Herman Miller is a US brand and of the leading manufacturers of ergonomic adjustable office chairs and desks. Owning a Herman Miller office chair is often a bucket list of most people. The high price tag comes with impressive craftsmanship, solid construction, and ergonomic features. And each Herman Miller chair has its own winning streak.
- Why The Herman Miller Celle Office Chair is worth a Second Look?
- Why Are Herman Miller Chairs so expensive?
The Herman Miller Sayl Office Chair is also one of the most intriguing chairs of the brand. It has a very stunning and modern look that would look lovely in an office of millennials and Gen Z. it can also pop out in your home office. But aside from the impeccable architecture and aesthetics, let’s see if there is more to the Sayl chair than meets the eye.
Standingdesktopper's pick
Design and overall look
The Herman Miller Sayl was inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It’s sleek, stylish, and it’s very lightweight. This chair is void of any PVC material hence the weight. And we love how this chair helps you reduce your carbon footprint.
The Sayl chair is environmentally friendly. It has a very minimal environmental impact. If you’re going green, this and the Cosm are the perfect Herman Miller chair for you.
The Cosm is also another green chair from the brand. It uses up to 95 percent recyclable material. And it also looks very stylish and luxurious. Though the Cosm has a different shape and structure, both chairs can help you do your share in saving the environment.
Backseat and comfort
The backseat of the Sayl chair is clean, simple, and quite comfortable. The backseat is composed of an exposed spine that is also flexible. This material conforms to the shape of your spine and can follow your every movement. The backseat of the Sayl chair is quite similar to the other popular chairs of the brand. Herman Miller is famous for its uniquely designed breathable backseat. You can also see almost the same breathable backseat with the Celle and the Mirra 2. The difference lies in the material used and the two other chairs have a spine at the back.
The lack of frames was inspired by the suspension bridge. So lesser materials were used. The reduction in the material used plus the incorporation of recyclable plastic lowered the overall cost. So you’d be able to buy a Sayl chair for less than 500 dollars. The crisscrossing and webbing at the back are a bit similar to the Embody chair too. Except that the Embody is built for the bigger league and more supportive and comfortable. And it also has a higher price tag.
In terms of the lumbar support, You can however buy the one with lumbar support if you have back issues. And it almost feels as nice as that of the Aeron’s. The seat of the chair itself is also properly cushioned. It’s not too firm and not too plush. It just sits right in between. So a lot of sites will find the cushion decently comfortable.
Spineless for more flexibility
The spineless backset may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The vulnerable back might look a bit flimsy to some. But it’s not, it’s actually the opposite. And the exposed spine can distribute your weight evenly onto the backseat. So there are no pressure points.
The design of the backseat is absolutely stunning, I’ve no question about that. And in terms of comfort, it’s quite pleasant and nice on the back. It’s made of a plastic mesh material, which is quite flexible. And It allows for a greater range of motion. The tester felt like the back was cradled, in a good way.
Adjustability and customization
The Sayl chair also has several adjustable features. The seat height, seat depth, and tilt are all adjustable. It’s not the most adjustable Herman Miller chair, the Celle seems to have more adjustable features. But the inclusion of an adjustable seat depth pushed it up the ladder a notch. Not all high-end chairs have it, even the Aeron lacks this feature.
The Sayl also has a forward tilt function. And this is also something that not all high-end chairs have. Even other Herman Miller chairs and Steelcase office chairs might not have this function. So this is something to be excited about if you’re keen on buying a Sayl chair.
But in terms of customization, you can’t do anything much with the options. You do have a choice to upgrade to one with armrests and lumbar support And you choose how thick you’d like the elastomeric strands of the backseat is. But other than these, the controls are a bit limited. And you can’t do much upgrading. It’s one of the Herman Miller chairs that doesn’t offer much customization.
So If you’re looking for a Herman Miller chair with more options for upgrading, the Aeron, Celle, Cosm, and Embody are great alternatives. Some of these chairs are priced higher and some can be bought at less than 500 dollars. That’s about the same price as the Sayl.
Armrests
The original Sayl chair is arms free. It’s a spineless and armless chair! The minimalist design makes the chair more flexible. The lack of arms, however, may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Most users would look for armrests where they can rest their elbows. That can be solved by upgrading. But it’s surprising how more comfortable still the one without the arms is. Well, at least for me.
The armless design will give you more liberty to move. And since the backrest is very flexible, you might not even notice the lack of the armrest.
But if you do intend to upgrade it with the armrest, these are fully adjustable. They are like smart armrests and they feel really comfortable. There’s also plenty of give and softness to it.
Scope of users and a weight capacity
The weight capacity of the Sayl is geared toward the heavy-duty tier at 350 lbs. Though this weight capacity is strong enough to seat heavy users, the overall design of the chair isn’t.
So this is where the Sayl chair is quite limited. It’ll be comfortable for some of the average-size sitters, but it can’t seat those who are on the heavier side.
What we wished were different
The Sayl chair’s 3D technology is very unique and not everyone would appreciate it. Design-wise, everyone would marvel at the stunning architecture and the lesser environmental impact of the chair. But the comfort of the seat and spineless back is very subjective. 
You’ll find it comfortable if you’re going to sit for 5 hours or less. Some find it comfortable when seated on for the whole day, but many may not. Overall, this chair is for everyone.
It’s more adjustable than comfortable for most people. A lot of sitters may be satisfied with the adjustability features. But not all would want to sit longer in this chair. If it’s not your piece of cake, you might find the Smug Desk comfortable. It’s almost the same price as the Herman Miller Sayl. But the overall look is just basic and flat.
And despite its weight capacity of 350 lbs, taller and heavier people might not find it comfortable. And it has something to do with the mid-back seat. It can’t go high enough for tall people. And it’s available in only 1 size too.
The Sayl can also recline and there’s a tilt limiter for that. But don’t expect it to fully recline. The best option for a fully reclining office chair is the Elysium which is a comfortable weightless chair. You just have to shell out more moolah to experience this type of comfort.
A very stunning chair, but not for all
The Herman Miller Sayl is one stunning and lovely chair to have in your home office. Everyone who would see it would instantly want one in their space. The spineless back is quite intriguing too. But not all would love the type of comfort that it can give. And some people find the plastic mesh back supportive, and some will not see the benefit of this innovation.
And our experts think the Sayl chair works best for those who would want to stretch in the chairs often during the day. The Sayl is one of the most flexible office chairs that allows you to do that. You can stretch all you want and the flexible mesh material can support your body.
And of course, you also get to enjoy the 12-year warranty that most Herman Miller chairs have. So it’s a sturdy and solid office chair.
Where to buy this chair
- Check: https://amzn.to/2HUFpwx
- other chairs from Herman Miller’s Store: https://amzn.to/34KXsi3
Final thought
The Sayl chair is another lovely creation from the iconic Herman Miller. But before deciding to buy one, make sure it ticked everything on your list.
It’s stunning, environment friendly, and adaptable, a big yes to all of these. But for the comfort? Very subjective and it would really depend on your preference.
