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Where can I try out fancy office chairs in California's Bay Area (SF, Alameda, Solano, Contra Costa, Napa, Marin, or Sonoma Counties)?

unclezeb — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:57:11 -0800

California - Bay Area: where can I try out crazy good office chairs? All the advice posts/asks say to test a chair out before buying and I want to try the Think, Leap, Freedom, Aeron, or your other suggestions before my office buys a new chair for me ... but where (from SF to Oakland to Sonoma to Napa) can I go to get test these chairs out? My office offered to replace my current chair and I noticed several of my co-workers have the Freedom chair which is not cheap! ($1099 on Sitforless.com).

I want to try out a few chairs before asking my office to lay out any money, but I cannot think of the right place to go for a test run?

I work in the North Bay and live in the East Bay - Can you think of anywhere to try out several of these chairs (Think, Leap, Freedom, Aeron, or your other suggestions!) nearby?

As for "other suggestions" here are my preferences if it matters:
Comfortable for someone who's "big boned"
Adjustable head rest preferred
Deep seat preferred
Fabric > leather

Thanks everyone!

How do I get replacement hardware for an IKEA office chair in the US?

l33tpolicywonk — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:26:19 -0800

How do I get replacement hardware for an IKEA office chair in the US? As the result of a move, I lost the hardware to my IKEA Karsten office chair. The instructions aren't real helpful on what the dimensions of the screws are - basically, I need seven large screws for the chair and back, and four smaller screws to attach each of the arms. I tried going to the hardware store, but the screws I got there were too long (they pointed through the cushion) and using them set the screw holes off center from the chair base - I could only get two of the four screws in. I went to IKEA College Park, which told me they could not give me replacement screws without my receipt (long since gone). It's possible IKEA stores in other countries would replace it, but I can't easily get to one. I bought a bag of loose screws there, and didn't quite have screws big enough to do the job. Any suggestions about how I figure out exactly which screws I need to order, or how I convince IKEA to send me new ones?

My kingdom for a chair...

wierdo — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:47:46 -0800

I need help finding a decent inexpensive office chair. So I find myself needing an office chair. If I had the money, I'd buy an Aeron or Humanscale, but I don't. The most I can feasibly spend at the moment is $200.

I'd like it sooner rather than later, so something I can buy from Office Depot, Staples, or Sam's Club would be nice. (Or from some office supply place here in Tulsa, I'm not picky)

What's the best I can hope for with my very limited budget?

Help me not become blind and decrepit in my own home

[user was fined for this post] — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 13:20:18 -0800

I'm working from home full-time. Hooray! Except the corporate overlords aren't inclined to send an ergonomics expert around to the house to make sure I'm not slowly killing myself. I have a few specific questions about ergonomics and visual health in a home office. Possibly relevant details: I'm 29, male, no health problems, average weight for my height. I am very nearsighted and cannot work at a computer without glasses. Between work and personal projects, I sit at the computer 60-70 hours per week. I exercise and do the basic smart-worker things, and I've read some good advice on ergonomics in general, but a few specific answers about preventative measures have proven elusive.

1) I have a cheap desk chair that is not particularly comfortable, but not so uncomfortable that I notice it when I'm working. I have sat in this chair for roughly 60 hours per week for months and have no complaints of back pain or other chair-related maladies. Am I risking permanent damage by using a cheap chair unless/until physical problems emerge? I've encountered a number of (inexpert) arguments recently that professional sitters should invest in quality chairs for the sake of long-term health.

2) I like my nerd cave. My preferred mode of working (day or night) is in the dark save for the cool, soothing light of my monitors, and I'm filled with glee at having escaped the fluorescent hell of the office. I've not (yet) encountered irritated eyes or other problems from working this way. Am I slowly damaging my eyesight by spending all day in this low-light environment? If I need to add more light, can I just put some kind of bias lighting behind the monitors, or should the whole room be moderately lit?

3) Same sort of question about keyboards: I do a lot of typing on a bog-standard desktop keyboard with a fairly light keypress. I have no specific complaints about it. But I've seen comments suggesting keyboards with a firmer keypress and/or an ergonomically split configuration for people with hand/wrist problems. Is it a good idea to switch before problems actually begin to occur?

I know it would be best to hire an ergonomics consultant, but work won't pay for it, so I decided to try the hive mind first. You are not my doctor or optometrist, but the benefit of your experience is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

What's the best option for office chairs in the UK?

idiomatika — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:40:56 -0800

Does anyone have any recommendations for office chairs in the UK? When originally setting up my home office, I foolishly went for a cheap chair, and my back has suffered as a result. All the other questions I found on this topic were about chairs available in the US. I'd rather not go for something too expensive, but the cheaper end of the market probably isn't worth bothering with.

Thanks in advance!

Office Chairs for Short Girls?

arnicae — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:57:24 -0800

Are there any office chairs out there for petite women? I have a short inseam and rarely can touch the ground when I'm sitting all the way back in my seat. I'm 4'11 and have never sat in an office chair that worked for me. If I sit back in the chair I cannot touch the ground. I have a ~28" inseam which means that even with shoes with high heels, my feet often dangle an inch or two above the ground.

I tried a kneeling chair, but they really don't work for me. Are there any traditional office chairs designed for short people? I looked at BodyBilt 756 which is designed for short people, but they have pretty indifferent reviews on the internet. I'd love to get one that I could try out at a store rather than buy sight unseen but I'll take what I can get!

Any advice? What do you have that you like (or hate?)

Cheapest way to ship an office chair across the US?

jacob — Tue, 15 May 2007 20:19:29 -0800

What's the cheapest way to ship an office chair cross-country? I've found a great deal on buying a Steelcase Think office chair, but the company says shipping it from LA to DC is going to be expensive—like $200 expensive, and that's with a carrier like FedEx/UPS.

The matter's a little complicated because I'm out of the country at the moment and can't go down to Greyhound to pick up a bused shipment or go into a shipping service and explore my options in person.

Many furniture stores an Ebay sales offer free or cheap (~$50) shipping on similar office chairs, so there must be a trick I'm overlooking. Does anybody know what it is?

By the way, the company says the boxed chair is 60lbs, 30x30x40 inches.

What's the best office chair?

lionelhutz5 — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:48:15 -0800

Office Chairs: What's the best reasonably expensive (up to $1000) office chair? I have read every review I could find online and think that I have narrowed my choices to the Humanscale Liberty, Humanscale Freedom, and Steelcase Leap (I had an Aeron that I liked but didn't wow me). I am in an area lacking in office furniture stores that carry these chairs, so I will need to take something of a leap of faith in ordering one. Has anyone tried all of these chairs (or others)? Or, better yet, has anyone had experience using a variety of these (or others)?

Other than sitting at a desk and using a computer for most of the day, it would be difficult for me to describe how I sit, so general testimonials would probably be more helpful than tailored recommendations.

Is an Aeron chair worth it?

altolinguistic — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 01:57:13 -0800

How much would you pay for an Aeron chair? Alternatives? I work from home, and it's time to ditch the Ikea junk that I'm sitting on. I finish each day tired and crabby even if I haven't accomplished much, and my posture's not great even though my desk is set up pretty well. I really fancy a Herman Miller Aeron chair but am I just falling for the hype? Are they really that great? They're available for around £350 on ebay. Could I get a comparatively comfortable chair for less than that? Tell me your experiences.

Computer Chairs

madmanz123 — Tue, 23 Dec 2003 16:41:29 -0800

Recently my computer chair (a cheap Office store model) bit the bullet, and I want something a little longer lasting (3 chairs in 5 years), what do you recommend? I'm looking for something like the Aeron Chair but hopefully less expensive! What's out there? (and if I get the Aeron, is it all it's cracked up to be?)