfront Seat Depth Adjustment" which means the user can adjust how deep the front to back dimension can be. One size fits all.
Mirra 2.0
 Herman Miller first introduced the Mirra with a "Triflexe Back" which in our language looks like plastic, but in fact, it's actually made of a polymer that has exceptional torsion flexibility. The second introduction has the back fully upholstered but with the same Aireweave Suspension seat. Apparently people thought it made the chair look "cheap" with a plastic back. These people should test one before they make such a statement. I think the back is what actually gives this chair its cool looks, superior feel and comfort. Most chairs in the market today have a rigid frame made of steel or wood. Herman Miller chairs are in a field all by themselves on how they flex with your movements. The lumbar support can be height adjusted as well as stiffened if required. The controls to make all the chair adjustments are extremely user-friendly. The design of the Mirra makes everything easier to get at. The Mirra also has the most unique tilt/recline action of any chair I have used. It is also found on the Aeron which I really liked. They call it "Harmonic Tilt" and I can see why.
Final Word
My new Mirra chair is worth every penny. My back and my bank account wished I had bought it long ago. Herman Miller has a 12 year warranty on it, which is exceptional. By my calculations I would need five new low-end chairs during that period. Besides, the chair makes my office look really cool. It's a functional work of art that anyone who does a lot of sitting every day should consider owning.
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