{"id":94108,"date":"2016-09-16T10:05:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-16T10:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/?p=94108"},"modified":"2026-06-14T23:57:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T23:57:34","slug":"herman-miller-mirra-2-office-chair-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/herman-miller-mirra-2-office-chair-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Herman Miller Mirra 2 Office Chair Review: Worth $2,250?"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is in a tough spot. Retailing for about $2,250, it’s not a budget office chair<\/a> – unless you’re an investment banker with an underperforming portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, it’s not as posh as its more famous and expensive sibling, the Herman Miller Aeron<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could increase your budget by $250-750 (depending on the colour you want) and buy the Aeron ergonomic office chair<\/a> instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you could just as easily save your money and stick wth the Mirra 2 for its careful balance of comfort, cost, ergonomics and style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is the right decision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Pros<\/th>Cons<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Polite and attractive aesthetic.<\/strong> Friendly, modern design that takes cues from the Aeron.<\/td>Cheap-ish build. <\/strong>Doesn’t feel like a $2,250 office chair. Too many cheap plastic touchpoints.<\/td><\/tr>
Fantastic backrest.<\/strong> Flexible and ventilated, it allows you to move while keeping you cool.<\/td>Armrest shape.<\/strong> I don’t love the “high-dome” design at all.<\/td><\/tr>
Adjustable front lip.<\/strong> The waterfall edge of the seat rolls out, giving tall people extra depth.<\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Reasons To Buy The Herman Miller Mirra 2<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> Office Chair.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Above: Curved lines and all-mesh construction give the Mirra 2 the appearance of a baby Aeron.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s talk about looks. The Mirra 2 office chair will appeal to both men and women, but it’s not a power chair for Wall Street banker wannabes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean lines and swoopy curves echo the original Aeron design, giving it a friendly, modern appearance.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you buy one off the showroom floor in Australia, you’ll likely be dealing with a company called Living Edge (they’re the biggest stockist of HM chairs), and offered the option of Graphite (black) colour only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div>

Herman Miller can build the Mirra 2 in over 50 colour variations, with separate options for the frame, backrest and seat pan. I recommend exploring this option, as the generic black colour makes the chair look cheaper than it is. The downside? You’ll need to be patient, as custom orders have a 2-3 months lead time.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Above: You can order the Mirra 2 in custom colours, like this one with a blue backrest and a bright red seat pan.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the gentle appearance, the Mirra 2 is rated to a very impressive 136kg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while it will cope with the weight of larger people, it will struggle with width, as the seat pan size is not generous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larger and taller people should consider the Embody chair instead<\/a>, as it has a much wider seat pan.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mesh is exactly what you’d expect from a $2,500 Herman Miller chair – taut, thick and doesn’t look like it will sag any time soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who expect plenty of adjustments will not be disappointed, either. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Herman Miller Mirra 2 offers seat height and depth controls, fully adjustable arms with height, width and pivot controls and two-way adjustable lumbar support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div>

You’ll come across online reviews showing that a bare-bones Mirra 2 can be loaded with a plethora of optional adjustments, such as tilt limiters and tension knobs. That applies to international markets. Australia gets fewer options (only arms\/no arms, backrest suspension).<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Above: Adjustable lumbar support locks into position using levers on each side of the backrest. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of lumbar support, it’s one of the best I’ve ever experienced in an office chair, although the mechanism is somewhat fiddly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(You adjust the height by clipping the lumbar’s wings onto backrest holes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, the adjustment range is generous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Related: ErgoTune Joobie: Best Office Chair In Australia?<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will move very high or surprisingly low to fit the curvature of most people’s lumbar spines. Depth adjustment is also included and is aimed at people who dislike pokey lumbar support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s not an aggressive lumbar that will prod you like an overenthusiastic physiotherapist.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The chair’s recline offers three tilt-lock positions and has a satisfying rocking motion – very similar to the rocking feeling you get on the Aeron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m also a big fan of the mesh seat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s actually a perfect mix of rigidity and flexibility – not as rigid as the classic bucket design you get on the Aeron, but nowhere near as flexible as that of a classic bendy chair, like the\u00a0Steelcase Leap V2<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fun Fact.<\/h3><\/div>

Have you noticed that most mesh chairs don’t have a true seat-depth adjustment? That’s because it’s a difficult engineering problem to solve. (How do you control the depth of a frame with taut mesh stretched across it?) Most brands solve the issue by moving the entire seat base forward, which creates a new problem – a gaping hole behind<\/em> your backside.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Herman Miller solved it with a unique seat depth adjustment mechanism that lets you bend the front edge of Mirra 2’s seat pan at the point that feels most comfortable to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes the chair suitable for both people with short legs (150-165cm) and for the giants among us (up to 195cm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Above: You can control seat pan depth by adjusting the falloff steepness of its front edge<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herman Miller is committed to sustainability, which is apparent in the Mirra 2 chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s made from 90% recycled materials, and it’s also 90% recyclable. The chair is made in the USA at Herman Miller’s factory, which only uses renewable energy sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you’d expect, Mirra 2’s warranty is great. You get the standard Herman Miller’s 12 years of coverage on all parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Related: What Is The Best Standing Desk In Australia?<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where The Herman Miller Mirra 2<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> Falls Short.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Above: Mirra 2 is made almost entirely from plastic. It doesn’t feel cheap to the touch, but not quite premium, either.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My biggest gripe with the Mirra 2 is that it doesn’t feel like a $2,250 chair. Even though it has the coveted Herman Miller badge, its build reminds me of dashboards on 2005 Ford Falcons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grey, cheapish plastic everywhere. Things don’t feel solid when you press on them.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Call me old-school, but when I pay $2,000+ for an ergonomic office chair, I want it to feel rock-solid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mirra 2 doesn’t. In fact, it’s more flimsy than the $750 Ergotune Joobie office chair<\/a>. Certainly not as nice as top Steelcase models, like the Leap and Gesture<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sitting position is quite upright – much more so than that of the Aeron or the Joobie. This isn’t an issue per se, but it strongly hints at the underlying philosophy of the Mirra 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’d say it’s a tasking office chair with an excellent recline, rather than a chair for people who love to rock back, but sometimes need to sit bolt upright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an important detail – because it illustrates that fundamentally, the Mirra 2 is very different to the Aeron. It’s not an “Aeron killer” at all, as some online reviews breathlessly exclaim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it’s not even in the same category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This philosophy is reflected in the Mirra 2’s headrest. More specifically, a lack thereof.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Herman Miller doesn’t offer one with the Mirra 2, so if you like to kick back and rest your neck, this isn’t the right chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also don’t love Mirra 2’s armrest ergonomics. Their curved top design isn’t ideal for resting your forearms for long periods of time, despite their generous width.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Above: Mirra 2’s armrests need to be less flimsy and have a flatter surface.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I prefer the flat, soft, leatherette-topped armrests, like the ones on the Aeron chair and the Steelcase Leap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How The Herman Miller Mirra 2<\/strong><\/strong> Stacks Up.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is under a lot of pressure to perform – because of its $2,250 price tag. Herman Miller’s brand takes the edge off, but only so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Adjustments<\/td>4\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Comfort<\/td>4\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Aesthetics<\/td>3.5\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Build Quality & Waranty<\/td>3.5\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Cost<\/td>3.5\/5<\/td><\/tr>
OVERALL<\/strong><\/td>3.7\/5<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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My Final Verdict On The Herman Miller Mirra 2<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> Office Chair.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is a mid-range ergonomic office chair in the company’s lineup. It’s unofficially touted as the “poor man’s Aeron” – both a compliment and a death sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I disagree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n