Steelcase Gesture vs Herman Miller Embody – Who Wins

It is only normal to consider ergonomics in the office setting. After all, most tasks inside that area are done while sitting down. With this comparison review or a showdown Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody, you will be guided or even inspired to purchase either one of them for your own good.

Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody: Distinctive Features

Before we proceed to the Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody bout, we will first identify each of the chair’s best characteristics. Both are designed to provide optimum comfort to the user while managing the workload.

As we tackle the details more, you will have an idea of how the 2 will be compared later on.

Steelcase Gesture

Here are the distinguishing features of a Steelcase Gesture chair:

1. Wide range accommodation

Most chairs aspire to have a ‘one-size-fits-all’ design. It seems that this is one of Steelcase Gesture’s strengths. With a weight capacity reaching 400 pounds at most, this office chair can certainly carry almost anyone. Whether you are overweight or muscle-bound, you’ll still be able to feel the same comfort the way slim people feel.

2. Backrest equipped with 3D LiveBack technology

The ‘3D LiveBack’ technology is another striking addition to the Steelcase Gesture chair. Its purpose is to maintain the user’s natural posture as much as possible by following the spine contortion’s motion. A gap is created within the lower back area as you slouch on a normal chair.

That gap means an uneven pressure distribution, and a certain portion of the spine carries more weight. The said technology prevents you from putting yourself in that situation. It will enable the chair to create a deep recline to cover and support the whole back, thereby equally distributing the pressure.

3. Great adjustability

Regarding adjustability, the Steelcase Gesture chair proves that it is the king. Aside from the seat adjustability that most high-quality office chairs have, it has excellent armrest mechanics. You can swivel them and rotate up to 360 degrees. The width of the armrest is also adjustable. With those capabilities, your upper body can rest easy while working.

Herman Miller Embody

Here are the distinguishing features of a Herman Miller Embody chair:

1. Backrest equipped with Backfit technology

Like the Steelcase Gesture, the Herman Miller Embody has the ‘Backfit’ technology. For simplicity, the backrest of the Herman Miller Embody chair is like a thick cape that covers your back but can get rigid to support your posture.

Whether you recline or lean forward, with that technology, you’ll be assured that there is always support.

Also read this: Herman Miller’s chair made

2. Pixelated support

Another great feature of the Herman Miller Embody chair is the pixelated support. This means that the backrest and seat have a pattern similar to the pixels of a touchscreen.

Its pattern enables efficient distribution of the pressure your weight brings when sitting down. Having this feature is like floating up while you’re sitting down.

3. 4-breathable-layer seat

It seems that the Herman Miller Embody goes all-out when it comes to comfort. The chair’s seat has 4 breathable layers. As you sit down, 4 layers are trying to reduce the pressure procedurally. It helps dissipate the pressure evenly and provides constant airflow to the seat, keeping it cool while being pressed by your weight.

Related article: Why Are Herman Miller Embody Chairs So Expensive

Specification of Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody Chair

	Steelcase Gesture	Herman Miller Embody
Seat Depth	15.75 to 18.5 inches	15 to 18 inches
Seat Width	20 inches	21.25 inches
Seat Height	16 to 21 inches	16 to 20.5 inches
Backrest Height	24 inches	23.5 inches
Weight Capacity	400 lbs	300 lbs
Material	Textile	Fabric upholstery
Base	Aluminum	Aluminum
Frame	Metallic	Die-cast aluminum frame
Casters	For carpet flooring	For carpet flooring
Product Weight	78 lbs	51 lbs
Warranty	12 years (For frame, a lifetime warranty)	12 years

Major Differences

Now that we identify the strengths and specifications of each, it’s time for the Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody showdown. The major differences between the two chairs are the following categories: size, comfort level, adjustability, quality, and style. In each category, we will identify which chair has a slight edge.

Size

Measurement-wise, it seems that there are no significant differences between Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody. The Steelcase Gesture chair has a maximum seat height and depth of 24 inches and 18.5 inches, respectively. On the other hand, the Herman Miller Embody has a maximum seat height of 23.5 inches and a seat depth of 18 inches.

Anyone can choose any chair if the seat dimensions are the only thing considered. However, if we’re talking about weight capacity, that is an entirely different matter. The Steelcase Gesture chair can handle a whopping 400 pounds of weight, while the Herman Miller Embody chair can only handle 300 pounds.

Clearly, the Steelcase Gesture chair can accommodate more kinds of users according to body weight. If one is overweight or tall, you can feel safe using the Steelcase Gesture chair compared to Herman Miller Embody chair. Although both chairs are one-size-fits-all types, the Steelcase Gesture has a slight edge in the size category because of the weight capacity.

Comfort

Comfort is perhaps the most important factor when selecting any kind of chair, including office chairs. Having to sit for hours to complete tasks, you’ll need an office chair that can keep you relaxed and not compromise your posture as much as possible.

The backrest of the Steelcase Gesture chair is equipped with ‘3D LiveBack’ technology. This feature provides all the comfort that one’s back needs by filling up the space in the lower spine area. On the other hand, Herman Miller Embody’s ‘Backfit’ technology does the same. The slight difference is that it tunes to one’s body frame.

Furthermore, the Herman Miller Embody has more features that comfort the user. These are the pixelated support, which evenly distributes one’s weight, and the 4-breathable-layer seat, which reduces the pressure felt when sitting. Together with the ‘Backfit’ technology, the Herman Miller Embody chair is guaranteed to provide the ultimate comfort.

Although the Steelcase Gesture’s ‘3D LiveBack‘ technology is a much newer technology applied for an office chair, the Herman Miller Embody chair has the edge in the comfort category. All the features are great and innovative. With all of them combined and felt in just one sitting, it’s hard to deny that the Herman Miller Embody chair provides better comfort.

Adjustability

The office chair would never be an office chair if not for its adjustability. Although you are just sitting, adjustments are unavoidable since you’ll be considering your disposition when viewing the computer screen, writing something, or conversing with someone professionally.

Both the Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody chairs are adjustable but not the same. In terms of adjusting the seat depth and height, both chairs have a range of 3 and 4 inches, respectively. Regardless of their height, any person can choose either of the chairs and adjust to their liking.

The asset of the Steelcase Gesture is the armrests. It has excellent adjustability. No matter how bulky or lean your arm is, you can feel relaxed sitting on a Steelcase Gesture chair. Additionally, the Steelcase Gesture has something called a ‘core equalizer.’ This thing provides an ample amount of support to the lumbar in accordance with one’s body size.

The Herman Miller Embody chair has great armrests too. It even has multiple knobs, levers, and buttons, all made for easy access in adjusting a certain part of the chair. However, in this category, the Steelcase Gesture has more advantages than the Herman Miller Embody.

Quality

Both the Steelcase Gesture chair and the Herman Miller Embody are made with high-quality standards. They are not only the 2 of the best office chairs for nothing. Both chairs have durable frames because they are made of metal. The Steelcase Gesture chair has plastic components integrated into its design.

These plastic components are meant to provide the flexibility needed for the chair mechanics. The Herman Miller Embody has this multi-layered cushioning, making it even stronger.

Regarding product weight, the Steelcase Gesture is much heavier, around 78 pounds. The Herman Miller Embody chair weighs only 51 pounds. Although it is much lighter and easy to move around, the heavier weight of the Steelcase Gesture assures you of its durability. It seems that in this category, there is diversity in some aspects that make the 2 chairs just even.

Style

Yes, style mattered when selecting an office chair. The style of a material owned usually reflects the owner’s character. It may occasionally be true, but it certainly tells something just by the appearance alone. The Steelcase Gesture and the Herman Miller Embody chairs are designed with style in mind.

The material used for the Steelcase Gesture chair is textile. In contrast, the Herman Miller Embody chair, it is fabric upholstery. In terms of colors, the Steelcase Gesture chair has 15 available variations, while the Herman Miller Embody has only 10. Although there seems to be no clear advantage here, it will depend on the user’s preference.

Conclusion

In this Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody bout, there is no clear-cut winner. There are some aspects that the Steelcase Gesture is better, and there are some in which the Herman Miller Embody has more advantages.

In terms of weight capacity and adjustability for body mechanics, the Steelcase Gesture is the better choice. If you want comfort, the Herman Miller Embody chair can definitely give you more of that. When choosing which chair to purchase, the base is always on your needs.