Form vs function?

October 28, 2011 4:46 PM

Would using this Herman Miller Eames molded plastic chair as a work chair be bad for my back?

Like most of us, I'm at the computer for many hours. I need a new chair. I like the look of the Eames molder chair, but am I being lured by design and putting form over function? Should I just go with a task chair with more back support?

posted by sharkfu to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

That is a beautiful chair. But I know that if I sat in it regularly for long periods of time I'd be seriously hurting. It's possible that might be mitigated with some judicious pillow usage, but it's hard to say. So if you have enough money that you could buy this and then switch to a different chair later, then go for it. If you can't spent the money twice I'd start with a better office-style chair with back support.

My perspective on this is as a person who paid no attention to proper support and had no back problems...until I suddenly had a herniated disk. Now I pay quite a bit of attention to my desk chair, how I sit when I'm relaxing, etc.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:53 PM on October 28, 2011

Finally, a question I can answer with total authority. I have this chair, I use it as a work chair. It hurts my back. Yes, it is mitigated by judicious pillow usage, but still, it hurts.
posted by Ollie at 5:05 PM on October 28, 2011 [4 favorites]

p.s. It's fine as a dining chair, probably because you're not in it for hours.
posted by Ollie at 5:07 PM on October 28, 2011

We had similar (although much uglier!) molded plastic chairs in college and they were not comfortable.
posted by grapesaresour at 5:07 PM on October 28, 2011

my partner has a set of these as dining chairs. while they look great, i can only sit in them for a while before they start to get uncomfortable. thinking about sitting in one all day seems like very stylish torture.
posted by hollisimo at 5:16 PM on October 28, 2011

I had an Ikea clone of that as an office chair for a while. I can only describe it as a torture device.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 5:18 PM on October 28, 2011

I use one of the original fiberglass Eames shells as a computer chair. It's amazingly comfortable to me. I haven't sat in the newer plastic version but have heard they're flimsy.
posted by Zebtron at 7:35 PM on October 28, 2011

Any reasonably good computer/office chair would be better.
posted by doctor_negative at 7:40 PM on October 28, 2011

My butt always slides up and out (forward) of those chairs and I feel like I'm constantly pushing myself back into the seat. Not comfortable in the long run but that may just be my personal body geography since the chair isn't adjustable but I'm short-waisted and long legged.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:23 PM on October 28, 2011

Not remotely supportive. Not designed to be ergometric. Even a cheap chair from IKEA or Target is better.
posted by Ideefixe at 9:13 PM on October 28, 2011

I have these for dining chairs. They are fine for eating a meal, but would be terrible work chairs. They're perfectly comfortable enough for about an hour tops, but would not be comfortable enough for all day use.
posted by Joh at 10:24 PM on October 28, 2011

I have a friend who owns a couple of fairly accurate Eames knock-offs of this style. I cannot sit comfortably in them for anything beyond 10 minutes. They are horribly uncomfortable. Coll-looking, but torture.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:02 AM on October 29, 2011

I've sat in many chairs, and think the Aeron is in a class by itself. BUT the best price appears to be $679.

Staples has comparatively inexpensive ones, but be sure to get a Tush Cush to save your back.
posted by KRS at 2:27 PM on October 29, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks for the input everyone. Looks like I'll have to abandon this bad idea.
posted by sharkfu at 9:16 PM on November 1, 2011