Does your job require you to sit for extended periods of time? Are you unable to find a chair that gives you any comfort? The problem with most task chairs in relation to short statured people is that by their design they were never meant to fit you. The problem is two-fold and notably comes from seat pan depth and chair lift height. See if this sounds familiar?
You attempt proper seating posture, an almost comical endeavor if it were for the associated pain. You lower your chair as much as it will go, stretching your legs out trying to get your feet on the ground while maintaining some semblance of connection between your back and the chair. However, the chair just won’t go down any further (no matter how many times you pull the lever) and your back still cant connect with the chair. Everything hurts.
You shift continuously in the chair, either dangling your feet, sitting cross-legged or teetering on the front edge when you can no longer take the lack of blood supply to your lower extremities. Lower back pain, shoulder and neck pain, numb legs and feet, you know the drill, just another day at the office.
This is not the way it has to be. We have compiled our top 5 chairs for the vertically challenged and trust us we want you to check it out and tell us what you think.
First though, we want to go over a few key terms to make sure we’re all on the same page.
Seat pan and Seat pan depth:
- The seat pan is the part of the chair that your sit on with your butt. The depth of the seat pan refers to the dimension from the front edge of the chair to the back support where your back meets the chair. This is a critical dimension for short people when deciding on a chair. Get the measurement too long and you won’t be able to have your back hit the chair without your knees digging into the front edge.
Chair lift height:
- The Chair lift height refers to the height dimension of the chair from the ground to the top edge of the seat pan. When sitting this could be described as the distance you would want from the ground to the top of your knee when sitting in proper posture.
Herman Miller Aeron
Seat pan depth: 15 ¾”
Chair lift height:15.4”-19.6”
Product Description: The Rolls Royce of task chairs (with the price tag to match), the Aeron by Herman Miller combines timeless beauty with stellar ergonomics that allow for countless hours in the chair with no discomfort. The Aeron comes in three sizes (A, B &C), with A being the smallest chair. The Aeron features an amazing assortment of buttons and knobs that allow for an almost infinite level of adjustability. While confusing at first (just due to the sheer amount of adjustability), you will quickly master the controls allowing for quick adjustments of the chair on the fly without having to stop your task and think about how you want the chair to adjust. It becomes muscle memory.
Once you get this puppy dialed in, its smooth sailing. You haven’t known comfort until you’ve sat in this chair. The front edge of the seat pan features a rolled lip that increases back of knee comfort tremendously. The pellicle fabric, a special fabric material used in the Aeron, allows for ultimate support, breathability and comfort, creating a neutral seating position without any noticeable pressure on the body while sitting. If you want to know what sitting on a cloud feels like, this is it. The base of the chair can be either black or for an additional upgrade, timeless and classy polished aluminum. The adjustable arms feature a lever system for vertical adjustment and a rotating swivel to get the armrest in just the right position. With two options of either leather padded or a rubberized plastic for the arm material, the Aeron by Herman Miller is the perfect chair for the short professional.
PROS | CONS |
A legend for a reason: multiple sizes for perfect ergonomics, timeless beauty, stellar performance. Will fit into any office setting and customizations allows for unique personalization to fit your style. Short seat pan depth (A size) and low chair lift height give vertically challenged professionals the perfect fit for a full 8 hour day. | Pay to play- Not for the faint of heart or light of pocketbook, this task chair is serious business. While the chair will give your long-term year after year performance the initial hit in your bank account must still be mentioned. |
Herman Miller Mirra 2
Seat pan depth: 16.25″–18″
Chair lift height: 14.75″–19″
Product Description: What can you do as a company when you create a timeless classic like the Aeron but want to sell more than one chair. If you’re Herman Miler you make a modern classic that looks as good as it functions and laugh all the way to the bank. Meet the Mirra 2. If the Aeron is to the boardroom exec, the mirra 2 is to the tech savvy startup. It looks like it belongs on a TV show where a hacker successfully breaks into a secure satellite with a well-placed knuckle crack and a few keystrokes. This chair oozes new school cool. The Mirra’s bright colors grab your eyes and the ergonomics keep you coming back for more. With a seat pan depth that is larger than the Aeron, the Mirra 2 is not the best choice for the shortest of the short professionals but if you can fit, this is a great chair.
PROS | CONS |
Modern performance meets modern styling- This ain’t your granddad’s office chair. With styling straight out of the matrix and ergonomics that will keep you ready to meet any task, The mirra 2 shows that when form meets function, beautiful things can happen. | Expensive- Performance costs and this chair is no exception, bring your whole piggy bank. 18.5” seat pan depth = Not for those at/under 5’3” |
Steelcase Gesture
Seat pan depth:18 ¼”
Chair lift height: 16” to 21”
Product Description: Featuring the patented 3D LiveBack technology, The Gesture by Steelcase is built with ergonomics in the forefront of its design. The chair is not as visually stunning as the Aeron by Herman Miller but what it lacks in perceived style it makes up for in value for dollar. The Steelcase Gesture features a unique adjustable depth back. This is an awesome feature that effectively allows you to adjust the seat pan depth, perfect for people who are in between a chair size. The 360 arms allow for a multitude of positions to allow for maximum arm comfort. Recline in comfort with 3 angle settings and a locking back. Whether you are in a conference call, working on a spreadsheet, analyzing data, or gaming through the night, this chair will leave you feeling refreshed.
PROS | CONS |
Adjustable seat pan depth Competitively priced | Not as visually appealing as Aeron Seating material is dense and can cause sweating for extended periods of time. |
Steelcase Leap
Seat pan depth: 15 ¾”to 18 ¾”
Chair lift height: 15 ½” to 20 ½”
Product description: You want to live the Rolls Royce life, but you’re on a more Toyota Camry budget? The Leap by Steelcase is an amazing chair that checks all the ergonomic buttons that are necessary for comfort while still being stylish enough that you’ll be proud to display it at the office or at home. The Leap features a seat pan depth of 15 ¾” matching the Aeron by Herman Miller. The Leap is a dependable chair featuring Steelcase’s LiveBack back support, 4 recline angles with an upright back lock and optional adjustable lumbar support. It doesn’t have every bell and whistle that you will find on the Gesture, but its also priced to reflect that.
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PROS |
CONS |
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Competitive price Seat pan adjustment |
Not as stylish as Herman Miller Aeron Less features than the Gesture |
Ergocentric LP chair
Seat pan depth: 14”
Chair lift height: 12” to 28 ½”
Product Description: Laughing at our review list, are you? You are well under 5’ tall and everything on the list is still too big. This is FarFromTall, we don’t mess around when it comes to small. The ergoCentric Little Person chair will fit you when nothing else works. This chair isn’t stylish or classic like the Aeron by Herman Miller, it doesn’t use patented technology like chairs by Steelcase, this chair is designed for short people that can’t fit in any other chair. Featuring a seat pan depth of 14” and a chair lift height ranging from 12”to 28 ½”, this chair is designed for function first. Options are limited but include upgradable arms, casters and a nylon reinforced base, triple density seat foam, and a 20” diameter adjustable ring footrest.
PROS | CONS |
Smallest chair in the game- when nothing else fits, start here | Lack of features will leave you wishing for a more advanced chair |
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