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Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
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nexusmerk
09/05/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
Thanks Gizmodo. Great review/comparison between the two products.
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ethospace
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
Im in the office furniture industry and most people I know like the Herman Miller better.
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doofusgumby
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
I'll take the HM because of the mesh bottom. I have two of the original style in my office. NO MORE SWAMP ASS.
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Costner
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
I've yet to find anything I like as much as an Aeron for both styling and comfort, but unfortunately I'm not willing to spend $750 to $1000 to get one, so I'm still riding my $100 'pleather' variety from Staples.

I actually do own a Herman Miller desk however...I paid $50 for it and had no idea what I bought until years later when I found the Herman Miller sticker on the bottom. If you have time it is somewhat of an interesting story: [redpushpin.blogspot.com]
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avconsumer2
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
Working with an Office Depot Realspace PRO™ Quantum Recycled Mesh Mid-Back Task Chair for a month or so now. $350 - zero problems - most comfortable office chair I've had the pleasure of working from. I give it 5 stars (and have no budget for chairs in the $500 and up range)
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b33g33
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
I've had an Areon at work for the last 4 years and a $100 'ergonomic chair' from Office Depot for my home office that get equal amounts of work and TF2 (probably 1/2 the use the Aeron gets since I only work from home 1/2 days a week. I can't really tell the difference. My car has far more comfortable, ergonomic and supportive seats that either and the side bolsters keep me from sliding around when running from the po po.
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RainyDayInterns
09/04/09

@b33g33: Ah,but you don't sit up straight in you car and type for an extended period of time...
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RainyDayInterns
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
We will stick with the "classic" aeron chair:

[www.rainydaymagazine.com]

It's how we roll....
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ludwigk
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
The library at my school has these chairs that I first took to be Aeron knockoffs, but they're exceptionally comfortable. They happen to be the Knoll Chadwick, which was in fact designed by the same Don Chadwick who is credited with the Aeron Design. So, more than a knock-off, its more like a paired down cousin to the Aeron.

Having worked for a year in an Aeron, I can attest to the fact that the Chadwick is very comparable to the sitting experience of an Aeron (the library also has dozens of Aerons with which to perform direct comparisons. I've already spent dozens of hours in them in the first three weeks. My butt is loving law school.). Since my home desk chair is of the "folding" variety, I'm seriously considering getting a Chadwick so that my posterior doesn't go numb when studying.

The chair retails for $550-650 new, and definitely deserves to be in this, or the next, task chair Battlemodo.
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Edited by ludwigk at 09/04/09 2:01 PM ludwigk was starred ludwigk was unstarred

skevy
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
You guys should review the Steelcase Leap vs. the Embody/Aeron. I'm sitting in a Leap right now, and though I've never sat in an Embody, I think its WAYYY more comfortable than the Aeron.

I think that would be a good comparison :-)
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Nick
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
considering a lot of places lease their office furniture i don't think people should look at the purchase price. around here we have a ton of different chairs and none of 'em are "cheap." if you spend all day on your bum then i think the chair plays a big role in your health. bad backs can make you miserable at work and at home.

ps
just looked up the chairs we use here at work and steelcase has them listed for $1299. i am sure we have several thousand.
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Edited by Nick at 09/04/09 1:44 PM Nick was starred Nick was unstarred

Nick
09/04/09

@Jay2daTee: well, we lease.
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zenfluence
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
hey, at least you get chairs that have armrests. All the dorm gives us are rocking chairs for our desks. Who the frack uses rocking chairs for homework?!
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CaptainCynic
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
Um, what alternate universe did I stumble into where a $650 office chair is considered reasonable? Every boss I've ever had would laugh in my face if I asked for a $650 chair. Just because these companies sell chairs for twice that price doesn't make $650 reasonable. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to fire up my wormhole generator and try to find my way back to Earth Prime.
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thePrototype
09/04/09

@CaptainCynic: My husband's company had nothing but Aeron chairs.

His new company gave him a budget of a grand on a chair and the most comfortable one that he found was a $60 chair from Staples on special.
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Jason Chen
09/04/09

@CaptainCynic: It depends very much on which company you work for an what field you're in. If you're going to be sitting in it for 10 hours a day, it's worth it for your back to invest in a good chair.
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ltethe
09/04/09

@CaptainCynic: You know, my mindset is a bit different. I wouldn't mind spending $1000 on a chair... I've sat in dozens of these fancy chairs... My only problem, is that I don't find a $1000 worth of comfort in most of them. Oftentimes I can feel $300 worth of comfort, but then the other $700 feels like a label overhead... I'll pay top dollar for comfort.... Labels... Meh...
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Nick
09/04/09

@thePrototype: please tell me he got to keep the difference. that would be fantastic.
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FannyAsius
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
You can also get a basic (new) Aeron for $625 delivered...10 years of inside sales on this chair.. I think it's the best and most adjustable
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@prixdc
09/04/09

@FannyAsius: Everyone has an Aeron in my office. Love them.
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EldonGracchus
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
I look at these chairs as if you're buying a bed mattress. If i'm going to spend 1/3 of my life sitting in it, I want a GOOD chair that keeps me comfortable.

Considering that this is a chair that you'll likely have for 5-10 years, $600-$1000 is not that much money.
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Jason Chen
09/04/09

@EldonGracchus: Exactly. You can skimp on other things, but stuff like a mattress and a chair that you sit or lie in for 1/3 of your day should be a higher priority. Once your back is messed up, you'd wish you could pay that much to repair it.
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Ron-Mexico
09/04/09

In reply to Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi
Boss, you know I was thinking. My back's sort of hurting and I think it's due to my chair. So I was thinking we had a few options we ought to explore:

1) We get me this $500 artsy green chair. Sure I might look a bit like a pretentious emo douche and all the hot girls we hire will think I'm gay. But it would totally be worth it.

2) We could make a pile of $500 in singles, set it on fire and then try to put it out by urinating on it. If we drink a lot of water beforehand we might be able to douse the inferno with enough leftover for me to get a chair from Staples.

3) You could just give me $500 and I'll forget about my back issues.
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thornapple
09/04/09

@Ron-Mexico: or...

4)Ask for a proper chair that doesn't hurt your back and explain to your boss that spending $1000+ on a chair is a shitload cheaper than dealing with an employee who's back pain has gotten so severe that he has to put in a Worker's Comp claim, or go on disability, or take a shitload of sick time because he can't get out of bed his back hurts so severely.
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