We have reviewed the Aeron before and we all know too well that it’s either you hate it or you love it. Now Herman Miller has a new and improved Aeron chair that sounds very promising. And we’re here to answer these questions.
Is the upgrade really better? Is it worth the price? Let’s see below.
The mesh seat is a whole new different experience
Many who have sat on the Classic Aeron know all too well how firm the mesh seat can be. It is a high-quality mesh, not abrasive, and a little bit stretchy. But the way the mesh was built into the chair, and the way that it was stretched makes up for the seat being too rigid and too firm. And we’re not yet talking about the forward tilt.
The Classic seems to have this thin padded foam on the edge of the seat. So when you sit on the mesh it tends to form this crease and the central part of the seat kind of hollows in. Though we’re seeing this becoming more of an issue if you are heavier, some users of average weight also had similar problems.
And it can make the entire seat feel too firm to the point that you will feel the plastic material underneath. In worse cases, you will not be able to appreciate the high-quality mesh because all you can feel is the hard plastic underneath.
As for the Remastered version, this issue was ingeniously addressed. It made use of a similar high-quality mesh, but it was stretched in a very different way. This gave the newer chair a very different look and feel from the Classic. It has a very different pattern and it looks better.
It did look more modern and it also got rid of that too-firm feeling. This time, there isn’t any tough padding at the lip of the seat. Combine that with a better-stretched mesh, it will not cave in. Instead, the mesh of the Remastered has zones.
So depending on the area of the seat, you will be sure to find the level of comfort that you need.
You can get both firm and a bit of loose support depending on which part of the seat you are going to settle on.
So everybody will be happy.
The recline and tilt function is better with the Remastered
The upgraded Aeron feels better and more liberating overall, especially with the recline and the tilt function. Though the tilt is limited to three poisons compared to the multi-tilt positions of the Classic, it feels smoother with the Remastered. The recline is also a bit further back and feels more fluid.
Your back will also feel more supported with the Remastered.
And if you want to bring the backrest to a neutral position, you can seamlessly do it with your back while resting on the chair. Hence you’re being supported at all times.
As for the Classic, you have to put more effort to shift the backrest to neutral. You also have to veer away from the chair, thus your back will not feel supported all the time.
The Remastered is a sexier chair
Aesthetically speaking, the Remastered is more of an eye candy compared to the Classic. It looks sleeker, and slimmer, and has a more modern vibe.
The Classic, albeit a sleek chair in itself, still has those chunkier levers and knobs. You will be able to instantly tell that the Remastered has smaller adjustment levers, in all areas of the chair.
You also get to have more color options with the upgraded Aeron. So we can’t stress enough how much of an upgrade it is just by the looks.
Other improvements you’ll love
We have mentioned our favorite upgrade features above. And here are other more that can equally improve your seating experience.
- The arms feel better, they feel more fluid when adjusting too. You will also be able to move them forward and backward. To put it, they are more ergonomic.
- The Posturefit on the Remastered has also changed. . It moves a bit higher and has nice support. But to tell if it’s better than that of the Classi is very subjective to the user.
- The Remastered has a wider seat height range and higher load capacity compared to the Classic. Thus, it will be able to accommodate more groups of people. And still, you get three size options.
- The weight of the Remastered is lighter. That’s because it has more plastic parts. The Classic has more aluminum parts that make it heavier. This also contributes to a sleeker and sexier-looking chair.
- The lumbar support is almost the same, but the adjustment bar looks different. The Classic has a lumbar support bar that you can adjust up and down. While the upgraded chair has a back support system that you can also slide up and down.
- You will be able to last longer in the Remastered since the seat feels less firm.
- The tension of the upgraded chair is more responsive, you’ll also be able to feel the difference even with just a notch higher or a notch lower.
- The Remastered frame angle is also slightly improved, about 1.8 degrees to the front. Thus you’ll be able to enjoy more variations with the newer Aeron chair.
So should you dive in?
Everything about the Remastered is definitely better than the classic. From the aesthetics, function, feel, and overall ergonomics, it is indeed an upgraded version. But the question arises, now that you are sure it is indeed comfier and can provide a better seating experience for all, is the price justifiable? We’re not just speaking of a couple of hundred dollars, the basic upgrade is 700 to 800 bucks.
And as with the Classic, you also have the option to customize the chair. So some of the features that we have mentioned above are not yet included with the basic unit. Thus from the 700 plus, you might need to add more. That is a pretty hefty sum for an office chair.
So the answer to that question will depend on your circumstances and how comfortable or uncomfortable you find the Classic Aeron to be.
For some, they don’t have much need for improved arms, recline and tilt functions. So if you are already happy and comfy with the Classic version, you can settle with it. There might be no need to splurge just to experience the new one if you are not having any issues with your Classic Aeron. Well, unless you have the money to splurge and you want to experience what the new chair has to offer.
Frankly speaking, the 700-buck upgrade is too much for most. You can be buying a new chair already. So if you are content with the Classic, the upgrades on the Remastered may seem nice but you might not have much use for it.
