Steelcase Amia Chair

Pluses: The durability is great. Loved the 4-way arm adjustments. Back support good. However, I had trouble getting the chair to fit me. At 5'2", the seat and arm rests did not go low enough. (The ergonomic tool on this site recommends a seat at 15", and this one only goes down to 16"). The arm rests are also short, so I didn't feel supported. After just one day in the chair, I had terrible wrist/hand pain. The fabric ran hot, and the cushion was hard. I offered it to my husband (5'10"), and he didn't like the chair enough to keep it either. He wanted a firmer back, but that's his personal preference. If you're an "average" sized person, you might like this chair. I don't recommend it for petites though.

I have had an Aeron chair in my home office for 16 years and have sat it in it every day, from 2 hours to 14. That's a great testimonial to it's quality and durability. However, over the past year I have had issues with "mouse arm" resulting in tendonitis and rotator cuff injury and a sore lower back to boot - all from bad ergonomics. My Aeron chair, perhaps due to a bad cylinder, was too low, but 16 years was enough and I wanted something new. Meanwhile I got a new chair at work. It didn't look like much, but I could not help noticing how great it felt and that, in contrast to home, I felt so much better at work. As I started my shopping research, I noticed quite a few super fancy chairs like the Aeron, but then took a closer look at my work chair - it was a Steelcase Amia! While the Human Solutions rep on the phone seemed to push me to a Leap, the reviews were a little mixed, the cost difference significant, and even Human Solutions has a published write up, from the CEO, comparing the two with a slight nod to the Amia. So I ordered it, but it is a little bit fancier than my work chair including the option for more height adjustment, platinum frame and an upgrade in fabric (Cogent). Within minutes of using this at home I felt relief due to better options in adjustment and positioning. Maybe I would like the Leap too, but since I already knew I liked this chair, why not go with it? Some of you may be tempted in thinking a great chair has to look super cool and, like the Aeron, be a candidate for a museum piece of innovative industrial design (that's where my head was at), but please try to step back and think about what is most important - your comfort. With a 30 day no charge and no shipping return policy on Steelcase, this chair should be near the top of the list of things to try.

Pros:
Adjustment options and simplicity (I still don't fully understand my Aeron adjustments after 16 years!!!)
Simple clean look
Comfort
Swivels like a dream - smooth as silk
Cost, though this is relative compared to $1000+ plus chairs

Cons: Perhaps some concern about the long term durability of the fabric and arm padding, but I could be wrong.
Arm rests could be a little longer, but this is a quibble

I LOVE THIS CHAIR! I work from home and had been using a mid-level office chair from Staples. I was always reluctant to spend the money on a true ergonomic chair. I finally pulled the trigger and I am so glad that I did. You definitely get what you pay for. This Amia chair is awesome and I wish I would have bought it sooner. I am comfortable and definitely seated in a better position at my desk.

I am petite and in my late 60's. How I wish I had come across this Amia chair before! There are no words to express the comfort this chair has provided for me since I bought it. I highly recommend it. Great company to work with too, when I called they were very helpful.

I am loving this chair. I am in my chair 75% of the day. The other staff members are hoping to get new chairs now that this one has arrived. I find I still need a footrest in order to get in to a good ergonomic position with my desk, chair and floor. I love the back position, the arm position and the seat. So excited I didn't have to put it together as well! I am very happy with this purchase.

I am very disappointed in the seat depth and chair height adjustment--I am 4'10" and have chronic low back issues from sitting in chairs that are too big for me, which is why I ordered this chair. I can't put my feet flat on the ground. Same problem with the seat depth. The lumbar adjustable feature in the back is nice, which is why I give this 3 stars, but overall I would NOT recommend this for anyone my height, particularly if you have lumbar issues.

The padding on the seat is not good enough if you plan to sit for hours straight. But they say it is not healthy to sit for hours straight, so maybe that's a good thing. Overall I give it four out of five stars for comfort.

I have suffered from lower back and sciatic nerve issues for years. I was to the point where I was taking vicodin for a while to see if that'd help. At the same time I started researching new office chairs, and I came across the usual suspects (Herman Miller, Steelcase, Humanscale). I was lucky to be able to test-lounge on both the Leap and Amia at a just-opened showroom in my area. I can agree with some other reviewers that have said the Amia is just a tad more comfortable than the Leap. Sure, the Amia's back isn't as flexible, but I do not notice any ill-effects from this. I negotiated a great price during an Amia sale and I couldn't be happier with the result. For those of you who have back issues and previously wouldn't have thought of spending $500+ on an office chair... I was like you. But I can tell you, it's the best investment I've ever made. I don't have back or nerve issues anymore and my posture is 10 times better now, even when I am sitting somewhere other than my Amia. You won't be disappointed with this chair.

This chair is turning out to be a very good investment for me. It is very comfortable, has good adjustability and arrived completely assembled. Anybody who spends at least a couple hours a day (probably most of us) sitting in their chair, should look into getting a nice ergonomic chair such as this. I'm certainly glad I did, and so are my back and legs. The options for this chair made available from the human solution allow you to fit this chair to your style preferences and/or surroundings. Most people don't mention one of the best things about it... Made in the U.S.