Haworth Fern vs Herman Miller Embody – Which Premium Office Chair is better for work from home?

Working from home is a challenge without the proper office chair. You have to consider what chair will provide you with the best support for the entire day. And we have handpicked two premium chairs that you’ll find very comfortable.

These two office chairs are from brands that are known for their quality craftsmanship and unique designs. 

But before we’ll pit the Embody and the Fern against each other, we’ll let you in on why we have chosen them compared to the more popular options.

Herman Miller Embody: A “less stiff” competition of Aeron

While the Aeron may be one of the more desired ergonomic chairs, some still don’t find it comfortable. The Aeron can be too pushy. It can force you to assume a proper posture all the time. And some people do not like that. 

The biggest difference between Aeron and the Embody is the backrest and the cushion of the chair. The Aeron is an all-mesh chair and it features a mid-back design. Even if you get the Aeron C, you may still find your backrest not as high compared to the Embody.

The Embody features a higher backrest and an upholstered seat. And if you look at the design of the backseat, you’ll notice that it is more contoured and slimmer at the sides. This shape follows the shape of the spine, so it feels more flexible and fluid than Aeron. And despite Aeron’s amazing lumbar support, it’s not for everybody. 

The Embody caters to the comfort level of more people. Aeron may come off as too stiff and too pushy for some people. And if you have been sitting for long hours, assuming an upright position all the time can be tiring for those who are notorious slouchers.

Haworth Fern: More comfortable than the Zody

The Fern is Haworth’s more comfortable piece. Though the Zody is decently comfortable, like the Aeron, some may find this chair too stiff. But the Zody does have an olive wreath on its head, it’s the only office chair recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association.

But we find the Fern more comfortable for average users ( without back problems) who are working for the whole day. There’s just something with its back design that is sublime for the butt, the back, and the entire body. It offers this cradling feeling.  

And on the cleaning, the Fern is also easier to maintain than the Zody. 

Which is more comfortable for long hours?

As WFH is becoming a permanent thing, everyone is more focused on getting the chair that will be the most comfy for prolonged hours.  So if we put two and two together, Fern and Embody seem to fare better than the more popular chairs from each brand. 

But which can be the more comfortable chair between these two? Let’s get to the core of this article.

Both are very flexible, but Fern appeals to the comfort of more people

If you’ll take a closer look at the back design of the Fern and the Embody, they have one thing in common. Both are intricately designed to move with you. 

The difference is that they took inspiration from 2 different things. The Fern looks like, well a fern with the webbings as the fronds. 

And the Embody has a pixelated back support that is shaped after the spine. The backrest of the Embody is skinnier, curvier, and higher. So it does offer full back support. And you will really feel that the chair has your entire back as you move.

Both chairs are indeed very flexible and move along with you. But we have some concerns with the Embody. 

When you’re sitting upright, the Embody kind of tilts too forward and it feels like you’re being pushed towards the floor. We didn’t have this experience with the Fern. Though the advantage of the Embody is that it offers a more adjustable lumbar support, and it is more pronounced. 

Though you will not be able to change the height of the lumbar support, you can change the amount of curvature. So this can be sublime for those who are looking for serious back support.

But looking at the overall comfort, more people will be able to find the Fern more comfortable. Though the Embody’s back design is also intricate and flexible, it can be too pushy at one point. 

We also find the back design of the Fern more edgy and can spark anyone’s curiosity. As you press your back against the chair, you can see the central spine along with the webbings of the chair moving. 

Not only does it tell you that the chair is indeed following your every movement, but it also looks rather cool. And we have never come across any office chair that has this type of mechanism. 

Forward tilt vs synchro-tilt: which is better?

Embody uses a Synchro-tilt mechanism, you’d also see this in the Aeron. But the advantage of the Aeron, in this part, is that it also has a forward tilt mechanism So you get to enjoy the best of both worlds in terms of lumbar support.

Synchro-Tilt means that the seat and the backrest are linked. And when you recline you recline the chair, you will still be able to feel the ground with your feet. So this reduces the pressure on your thighs. Thus, you can still have full back support even if you are reclined. That’s why this mechanism is the de facto choice when looking for office chairs. 

The forward tilt, on the other hand, can also be quite comfy. If you lean forward, you can dip below up to 5 degrees. And this can be heaven for some users. This can relieve the pressure from the back while keeping your chest stretched.  

So which is better? 

We are not necessarily going for which is more comfortable. Rather, we will choose one that will provide support and comfort for more users. Hence, a wider scope of users.

So though both can be comfortable, the forward tilt will be appreciated more by taller users. If you are petite or of average height, it might not have much bearing or you will not notice the difference much.

As such, the synchro-tilt mechanism appeals to the comfort of more users. Well, yeah, that’s why it’s the de facto choice when choosing an office chair. 

The basic arms on a premium chair is a letdown

The armrests may be the Embody’s Achilles heel. Compared to the other Herman Miller units, the arms are not highly adjustable.

You may be able to change the height of the arms, but you will not be able to pivot it outward or inward. So it’s very basic. And if you are petite or slimmer around the waist, you may find that the arms are way too far from your body. 

The arms of the Fern, on the other hand, are 4 way adjustable. So the chair offers more adjustability, so more people can find the sweet spot. Though some may find the arms of the Fern less to be desired because it doesn’t have any padding and it’s just plastic, it is still highly adjustable. You’ll be able to scoot it nearer your body.

Haworth Fern vs Herman Miller Embody – Overall recommendation

Working from home entails sitting for a lot of hours. You will be grinding for more than 8 hours. And sitting in the least comfortable chair can be a pain on your butt even if you only sit for it for 4 hours.

The Embody and Fern both provided a cradling seating experience. Both chairs have an intricate backrest design and you can instantly tell the moment you lean on them that these are very flexible. 

The seat of each chair is also very accommodating. Your butt will not feel sore even if you have been making reports for the past 7 or  8 hours. 

But we had to choose one, because that’s what we’re here for. 

So which is more comfy for Work from Home? 

We had to give it to Fern. 

Despite the Embody having more” intricate adjustable features”, more people will be able to find the Fern comfortable. And of course, Fern does cost a tad cheaper than the Embody. Though it’s not necessarily a budget-friendly or a midrange office chair, you’ll still be able to save a couple of hundred dollars.

And though the seat range and the seat width of the Embody is higher by a few digits, the overall comfort of Fern is more universal. So more people will be able to see its value.

Well, unless you have a strong need for serious lumbar support and don’t mind the higher price tag, then you can choose otherwise.