Considering the Herman Miller Aeron or Mirra 2 chairs, and wondering which one may suit you better?
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of each of these chairs and how they compare based on key features you might care about.
By the end of the article, you’ll be better equipped to determine which chair might be better for your needs.
Table of Contents
Herman Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2 Snapshot
Herman Miller Aeron chair
PROs
- Supports three different sizes compared to only one size for the Mirra 2
- Top tier build quality
- Highly adjustable overall (but a little less so than the Mirra 2)
- Very smooth recline function
- Good warranty & return policy
- Ships fully assembled
- Large market for used Aerons, giving more options to acquire cheaply or to resell in the future
CONs
- Seat edges are hard and curved upwards, which some find uncomfortable
- No seat depth adjustment
- No back height adjustment
- No armrest width adjustment
- Frame from the seat and back can be felt by some users
- Limited options in terms of appearance & color
- More expensive than the Mirra 2
Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair
PROs
- High build quality
- Highly adjustable (even more than the Aeron)
- Unique seat depth adjustment
- Fully adjustable armrests
- Good warranty & return policy
- Ships fully assembled
- Design supports broad shoulders which helps larger people
CONs
- Armrests may be too wide for shorter people even at the smallest width setting
- Only comes in a single size
- TriFlex backrest feels uncomfortable for some users
Keep reading for a more detailed comparison of key chair features.
Herman Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2: Price
Price quick comparison table
The price you pay for a Herman Miller Aeron chair or a Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair depends on which add-ons you select when buying.
The table below gives a quick “back-of-the-envelope” comparison of the price at three different customisation levels.
| Most basic | What most will want | Maximum add ons | |
| Aeron | $1195 Starting price “Bare bones” features | $1625 Adjustable armrests & lumbar support Tilt limiting & seat angle | $2195 “All of the options please” |
| Mirra 2 | $995 Starting price “Bare bones” features | $1345 Adjustable armrests & lumbar support Tilt limiting & seat angle More comfortable back mesh | $1595 “All of the options please” |
As you can see, generally the Herman Miller Aeron chair will cost a few hundred dollars more than the Herman Miller Mirra 2.
Note: obviously, the middle column in the above table is subjective based on what I would personally expect in a top-end chair. See below for a link to Herman Miller’s website where you can play around with the various options yourself.
Herman Miller Aeron price
When bought from the Herman Miller website, the price for the Herman Miller Aeron chair is $1195 (starting price) – $2195 (maximum price with add ons) [1].
What you get for the starting price is a “bare bones” version of the chair, with a graphite frame and base, no adjustable lumbar support, no tilt limiter or seat angle adjustment, and stationary armrests.
Personally, I think shelling out more than $1,000 for a top end ergonomic chair and not having these features defeats the purpose.
So, arguably, the starting price for a version of the Herman Miller Aeron chair you’d actually want is closer to $1625. That’s assuming you want fully adjustable armrests, adjustable lumbar support and tilt limiting / seat angle capabilities.
Check out their product page, which has interactive customization options that tell you exactly how each option affects the price as well as what that option looks like visually on the chair.
Herman Miller Mirra 2 price
By contrast, the Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair ranges from $995 (starting price) – $1595 (maximum price with add ons).
Again, if you’re looking for the adjustment options you’d expect from a premium ergonomic chair, you can expect to pay closer to $1345 for the Mirra 2.
That’s what you’d pay for a Mirra 2 that has the more comfortable Butterfly Suspension Back material [2], fully adjustable armrests, adjustable lumbar support and tilt limiting / seat angle capabilities.
Check out the official product page to see the price impacts of the various customization options for the Mirra 2.
Herman Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2: Ergonomic features
Feature comparison table
See the table below for a “bird’s eye view” of how key ergonomic features compare:
| Herman Miller Aeron | Herman Miller Mirra 2 | |
| Sizing | 3 sizes | 1 size only |
| Seat | Height adjustable Seat angle adjustable | Height adjustable Depth adjustable Seat angle adjustable |
| Lumbar Support | Height adjustable lumbar pad OR Tension-adjustable PostureFit support | Height and tension adjustable lumbar support |
| Armrests | Height adjustable Pivot adjustable (in, straight or out) | Height adjustable Pivot adjustable (in, straight or out) Width adjustable Curved design |
| Tilt | Dynamic seat tilt Tilt tension adjustable Tilt limiter & lock Forward tilt | Dynamic seat tilt Tilt tension adjustable Tilt limiter & lock Forward tilt |
Sizing
The Herman Miller Aeron chair comes in 3 sizes: Size A (small), Size B (medium), and Size C (large).
This allows you to pick the size that best suits your body type. Most people would be suited to Size B Aeron chairs, but smaller folks may want Size A and those on the larger side may want Size C.
For more information about Aeron chair sizes and how to determine the best option for you, check out our article here.
By contrast, the Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair only comes in the one standard size.
Therefore, the frame and base will be the same for everyone, and you’ll need to rely on the other adjustment options (i.e. lumbar support, armrests, seat height, etc) when tailoring the chair to your body.
Seat
As you’d expect, both the Herman Miller Aeron and Mirra 2 chairs allow for pneumatic seat height adjustment via a lever.
One shortcoming of the Aeron chair is a lack of seat depth adjustment, which is a feature that lets users control how far forward or back the seat is relative to the backrest.
Adjusting seat depth is particularly important for users that find the edge of the seat is too close to the back of their knees.
In the Mirra 2, you ARE able to adjust seat depth, so this is one area where the chair shines compared to the Aeron.
To allow this, the Mirra 2 actually uses a unique and clever depth adjustment mechanism.
Instead of sliding the entire seat forward or back (the typical design approach), you adjust the angle of the “seat lip” at the front.
This allows you to control how far the seat protrudes forward and ensures the front of the chair is always a comfortable distance from the back of your knees.
Checkout this video for a demonstration of using this adjustment (I’ve linked to the relevant point in the video):
Lumbar support
With the Herman Miller Aeron chair you can choose either: no adjustable support (just fixed support), a simple height-adjustable lumbar pad, or a larger “PostureFit” SL support (no height adjustment but you can adjust the tension or pressure).
See this video for a quick comparison of the lumbar support options:
The Herman Miller Mirra 2 gives you the option of no adjustable support (just fixed support), or an adjustable lumbar support pad.
In the Mirra 2’s case, this lumbar support is both “height” and “tension” adjustable. This means it can move both up and down (height), and you can increase the amount of resistance it provides to your back (tension).
That said, some users find the tension adjustment is not particularly forceful [3] and get more value from the height adjustment.
Armrests
The Herman Miller Aeron chair provides the option of fixed armrests, height-only adjustable armrests, or fully adjustable armrests.
Fully adjustable means the armrests can also pivot in or out, with three possible pivot positions (inwards, straight, or outwards).
With the Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair, the armrests can be either fixed or fully adjustable.
Here, the armrests actually have more options in terms of adjustability than the Aeron. The Mirra 2 armrests are height adjustable and pivot adjustable like the Aeron, but they also provide an additional width adjustment.
Another nifty design feature that the Mirra 2 gets right is using clear “steps” for armrest height adjustment, which let you know exactly what level each armrest is set to.
This allows you to easily ensure the left and right armrests are set to the same height level, without relying on visually comparing the two.
Also, the Herman Miller Mirra 2 armrests have a sleek curved design, which you may or may not appreciate depending on your preferences.
Tilt
The Herman Miller Aeron chair dynamically tilts backwards as you lean back. To support you through the motion, the Aeron backrest and seat angles change accordingly.
You can also adjust the tilt tension by turning a knob on the side of the chair. Tilt tension is the amount of resistance the chair provides as you lean back.
With the optional tilt limiter add-on, the aeron chair also allows you to set a lock or limit on how far back your chair can tilt.
In the newer Aeron Remastered chairs, there are three tilt limit positions that you can set: a fully reclined position, a medium level of recline, and a fully upright position.
Interestingly, the older Aeron classic chairs (pre-2017) allowed the tilt limit position to be set at any point in the recline range, rather than constraining you to 1 of 3 possible limit positions.
Both the Classic and Remastered Aeron models also support a forward tilt capability as part of the above optional add-on.
Like the Aeron, the Herman Miller Mirra 2 supports chair tilt, as well as adjusting the amount of tilt tension.
If you opt for the $75 “tilt limiter and seat angle” add-on, your Mirra 2 will support limiting the amount your chair can be tilted back as well.
Here again, there are three tilt limit positions that you can set: the fully reclined position, a medium level of recline, and a fully upright position.
This add-on also allows you to adopt a “forward tilt” position for more focused work.
Aesthetics
In terms of appearance, the Herman Miller Aeron chair has a more limited range of color options, offering a selection of essentially black, dark grey (graphite) and silver (mineral / aluminum).
By contrast, the Mirra 2 has a more dynamic range of color options. In addition to neutral white, brown and grey, the Mirra 2 also offers a few options with extra personality like “Dark Turquoise” and “Cappuccino”.
Check out the product page and this video to get a visual on what some of these color options look like.
In terms of overall design, the Aeron chair has an “old-school classic” look to it.
In my opinion, it has a more “sophisticated” look to it than the Mirra 2, which may be due to the choice of build materials and finish. The Aeron frame and base has a less plastic look to it than the Mirra 2, but this may be an unfair perception on my part.
On the other hand, the Mirra 2 has a more lively and futuristic appearance, with lots of curvy edges and a sleek, flowing design.
At the end of the day, how the Herman Miller Aeron chair stacks up aesthetically against the Mirra 2 comes down to personal taste.
Build materials & quality
Both the Aeron and Mirra 2 chairs score highly on build quality, with each chair utilizing premium build materials in their construction.
Having said that, it’s hard to compete with the Aeron in this department. The Herman Miller Aeron chair is widely regarded as the gold standard when it comes to build quality in ergonomic chairs.
The components are all top notch and specifically designed for use in the Aeron chair (rather than for generic chairs). Users’ also report loving the quality of the mesh upholstery.
In the case of the Mirra 2, the chair is also very well built, with the components fitting together smoothly without any loose wiggly bits.
The Mirra 2 consists of mostly aluminum and plastic, and weighs around 42 lbs all up. This is on the lighter side and comparable to the Aeron.
Both chairs are sturdily constructed and can support up to 350 lbs (except the Aeron Size A, which only claims a weight capacity of 300 lbs).
Warranty & returns
Both the Herman Miller Aeron chair and the Mirra 2 are covered under Herman Miller’s industry-leading 12 year warranty, which covers both parts and labor.
So you can expect both chairs to go the distance (even with heavy use).
In my view, each of the chair types are evenly matched when it comes to “warranty & returns”.
Used and resale options
There is a larger market for used Herman Miller Aeron chairs. So, if you’re looking for cheaper purchase options or want to resell later, that may be something to consider.
That said, there is also a market for used Herman Miller Mirra 2 chairs, so this is likely not a major point of difference when considering the two chairs.
Verdict: Is Herman Miller Aeron or Mirra 2 better?
Both the Aeron and Mirra 2 chairs have a lot to offer.
Each chair is highly adjustable, uses high quality build materials, and offers what you would expect from a high-end ergonomic chair.
That said, the Mirra 2 comes out a little better in terms of adjustability, price and color options. Given the wide armrests though (even on the narrowest setting), it may not be as suitable for shorter users.
The Aeron comes out on top in terms of overall build quality and prestige.
Ultimately, there are many happy users of both chairs, and your personal preferences will dictate which is better for you.
References
[1] https://store.hermanmiller.com/office-chairs-ergonomic-chairs?lang=en_US
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/gs2ua3/mirra_2_triflex_and_butterfly/
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6YdQXXHv0c