{"id":92583,"date":"2018-08-22T04:49:00","date_gmt":"2018-08-22T04:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/?p=92583"},"modified":"2026-06-24T22:24:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T22:24:48","slug":"haworth-fern-office-chair-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons &#038; Verdict"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 8<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<p>The Fern is Haworth&#8217;s flagship office chair. With a price tag of about $2,000, it competes directly with top office chairs on the Australian market, like the <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/steelcase-gesture-office-chair-review\/\">Steelcase Gesture<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/steelcase-leap-v2-office-chair-review\/\">Steelcase Leap<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/herman-miller-mirra-2-office-chair-review\/\">Herman Miller Mirra 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can buy the Haworth Fern chair in one of two ways: through Australian retailers like Officeworks or through Haworth directly, (either online, or by visiting their Sydney and Melbourne showrooms).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pros<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Cons<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Clean &amp; Modern Design.<\/strong> It&#8217;s one of the best-looking office chairs on the Australian market.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Armrests Move About.<\/strong> The arm caps don&#8217;t stay in place. You&#8217;ll need to readjust them a few times daily.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Supremely Comfortable.<\/strong> The seat pad and backrest are excellent. Recline is world-class.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>No Depth Control On Lumbar Support.<\/strong> You don&#8217;t have the option to make it gentler or firmer.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s my #1 tip: There are two variants of the Fern:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>The first <\/strong>is a fully loaded model with 4D armrests and lumbar support. It retails for roughly $1,900.<\/li><li><strong>The second<\/strong> is an el cheapo, castrated version. It misses out on features that make the Fern special &#8211; the 4D armrests and lumbar, and costs just over $1,100. <strong>Do not buy this model.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Reasons To Buy The Haworth Fern Office Chair.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-9.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-9-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-9-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: My Haworth Fern in Forward Black colour combination (black with white contrast elements). Note the 4D armrests and the sculpted backrest. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Haworth Fern chair is currently <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/best-ergonomic-office-chair\/\">my favourite $2,000 office chair<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> The clean, crisp, high-end design will elevate your office environment &#8211; without overpowering it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will look equally at home in a techy, gritty home office of a Microsoft developer or an airy, white office of a yoga instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>A huge range of customisation options helps.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While most office chairs in Australia offer 1-2 colour choices, Haworth gives you 7 premade options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have an eye for design and don&#8217;t mind a 2-month lead time, you can design your own Fern from over 50 colour combinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"919\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/haworth-fern-colour-palette-1024x919.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/haworth-fern-colour-palette-1024x919.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/haworth-fern-colour-palette-300x269.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/haworth-fern-colour-palette-768x690.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/haworth-fern-colour-palette.jpg 1410w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Custom upholstery colour and material choices on the seat alone. You&#8217;re spoiled for choice here.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The seat base and backrest don&#8217;t have to be the same colour; everything from bold orange to subdued and warm blue is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Haworth&#8217;s build quality is top-notch. I&#8217;ve read reviews that complain about build quality, but this hasn&#8217;t been my experience. At all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, the Fern is possibly the quietest office chair I&#8217;ve ever reviewed. Plonking myself in the seat doesn&#8217;t create any annoying noises. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing rattles &#8211; anywhere. It feels rock-solid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">The chair is built in Michigan, USA, so you get a high-end finish with no gaps and smoothly moving mechanisms.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118991\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-5.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-5-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-5-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Fabric seat pan is thicker than I expected, but feels surprisingly taut.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s exactly what I&#8217;d expect from a premium chair, and it&#8217;s on par with <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/herman-miller-aeron-vs-steelcase-leap\/\">premium options from Herman Miller and Steelcase<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I was to get picky, I&#8217;d point out that the Fern&#8217;s 4D armrests tend to move on their own, under the weight of my forearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While design and functionality are excellent (almost on par with the best armrests in the business &#8211; those you&#8217;ll find on Steelcase&#8217;s Leap and Series 2), I wish they offered more friction and were less easy to move around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/task-chair-vs-ergonomic-office-chair\/\">Task Chairs vs Ergonomic Chairs: What&#8217;s The Difference?<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like most office chairs at around the $2,000 price point, the Fern chair features a hybrid design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get a very comfortable foam seat with a waterfall front edge and a mesh back with a tapered design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">The Fern&#8217;s gorgeously sculpted armpads will get easily scratched by a cheap standing desk without an anti-collision system. If buying a standing desk, <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/best-standing-desk-australia\/\">check that it has this feature<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-11.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-11-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-11-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: The Fern chair with optional lumbar support. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the seat is spacious, you can sit cross-legged (even though it&#8217;s not the most ergonomic position).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its foam cushion is thick, but offers a surprisingly taut sitting experience. It&#8217;s quite unusual in the sense that it&#8217;s both plush and firm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plonk yourself down, and the immediate feeling you get is that of sitting in a soft armchair. But your body quickly registers the fact that the seat isn&#8217;t allowing you to sag into it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/ergotune-joobie-office-chair-review\/\">ErgoTune Joobie: Best Office Chair In Australia?<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn&#8217;t bottom out, nor does it create pressure points in your backside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Fern&#8217;s backrest is one of the best in the business.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It looks like it&#8217;s made from fabric, but it&#8217;s actually mesh. Three sublayers underneath the fabric cover provide comfortable back support while remaining flexible enough to help you stretch and move throughout your day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of backres fabric, you can choose standard or digital knit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-office-chair-reviews.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-125461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-office-chair-reviews.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-office-chair-reviews-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-office-chair-reviews-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: The optional Digital Knit looks great, but offers minimal comfort gains.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My chair (the black one in the photos) has standard fabric &#8211; because when I bought it, Haworth didn&#8217;t offer digital knit in Australia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that they do (for about $200 extra), I dropped by the Haworth showroom in Sydney to see if it&#8217;s any different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Verdict? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>It looks more dramatic, in an attractive kind of way. I definitely prefer its aesthetic. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It also feels a tiny bit more plush. But when I say &#8220;tiny&#8221;, I really mean it. I was switching between the two chairs and barely noticing any difference. And any perceived difference would certainly evaporate after a few minutes, once your body gets used to the chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Get the digital knit it if you have the extra budget &#8211; for its looks alone.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I love the extra height of this backrest. I&#8217;m a tall guy and appreciate that it covers my entire back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its edges don&#8217;t dig into my shoulders, and because the backrest tapers towards the top, I can move my arms and shoulders back without restriction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, the optional headrest is fixed &#8211; and if you&#8217;re taller than about 6&#8243;1&#8242;, it will hit against your upper shoulders. Stay away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-3.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-3-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-3-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Close-up of Fern&#8217;s lumbar support. Note the robust mechanism that has a huge vertical range of motion.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The $100 optional lumbar support is a must-have option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It offers a huge range of motion in the vertical plane but, unfortunately, doesn&#8217;t allow you to control depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This may present an issue for people who prefer gentle lumbar support. Fern&#8217;s isn&#8217;t aggressive, but is definitely noticeable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">If your lower back gets easily aggravated by strong lumbar mechanisms, test a Fern in a showroom before buying. Go to any Officeworks, or to one of Haworth&#8217;s showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Fine-tuning the Fern office chair to your body is easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get seat depth adjustment and optional forward tilt if you prefer to work in a perched position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(<strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/ergotune-supreme-vs-sihoo-m57-office-chair\/\">ErgoTune Supreme vs Sihoo M57 Office Chairs: Which Is Best?<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, the forward tilt function only moves the seat pan forward (unlike the mechanisms on the Sayl and the Aeron, where the whole chair tilts). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>It&#8217;s an inferior design, as it will likely encourage you to slouch.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A synchro-tilt mechanism powers the Fern chair&#8217;s recline, which is smooth, deep and comfortable. You will love it if you&#8217;re the type of person who likes to kick back and rock in your office chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-4.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-4-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-4-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: The Fern&#8217;s controls are minimalist and logical. No ugly levers anywhere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Five lockable positions for recline and tension control round out the adjustments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I love that all levers and buttons are within reach &#8211; there&#8217;s no need to get out of the chair to adjust anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Assembly, by the way, is nonexistent.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Fern task chair arrives at your door in a huge box, partially assembled, so you won&#8217;t need to spend much time fiddling with screws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I bought mine through Haworth directly, and the delivery guy happily assembled it for me on the spot. It took him about 10 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Haworth gives you an outstanding 12-year warranty comparable to other high-end chairs in the price range (Herman Miller and Steelcase). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s rated for 365-day use, 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Unfortunately, the warranty covers the fabric of the seat base for only 3 years. This is far shorter than the 5-7 years you typically get with the competition.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:41px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>Reasons To Avoid The Haworth Fern.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-12.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-12-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-12-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: The Fern\u2019s armcaps have a modern look. No excessive padding of fancy 360 degree swivels &#8211; Just a tapered shape that doesn&#8217;t irritate your forearms and 4D movement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve already mentioned the excessively easy-to-move armrests, so I won&#8217;t repeat myself &#8211; except to say &#8211; why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I do wish the lumbar support had depth adjustment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people online have complained that the Fern&#8217;s lumbar is too firm, but this isn&#8217;t the case for me at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from that, I don&#8217;t have complaints. Really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve read complaints from tall users who dislike the gap between the seat and the backrest when the former is moved fully forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>To be honest, I think it&#8217;s an exaggeration. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, there is a gap, but it&#8217;s not excessive. I have my seat pan fully forward and have no complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, this gap exists on all office chairs with seat depth adjustment (except on Herman Miller Embody), so the criticism &#8211; even if it was valid &#8211; wouldn&#8217;t be unique to the Fern alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"865\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118990\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-10.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-10-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-10-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Hybrid construction means a mesh back and a foam seat pad that&#8217;s covered in fabric.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>How The Haworth Fern Office Chair Stacks Up.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Fern chair is a high-end chair that costs about half as much as ultra-premium options, like the Herman Miller Embody and Aeron. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It punches well above its $2,000 price and is a great investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Adjustments<\/td><td>4.5\/5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Comfort<\/td><td>5\/5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Aesthetics<\/td><td>5\/5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Build Quality &amp; Warranty<\/td><td>5\/5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cost<\/td><td>4.5\/5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>4.8\/5<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>My Verdict On The Haworth Fern Office Chair.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Fern is ideal for people between 155 cm and 195 cm in height. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s one of the most comfortable office chairs on the Australian market if you&#8217;re within this range, and is my favourite sub $2,000 office chair right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>It&#8217;s also one of the nicest-looking chairs out there.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It competes head-on with the Aeron and the Leap, but costs 30% less than the former and is better looking than the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, I like it more than the Leap because it looks more modern and has a better recline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Leap&#8217;s hip-thrust synchro-tilt feels much less nice than the Fern&#8217;s deep, rocking recline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, it&#8217;s expensive, but you can count on it lasting for 12 years, which means the cost translates to about $10\/month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This, by the way, is why I don&#8217;t recommend buying ultra-cheap chairs. You end up spending a lot more in the long term, as you have to throw them out over 1-2 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:23px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Steven<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:41px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 8<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>The Fern is Haworth&#8217;s flagship office chair. With a price tag of about $2,000, it competes directly with top office<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":118982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[287,276],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-office-furniture","category-office-space"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons &amp; Verdict<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Haworth Fern is a premium office chair that retails for $1,900. What makes it a better buy than the Steelcase Leap or the Herman Miller Aeron?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons &amp; Verdict\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Haworth Fern is a premium office chair that retails for $1,900. What makes it a better buy than the Steelcase Leap or the Herman Miller Aeron?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Arielle Executive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArielleExecutive\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-08-22T04:49:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-24T22:24:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1490\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"838\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Steven McConnell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@arielleexec\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@arielleexec\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Steven McConnell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons & Verdict","description":"The Haworth Fern is a premium office chair that retails for $1,900. What makes it a better buy than the Steelcase Leap or the Herman Miller Aeron?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons & Verdict","og_description":"The Haworth Fern is a premium office chair that retails for $1,900. What makes it a better buy than the Steelcase Leap or the Herman Miller Aeron?","og_url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/","og_site_name":"Arielle Executive","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArielleExecutive\/","article_published_time":"2018-08-22T04:49:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-24T22:24:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1490,"height":838,"url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Steven McConnell","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@arielleexec","twitter_site":"@arielleexec","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Steven McConnell","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/"},"author":{"name":"Steven McConnell","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/person\/c485302b39ddb3c352f6ee82d8ba13dd"},"headline":"Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons &#038; Verdict","datePublished":"2018-08-22T04:49:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-24T22:24:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/"},"wordCount":1818,"commentCount":7,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg","articleSection":["Office Gear Reviews","Office Space"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/","name":"Haworth Fern Office Chair Review: Pros, Cons & Verdict","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg","datePublished":"2018-08-22T04:49:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-24T22:24:48+00:00","description":"The Haworth Fern is a premium office chair that retails for $1,900. What makes it a better buy than the Steelcase Leap or the Herman Miller Aeron?","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/haworth-fern-office-chair-review\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg","width":1490,"height":838,"caption":"haworth fern office chair review"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#website","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/","name":"Arielle Executive","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#organization","name":"Arielle Executive","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/arielle-executive-aex-icon.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/arielle-executive-aex-icon.jpg","width":600,"height":600,"caption":"Arielle Executive"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArielleExecutive\/","https:\/\/x.com\/arielleexec","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/arielle-executive\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/person\/c485302b39ddb3c352f6ee82d8ba13dd","name":"Steven McConnell","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/cropped-steven-mcconnell-headshot-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/cropped-steven-mcconnell-headshot-96x96.jpg","caption":"Steven McConnell"},"description":"I lead a team of writers and editors to build Arielle's Think Big blog. Together, we share an audacious goal: create Australia's #1 publication for high-performance individuals.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mcconnellsteven\/"],"url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/author\/steven-mcconnell\/"}]}},"modified_by":"Steven McConnell","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg",1490,838,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg",1490,838,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1.jpg",1490,838,false],"alm-thumbnail":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/haworth-fern-review-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Steven McConnell","author_link":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/author\/steven-mcconnell\/"},"uagb_comment_info":7,"uagb_excerpt":"Reading Time: 8 minutesThe Fern is Haworth&#8217;s flagship office chair. With a price tag of about $2,000, it competes directly with top office","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92583"}],"version-history":[{"count":69,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125462,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92583\/revisions\/125462"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}