Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron: Which one is better?

In this post, we’ll dig deeper into the Herman Miller Mirra vs Herman Miller Aeron office chairs.

100% manufactured in the US by the respected Herman Miller (HM) company, the two chairs are considered the top crème of the office chairs. They’re made of quality and well-thought-out designs.

And they offer you some of the coolest features you can desire in your office chair.

However, there are some major differences between Aeron vs Mirra 2 that you should know about to help you decide which one to buy.

Let’s dive straight into our comparison…

Herman Miller Mirra 2 Chair

Mirra 2 was launched into the market in 2003 as a lightweight and ergonomic chair that complements your movements. It is a high-performance chair designed to support those who work in a constant state of motion. This means its back and seat are made to suit different sitting positions.

It features a flexible loop spine design for easy seated movement. It also features a Harmonic 2 tilt mechanism which ensures a smooth recline.

The chair boasts PostureFit technology that offers you sacral support to keep your spine properly aligned and keep away fatigue when sitting for long hours.

You’ll get a chance to choose from two different back materials for Mirra 2 chair. These include fabric and polymer material [1] or fabric-free backrest. Both are fully breathable and will give you hours of comfort, but the fabric-free model is easier to clean.

Mirra 2 is quality made to ensure it serves you for a lifetime. It also comes in different colors, so you can easily choose one that blends well with your office setting.

This is how Mirra 2 performs in the key areas:

Back support

The Mirra 2 comes in two main back support options— ultra-responsive Butterfly Back or the flexible TriFlex back—to suit different needs and applications of different people.

Keep in mind that the Butterfly suspension Mirra 2 chair will cost you more than the TriFlex option.

Armrests

Mirra comes armed with 4D armrests [2], which you can easily adjust in 4 different ways.

These are fully adjustable and take the armrest game a notch higher. You can easily change their height (up and down), move them left or right, move them backward or forward, and even has a tilt mechanism.

Size

The size of an office chair is always a crucial consideration when looking for the perfect chair to use in your home office setup. That said, you’ll find the Mirra 2 in only one size.

Seat

Herman Miller sends you Mirra 2 seat with a comfortable seat for long-lasting comfort.

To start with, the seat has an adjustable depth running from 16.25 inches all the way to 18 inches. This is a helpful feature especially for people with long legs.

A waterfall design [3] on the edge of this seat helps ensure proper circulation and keeps your legs from getting numb or too sore as a result of prolonged sitting hours.

What’s more, the seat height is adjustable to let you easily raise or lower it to a level that feels more comfortable for you. The seat height range is 14.75 inches to 22.25 inches.

Weight capacity

The Mirra 2 is designed to hold users with a maximum bodyweight of 350lbs. This means it can comfortably hold heavier users, making it versatile enough to fit different office workers.

Chair Materials

HM never disappoints when it comes to quality! The brand uses recycled materials to manufacture its seats. Another reason to love HM!

These include glass-filled polymer, steel, and nylon. They also use aluminum which makes up a large part of the construction for a lightweight and durable feel.

All the Mirra 2 mechanisms and adjustable systems are designed using high-quality plastic and steel.

Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Chair

Aeron task chair was first introduced into the market in the 1990s and quickly became a status symbol in offices across the globe.

Two decades later (in 2016), HM made major upgrades to this chair to keep up with the latest in office chairs development. This led to an improved chair made with cutting-edge ergonomics while retaining its original concept.

The Herman Miller Aeron chair stands out with the use of Pellicle—a weaved mesh material—that helps evenly distribute your body weight and prevent pressure points. The mesh material is also highly breathable to promote free airflow and keep you cool.

It boasts PostureFit SL technology, an advanced back support system involving individual pads that conform to your natural spine shape for ample support to your sacrum and lumbar regions.

Since these pads are adjustable, you can easily customize your chair to achieve a healthy posture for your own well-being.

With the cross-performance design, this chair will also support a variety of seated positions ranging from reclining to learning forward.

The Herman Miller iconic office chair has a robust build and will stand the test of time and offer you comfort for years to come.

This is how Aeron performs in key areas:

Back support

Aeron ergonomic chair offers you up to 3 back support options. These include adjustable PostureFit SL, zonal back support, and adjustable lumbar support.

Each of these methods is designed to offer you good lumbar support as described below.

Armrests

The Herman Miller Aeron chair features 3D armrests. These types offer limited adjustability.

But they’ll still let you move them up and down, left or right, and offer you a tilt option. Like the 4D armrests, these will offer you support and feel comfy.

Size

Aeron task chair beats Mirra 2 hands down in this category! It comes in 3 sizes: A, B, and C. These are essentially small, medium, and large sizes.

This means you’ll get a perfectly fitting Aeron chair for your unique needs.

Seat

All three Herman Miller Aeron models are NOT depth adjustable. This is unlike Mirra 2 chair which lets you easily customize its seat depth to meet your needs.

However, Aeron finds a common ground with its sibling product by offering you the seat height adjustment option. The adjustability level depends on the size you choose as outlined below.

The differences aren’t quite significant across the three chair sizes (especially for B and C options), but they will mean something when it comes to setting your seat level for a comfortable user experience.

Like the Herman Miller Mirra 2, the Herman Aeron also comes in a waterfall design to let you use it for long hours without any issue.

Weight limit

The Herman Miller Aeron chair Size A falls below Mirra 2 chair in that it has a weight capacity of 300lbs.

This will influence the maximum user bodyweight it can support. However, the sizes B and C will support the same user weight as the Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair of up to 350lbs.

Chair Materials

The build quality is a win-win for this Herman Miller Aeron vs the Mirra 2 product comparison. Both chairs are made using an environmental-friendly process that involves recycled steel, glass-filled polymer, nylon, steel, and aluminum.

Like its sister, the Aeron also boasts a 12-year warranty, so you can rest assured you’re getting a long-lasting product.

The HM Mirra 2

The HM Aeron

Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2: Key differences

Before we sign off our Herman Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2 comparison, we’d like to give you a quick summary of the few key differences that draw a line between the two chairs.

Backrest design

We have already seen that both chairs come with well-made, fully breathable backrests. However, their backrests differ in design.

Mirra 2 offers you two types of backrest designs, both made using polymer and armed with vents to improve air circulation. But one of them has a thin fabric layer while the other one doesn’t.

As for the Herman Aeron model, it presents you with upholstery made of woven suspension fabric which is not only flexible but also highly airy and supportive.

The Mirra 2 option without a fabric may feel too hard or cold for some people. If you want something with a softer or springy feel, Aeron or Mirra 2 with the fabric option will make a better choice.

Size of chair

Another key difference between the two is that Aeron presents you with up to 3 sizes (A, B, and C), to choose from, making it ideal for different users. The Mirra 2, on the other hand, is available in only one size.

Headrest customization

Herman Miller Aeron lets you dress it with a headrest while Mirra lacks this option. This means if you’re looking for good head and neck support, you’ll have to lean on the side of the Aeron.

Seat depth adjustment

The Herman Miller Mirra 2 offers you adjustable seat depth, enabling you to set a depth that comfortably supports you. Unfortunately, this option isn’t available for the Aeron chair and it has a fixed seat depth and you just can’t modify it.

We believe that the manufacturer compensates for this shortcoming in the Aeron by producing it in 3 different sizes. This way, you can choose a seat with the perfect depth for you.

Armrest adjustability

The two chairs also differ in terms of armrest adjustability. The Aeron armrests adjustability is limited.

This is unlike Herman Mirra 2 armrests which adjust in 4 ways to let you easily find the sweet spot for relieving wrist and shoulder tension for ultimate comfort.

Pricing

Pricing is another factor that sets a line between the two products. Yes, both chairs are quite expensive—as expected of any high-quality chair from a reputable brand. But the Aeron chair sits on the higher end of the price spectrum than Mirra 2.

The cost difference can vary depending on which model of Herman Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2 chair you choose. The difference can be as big as a few hundred bucks, so it’s something worth considering.

If the price of both chairs is too high consider one of our Herman Miller alternatives.

Final Thoughts

That’s it for our in-depth Miller Aeron vs Mirra 2 comparison. The two high-end products tick all the boxes for the most comfortable chairs available and offer you some of the coolest features you could ever dream about.

In summary, if you have a bad back, the Aeron will be a more ideal choice for you. And if you’re looking for a chair that offers you a wider range of motions and is not hard on your wallet, get the Herman Miller Mirra 2 chair.

Hopefully, this miller Aeron vs Mirra guide has helped make a wiser decision on which of the two chairs you should order today for your unique needs.

The Choice Is Yours Now