Herman Miller Verus review: Simple but supportive

When it comes to office chairs, Herman Miller is a brand that’s perhaps best known for the Aeron – and, in particular, the Aeron’s four-figure price tag.

That being said, not all of the brand’s products are so blindingly expensive. The Verus, for instance, represents Herman Miller on a budget, at least compared to some of its other chairs. If you’re after the build quality that Herman Miller offers but your budget won’t stretch beyond £450, then the Verus might be the chair for you.

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Herman Miller Verus review: What do you get for the money?

The Herman Miller Verus comes with a choice of two backrest materials: mesh or “Triflex” plastic. The chair I was sent to review had the latter and will set you back £425, while the mesh option is a little bit more expensive at £448. Price wise, this makes the Verus Herman Miller’s cheapest office chair: it’s a little bit more affordable than the Herman Miller Sayl, and costs peanuts compared to the Aeron.

Regardless of which backrest type you choose, the Verus comes with most of the adjustable features you’d expect. This includes seat height, armrest height and backrest tilt (with adjustable tension and a tilt limiter), as well as forward tilt and adjustable seat depth. If you’re willing to spend a little bit more, you can get it with fully adjustable arms as well as adjustable lumbar support. You also get a choice of colours with the Verus, all of which are on the neutral side, from white and “dark mineral” to “persimmon”.

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Herman Miller Verus review: What do we like about it?

Crucially, the Verus is comfortable and supportive, from its cushioned seat to its gently curved backrest. As I’ve already mentioned, the chair I tested had the Triflex backrest: a flexible plastic that is perforated for breathability.

This is similar to that of the Herman Miller Sayl, although the Verus backrest feels a bit more solid and not quite as rubbery. As such, I did find it quite hard when I sat down for the first time, so if you’re used to softer backrests, you might prefer the mesh option. In any case, once I’d become accustomed to the feel of the chair, I found it pretty comfortable.

Of course, the Verus doesn’t feel quite as luxurious as the Aeron. But then again, you’re not paying a grand for it either. On that point, its low price makes the Verus stand out in Herman Miller’s range. It isn’t quite cheap enough to be considered a budget chair in the grand scheme of things but, at under £450, it’s a great mid-range option if you’ve got your heart set on the Herman Miller name. You might even be able to get it for as little as £312 if you keep an eye out for sales discounts.

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Herman Miller Verus review: What could be improved?

As I’ve already mentioned, the hard Triflex back might not be the most comfortable option for everyone. Considering the Verus is available with a mesh backrest, though, this is very easily resolved for a nominal extra fee.

The armrests you get as standard aren’t the best, either: these are only height adjustable and don’t offer as much padded comfort as they could. We had a very similar complaint about the Herman Miller Sayl’s standard armrests. Fortunately, you can pay extra to have the Verus kitted out with fully adjustable ones.

Finally, the chair’s forward tilt feature isn’t as effective as it might be. It feels much more subtle than the same feature on pricier Herman Miller office chairs.

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Herman Miller Verus review: Should I buy it?

As I’ve already mentioned several times in this review, the Verus is Herman Miller’s most affordable chair. And when you take this into account, these comments feel more like nitpicking rather than valid complaints.

Of course, £425 is still a significant investment, but if it’s for a chair you’re going to be sitting in all day, five days a week, I’d argue it’s more than worthwhile. The Verus is comfortable, supportive and reasonably priced.