Best Chair For Desktop Coding? 742
wifeoflurker writes "Can someone give me recommendations for a desk chair to give my husband as a Father's Day gift? He currently uses a cheap one he got from Office Max, but I want him to have a really comfortable one. He spends his life in this chair (coding and lurking on Slashdot). I don't have time to research good chairs on the internet today (I'm chasing my 10 month old around, and she seems to get into the most mischief when I'm staring at the computer screen), so I figured a few folks here might share their personal recommendations." Has there been any great progress in the state of the art (of sitting) since the last time readers sought recommendations for back-friendly chairs a few years back, or the perfect computer chair nearly a decade back? Is there even such a thing as a back-friendly chair, or should we all be in astronaut-style lounge workstations?
Thanks (Score:4, Funny)
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I hear chairs are all the rage right now
Re:*blink blink* (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, your humor is misplaced (Score:5, Interesting)
Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Interesting)
In fact, if you needed family time, you were considered a bit suspect, or a whiny little bitch.
But, in those days, we shipped indeed, and our stock price was ever-rising. Back then, you could even tell an under-achiever that they sucked without fear of a lawsuit.
But, Win95 shipped, Exchange shipped, Office shipped, and left a trail of dead or dying competitors in our wake.
Now?
Vista.
Enough said.
Family Friendly hasn't done crap for shareholders, IMHO.
I'm sorry, but Win95 is a turd worse than Vista (Score:5, Informative)
Now the current versions of Exchange, SQL, Server, IIS, Office, dev tools - I think Microsoft can be proud of that. Vista is a management fuck up, IC's have nothing to do with it being a pile of crap.
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Funny)
Yea, man. I'm right with you. I mean, look what happened to all those poor plantation owners when emancipation came around. There's just no justice in this world.
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
Family Friendly hasn't done crap for shareholders, IMHO.
I ask this somewhat rhetorically and certainly drunkenly, but why does the shareholders right to income trump the workers right to life?
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
In fact, if you needed family time, you were considered a bit suspect, or a whiny little bitch.
That's really a personal choice. 15 Years ago, I was in the same position, and made a choice to work normal hours, get married, learn to SCUBA dive, take vacations and have a life.
This magic was accomplished by telling my manager "No, I will not work nights, weekends and holidays."
Today, I'm still married, own a software business, have friends, take vacations and life is good. In fact, if I interview someone and they say they're willing to sell their soul to me, I won't hire them. I want people who have lives. They're happier, more productive and more stable.
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
They're getting harder to find because nobody wants a life that sucks. And if you fone someone who does, they're typically damaged in some way.
Its a different mindset these days, and while you think your folks are productive, I would comfortably assume that were you up against us on a project, my people would eat your lunch. We work until we ship. THEN we play.
Knock yourself out. I don't sell code, I sell ideas and business processes and charge based on the value I provide to the client, not the hours worked or lines of code. In fact, the actual coding tends to be relatively minimal.
If you need to change diapers between builds, you probably don't want to work for me.
That would account for your hiring difficulties. The only thing more seductive to a programmer than money and toys is having an actual life. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that taking his girlfriend out for a weekend in the mountains is more rewarding than sitting under a flourescent light chasing a segfault at 3am.
I have dived the wrecks of Belize, with the NEW wife (younger and cuter, since I am smarter and richer) and have a great time. Like you say, its a choice. You are happy with yours, I am ecstatic with mine. Good luck.
It's nice diving. I saw my first ray there, but I like Tobermory and the St. Lawrence better. The tropical wrecks deteriorate too quickly.
Good luck with the money and wife. I suspect by the time you hit your 60's you'll wish you had been a little less "driven." The "Trophy Wife" is a little sad; partially because when you marry someone it's supposed to be forever and partially because you now have a wife that married you for money and will leave when you lose yours or someone else comes along with more.
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for the win
#endif
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Trying to escape a period?
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It's Father's Day... (Score:3, Funny)
Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Interesting)
But think about it -- you own a car that you like. You spend maybe what, an hour, or two a day in it? You spend maybe $400 for the car payment plus insurance and gas.
And you sit in a chair for 5-7 hours a day. You should make a good investment for the sake of your back, your butt, and your comfort. I have the Aeron and the only quip I have with it, is that it doesn't match the height of my desk (which is actually a writing desk, incorrect height for a mouse/keyboard).
I like the Aeron -- it has a lot of adjustments, it's built very solid, it has a good warranty and you can get them serviced a LOT of places (casters and such). It's NOT cheap, but refer to what I said earlier on why you SHOULD spend the money.
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Interesting)
No one wants to invest in a good chair but you have to think about the fact that your chair is in use from the time you sit down at your computer to the time you get up. It's the most utilized piece of computer gear you have. A lot of people skimp on monitors too even though it's the second most utilized piece of hardware.
A solid chair and a solid monitor then keyboard/mouse goes very very far in keeping you productive.
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Funny)
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o Wheels - being able to push the chair back when you move away from the desk (otherwise you will probably just tear the carpet).
o Adjustable height - make sure you are not hunched up in front of the keyboard or bending your neck looking down.
o Armrests - definitely needed for sitting back and letting your arms rest. As others have pointed out, make sure these are adjustable.
o Rotatable - maybe you want to have a side desk alongside your m
If you're looking to drive the price down... (Score:4, Informative)
I've used the Aeron, and I like my Mirra just as much. The only way I'd get an Aeron right now is if I were very tall/short (thus making the sizing thing worthwhile) -- for 90% of us, the Mirra works just fine and it significantly less expensive.
What the parent poster said, by the way? Completely dead-on. There are two bits of furniture you shouldn't skimp on, and they're your bed and your office chair.
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Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Funny)
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I was once asked "Why are you so demanding about the chair? You will be here for only three months or so!". I gave the manager a quizzical look and asked. "Say.. Do you ever hide your flatulance into your cushiony chair?" (Yeah, not from US. I guess that would be waaaayyyy too offensive
Surgery on my ass (Score:5, Informative)
I'm going to make my work buy one today.
This is embarrassing, but two years ago I had surgery on my butt. I can't remember the name of the condition, but it has generally been reserved for truckdrivers. Basically what happens is a hair in your crack becomes ingrown because you sweat (I live in a sub-tropical environment and at the time, wasn't wearing 100% cotton underwear), and sitting down all day the hair grows inward. Long story short, you go to *extreme* pain very quickly and hence I had a lot of morphine (which is good) and a general anesthetic and surgery to remove about 60ml of pus (which was bad). I had an additional hole in my arse about the size of my fist (poor choice, perhaps a tennis ball).
The next worst thing was the healing process. You have to regularly wash the wound out three times daily to prevent the condition occurring again until the wound completely heals. That takes about 4 months! I'm stoked that my partner is a nurse, but it's not really all as glamorous as it sounds.
You do not want this condition! Wear 100% cotton underwear, pants that breath, and a chair that does not allow you to lean back. (Found the condition - pilonidal cyst - beware the gross pictures)
Re:Surgery on my ass (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Surgery on my ass (Score:5, Funny)
Aeron isn't for everyone (Score:3)
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i tried crossing one of my legs under the other (right ankle under left thigh or vice versa) which was actually painful in the Aeron.
The reason you hate it is the exact reason I love it. On most chairs, when I try to fold my ankle under my thigh, the armrests get in the way and I get cramped into the chair. With my Aeron, the armrests drop LOW, so my knee can rest on top of the armrest, and work as an armrest itself.
I'm in it up to ten hours a day and haven't had the slightest bit of discomfort.
Aeron and RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) (Score:5, Interesting)
One day my wife was talking to the manager of a Relax The Back store and my RLS came up. Upon hearing that I used an Aeron chair he said "That could be the problem. The way the front area of the chair where the legs go over is designed can cause problems with circulation and such." (I heard this second hand from my wife). I switched to a more traditional office chair. Within a month my RLS symptoms were gone.
So no scientific proof and I haven't felt like switching back to see the Aeron was the problem. But I'm a lot happier now.
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(The latter being the real problem; we all have subtly different preferences and physiologies, so nothing is perfect for everyone)
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The 2 best ways to spend money in your office: 1) monitor and 2) chair!
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By the way, this might not be the best c
Chair vs Car (Score:3, Funny)
I should try to use my office chair to go to work one day. It has wheels and its mostly downhill both way so it can definitely replace my car...
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Also, be aware that the rough texture of the Pellicle fabric will wear out your husband's pants in the seat faster than you may be accustomed to.
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Funny)
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Seriously, +4 Informative? _INFORMATIVE_??? I could see +4 funny perhaps, but no way is that informative.
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Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Insightful)
The one thing the Aeron is great for is that it's a mesh, so you can sit on it when you get back from a bike ride without feeling like you're going to soak the padding with your manly sweat. This is the reason I haven't just spaced the thing.
I hear that the new Aerons are better, but I haven't personally seen any evidence that this is true. So I would really check this out carefully before buying.
And honestly, I'd run this by him. You're going to spend a lot of money to get him a good chair, and chairs are a very personal choice - what works for one person won't work for another. Also a lot of advice you get on ergonomics from chair stores isn't correct, so if you buy a chair based on that advice, you could wind up with a $500 albatross.
What I would personally recommend is that you just tell him you want to get him a chair, and research it with him. If you don't have time, get him something else. This is a really nice idea for a gift, but it's not an easy one.
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Interesting)
I learned that trick from a buddy of mine who's mom would always get pissed off at the gifts family would buy her. She would want a stove, and they bought her a stove, but it wasn't the stove she wanted. Next year she wanted a dishwasher, so they gave her a picture of a dishwasher, and let her pick it out herself.
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Personally I think all of these are merely the best attempt at the wrong solution. The best thing for your back (and I know this because it's what I use), is a stand up desk [wikipedia.org]. You get used to it quite quickly and you feel all the better for it. Many or most are adjustable so you can lower them to chair height when you want to. But you very quickly find it odd and sluggish to sit down.
I'm serious - this is by far the best option imo.
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Funny)
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Try looking at a Herman Miller Mirra instead. I tested both of them at a showroom, and I preferred the Mirra because it has a firm plastic back instead of the mesh back (it still has the mesh seat). To me, the back felt less squishy with better support. It costs less, too.
I've been using mine extensively for a couple of years now, and I can say that it's the only chair that I've ever used that doesn't suck.
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Ikea Markus Chair (Score:4, Interesting)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00103102 [ikea.com]
It was well worth the $200.
The high back lets you recline fully when enjoying a movie. It's very comfortable and has a bunch of options to set height, back stiffness / angle it reclines to.
Swiss Ball! (Score:5, Interesting)
N.
Re:Swiss Ball! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Swiss Ball! (Score:4, Interesting)
I have used the original Variable Balans for 20 years at home, and recently I persuaded my employer to buy one for work too. I easily easily spend more than 12 hours daily in those two chairs.
I consider them extremely comfortable. However, my chairs are of the rocking chair type: http://www.varierfurniture.com/default.aspx?menu=693 [varierfurniture.com]
I have tried one of the models with a fixed bottom frame (or whatever you call that in English), and it was not nearly as comfortable. A few hours, and my shins hurt. I think the angles were a little different, but the main reason was probably that it couldn't rock so I had to sit in the exact same position all the time.
One word of warning:
It took me several years to get used to the chair.
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Excerice ball (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Excerice ball (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Excerice ball (Score:4, Informative)
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There's actually a big clue to found in that observation: many people pick a chair based on it not aggrevating whatever their current symptoms are. But if it instead aggrevates others, that's not really an improvement.
Re:Excerice ball (Score:5, Informative)
I've recently done a lot of research about this. Apparently, sitting on an exercise ball is good for very short periods of time, but very bad for you back over long periods. The lack back support and angle of your pelvis causes a lot of compression on your lower vertebra.
I'm sure with a little googleing you can find more information.
Herman Miller Aeron (Score:3, Informative)
Strong enough to take my abuse (and I'm tough on furniture).
Comfortable enough to sit in for hours.
The aesthetics are extremely nice IMHO.
Only downside to this chair is the $$ price.
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www.levengers.com sells them for $979, shipping included.
Finding a 15 to 25% off code is pretty easy, making it a decent deal.
http://www.retailmenot.com/view/levenger.com for one example.
Then use the savings to buy him a nice geeky pen or two.
You Married your Father? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:You Married your Father? (Score:5, Funny)
*crickets*
What? Too soon?
Well he knows now, announcing it on Slashdot (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well he knows now, announcing it on Slashdot (Score:5, Funny)
It's just a little disturbing that I apparently have a wife and child I wasn't aware of.
Car seat (Score:3, Interesting)
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I would recommend...!?! (Score:5, Funny)
http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102518472&pnr=M53 [skymall.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_amg-Aos4 [youtube.com]
It will give me amazing 6 pack abs in 3 weeks with no dieting.
Try Knoll's Life chair. (Score:3, Informative)
They list for $1200. But you can find them online for under $600 including shipping. I was lucky enough to find a guy near my house that sold them to me for $325. I've bought 4 now for my employees.
Researcher sees future where people walk at work (Score:5, Interesting)
"Sitting at their desks is about the last thing workers would do in Dr. James Levine's office of the future.
Dr. James Levine keeps a 1 mph pace on his treadmill while checking his e-mail.at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Instead of being sedentary in front of their computers, they'd stand. But instead of standing still, they'd walk on a treadmill. And instead of meeting around a conference table, they'd talk business while walking laps on a track."
But just a standing desk with a tall stool to alternate with can work wonders for back pain and good posture.
The walking is probably better on the knees though.
Grahl Duo-Back (Score:3, Informative)
Humanscale Freedom chair (Score:4, Interesting)
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get the leap chair from steelcase (Score:5, Informative)
the seat pan, the lower lumbar support, it's great. It's arm rests are fully adjustable, vertically, forward/back, and side to side. The lower back support actually works and doesn't feel like someone stuck a piece of wood behind your back. You can adjust it's height and it's depth. I've owned one now for 2 years now and have no regrets. I have back problems and this is the only chair I can sit in without being miserable when I use a computer.
http://store.steelcase.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=LEAPV2 [steelcase.com]
If you really want to go all out, get the forward tilt option. The only
reason I didn't is that the lead time was an extra 1-2 weeks. I should also
mention that it was really easy to setup. It came in one big box and in two parts, the seat and base. All I had to do was drop the seat onto the base and it was ready, no tools were necessary.
Humanscale Freedom Chair (Score:5, Informative)
For a really unique geek chair (Score:5, Funny)
Other options (Score:3, Insightful)
Not everyone is the same! (Score:4, Insightful)
Steelcase Leap (Score:4, Informative)
Mrs Balmer? is that you? (Score:4, Funny)
May I suggest opposite? (Score:3, Interesting)
May be you should buy him something that will lure him OUT of his chair?
Simple, here you go, (Score:5, Insightful)
Take him there, treat him like a king while it he gets the measurements and adjustments done.
He can pick out all the colors he wants.
After words a nice meal with some good drinks.
When the chair gets delivered, put the 10 month old down for a nap and fuck your husband in the chair.
You now have the perfect, favorite chair.
wooden chair (Score:3, Insightful)
the stupid office chairs they give us at work just kills my shoulders and back. I even hate those aereon chairs (I borrowed one for 3 days).
Best Chair for me.... (Score:4, Funny)
If you're feeling rich... (Score:4, Informative)
Price is around $2500 to $3K.
Re:Personally: (Score:5, Informative)
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Aerons are pretty, and had sort of a cachet to them for a while, but I never found them especially comfortable. I was fairly indifferent to most chairs I had tried... until I started at Google, and sat in a Leap for the first time. I ordered one for home that week.
I'm habitually fidgety, constantly shifting around, sitting on one foot or the other, leaning way over to one side, slouching ridiculously far down, leaning forward over the desk, and so on. The Aeron is all hard plastic, and incr
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