Ever since the dawn of Herman Miller Aeron Chairs in 1994, their products have grown exponentially in terms of popularity. This company is widely regarded as the best manufacturer of mesh chairs.
Mesh chairs have a certain charm to them that’s hard to beat. They have unique styles and designs. And you can get a comfortable and warm feeling while sitting on these chairs.
Despite the fact that Aeron chairs are held in such high regard, these chairs are definitely not perfect. Actually, they are far from it. Just like any popular products, Aeron chairs are also quite polarizing and they do get their own fair share of hate and criticism.
In this article, I will be taking a purely objective look at some of the commonly associated issues and criticism of Aeron chairs. This way you’ll be equipped to decide whether an Aeron chair is right for you or not.
So, if you want to know what’s the right choice for you, just continue to keep reading!
1. Confusion with Sizes
As the Herman Miller Aeron chair offers three different sizes, it is confusing for many people to choose the right size for them.
The size of the chair is determined from the point of intersection for your height and weight. For instance, the most popular size for Aeron chairs is size B as it’s able to meet the requirements of the majority of office workers.
If your weight falls in the range of 130 up to 230 lbs. And your height falls in a range of 5’- 3” to 6’- 5”, then you should opt to purchase a size B Aeron chair.
Suggestion
Now let’s talk about how to find the size of your Aeron chair along with how you can understand the sizing chart. This way you’ll know which size is right for you.
If you’re shopping for a Herman Miller Aeron Classic chair, then you may have noticed that these chairs come in three different size options. Knowing which size fits you will help you get proper ergonomics.
The Herman Miller shopping fit chart may be a little tough to understand especially if you’re buying online. Here’s the details about the sizes:
- First, there is size A. Size A is for shorted and petite individuals. This size is recommended for people with a weight of 300 lbs. and under (90-150 lbs. recommended) and a height between 4’8” – 5’9”.
- Size B is a medium sized chair that fits most individuals. It’s ideal for people who weigh between 150 to 250 pounds. with a height of 5’2”-6’7”.
- The size C chair is the large sized Aeron. This is recommended for users with a maximum weight of 350 lbs. With a height of 5’3”-6’7”.
| Aeron Sizes | Max Weight Capacity | Recommended User Weight | Supported User Height |
| Size A – Small: | 300 lbs | 90-150 lbs | 4’8” – 5’9”. |
| Size B – Medium: | 350 lbs | 150 – 250 lbs | 5’2”-6’6”. |
| Size C – Large: | 350 lbs | 250 – 350 lbs | 5’3”-6’6”. |
It should be pretty clear to you by now, that in order to determine which size is right for you, you’ll have to check which size best matches your height and weight.
2. It’s Not Versatile
Despite having various advantages, Herman Miller Aeron chairs are made out of mesh and mesh is not the first choice for designers when it comes to designing the chairs.
That’s because mesh is not a versatile material and it’s not very customizable as well. Although there are various Aeron mesh chairs available in the market they have the same color and texture. As a result, they look kind of the same.
Mesh is not a good choice from an industrial perspective. As the structure of mesh resembles a net, it can easily trap small dust and debris that’s pretty hard to clean. Also, mesh can get damaged easily by a blunt or sharp object.
Various sharp and pointy tools used by the workers in the industry can puncture or rip the mesh in the Aeron chairs. So, these chairs are not ideal for environments with potential for wear and tear.
Suggestion
It’s recommended that you should use a mesh chair such as a Herman Miller Aeron for spaces that are hassle-free. For instance, you can use them in schools, offices, conference rooms or at your home.
But, you should not use it in an area where it might face some wear and tear like at an industrial site. Aeron chairs are designed for being used in quiet and peaceful areas.
That can’t handle stressful and destructive environments as they are just not equipped to deal with that.
Moreover, if it’s customizability that you’re looking for I suggest you go for a different type of chair.
3. The Stock Wheels Wear Out Eventually
Another major problem with Aeron chairs is that the stock wheels/casters that come with the Aeron chairs face a lot of wear and tear over the course of the first few years of use.
This causes the plastic casters wheels to wear down and break down bit by bit.
This causes serious issues for the user down the line. For instance, it makes it hard for the user to roll around the workspace as smoothly as before.
After a significant amount of wear and damage, the casters of the chair can even damage your flooring as well.
Suggestion
Having casters that are vulnerable to wear and tear doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker.
You can easily change or upgrade your caster wheels whenever you please. This will protect your flooring from ever sustaining any damage from the casters of the Aeron chair.
Changing/upgrading the casters is a really straightforward process. The old ones just pop right out and new ones pop right back in.
Yes! It’s as simple as that. And the best part is that in most cases it doesn’t even require any tools to change the casters.
4. Aeron Chairs Are Difficult to Clean and Maintain
Cleaning the upholsteries of Aeron chairs would be much tougher for you than cleaning any other types of upholsteries. As Aeron chairs feature non-padded mesh, they can easily accumulate dust.
And the worst part is that, you can’t use a paper towel, napkin or brush to clean the dust and debris out of the mesh.
The mesh just shreds the paper based cleaning products as if it was like a knife going through butter.
Also, you can’t even use a vacuum cleaner to clean the dust out. That’s because the dust particles actually get stuck in-between the mesh fibers and a vacuum cleaner can’t pull that out.
Suggestion
As they say, prevention is better than cure. The best course of action in this regard would be to protect your Aeron chair from dust and debris.
Keep the things that could potentially make the chair dirty away from it.
Also try to keep the area around the chair as clean as possible. And be very gentle while cleaning your Aeron chair.
Related Questions
Are Aeron Chairs Really Worth It?
If you ask for our opinion, then we’ll confidently say that Aeron chairs are 100% worth it. They have excellent design and as far as comfort is concerned they are the best in the business.
It’s literally the most comfortable work chair available in the market. That’s why we highly recommend this brand.
Do Herman Miller Aeron Chairs Wear Out?
The stock wheels of Herman Miller Aeron chairs do wear out after a few years of use. But the chair itself won’t wear out that easily provided that the chair is cleaned and maintained properly.
This issue can easily be prevented by changing the casters with OEM Herman Miller replacement casters.
How Long Does an Aeron Chair Last?
A high-quality office chair is a long-term investment. And so, it should last for years on end. Such is the case with Herman Miller Aeron chairs. These chairs typically last for around 12-years. Which is a really long time for an office chair and some people use them for even longer periods.
What’s the Difference Between Aeron B and C?
The main difference between Aeron Chair size B and C is in the width, depth, seat height. Due to differences in the dimensions. Aeron Size B is recommended for people with height 5’2” – 6’6” and 150 – 250 lbs weight.
On the other hand, Aeron Size C is recommended for people with height 5’3”-6’6”. and 250 – 350 lbs weight.
As mentioned before Herman Miller Aeron chairs come in three sizes – A, B and C. As you’ve probably guessed by now, the size of the chair varies in alphabetical order.
A is the smallest size, B refers to the medium sized chairs and C is the plus sized option.
Check out the differences between the Aeron Chair Size B and C at a Glance:
| Aeron Chair | Size B – Medium: | Size C – Large: |
| Dimensions | Width: 27” Depth:16.75” | Width: 28.25″ Depth: 18.5″ |
| Max Weight | 350 lbs | 350 lbs |
| Optimal User Weight | 150 – 250 lbs | 250 – 350 lbs |
| User Height | 5’2”-6’6” | 5’3”-6’6” |
Final Thoughts
After going through this article, you might be thinking, “Woah! Aeron chairs must really be that bad, huh?” Actually, that’s not the case at all. It’s true that there are a few negative aspects of Aeron chairs that we’ve highlighted in detail in this article.
But, the possible aspects and benefits of Aeron office chairs far outweigh all the problems that are associated with them. These chairs are perfect for office environments and conference rooms.
And since so many of us are working from home, we should all seriously consider investing into an Aeron chair. They can really add value to our work lives.
