The Ergohuman Chair, in the span of just a few years, has become one of the most popular office chairs of the decade. Why did this relative newcomer to the ergonomic chair market become so popular? The origins of the Ergohuman’s fan base lies in the popularity of the Herman Miller Aeron Chair. The Aeron Chair was the first chair on the market to have the adjustments necessary to fit a chair to the human body; a key “must have” for a chair to be ergonomic. In addition, the Aeron Chair was crafted with mesh upholstery, a feature many users love. It looked different and felt different.
However the Aeron is expensive. A basic Aeron doesn’t have the full spectrum of adjustments the deluxe model does and the deluxe model can run well over $1000. That’s a stretch of the budget for most companies and people.
Thus the market was ready for a chair that could rival the king of ergonomic chairs at a much lower price. Enter the Raynor Ergohuman ME7ERG. The Ergohuman Chair sells for around $600 (depending on the model) and offers a number of improvements (all standard) over the Aeron including:
- Seat depth adjustment – this enables the chair to fit most people as seat depth is an important factor. The Aeron comes in sizes but one size definitely doesn’t fit all.
- Back height adjustment – this lets the user place the lumbar support exactly where it feels best and can offer the best support
- Waterfall seat edge – this prevents the front edge of the chair from pressing into the back of the leg when reclining
- Softer mesh – the mesh on the Aeron has long been known for being abrasive to clothing and doesn’t distribute body weight well. The mesh on the Ergohuman is softer, easier on fabric and gives to offer better support. Plus there are options for leather, fabric or a mesh back with a leather seat.
- Optional adjustable headrest – thus the original Ergohuman Chair is highly personalizable.
- FAST shipment – all but the custom fabric Ergohuman Chairs ship as fast as the next day. Why wait up to 8 weeks for your chair?
So it’s pretty easy to see why so many people love the Ergohuman Chair.
In late 2010, the Ergohuman V2 Chair was introduced. The new Ergohuman V2 Chair has sleeker lines; fabric, leather and mesh choices; and three frame color options. Here are a few other points of comparison:
| Feature | Ergohuman | Ergohuman V2 |
| Chair seat – | 19.5″ W x 15.5″ – 17.75″ D | 19″ W x 15″ – 17″ D but seat edge is softer |
| Back angle / tilt - | 3 positions for back angle / tilt lock | 5 positions for back angle / tilt lock – reclines quite a bit further than the original Ergohuman Chair. Tilt tension is easier to use on the Ergohuman V2. |
| Frame finish – | polished aluminum with black trim | polished aluminum with black or gray trim |
| Chair arms – | height adjustable and pivot inward | height adjustable, armpads pivot, slide fore and aft, and inward |
| Upholstery – | all mesh, mesh with a leather seat, all leather and your choice of more than 100 fabrics | currently only available in black only in your choice of all mesh, all fabric or all leather |
| Headrest – | all models are available with or without an adjustable headrest | headrest is only available in mesh |
| *Neither model can add the headrest as a retrofit | ||
Similarities between the Ergohuman and the Ergohuman V2 Chairs:
- Both chairs ship fast, often the next day
- Both chairs offer the same limited lifetime warranty
- Some assembly is required
- Both feel great!
In summary, the New Ergohuman V2 Chair offers significant improvements over the original Ergohuman Chair, most notably the multi-function arms and back angle/ tilt adjustments. The arm improvement is significant for those with thinner bodies as it will bring the chair arms closer to the body for better support. If that’s not an important need for you, then the original will likely please even picky people.
Check out the Ergohuman Chair Line.
Did you choose an Ergohuman Chair? Which one and why? Tell us your story.
