I recently bought one of these and agree with all of these points, but the thing that pushed me to return the chair is the pressure points caused by the lower 4 "pins" on the back rest. After a few hours I was getting really bad nerve pain in my lower back that persisted even with lots of stretching and breaks. It's really unfortunate because despite the gripes with the chair, I really wanted to love it. The back rest when I had it adjusted right felt great and the bottom seat is probably one of the best I've sat in, but considering how much HM is selling this thing for, I expect it to be near perfect... oh well.
I am sorry it didn’t fit you. I didn’t experience the problem with the pressure points on the back rest but I have a friend with a similar issue on the same (literally) Embody that I used to have :(
Zero BS, could you flip and swap the arms to flip them 180 degrees, you think? I hate that these arms don't scootch back like my Aeron. This is driving me nuts being able to move closer. Or what you can do is fine a solution to pad the arm rests up behind them so you push them down and lift them up.
I'm waiting on my Logitech Embody to get here and hopefully it's better than the Xbox Fern I currently have. Seat too firm, headrest terrible, but other than that, it's not horrible. It made some pain more bearable vs my old OM OM5 chair left me with. I'll miss the perch function tho.
@@mexifry222 Oddly enough, I kept my Fern and returned the Embody. The Fern's seat broke in. My only issue is still the headrest, but I heard if you have a factory headrest, the Atlas won't fit it or something.
"i'm not going to tell you about adjustments, because you can find this online" Man, thank you so much for this already. I hate how in reviews people tend to go over the adjustments of the chair for 20 hours every god damn single time.
it's a personal thing, I went to the showrooms of Haworth, Steelcase and Herman Miller. Embody happens to be the chair I liked the most, and also the one i bought. It's pricey, but no regrets so far.
Its definitely a case of different folks, different strokes. Many people will drop $2k for this chair and absolutely love it, while others will find it disappointing, because chairs and comfort is subjective from person to person. I have no doubt this chair is good, but I'm not willing to spend $2k for something that might be disappointing. Im currently looking at lower priced chairs or refurbished flagship pc chairs from Hawthorne and Steelcase.
I would agree with you that the armrest aren’t ideal, but have gotten around the issue by using a 30 in desk and resting my arms on the desk instead of the armrests. I also use my standing desks vertical stabilizer to elevate my feet when reclining for additional comfort. For me the chair is amazing and was able to get it dialed in perfectly, however I truly believe high end ergonomic office chairs are truly subjective.
You may want to give the Haworth Fern or Steel Case Gesture a try if you still want a high-end ergonomic chair. I have found that people who don't like the Embody tend to choose either the Fern or Gesture and are quite happy with those chairs. Since armrests are so important to you, take a look at the Steel case Gesture. It has extremely versatile armrests that you can pretty much place in any orientation you want.
Thank you, I'll try to find Fern to give it a try. Gesture is a nice chair, but has a fatal design flaw (at least for me) - the backrest doesn't return all the way up after you finished reclining (on the tension levels that I tend to use) - you have to physically put the backrest in place, this is very annoying. Initially I though that it was just a defect, but the Steelcase sales rep and technician both said that it's really a design problem and showed me that every chair they had in stock was like this.
Tried a fern, didn’t like it. It has an interesting solution for a lumbar support, but overall feels like a cheap plastic chair from amazon basics which I didn’t like at all.
@@StardustLegacyFighter gesture’s recline mechanism is awfully designed - it doesn’t really fully return from reclining unless you are heavier than 75kg (plus or minus couple kg depending on chair height settings). This is very annoying. I’ve fiddled with it for 15 minutes straight, tried several Gestures in the showroom, talked with their engineer, they admitted its a design problem. Well, oops.
I had to send my embody back. The arm rests were a deal braker. And the the top part of the chair pushed my shoulders forward. I think I was too tall or my back was the "wrong shape" for the chair. Neat idea but flawed execution. I also struggled with the backrest tension.
Excellent video. Truth rather than "I got this for free" biased bullshit. I've tried these out as well, not comfortable at all. Too often people out style over substance and equate price with comfort. Get a regular ergonomic office chair.
Ahh thank you for this video. I almost went and order this, but wanted to watch all the cons first. I think as you mentioned the non-forward and back movement on the arms is a deal breaker for me. I also sit a bit far from my keyboard so having backward movements is kind of important to me. I'm not sure why it's not a feature given the price point, but I guess I will look into other chairs.
Its his personnel experience I have owned one for eight years looks almost new. I had a lot of replacement arms (button issue) but they provided new ones and fitted them at home. They are now giving me a new chair after eight years because of the arm button issue which is immense. Worth every single penny. It was purchased to help cure my sciatica and that's exactly what it did. I have tried every chair on the market in this range never found a better one.
This is the review that matters most. The distinction matters. The community appreciates your time considering these issues. The Embody has been disappointing for me, too. The search continues
This pretty much summarized all of my pain points with this chair. I can't for the life of me find a replacement chair that isn't crap. I want to be able to sit up straight or have forward tilt. I've had my Embody for about 3 years and can never find the right setting >: Did you ever try the Aeron?
I think one issue absolutely no one about is the limb length/proportions of one’s height. My inside legs for example are 31 inches and i am only 5ft 8, yet my torso is tiny. Therefore i prefer slightly bigger seat pans whereas someone with more of 50/50 torso/length ratio will need a shorter seat pan and backrest. What i have found is that a person with uneven limb lengths need chairs with BOTH adjustable backrest heights and seat pans unless of course those chairs come in different sizes to suit you. I currently use Humanscale Freedom with headrest and I absolutely love it. Its such an old design but like the Herman Miller Aeron, it works well. The important thing is that I can adjust the backrest and as such it fits me comfortably.
You're correct, my thighs do hurt at times due to the hard edges on the seat pan and it's true I find it astonishing why the armrest cannot retract... Other than that, I really love my chair after owning it close to 2 years
I think it's the sheer size of the armpads, which is something nobody picks up on. No other chair I've seen has armpads as big as the Embody, although the Aeron comes pretty close.
I'm 5'6 and my thighs did hurt, at first I blamed the chair. However I decided to massage my thighs and work on my hamstrings and it went away completely after a week. Maybe check there?
It’s so important to try the chair first if it fits your style …recently upgraded from my secretlab to a fern with mesh back cause it’s getting so warm these days in Asia
An honest review.... Thank you Received my Embody today and I'm not liking it one bit. My $100 Staples chair is what I'm missing. Maybe this Embody has a break in period, but not sure I want to wait that long. Paid a pretty penny for it and for it not to meet my needs, It's not worth keeping it. I may have to go to their local store to test out their other options. BUt surprisingly enough, my $100 staples chair will be my go-to for now....
Thanks for the review. So this chair is basically for "sitting dwarfs" as we say in my language? People with legs long enough to use the full lengths of the seat pan but a back short enough so that the curved end of the backrest doesn't dig in the shoulders
I doubt it, considering that HM hardly ever sponsors ppl on TH-cam and the Embody is a lot less polarising than mesh chairs like the Aeron and Mirra 2. They might not have pointed those issues out, because they probably didn't experience them.
I watched at least 10 Videos and yours finally convinced me to order the embody now. Ypur really showed the flexibility if the seat which I really need and since I Am 188cm it should fit me really well.
I'm in the same boat as you. I'm returning the gesture because of the reclining problem. In 65kg and the chair doesn't fully go back upright. Any chair you suggest?
Interesting points. Have you a better alternative model, that is comfortable (for the back and buttocks) too, but without the negative arguments from the Embody model?
I am currently alternating between aeron and sayl. Sayl is not good for my back, but okay for thighs. Aeron is great for my back and very bad on thighs due to the seatpans extreme angle that pulls me away from the desk.
Nice video man, when u got stuck LOL so funny. I order one of those just for test, but gonna change for a aeron C when the test period ends, thanks again!
Thanks, very useful! I have a different kind of hip pain called FAI and will be leaning back a lot. I am used to using the mouse and keyboard on my lap, with the mouse on a metal mousepad and keyboard resting on the arm rest. very comfy and seems to solve the arm rest problem you talked about. Also considering the Aeron and Leap V2
Thanks a lot for mentioning the part with the armrest at desk height dont allow to get close enough to the desk. This is extremely important for short people, who do need armrest at desk height, like me. If youre too far away from your keyboard an mouse, it actually strains the neck muscles a lot more and can make your issues worse. I see barely anyone mentioning this blatant oversight of the embody. You definitely spared me from a miss-buy
No arm depth adjustment was a deal breaker for me, didn't even try it because of it. I'm just like you, i like the armrests level with my disk and my belly almost touching my desk, and thats not possible with the embody. So i went with a aeron.
I agree with everything! However, I have another problem, the chair tends to wobble from left to right and it is quite annoying, it is not that serious, but it is noticeable when I try to type on the keyboard and I have to lean to one side or the other. another, I feel like the chair wobbles, especially much more to the right, if I raise my legs or recline this wobble disappears, I read on reddit that this happens because the piston of the chair is of low quality, despite being a chair High-end, I guess it's normal, but it bothers me too much.
Mine embody has the exact same recline issue, i could never dial it to the sweet spot, it's either too firm i can't recline, or too loose i can't sit straight, i like to change between siting upright and relaxed frequently, and i had to turn the knobs 5 to 6 times to do that which is annoying, the only solution is to set the recline loose enough and use the title limiter to limit the range, but that isn't ideal as well, because with the upright tilt limit, it still leans back a bit, and you are never really siting upright, that slight tilt push my leg up and sink my butt down a little bit, it just feels uncomfortable. At first I thought perhaps this issue is just due to my weight and body shape, until i tried another embody in a showroom, and i was able to dial it to the sweetspot. Not sure what could have caused this incosistency. Seeing that your unit had the same issue, i wonder how inconsistent each units are. regardless, i will try claim warranty for a replacement and see how it goes.
Does your chair wobbles back and forth too when the back setting is all the way forward (least recline)? The HM person told me it's normal, but I don't know if he's telling the truth.
Thank you for the honest review and insights. I to was worried about the arm rests and couldn't find an awnser. Just like you I want it as close, and on level as the desk. I find it strange Herman Miller did not put the armrests further backwards so your elbow rests on it more comfortable. Great cameraview and relaxed way of speaking by the way. Thumbs up my friend. Never bend for sponserships! :)
I there, and thanks for your review. I just received my chair, and of course I've not had a lot of experience with it. I agree that the effect of biting into the backside of my legs is noticeable when reclining, and I need to either lower the chair or to have some footrest (probably, not tested yet). I'm 6'4, 180 pounds, so taller than you. I'd actually like the seat to pull out even more because of my height. To your point with the arm rests, I wonder whether your seat position is actually ideal. I noticed that I've precisely the same Ikea desk that you have, with the only modification that I made was to be able to move it up to 140cm from the otherwise maximum of about 125 cm by adding some blocks under the feet. But in a sitting position, it makes no difference. But because my chiro practitioner had suggested to me to go all the way up to 140cm for my height, I wonder whether you are using the arm rests correctly - or whether you should even be using them at all. As I'm writing this, I've my chair's armrests (extended all the way up) sliding in about 5 cm below the desk, in other words, I'm not using them at all while I'm typing. I just adjust the height of the chair and desk such that I can be as close to my monitor as I want. Your screen appears to also be height adjustable, so I've my eyes right at center level of my screen (vertically). Again, your mileage obviously varies, but what I can say is that after a couple hours already, in my old Ikea office chair, I'd already lying with my feet on the desk, swivelling my screen over and being basically sideways (the worst position imaginable); with the Herman Miller, I've not even had the impulse to do any of that.
I noticed the guitar. I play guitar in my office chair. How is the chair for guitar playing? Do the arms rest get out of the way. (Sorry if you touch later in video as this was started at beginning
Sorry for the late reply. Well, you can play a guitar while sitting in this chair, but you will have to perch (sit on the edge of the chair). It's not possible to play while sitting in an ergonomically correct position - the armrests will go in your way even when positioned at the lowest and furthest position. For me personally it's okay but I don't plat for too long while seated, I prefer playing while standing.
Hey, I bought this chair and became it yesterday. I used it now for 8 hours and I have a kind of pain, numbless and tinging in the legs now (upper thigh, in the knee region). Did you have that to? does it go away? is it maybe a kind of acclimatisation to this chair? Perhaps I'm sitting too straight and it would be better if I could sit at a 5% angle, which is unfortunately not possible to configure. So, maybe I need to buy a special seat cushion with a tilt angle. What did you do with your chair, because you have had also leg pain, as you mentioned? Would appreciate your help, if you or other guys have this issue. Cheers from Europe, Switzerland
In my case I had to sell it after several months. My problem with thigh pain didn’t go away. I don’t advise you to buy any cushions - you bought the chair that have to work out of the box. Try playing with seat height, if it doesn’t help then itself probably just not for you, it happens.
Thanks for the video. I have the embody as well and I share the same feeling about the armrests. I'm just unable to use it properly like that and they actually gave me some pain in the wrists and forearms. I'm really surprised there is no upgrade for these. I even checked if someone had thought of building a custom made ajustable version of the armrests but nothing there either. I'm really considering selling it too.
Sorry to hear that. The only workaround that I've found includes placing armrest raiser cushions at the back of actual armrests (can be found at amazon), although it's flimsy, does not look so good and does not really solve the problem entirely.
When I first sat in ny embody I was underwhelmed. The chair feels like a normal office chair. The back adjustment always felt off and I would unintentionally be leaning forward a lot defeating the whole purpose. Arms are meh and the tilt doesn’t tilt far enough. Aeron is so much better
If you can't get the chair adjusted in a way that prevents your lower thighs from touching the lip of the seat, then almost all HM chairs will feel uncomfortable for you. No matter if it's the Embody, Mirra 2, Cosm or Aeron. Only the Sayl circumvents this by having a foam seat pad. I experienced this issue on the Aeron, but was able to get a footrest to resolve this issue and still allow my feet to move when necessary.
Any chair will come in contact with your lower thighs, including Sayl. The question is how hard would it press on it. Actually most of the thigh pain was gone after a couple of weeks, but I decided to go with Aeron again as my daily driver.
@@zeroBSreviews In the video you say that Embody makes your feet hurt but in the commentary you write that the pain went away after 2 weeks. Or does that comment not apply to Embody? If that is the case, please forgive me
I use Aeron as my daily driver and sometimes switch to Sayl. Aeron is great for me in terms of overall back support and lumbar/sacral support. Mirra slighlty better for me in terms of thigh pressure (Aeron pushes on thighs a lot). Long story short: aeron and embody are aawesome for butt, but not good for thighs; sayl is good for thighs, but not good for butt when sitting too long; back support on Aeron is amazing for me given the chair size is right.
Clearly the chair is not for you. A few of your complaints I personally can't comprehend but personal preference is personal preference. I am 173cm tall and have no problem with my legs whatsoever. I also don't have an issue with the arm rests as I put them down to slide under the table while working or gaming with a mouse and pretty much only use them while gaming with a controller. I loved my embody at home so much that I bought a second one for the office with my own money. Again, personal preference. But what you got wrong is the part abput the stiffness of the upper backrest. it is not adjustable at all. You may feel that it gets stiffer when you stiffen the recline tension but it does not. You can test this while putting the chair in the position with the least tilt. The upper part will move/flex exactly the same, no matter how high or low you set the recline tension.
If I crack the tension all the way up and lock the recline in the most upright position, the backrest barely flex. If I reduce the tension all the way down - it flexes easily. The two other chairs I tried in showrooms behaved the same way. Without the armrests the chair is usable, sure. But I might be getting too old, I need armrests for maximum comfort.
@@zeroBSreviews I can confirm that with the flexibility of the backrest. My relatively new (non gaming) Embody behaves the same. But overall still think it is a good chair.
@@horkazo Yes, I totally agree that's a great chair and it's unique. I just wish it had more adjustability in the armrests and slightly different recline motion, similar to Aeron. Still a great chair. A lot depends on individual though.
I see you play guitar. Were you able to get the arms out of the way so that you could play your guitar while sitting back in the chair, or did you have to sit forward, closer to the edge without using the backrest?
How's it so expensive over there? Lol I can get the gaming Embody in the UK for the equivalent of $1345, which isn't exactly cheap, but still cheaper than the USA.
@@StardustLegacyFighter retail from Herman Miller. You can find them on the street for $1300 brand new 1 yr warranty no problem here in LA. I'm getting mine used for $500. Never buy from HM direct.
Hi Its perfect and honest review ever i seen !!! I had same issues and I had to return mine as well considering to buy aeron but cant decided As in UK its £49 fee for return cheers
I am still in doubt if I should keel my Embody or return it, because of those arm rests. Either I use them and indeed too far away from keyboard, or need to lower and use my desk only. Not acceptable for a 1400 euro chair in my opinion. It should be dept adjustable/ 3D.
I am currently daily driving an Aeron size B. I have some issues with it (I will probably make another video about it - basically I am between sizes A and B, but B works better), but out of all chairs I tried it's the most usable one. Sometimes my thighs go sore and I switch to Sayl to give them some rest.
You definitely didn't like the chair! But it seems to me that it's more an adjustment issue than a construction problem (in the main points). Anyway, it helped a lot! Thank you for doing it!
I'm very happy with my own one, only thing for me that i don't like is that the seat can get a bit warm if not taking a break once in a while. Not a deal breaker though.
some of your concerns are just a bit strange. the pixelated seatpan cant possible be pixelated in the fold as it would break upon a few adjustments, the top of the back rest complains it also a bit strange, because if you liek to sit forward and have a loose back rest you can just use the recline limiter in combination with the loos tension control. I will agree with you on the arm rests, they are very bad and tend to break before any other part of the chair. :)
hello i am curious what you are using rn? i get a mirra 2 and had exact problems you have mentioned in other video. i cant stand if there is tailbone or tigh pain. i refund it and i am looking for another chair rn. i am looking into steelcase amia. do you have any suggestion to me? i am same height with you
Hi, I've settled with Aeron. I had some issues with thigh pain with it and I still do sometimes - dropping the height of the chair a little lower than seems right usually helps. It also helps switching to tilt-forward mode when I find my self leaning forward. I tried amia in the showroom but didn't like the seat angle - it was to sloped to the back for my taste.
@@zeroBSreviews ah thanks for replying. Much aprreciated. I was thinking to get amia but in my country there is no return for steelcase. I tried mesh chairs and I can't sit on them for long hours sadly. Would you recommend embody for me? Is it bit more comfortable on seat side than stiff mesh seats?
Lmao I found this video hilarious I could just see how silently pissed off you were 🤣 but you made v good points. Personally I ve tried so many high end chairs they all have some kind of issue.
I am currently using Aeron size B as my daily driver. Interestingly enough, I didn't have any issues with it for the first three weeks, but now I am starting to have sore thighs even in the lowest position. Hopefully it will pass
@@zeroBSreviews had the same issue with the size B too and I'm about your size. Size C however is perfect, because the waterfall design is more defined here and I'm also using the forward tilt mechanism, which also reduces pressure points
Did you find any chair that solved the thigh pain issue? I am currently suffering from the same in both Embody and Aeron (B). I'm about the same height and weight as you and I get severe numbness in my right leg. I also get a lot of stinging pain in my right knee cap.
Well, not really. After extensive testing I've bought an Aeron again. It gives me some slight thigh pain, but I noticed that most of the time when I have it I am not sitting as I am supposed to be - either perching (leaning forward) - which can be fixed by using tilt-forward function of the chair or sitting a little bit higher than I should (solved by lowering the chair and the desk), or when I try to stretch my legs in front of my (usually fixed by using a footrest). Sometimes I get soreness even when I am sitting correctly - I guess I am not used to keeping my legs at 90 degree angle all the time, I often try to stretch them in from of me. The Aeron solution in my case is not optimal, but works for me most of the time because I love the way Aeron holds by back. I wish it had a seat frame design that was more similar to Mirra 2, but with the Aeron mesh which is more plush. I guess my thighs also got more used to the mesh so it's a little better after half a year. When I get tired I usually alternate between sitting and standing positions.
Not for me for sure - it's essentially the same chair with different upholstery. It won't change the ergonomics a lot. E.g. it won't solve the problem with armrest adjustability
I have both the newer embody gen 2 and logiteh embody and they both been excellent. Coming from the Mirra 2 fully kitted, it's basically the same when it comes to recline. I do agree it's not for everyone but for me 5'6 220lb working from home I love it more than sitting at work with cheaper chairs. This is a unique chair and some will hate it or love it. You should look into Steelcase leap v2 or the Haworth Fern. I have sat on both and love them both as well. It all comes from personal preference and what fits you.
I am glad that you've found the chair that works for you. I have both Embody (2022) and Mirra 2 and I don't find the recline motion to be the same. It is simewhat similar, but Embody pushes my thighs up much more (probably do to the different slope of the seat pan to begin with) this results in my sacrum and lumbar to disconnect from the backrest. Thank you for the chair suggestions - I will try the Fern (the Leap v2 has a very weird recline mechanism that I don't happen to like).
@@zeroBSreviews I recommend you to check out BTOD's channel, because they cover these high end chairs in more depth and they have a lot of experience in this field. I'm pretty sure they mentioned that the Embody has a similar recline mechanism to the Mirra 2 and Aeron, however it's more of a synchro tilt as opposed to a unique synchro/knee tilt found on the Mirra 2 and Aeron. If you can get the Haworth Fern in the digital knit configuration, it's their top chair pick atm, so it's worth checking that one out too.
@@StardustLegacyFighter I know of them. I am describing my personal experience with the chair and my personal feelings from these mechanisms. The channel is quite amusing actually since most of the time presenters use their chairs on-screen incorrectly, leaving their feet dangling.
@@zeroBSreviews Actually, the only times they do that is when they're showing off the chair directly in front of the main camera. When they show the chair at a desk setup, they do sit correctly. I remember someone pointing that out on one of their videos, and they had the same response.
I came from an early 2000s Aeron that would gradually just push my butt out of the seat. On all kinds of personal and internet recommendations I went all out and bought an Embody Logitech Gaming with the matching Atlas headrest. Well, it has the same issues really, Herman Miller designers have no idea where the lumbar is since all of their chairs have sacral support. Basically, after giving it a year, I hate it and will never buy another Herman Miller chair again. My wife has a Hinomi H1 Pro that is immediately a lot more comfortable than the Embody even though it is a smaller size than I need. I might try the Hinomi X1 or research anything that is the polar opposite of the Embody from Steelcase or Haworth.
I've sat on it in the showroom. There are two problems for me with it: 1) it is very warm, doesn't work well in my climate 2) it doesn't work well with my weight (67 kg) - it doesn't straighten properly after being reclined. It's a design issue. We tried three different gestures in the showroom and the all had the same problem, quite an overlook.
Hey man, just came across this vid. I have the exact same issues as you with leg pain with this chair. So much so I order a different chair (ASUS ROG Destrier Ergo) and really done with the Embody.. I wanted to love it for some of the same points you mentions, but my legs are constantly an issue with this chair.
It's not the same - I even bumped the underside of my desk with the armrests. Also worth noting noting that the armrests are mounted in an angled "tube", so when you put them down they also go back in a horizontal axis. If you judge the distance to the desk by armrests you should keep it in mind :)
Why did you not make this review two years ago? 😅 I would have saved a fortune. My embody just sits there as a show piece and sitting on it gives me coccyx pain. Now I am thinking of either switching it for an Aeron or Haworth Fern. The arm rest is a cheap piece of garbage.
Thanks! I don't own Gesture, but I've sit for an hour on one in the showroom it it annoyed me greatly. It has a problem with the tension mechanism by design (we checked three separate units with Steelcase store representatives and got a confirmation from the technician that it's the way the chair is and not a defective unit). The problem is that when you set the tension of the chair to a comfortable setting for my weight (around 65 kg/143pounds), it won't return to a fully upright position after you recline - you have to force it manually. Even if you lock the chair in the upward position there is some degree of movement, which is fine by itself (a lot of chair are designed this way), but because of this problem, the chair will not be fully upright and you will have to press with your hands on the back for it to return to upward position again. This can only be "fixed" by setting a quite high tension. I guess this chair is just not intended for my weight, and that is strange since I am a pretty average person in that regard (or at least I know a lot of people who weight less than me). Other than that the chair appeared to be comfortable, but it's very hard to give it an appropriate review because of the very annoying problem I experience - it overshadowed everything else.
@@zeroBSreviews Whoa thanks! Personally I'm ok with it staying upright. Did you notice any leg pain/problems with it like you did with the Mirra and Embody? Or the armrests? It looks like you can't adjust the arms far back if you put them low cause it goes forward the lower it goes?
@@rcio29 but it doesn't stay upright. Its always slightly reclined and it sometime suddenly snaps back to the upright position when you touch it or perch on it. I did not notice those problems, but that doesn't mean that they do not exist, because I was very distracted by constant clicks and misaligment of the backrest I did not pay enough attention to those areas.
I’m confused about one thing you said. I just got my embody. You’d aid the backrest and tension is all don’t with the same knob, so you don’t like it. But the back rest and tilt tension are 2 separate knobs, so you can operate them independently
No I don't have such problems with Aeron arms - you can push them back so the only support your elbow and they have a rounded edge design that helps with preventing bumping on the underside of the desk.
So i just got this chair today along with a Aeron size c. I am very disappointed with the embody. The arms are just straight up un-useable for typing/fps gaming. The back looks amazing but i can't dial in the tension where it actually fully supports me vertically without having to kinda slouch. The aeron is just such a better chair in almost everyway aside from how nice it feels initially the embody wins with that first kinda wow this feels nice factor. But i dunno even the aeron with its forwards tilt and ao many adjustments just isnt perfect. I am sad i will probably send back my 2 dream chairs. Looks don't equal comfort sadly.
Thank you! I was just about to buy one because there is a promotion, but I am similar size to you so I would have the same problems. The only decent review channel I found is BTODtv but all the host are tall so they just od not experience this issues. Other reviews I've seen where behaving like shills, you really are Zero BS!
I tried it in the showroom. It's definitely not for me: it has quality issues, the same as Aeron (some units are uneven - leaning to the right/left), the siting pan is way to hot for my climate and I hated the recline mechanism, it feels like it moves the seat from under you
Always worth keeping in mind: It isn''t a 'review' if there is an affiliate link and profit sharing from a sale. It's an advert. 90% of the reviews on TH-cam are nothing more than adverts. If you see an afiliate link, treat it as such.
this chair looks like to me it should only be like $800 i think they are major ripping people off now its made of cheap plastic not even real material. i need a new premium chair but would like to try one in person dont want to spend 1995 on a chair to have to return it upon receiving it and trying it out
Being honest: Aside all issues pointed, it's ugly. It's that simple for me. You can easily get a better looking and way more comfortable chair for half this one's price.
The arms on this chair are a joke for the price range. This chair is even more expensive than the Aeron, and has inferior armrest adjustability. I have the same issue, when the arms are adjusted to the correct height, they interfere with the desk, causing the cair to be set too far back for a proper typing postion. So I have to drop them to below the desk height so I can scooch the chair closer to the desk, so they may as well not be there at all.
Looks to me that you have your chair set too high, it's clear that you can barely plant your feet. And most of the issues you mention are typical for chairs set too high.
I'm 6'4" tall. IMO only tall people should buy this chair. There are better chairs for normal sized people for half the price (or get refurbished HM Aeron!).
@@WR1756 that does not really solve the problem, this is just a workaround. I have no problem finding the correct tension setting on Mirra 2 or the Aeron which I never lock and still can take advantage of upright and reclined positions.
some feedback for your video framing. The video appears very zoomed out. You dont need to show the top 30% of your screen above the keybaord to the cieling.
I have it. I actually owned three of them. I have been sitting on the latest one I bought for more than a year and its far from perfect. Definitely not satisfied.
This won’t help at all. Keyboard rack is basically another table surface that is mounted lower. It wont help with anything at all. You can just set your table lower and monitor higher and achieve the same thing without additional bulk and complexity. People reading this - please don’t do it if you have an adjustable table. If you don’t please consider getting an adjustable table first before falling back to solutions from the 90’s.
@@zeroBSreviews use narrower keyboard rack . 1) m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wC4C5AXZL._AC_SL1000_.jpg 2) m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media-library-service-media/db2f21e6-3d90-44c6-a964-10e6c9b50e36.__CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg the keyboard rack should can place between the armrest.
@@StardustLegacyFighter I actually tried the Gesture and I find it's recline mechanism very annoying, so I decided to not even try it for extended periods of time. It also has a design issue which prevents the backrest to return to fully return to the original position at some tension levels (confirmed with Steelcase technician and salesmen, so it's not a fluke of a particular chair).
@@StardustLegacyFighter Yea, Gesture seat is just awful. I sold mine. I m about to try amia cuz apparently has the best "seat" comfort for fabric hign end chairs. If it does not work i just settle w Embody. i m tired of this office chair fest.
Everyone's body is different. I guess it might be a good idea to find a dealer that can give the chair for 2/3 week test drive before buying. This is by no means a bad chair, but it's not compatible with the wide range of body types that Herman Miller claims it to be.
@@alexanhellberg The armpads are very big, so even if the adjustment is non existent, you can still find a good position for gaming. I would recommend at least trying the chair out for free, if you can, and then see whether if it works or not.
@@StardustLegacyFighter Yeah. Mmh. I have a RH logic chair atm and i seem to adjust alot to sit closer to the desk so i think this is gonna make me wanna throw it out the window, and it is hard to test at home if not buying it, they are lazy for not adding adjustable arm rests. ;(
I recently bought one of these and agree with all of these points, but the thing that pushed me to return the chair is the pressure points caused by the lower 4 "pins" on the back rest. After a few hours I was getting really bad nerve pain in my lower back that persisted even with lots of stretching and breaks.
It's really unfortunate because despite the gripes with the chair, I really wanted to love it. The back rest when I had it adjusted right felt great and the bottom seat is probably one of the best I've sat in, but considering how much HM is selling this thing for, I expect it to be near perfect... oh well.
I am sorry it didn’t fit you. I didn’t experience the problem with the pressure points on the back rest but I have a friend with a similar issue on the same (literally) Embody that I used to have :(
Zero BS, could you flip and swap the arms to flip them 180 degrees, you think? I hate that these arms don't scootch back like my Aeron. This is driving me nuts being able to move closer.
Or what you can do is fine a solution to pad the arm rests up behind them so you push them down and lift them up.
Can't wait for "My issues with Haworth Fern - Personal experience"
that's probably not going to happen - I didn't like it in the showroom. Felt very cheap, plastic-ish and I didn't like the seatpan angle
I'm waiting on my Logitech Embody to get here and hopefully it's better than the Xbox Fern I currently have. Seat too firm, headrest terrible, but other than that, it's not horrible. It made some pain more bearable vs my old OM OM5 chair left me with. I'll miss the perch function tho.
@@JayJay-jx3zg Firm seats are proven to be better for you. Atlas makes a wayyy better headrest for the Fern.
@@mexifry222 Oddly enough, I kept my Fern and returned the Embody. The Fern's seat broke in. My only issue is still the headrest, but I heard if you have a factory headrest, the Atlas won't fit it or something.
@@JayJay-jx3zg but you can uninstall the factory headrest
"i'm not going to tell you about adjustments, because you can find this online" Man, thank you so much for this already. I hate how in reviews people tend to go over the adjustments of the chair for 20 hours every god damn single time.
it's a personal thing, I went to the showrooms of Haworth, Steelcase and Herman Miller. Embody happens to be the chair I liked the most, and also the one i bought. It's pricey, but no regrets so far.
Its definitely a case of different folks, different strokes. Many people will drop $2k for this chair and absolutely love it, while others will find it disappointing, because chairs and comfort is subjective from person to person. I have no doubt this chair is good, but I'm not willing to spend $2k for something that might be disappointing. Im currently looking at lower priced chairs or refurbished flagship pc chairs from Hawthorne and Steelcase.
I’m glad you found the right chair for you. Great idea to visit all the showrooms
I would agree with you that the armrest aren’t ideal, but have gotten around the issue by using a 30 in desk and resting my arms on the desk instead of the armrests. I also use my standing desks vertical stabilizer to elevate my feet when reclining for additional comfort. For me the chair is amazing and was able to get it dialed in perfectly, however I truly believe high end ergonomic office chairs are truly subjective.
I am glad that it is working for you, enjoy the chair! You are absolutely right about comfort being subjective.
You may want to give the Haworth Fern or Steel Case Gesture a try if you still want a high-end ergonomic chair. I have found that people who don't like the Embody tend to choose either the Fern or Gesture and are quite happy with those chairs. Since armrests are so important to you, take a look at the Steel case Gesture. It has extremely versatile armrests that you can pretty much place in any orientation you want.
Thank you, I'll try to find Fern to give it a try. Gesture is a nice chair, but has a fatal design flaw (at least for me) - the backrest doesn't return all the way up after you finished reclining (on the tension levels that I tend to use) - you have to physically put the backrest in place, this is very annoying. Initially I though that it was just a defect, but the Steelcase sales rep and technician both said that it's really a design problem and showed me that every chair they had in stock was like this.
@@salut9658 Gesture has the best headrest, period.
The Fern's headrest is too firm and a lot less adjustable.
@@salut9658 I don't use the Embody tbh, however Atlas are releasing one next year.
Tried a fern, didn’t like it. It has an interesting solution for a lumbar support, but overall feels like a cheap plastic chair from amazon basics which I didn’t like at all.
@@StardustLegacyFighter gesture’s recline mechanism is awfully designed - it doesn’t really fully return from reclining unless you are heavier than 75kg (plus or minus couple kg depending on chair height settings). This is very annoying. I’ve fiddled with it for 15 minutes straight, tried several Gestures in the showroom, talked with their engineer, they admitted its a design problem. Well, oops.
I had to send my embody back. The arm rests were a deal braker. And the the top part of the chair pushed my shoulders forward. I think I was too tall or my back was the "wrong shape" for the chair. Neat idea but flawed execution. I also struggled with the backrest tension.
Excellent video. Truth rather than "I got this for free" biased bullshit. I've tried these out as well, not comfortable at all. Too often people out style over substance and equate price with comfort. Get a regular ergonomic office chair.
Ahh thank you for this video. I almost went and order this, but wanted to watch all the cons first. I think as you mentioned the non-forward and back movement on the arms is a deal breaker for me. I also sit a bit far from my keyboard so having backward movements is kind of important to me. I'm not sure why it's not a feature given the price point, but I guess I will look into other chairs.
Its his personnel experience I have owned one for eight years looks almost new. I had a lot of replacement arms (button issue) but they provided new ones and fitted them at home.
They are now giving me a new chair after eight years because of the arm button issue which is immense. Worth every single penny. It was purchased to help cure my sciatica and that's exactly what it did. I have tried every chair on the market in this range never found a better one.
i enjoyed your disposition and wish you had more reviews just to casually watch - you can review anything with this method
This is the review that matters most. The distinction matters. The community appreciates your time considering these issues. The Embody has been disappointing for me, too. The search continues
This pretty much summarized all of my pain points with this chair. I can't for the life of me find a replacement chair that isn't crap. I want to be able to sit up straight or have forward tilt. I've had my Embody for about 3 years and can never find the right setting >:
Did you ever try the Aeron?
What did you get instead?
Is this with the February 2021 update? It has extra padding on the whole seat, just like the Gaming Embody.
I found the arm rests super annoying as well. I wish they were attached the base and stayed put when you recline. Good info.
I think one issue absolutely no one about is the limb length/proportions of one’s height. My inside legs for example are 31 inches and i am only 5ft 8, yet my torso is tiny. Therefore i prefer slightly bigger seat pans whereas someone with more of 50/50 torso/length ratio will need a shorter seat pan and backrest. What i have found is that a person with uneven limb lengths need chairs with BOTH adjustable backrest heights and seat pans unless of course those chairs come in different sizes to suit you. I currently use Humanscale Freedom with headrest and I absolutely love it. Its such an old design but like the Herman Miller Aeron, it works well. The important thing is that I can adjust the backrest and as such it fits me comfortably.
What chair did you end up with in the end? Maybe a follow up video? ;)
I alternate between Aeron, Sayl and a regular Ikea dining chair. There definitely will be a follow-up video at some point.
You're correct, my thighs do hurt at times due to the hard edges on the seat pan and it's true I find it astonishing why the armrest cannot retract... Other than that, I really love my chair after owning it close to 2 years
I think it's the sheer size of the armpads, which is something nobody picks up on.
No other chair I've seen has armpads as big as the Embody, although the Aeron comes pretty close.
I'm 5'6 and my thighs did hurt, at first I blamed the chair. However I decided to massage my thighs and work on my hamstrings and it went away completely after a week. Maybe check there?
so the hard seat pan around the edges never went away? seems this chair is designed for slim individuals
It’s so important to try the chair first if it fits your style …recently upgraded from my secretlab to a fern with mesh back cause it’s getting so warm these days in Asia
An honest review.... Thank you
Received my Embody today and I'm not liking it one bit. My $100 Staples chair is what I'm missing. Maybe this Embody has a break in period, but not sure I want to wait that long. Paid a pretty penny for it and for it not to meet my needs, It's not worth keeping it. I may have to go to their local store to test out their other options. BUt surprisingly enough, my $100 staples chair will be my go-to for now....
Watch the setup guide from TominationTime and give it a try. I had the same problems, but after setting up everything correctly i love it
Thanks for the review. So this chair is basically for "sitting dwarfs" as we say in my language? People with legs long enough to use the full lengths of the seat pan but a back short enough so that the curved end of the backrest doesn't dig in the shoulders
I don't thing that its not supposed to dig into shoulders given the overall proportions of the chair, it seems like a design choice
I've watched so many Embody reviews and no one touched on any of the issues you did. They were probably all paid or had conflicting interests.
Thanks, this was exactly the reason why I decided to make this video - I was surprised that almost no one covers these issues.
I doubt it, considering that HM hardly ever sponsors ppl on TH-cam and the Embody is a lot less polarising than mesh chairs like the Aeron and Mirra 2.
They might not have pointed those issues out, because they probably didn't experience them.
I watched at least 10 Videos and yours finally convinced me to order the embody now. Ypur really showed the flexibility if the seat which I really need and since I Am 188cm it should fit me really well.
I'm in the same boat as you. I'm returning the gesture because of the reclining problem. In 65kg and the chair doesn't fully go back upright. Any chair you suggest?
Did you experience any neck pain ? Mine feels super tight on the side.
Any new video coming? I like your honest review style !
I am thinking about reviewing Aeron and Sayl, but procrastination overwhelms me
Interesting points. Have you a better alternative model, that is comfortable (for the back and buttocks) too, but without the negative arguments from the Embody model?
I am currently alternating between aeron and sayl. Sayl is not good for my back, but okay for thighs. Aeron is great for my back and very bad on thighs due to the seatpans extreme angle that pulls me away from the desk.
Nice video man, when u got stuck LOL so funny. I order one of those just for test, but gonna change for a aeron C when the test period ends, thanks again!
Thanks, very useful! I have a different kind of hip pain called FAI and will be leaning back a lot. I am used to using the mouse and keyboard on my lap, with the mouse on a metal mousepad and keyboard resting on the arm rest. very comfy and seems to solve the arm rest problem you talked about. Also considering the Aeron and Leap V2
Thanks a lot for mentioning the part with the armrest at desk height dont allow to get close enough to the desk. This is extremely important for short people, who do need armrest at desk height, like me. If youre too far away from your keyboard an mouse, it actually strains the neck muscles a lot more and can make your issues worse. I see barely anyone mentioning this blatant oversight of the embody. You definitely spared me from a miss-buy
So what's your current chair? I'm curious if you ever found a better one.
No arm depth adjustment was a deal breaker for me, didn't even try it because of it. I'm just like you, i like the armrests level with my disk and my belly almost touching my desk, and thats not possible with the embody. So i went with a aeron.
I agree with everything! However, I have another problem, the chair tends to wobble from left to right and it is quite annoying, it is not that serious, but it is noticeable when I try to type on the keyboard and I have to lean to one side or the other. another, I feel like the chair wobbles, especially much more to the right, if I raise my legs or recline this wobble disappears, I read on reddit that this happens because the piston of the chair is of low quality, despite being a chair High-end, I guess it's normal, but it bothers me too much.
Mine embody has the exact same recline issue, i could never dial it to the sweet spot, it's either too firm i can't recline, or too loose i can't sit straight, i like to change between siting upright and relaxed frequently, and i had to turn the knobs 5 to 6 times to do that which is annoying, the only solution is to set the recline loose enough and use the title limiter to limit the range, but that isn't ideal as well, because with the upright tilt limit, it still leans back a bit, and you are never really siting upright, that slight tilt push my leg up and sink my butt down a little bit, it just feels uncomfortable. At first I thought perhaps this issue is just due to my weight and body shape, until i tried another embody in a showroom, and i was able to dial it to the sweetspot. Not sure what could have caused this incosistency. Seeing that your unit had the same issue, i wonder how inconsistent each units are. regardless, i will try claim warranty for a replacement and see how it goes.
Does your chair wobbles back and forth too when the back setting is all the way forward (least recline)? The HM person told me it's normal, but I don't know if he's telling the truth.
mine does, i think its normal
@@Dew4lk thanks buddy
Thank you for the honest review and insights. I to was worried about the arm rests and couldn't find an awnser. Just like you I want it as close, and on level as the desk. I find it strange Herman Miller did not put the armrests further backwards so your elbow rests on it more comfortable. Great cameraview and relaxed way of speaking by the way. Thumbs up my friend. Never bend for sponserships! :)
I there, and thanks for your review. I just received my chair, and of course I've not had a lot of experience with it. I agree that the effect of biting into the backside of my legs is noticeable when reclining, and I need to either lower the chair or to have some footrest (probably, not tested yet). I'm 6'4, 180 pounds, so taller than you. I'd actually like the seat to pull out even more because of my height. To your point with the arm rests, I wonder whether your seat position is actually ideal. I noticed that I've precisely the same Ikea desk that you have, with the only modification that I made was to be able to move it up to 140cm from the otherwise maximum of about 125 cm by adding some blocks under the feet. But in a sitting position, it makes no difference. But because my chiro practitioner had suggested to me to go all the way up to 140cm for my height, I wonder whether you are using the arm rests correctly - or whether you should even be using them at all. As I'm writing this, I've my chair's armrests (extended all the way up) sliding in about 5 cm below the desk, in other words, I'm not using them at all while I'm typing. I just adjust the height of the chair and desk such that I can be as close to my monitor as I want. Your screen appears to also be height adjustable, so I've my eyes right at center level of my screen (vertically).
Again, your mileage obviously varies, but what I can say is that after a couple hours already, in my old Ikea office chair, I'd already lying with my feet on the desk, swivelling my screen over and being basically sideways (the worst position imaginable); with the Herman Miller, I've not even had the impulse to do any of that.
thanks, you are a bit shorter than i so i have the seat extended fully so i dont have the same issue but i can see what you are talking about
I noticed the guitar. I play guitar in my office chair. How is the chair for guitar playing? Do the arms rest get out of the way. (Sorry if you touch later in video as this was started at beginning
Sorry for the late reply. Well, you can play a guitar while sitting in this chair, but you will have to perch (sit on the edge of the chair). It's not possible to play while sitting in an ergonomically correct position - the armrests will go in your way even when positioned at the lowest and furthest position. For me personally it's okay but I don't plat for too long while seated, I prefer playing while standing.
@@zeroBSreviews thanks!!
Hey, I bought this chair and became it yesterday. I used it now for 8 hours and I have a kind of pain, numbless and tinging in the legs now (upper thigh, in the knee region). Did you have that to? does it go away? is it maybe a kind of acclimatisation to this chair? Perhaps I'm sitting too straight and it would be better if I could sit at a 5% angle, which is unfortunately not possible to configure. So, maybe I need to buy a special seat cushion with a tilt angle. What did you do with your chair, because you have had also leg pain, as you mentioned? Would appreciate your help, if you or other guys have this issue. Cheers from Europe, Switzerland
In my case I had to sell it after several months. My problem with thigh pain didn’t go away. I don’t advise you to buy any cushions - you bought the chair that have to work out of the box. Try playing with seat height, if it doesn’t help then itself probably just not for you, it happens.
@@zeroBSreviews thanks. And what chair you bought instead, after the Embody?
Thanks for the video. I have the embody as well and I share the same feeling about the armrests. I'm just unable to use it properly like that and they actually gave me some pain in the wrists and forearms. I'm really surprised there is no upgrade for these. I even checked if someone had thought of building a custom made ajustable version of the armrests but nothing there either. I'm really considering selling it too.
Sorry to hear that. The only workaround that I've found includes placing armrest raiser cushions at the back of actual armrests (can be found at amazon), although it's flimsy, does not look so good and does not really solve the problem entirely.
When I first sat in ny embody I was underwhelmed. The chair feels like a normal office chair. The back adjustment always felt off and I would unintentionally be leaning forward a lot defeating the whole purpose. Arms are meh and the tilt doesn’t tilt far enough. Aeron is so much better
If you can't get the chair adjusted in a way that prevents your lower thighs from touching the lip of the seat, then almost all HM chairs will feel uncomfortable for you.
No matter if it's the Embody, Mirra 2, Cosm or Aeron.
Only the Sayl circumvents this by having a foam seat pad.
I experienced this issue on the Aeron, but was able to get a footrest to resolve this issue and still allow my feet to move when necessary.
Any chair will come in contact with your lower thighs, including Sayl. The question is how hard would it press on it. Actually most of the thigh pain was gone after a couple of weeks, but I decided to go with Aeron again as my daily driver.
@@zeroBSreviews That's true, but chairs like the Sayl don't have those hard edges found on other HM chairs.
@@zeroBSreviews You took a review of the chair where you say your legs hurt from it and yet you write that the pain went away after 2 weeks? What?
@ what?
@@zeroBSreviews In the video you say that Embody makes your feet hurt but in the commentary you write that the pain went away after 2 weeks. Or does that comment not apply to Embody? If that is the case, please forgive me
Did you try the aeron as well ? Which is more confortable to sit on seat wise?(aeron , mirra 2 or embody) which has better lumbar support?
I use Aeron as my daily driver and sometimes switch to Sayl. Aeron is great for me in terms of overall back support and lumbar/sacral support. Mirra slighlty better for me in terms of thigh pressure (Aeron pushes on thighs a lot). Long story short: aeron and embody are aawesome for butt, but not good for thighs; sayl is good for thighs, but not good for butt when sitting too long; back support on Aeron is amazing for me given the chair size is right.
Clearly the chair is not for you. A few of your complaints I personally can't comprehend but personal preference is personal preference. I am 173cm tall and have no problem with my legs whatsoever. I also don't have an issue with the arm rests as I put them down to slide under the table while working or gaming with a mouse and pretty much only use them while gaming with a controller. I loved my embody at home so much that I bought a second one for the office with my own money. Again, personal preference.
But what you got wrong is the part abput the stiffness of the upper backrest. it is not adjustable at all. You may feel that it gets stiffer when you stiffen the recline tension but it does not. You can test this while putting the chair in the position with the least tilt. The upper part will move/flex exactly the same, no matter how high or low you set the recline tension.
If I crack the tension all the way up and lock the recline in the most upright position, the backrest barely flex. If I reduce the tension all the way down - it flexes easily. The two other chairs I tried in showrooms behaved the same way.
Without the armrests the chair is usable, sure. But I might be getting too old, I need armrests for maximum comfort.
@@zeroBSreviews I can confirm that with the flexibility of the backrest. My relatively new (non gaming) Embody behaves the same. But overall still think it is a good chair.
@@horkazo Yes, I totally agree that's a great chair and it's unique. I just wish it had more adjustability in the armrests and slightly different recline motion, similar to Aeron. Still a great chair. A lot depends on individual though.
Your fanboi is showing.
I see you play guitar. Were you able to get the arms out of the way so that you could play your guitar while sitting back in the chair, or did you have to sit forward, closer to the edge without using the backrest?
I have to move closer to the edge. The only way to play sitting all the way back is in the classical position with guitar between your legs.
Bought this chair used in perfect condition for $600. I love it at that price but I don't think I would love it at $1700
How's it so expensive over there? Lol
I can get the gaming Embody in the UK for the equivalent of $1345, which isn't exactly cheap, but still cheaper than the USA.
@@StardustLegacyFighter retail from Herman Miller. You can find them on the street for $1300 brand new 1 yr warranty no problem here in LA. I'm getting mine used for $500. Never buy from HM direct.
@@HokageKyubiNaruto Idk man, that 12 year warranty for a chair with so many little parts is kinda tempting.
Hi
Its perfect and honest review ever i seen !!!
I had same issues and I had to return mine as well
considering to buy aeron but cant decided
As in UK its £49 fee for return
cheers
When you return it do you need to keep the original box or do you just give the courier the chair and they sort it?
I am still in doubt if I should keel my Embody or return it, because of those arm rests. Either I use them and indeed too far away from keyboard, or need to lower and use my desk only. Not acceptable for a 1400 euro chair in my opinion. It should be dept adjustable/ 3D.
So which one did you settle with?
I am currently daily driving an Aeron size B. I have some issues with it (I will probably make another video about it - basically I am between sizes A and B, but B works better), but out of all chairs I tried it's the most usable one. Sometimes my thighs go sore and I switch to Sayl to give them some rest.
You definitely didn't like the chair! But it seems to me that it's more an adjustment issue than a construction problem (in the main points). Anyway, it helped a lot! Thank you for doing it!
I'm very happy with my own one, only thing for me that i don't like is that the seat can get a bit warm if not taking a break once in a while. Not a deal breaker though.
some of your concerns are just a bit strange. the pixelated seatpan cant possible be pixelated in the fold as it would break upon a few adjustments, the top of the back rest complains it also a bit strange, because if you liek to sit forward and have a loose back rest you can just use the recline limiter in combination with the loos tension control. I will agree with you on the arm rests, they are very bad and tend to break before any other part of the chair. :)
hello i am curious what you are using rn? i get a mirra 2 and had exact problems you have mentioned in other video. i cant stand if there is tailbone or tigh pain. i refund it and i am looking for another chair rn. i am looking into steelcase amia. do you have any suggestion to me? i am same height with you
Hi, I've settled with Aeron. I had some issues with thigh pain with it and I still do sometimes - dropping the height of the chair a little lower than seems right usually helps. It also helps switching to tilt-forward mode when I find my self leaning forward. I tried amia in the showroom but didn't like the seat angle - it was to sloped to the back for my taste.
@@zeroBSreviews ah thanks for replying. Much aprreciated. I was thinking to get amia but in my country there is no return for steelcase. I tried mesh chairs and I can't sit on them for long hours sadly. Would you recommend embody for me? Is it bit more comfortable on seat side than stiff mesh seats?
Lmao I found this video hilarious I could just see how silently pissed off you were 🤣 but you made v good points. Personally I ve tried so many high end chairs they all have some kind of issue.
You should try the Asus ROG Destrier if you want 180 degree adjustments of the armrest.
Have you tried the leap
I've had exactly the same issues!
The HM Aeron size C is the one which has fit me best.
I've got the size C Aeron too, never got to try the Embody, as the classic version is no longer available in the UK.
I am currently using Aeron size B as my daily driver. Interestingly enough, I didn't have any issues with it for the first three weeks, but now I am starting to have sore thighs even in the lowest position. Hopefully it will pass
@@zeroBSreviews had the same issue with the size B too and I'm about your size. Size C however is perfect, because the waterfall design is more defined here and I'm also using the forward tilt mechanism, which also reduces pressure points
Did you find any chair that solved the thigh pain issue? I am currently suffering from the same in both Embody and Aeron (B). I'm about the same height and weight as you and I get severe numbness in my right leg. I also get a lot of stinging pain in my right knee cap.
Well, not really. After extensive testing I've bought an Aeron again. It gives me some slight thigh pain, but I noticed that most of the time when I have it I am not sitting as I am supposed to be - either perching (leaning forward) - which can be fixed by using tilt-forward function of the chair or sitting a little bit higher than I should (solved by lowering the chair and the desk), or when I try to stretch my legs in front of my (usually fixed by using a footrest).
Sometimes I get soreness even when I am sitting correctly - I guess I am not used to keeping my legs at 90 degree angle all the time, I often try to stretch them in from of me.
The Aeron solution in my case is not optimal, but works for me most of the time because I love the way Aeron holds by back. I wish it had a seat frame design that was more similar to Mirra 2, but with the Aeron mesh which is more plush.
I guess my thighs also got more used to the mesh so it's a little better after half a year. When I get tired I usually alternate between sitting and standing positions.
Steelcase Amia maybe?@@zeroBSreviews
Do you think the gaming version of this chair will solve some of the problems?
Not for me for sure - it's essentially the same chair with different upholstery. It won't change the ergonomics a lot. E.g. it won't solve the problem with armrest adjustability
I have both the newer embody gen 2 and logiteh embody and they both been excellent. Coming from the Mirra 2 fully kitted, it's basically the same when it comes to recline. I do agree it's not for everyone but for me 5'6 220lb working from home I love it more than sitting at work with cheaper chairs. This is a unique chair and some will hate it or love it. You should look into Steelcase leap v2 or the Haworth Fern. I have sat on both and love them both as well. It all comes from personal preference and what fits you.
I am glad that you've found the chair that works for you.
I have both Embody (2022) and Mirra 2 and I don't find the recline motion to be the same. It is simewhat similar, but Embody pushes my thighs up much more (probably do to the different slope of the seat pan to begin with) this results in my sacrum and lumbar to disconnect from the backrest.
Thank you for the chair suggestions - I will try the Fern (the Leap v2 has a very weird recline mechanism that I don't happen to like).
@@zeroBSreviews I recommend you to check out BTOD's channel, because they cover these high end chairs in more depth and they have a lot of experience in this field.
I'm pretty sure they mentioned that the Embody has a similar recline mechanism to the Mirra 2 and Aeron, however it's more of a synchro tilt as opposed to a unique synchro/knee tilt found on the Mirra 2 and Aeron.
If you can get the Haworth Fern in the digital knit configuration, it's their top chair pick atm, so it's worth checking that one out too.
@@StardustLegacyFighter I know of them. I am describing my personal experience with the chair and my personal feelings from these mechanisms. The channel is quite amusing actually since most of the time presenters use their chairs on-screen incorrectly, leaving their feet dangling.
@@zeroBSreviews Actually, the only times they do that is when they're showing off the chair directly in front of the main camera.
When they show the chair at a desk setup, they do sit correctly.
I remember someone pointing that out on one of their videos, and they had the same response.
8:04 this is a big reason why I stopped using the fern because the reclining was nice but the arms killed it for me
I'm having the same issue with the arm rests being too big so I can't get close enough to my desk.
You always know that shi** is goin to be honest when a guy shows up to a real talk in such sandals.
Well, those a Birkenstocks. They are quite ergonomic
I'll make a new video in crocs ;)
I came from an early 2000s Aeron that would gradually just push my butt out of the seat. On all kinds of personal and internet recommendations I went all out and bought an Embody Logitech Gaming with the matching Atlas headrest. Well, it has the same issues really, Herman Miller designers have no idea where the lumbar is since all of their chairs have sacral support. Basically, after giving it a year, I hate it and will never buy another Herman Miller chair again. My wife has a Hinomi H1 Pro that is immediately a lot more comfortable than the Embody even though it is a smaller size than I need. I might try the Hinomi X1 or research anything that is the polar opposite of the Embody from Steelcase or Haworth.
What chair did you switch too?
I've returned to Aeron. It also not without flaws, but works better for me than anything I tried. I wish it had a different seatpan shape though.
lmk when u find a chair you like!
Have you ever considered a steelcase gesture?
I've sat on it in the showroom. There are two problems for me with it: 1) it is very warm, doesn't work well in my climate 2) it doesn't work well with my weight (67 kg) - it doesn't straighten properly after being reclined. It's a design issue. We tried three different gestures in the showroom and the all had the same problem, quite an overlook.
Hey man, just came across this vid. I have the exact same issues as you with leg pain with this chair. So much so I order a different chair (ASUS ROG Destrier Ergo) and really done with the Embody.. I wanted to love it for some of the same points you mentions, but my legs are constantly an issue with this chair.
Does the asus chair work for you?
Weird how you sat at the same distance with your arm rests down than when you sat with them up.
It's not the same - I even bumped the underside of my desk with the armrests. Also worth noting noting that the armrests are mounted in an angled "tube", so when you put them down they also go back in a horizontal axis. If you judge the distance to the desk by armrests you should keep it in mind :)
Why did you not make this review two years ago? 😅 I would have saved a fortune. My embody just sits there as a show piece and sitting on it gives me coccyx pain. Now I am thinking of either switching it for an Aeron or Haworth Fern. The arm rest is a cheap piece of garbage.
I wish you review the Aeron!
great review man, please make a gesture review if you could
Thanks! I don't own Gesture, but I've sit for an hour on one in the showroom it it annoyed me greatly. It has a problem with the tension mechanism by design (we checked three separate units with Steelcase store representatives and got a confirmation from the technician that it's the way the chair is and not a defective unit). The problem is that when you set the tension of the chair to a comfortable setting for my weight (around 65 kg/143pounds), it won't return to a fully upright position after you recline - you have to force it manually. Even if you lock the chair in the upward position there is some degree of movement, which is fine by itself (a lot of chair are designed this way), but because of this problem, the chair will not be fully upright and you will have to press with your hands on the back for it to return to upward position again. This can only be "fixed" by setting a quite high tension. I guess this chair is just not intended for my weight, and that is strange since I am a pretty average person in that regard (or at least I know a lot of people who weight less than me). Other than that the chair appeared to be comfortable, but it's very hard to give it an appropriate review because of the very annoying problem I experience - it overshadowed everything else.
@@zeroBSreviews Whoa thanks! Personally I'm ok with it staying upright. Did you notice any leg pain/problems with it like you did with the Mirra and Embody? Or the armrests? It looks like you can't adjust the arms far back if you put them low cause it goes forward the lower it goes?
@@rcio29 but it doesn't stay upright. Its always slightly reclined and it sometime suddenly snaps back to the upright position when you touch it or perch on it. I did not notice those problems, but that doesn't mean that they do not exist, because I was very distracted by constant clicks and misaligment of the backrest I did not pay enough attention to those areas.
@@zeroBSreviews Alright, thank you!
I’m confused about one thing you said. I just got my embody. You’d aid the backrest and tension is all don’t with the same knob, so you don’t like it. But the back rest and tilt tension are 2 separate knobs, so you can operate them independently
I'm tall, and buy this chair for the amazing features, but I have the same problems.... Back pain and is not comfortable in the legs
Aeron have the same arms problem?
No I don't have such problems with Aeron arms - you can push them back so the only support your elbow and they have a rounded edge design that helps with preventing bumping on the underside of the desk.
Nice video. Thanks dude.
You're welcome :)
So i just got this chair today along with a Aeron size c. I am very disappointed with the embody. The arms are just straight up un-useable for typing/fps gaming.
The back looks amazing but i can't dial in the tension where it actually fully supports me vertically without having to kinda slouch.
The aeron is just such a better chair in almost everyway aside from how nice it feels initially the embody wins with that first kinda wow this feels nice factor.
But i dunno even the aeron with its forwards tilt and ao many adjustments just isnt perfect.
I am sad i will probably send back my 2 dream chairs. Looks don't equal comfort sadly.
Thank you! I was just about to buy one because there is a promotion, but I am similar size to you so I would have the same problems. The only decent review channel I found is BTODtv but all the host are tall so they just od not experience this issues. Other reviews I've seen where behaving like shills, you really are Zero BS!
Have you tried Leap v2?
I tried it in the showroom. It's definitely not for me: it has quality issues, the same as Aeron (some units are uneven - leaning to the right/left), the siting pan is way to hot for my climate and I hated the recline mechanism, it feels like it moves the seat from under you
@@zeroBSreviews the moving cushion is the feature of the chair as far as I'm aware. You can fix it in one position though, so that it wont move
Always worth keeping in mind:
It isn''t a 'review' if there is an affiliate link and profit sharing from a sale.
It's an advert.
90% of the reviews on TH-cam are nothing more than adverts.
If you see an afiliate link, treat it as such.
@@williamtopping yup, that’s why I don’t post any links
I've had this chair for 6 years now and it sucks. I don't replace it because I dumped so much money for it.
plz try the haworth fern next!!
I'll try to find one in my city, does not seem like we have a dealer here.
same story, ended up with Aeron
this chair looks like to me it should only be like $800 i think they are major ripping people off now its made of cheap plastic not even real material. i need a new premium chair but would like to try one in person dont want to spend 1995 on a chair to have to return it upon receiving it and trying it out
try the haworth fern , i heard if the embody is not your chair , then the haworth fern will be!
Being honest: Aside all issues pointed, it's ugly. It's that simple for me. You can easily get a better looking and way more comfortable chair for half this one's price.
The arms on this chair are a joke for the price range. This chair is even more expensive than the Aeron, and has inferior armrest adjustability. I have the same issue, when the arms are adjusted to the correct height, they interfere with the desk, causing the cair to be set too far back for a proper typing postion. So I have to drop them to below the desk height so I can scooch the chair closer to the desk, so they may as well not be there at all.
The embody is best for 6'2+ tall.
Should of got the gaming one they added extra padding to the seat
Looks to me that you have your chair set too high, it's clear that you can barely plant your feet. And most of the issues you mention are typical for chairs set too high.
No, that's not the case. Besides do you really think I didn't think of lowering it? I am not that stupid ;)
I'm 6'4" tall. IMO only tall people should buy this chair. There are better chairs for normal sized people for half the price (or get refurbished HM Aeron!).
There is a lever on the left side. It can block reclaim to sit straight and 3 levels to lean back.
Of course there is. Not sure what point you're trying to make.
@@zeroBSreviews the lever resolve a problem on 3:30
@@WR1756 that does not really solve the problem, this is just a workaround. I have no problem finding the correct tension setting on Mirra 2 or the Aeron which I never lock and still can take advantage of upright and reclined positions.
Thank you. This chair is so over engineered yet they didn't allow adjustments for things that actually matter. So annoying and overpriced
I love mine, sucks it didn't workout for you. I am on the taller side-6ft, and very muscular at 240 lbs.
You're using the wrong wheels for wood floors. RIP wood.
It's not wood :)
@@zeroBSreviews Same goes for vinyl my friend and wood is easier to repair.
some feedback for your video framing. The video appears very zoomed out. You dont need to show the top 30% of your screen above the keybaord to the cieling.
I don’t need to, indeed, but I choose to.
Just get an Aeron R and u know actually be satisfied with ur purchase.
I have it. I actually owned three of them. I have been sitting on the latest one I bought for more than a year and its far from perfect. Definitely not satisfied.
@@zeroBSreviews probably bc u bought the wrong size. if an aeron cant satisfy u nothing can.
that's such a dumb take@@dwight2310
For the Armrest , The problem is your table . Use keyboard rack Man
This won’t help at all. Keyboard rack is basically another table surface that is mounted lower. It wont help with anything at all. You can just set your table lower and monitor higher and achieve the same thing without additional bulk and complexity. People reading this - please don’t do it if you have an adjustable table. If you don’t please consider getting an adjustable table first before falling back to solutions from the 90’s.
@@zeroBSreviews use narrower keyboard rack .
1) m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wC4C5AXZL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
2) m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media-library-service-media/db2f21e6-3d90-44c6-a964-10e6c9b50e36.__CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg
the keyboard rack should can place between the armrest.
dont buy the gesture. it will give you more pain
How can you confidently say that without him actually trying it out?
@@StardustLegacyFighter i am sitting on a gesture right now. i am 100% confident
@@StardustLegacyFighter I actually tried the Gesture and I find it's recline mechanism very annoying, so I decided to not even try it for extended periods of time. It also has a design issue which prevents the backrest to return to fully return to the original position at some tension levels (confirmed with Steelcase technician and salesmen, so it's not a fluke of a particular chair).
@@zeroBSreviews I've heard similar complaints about the Gesture, however those ppl usually end up satisfied with the Leap v2 or the Amia.
@@StardustLegacyFighter Yea, Gesture seat is just awful. I sold mine. I m about to try amia cuz apparently has the best "seat" comfort for fabric hign end chairs. If it does not work i just settle w Embody. i m tired of this office chair fest.
Thanks. Will not buy this. !
Everyone's body is different. I guess it might be a good idea to find a dealer that can give the chair for 2/3 week test drive before buying. This is by no means a bad chair, but it's not compatible with the wide range of body types that Herman Miller claims it to be.
@@zeroBSreviews Its the non adjustable arm rest for me not beeing able to adjust while gaming, thank u for good review!
@@alexanhellberg The armpads are very big, so even if the adjustment is non existent, you can still find a good position for gaming.
I would recommend at least trying the chair out for free, if you can, and then see whether if it works or not.
@@StardustLegacyFighter Yeah. Mmh. I have a RH logic chair atm and i seem to adjust alot to sit closer to the desk so i think this is gonna make me wanna throw it out the window, and it is hard to test at home if not buying it, they are lazy for not adding adjustable arm rests. ;(
@@StardustLegacyFighter the armpads being very big is exactly the problem with this chair that prevents certain usecases