Should You Buy a Mesh Task Chair? [Pros & Cons]

06 May.,2024

 

Should You Buy a Mesh Task Chair? [Pros & Cons]

It pays to take your time when selecting new furniture for the office. After all, you will likely be spending more time in that task chair than you do anywhere else. That desk will quickly become like a second home, and you’ll come to know intimately every nook, cranny, blemish, and corner.

Click here to get more.

That’s why it is so important to find a task chair that you’ll not only be comfortable to sit on but one that will also enhance your productivity. It needs to keep you happy even when the pressure is on at work.

With a thinner profile and a modern look, mesh task chairs are the choice for many offices. They appear a little more casual, which is a growing trend in design and can increase productivity.

The question is, are mesh task chairs comfortable? Is it worth your investment? We’ll take a close look at the pros and cons of the mesh task chair so you can make the right choice for your office.

What is a Mesh Task Chair?

The mesh chair is a recent addition to the office. It first burst onto the scene in 1994 with the iconic Herman Miller Aeron task chair. The Aeron chair seemed to be everywhere – from boardrooms to movie sets, to Silicon Valley.

Surprisingly, the Herman Miller Aeron chair wasn’t designed for the office. Bill Stumpf, a designer with Herman Miller, built the Aeron chair for the elderly. The mesh backing, which the Aeron Chair has since become known for, kept older users comfortable even if they sat for long periods.

Not surprisingly, the comfort features Stumpf designed into the chair made it perfect for office workers. Since then, it has become quite popular to create chairs with mesh backing. 

As popular as mesh task chairs have become, they are not for everyone. We’ve broken down the pros and cons of mesh for task chairs.

Mesh Task Chairs Pros

It’s rarely difficult to sell someone on a mesh chair, the chair usually does that on its own, but we’ve broken out four of the top reasons why we see people flocking to mesh chairs.

Breathable Comfort

Unlike leather and upholstery, mesh is a very breathable material. It lets air pass, even when you are seated for a long time. Your back and legs won’t get that sweaty, cramped feeling you have with other chairs.

Sitting on Air

Many users enjoy the airy stretch of mesh seating. A soft mesh feels smooth. With the right tension, it stretches to accommodate the user like no other seating material. It feels like you are floating in the air as you work.

Easy Maintenance

Mesh chairs are much lighter and can be quickly moved around the office as needed. They are also easy to maintain. A spill on the seat can usually be cleaned up with a soapy rag.

Modern Appeal

The mesh design has an open, modern look and slender profile making it a bold choice for many offices. Smaller, more open offices find it easy to accommodate a mesh task chair, rather than the blocky, thick leather and upholstery task chairs.

Mesh Task Chairs Cons

As mesh chairs explode in popularity and more users are exposed to them for extended periods, the number of criticisms with the finish has also grown.  Here are a few of the most poignant:

Uncomfortable Mesh

As comfortable and fresh as the mesh chairs can be, it can also be abrasive. Some users find that it can damage clothes after prolonged use. The mesh is a man-made material, and some users find it to be an irritant. We suggest purchasing a high-quality mesh material to reduce irritation and increase comfort.

Sagging Support

Some users and designers note that it is difficult to design a mesh seat that provides both comfort and support. Over time, the mesh may lose elasticity and begin to sag leading to uncomfortable sitting.

Painful Sitting

Some companies will use a harder, tighter mesh to increase the life of the chair. The harder mesh won’t sag, but it won’t provide the same level of comfort. Without the give, most of your weight will be on your tailbone making it difficult to sit for an extended period.

Limited Design

Accommodating the mesh will limit the design options for the task chair. There are also fewer options for colour, making it difficult to make a bold statement or personalize the office.

A Final Word on the Pros and Cons of Mesh Task Chairs

As always, everyone who uses a mesh task chair may find a different experience. One user may find it strange, uncomfortable, and drafty. Another user may love the refreshing and relaxing feel.

Hopefully, the pros and cons of mesh task chairs we’ve assembled here will help you as you begin to design your dream office. Before selecting a chair, you should talk to the experts or take one for a spin. After all, it may be a choice you have to live with for years.

Now that you have picked your finish, have you picked your chair?  We reviewed the best task chairs available!

Cory Porteous
Director of Marketing & Inbound Business Development
Office Interiors

JE Group contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.

Mesh vs Leather Chair - Pros & Cons and Which One to ...

Office chairs are a very important aspect that decides the health of the people who work in the space. Mesh vs leather chair? When planning to buy an office chair, it is important to consider the different types of chairs fabric available in the market, understand the different aspects to it and then decide how well a particular kind of chair satisfies the requirements they have.

The most popular options of office chairs that people come across are mesh chairs and the leather chairs. These both types of chairs have their advantages and disadvantages. One should weigh both the aspects to understand what is most suitable to consider for the office.

Pros and Cons of Mesh Chairs

The mesh chairs were introduced as a revolutionary change in office furniture. The traditional upholstered seating got a real change with the mesh chairs. Mesh chairs got so much popularity in a very smaller time frame. The mesh office chairs have been the best alternatives to the fabric and leather ones. The mesh chairs come with so many pros and cons which should be assessed before one chooses the option for the office. Each aspect should be given equal importance so that it is possible to assess the chair perfectly before making the choice.

Pros

  • Ventilation

The mesh chairs that are available with an open structure for facilitating the ventilation. The ventilation brings a lot of relaxation and comfort to a person who has to spend a lot of time sitting in a day. The Mesh chairs allow air circulation between the body and the chair seat and back. The fabric and the leather chairs create a lot of heat accumulation when used them for a longer time period. The mesh chairs give a lot of free space and free flow air thus helping the skin breathe.

  • Lightweight and Easy Maintenance

Mesh chairs are very easy for maintenance and are very lightweight. It has a very minimalistic design and construction. They are lightweight and are much easier to lift them and move around. It is also very easy for cleaning the spills and stains from the mesh chairs. There are quite a lot of advantages that one get when there are chairs in the office that do not need a lot of maintenance. A space like an office would always need such furniture which can be easily maintained and kept clean.

  • Availability

The availability of the mesh chairs makes it a great pick for any office space. They are very commonly available office furniture pieces. One can find the mesh chairs in any furniture shops, office supplies, and departmental stores. Both the seat and the back are in mesh or are available as mesh back, combined with vinyl, leather or fabric. The mesh chairs that are ergonomic for office use is something that can really help to keep the office very healthy for the employees. The best office chairs can reduce the strain of using a chair for a prolonged time period.

  • Cost

Mesh office desk chairs are much cheaper compared to the upholstery or the leather chairs and it also has a very professional look. The mesh office chairs are the best solutions for any office. They are very economical and so the best solution for small businesses to set the offices.

Cons

  • Comfort

Mesh office chairs are very supportive and flexible and can easily conform based on the body contours. It is not something very comfortable as an office chair when used for a longer time. The discomfort one feels with the chair is as one does not get to sink to the plush seat. Mesh seats cannot compete with the upholstered chairs with respect to the comfort that it offers to the individuals. It is the kind of chair that is more flexible and easy to move from one place to another but a user may not feel the same level of comfort with it.

  • Durability  

The durability of the chairs is not comparable with the leather or upholstery chairs. The mesh chairs do not have a durable design like other types of chairs. The soft meshes that are used in the mesh chairs conform to body contours but it will start sagging faster. Firm meshes that are used in the mesh chairs may not be very comfortable to use. Leather and fabric chairs wear better. The mesh and the construction type are the factors that are critical for the durability of the chair. Mesh back office chairs are designed for combining ventilation with great durability and comfort.

  • Limited Designs

Designs of the mesh chairs are very much limited with respect to the styling and appearance. The mesh chairs are available in only black and grey colors. The limitations one face while choosing the mesh chairs makes it a very boring choice for office as the designs and color options are very less.

Mesh chairs are very affordable solutions for the office. The product should be assessed and tested for the quality, ability for adjusting the settings and the ergonomic design before making the purchase of the office chairs.

Pros and Cons of Leather Office Chairs

Leather office chairs have a visual impression of great elegance and comfort. The leather office chairs that are well-made are highly durable and also are capable of supporting the employees to work for long hours at the desk. The thick padding nature of the leather office chairs gives great support to the critical regions that include seat and lower backbones. Many get adjustable seats and the armrests for adapting with different desk heights and body shapes. Leather office chairs come with plushness and great comfort to the users. The leather office chairs would really be a great investment for any office as a very long lasting furniture and the one that would need less amount of maintenance.

Pros

  • Image

A leather office chair is one of the major investments that any prestigious firm would make for creating a better look and feel in the office environment. The class and the distinction that a leather office chair can offer is much great class and image which cannot be achieved with any other type of office chair. Most of the organizations would consider it as a worthy investment as it is a great addition to the look of their firm and that can be appealing for the clients or prospective customers. Leather chairs are one of the best ways one would want to showcase the elegance, prestige, and power of the firm. It makes it a piece of furniture that is must have by any firm.

  • Durability

Real leather office chairs are the ones that would last much longer time if the seats are given the great care of.  The leather office chairs would last for much longer time than anyone would expect that to be. The good quality leather office chairs need not be marinated so much but it can last for a longer time period. The good quality leather usually comes as an expensive option and it would last much longer time. The good quality leather chairs are always the best that one would need to choose for the office for better use and look. It is worth to spend some extra money on getting the finest leather chairs to use for a prolonged time.

  • Protection

The leather office chairs do not need a lot of maintenance and it has the ability to protect itself with the most favorable and appealing features that it is associated with. The leather chairs can be used without any kind of worries about its maintenance. Even if a beverage is dropped on the office chair, one just needs to wipe that off and if the office chair is made with pigmented leathers, it does not allow any liquid to get soaked into the office chairs. Many of the employees even have the habit of munching while working and any such food remnants that are there on the leather chairs can be easily removed by brushing that off the leather chairs or can just be vacuumed off from the seat without much amount of effort. The protection that the chair has allows the users to easily make use of the leather office chairs without any restrictions or worries. The easy maintenance and cleaning of the leather office chairs make it the right choice for any office that looks for a classy look, great comfort without a lot of maintenance.

  • Comfort

Leather office chairs are very comfortable option that one would want to choose for great comfort. The way one can relax with a leather chair is something that cannot be felt with any other form of office chairs. A user who sits in the leather chair feels great comfort than sitting on any other desk chairs. The leather office chairs are also designed in such a way that they stay cool when they are used in the air-conditioned rooms. The leather office chairs will even absorb perspiration and seat when used. On the cold days, the leather office chairs would grab the heat from the body of the user and it gives a very cozy feel to the one who is using it.  The leather office chairs give a great level of comfort to the people who use it.

  • Hygiene

If anyone who is sweaty sits on the pigmented leather office chair, one can just clean the leather chair with a wet cloth or can even use a mild soapy water for making it perfectly clean and good. This cleaning method will not be suitable for aniline dyed leather office chairs as it can damage the fine leather. It is important for the users to understand the type of leather that is used for making the office chair and then choose the cleaning method based on that to ensure that the leather stays in very good condition for a long time without any issues. Hygiene is a very important aspect in an office environment especially when the infrastructure gets shared. With a leather office chair, it becomes very easy to keep it clean and hygienic without many efforts.

Cons

  • Costs

A leather office chair is a much costly option compared to other office chairs. Even when the investment is really worth as it lasts for long. The look and feel that any leather chair offers cannot be obtained with any other furniture. The cost is a bit higher but for the rich and luxurious feel and the long-lasting furniture it is worth spending that money. Buying a very comfortable office chair would bring a lot of benefits to the users. The price for leather is due to it being a naturally available material and the high quality and looks that it offers but it is really very expensive to buy a genuine leather office chair.

  • Prone to Scratches

The leather office chairs are the ones which cannot be used very rough like other office chair options. They are very much prone to scratches. It is necessary to be very careful and not to use any sharp objects while using the leather chair as it can harm the chair.

  • Difficulty in Identifying Genuine Leather

It is very difficult to differentiate between fake and genuine leather. A leather office chair is really a huge investment, it would be a gamble to spend on it as there is no guarantee that what one buys is genuine leather.

  • Leather Bleaches out and Crack

When leather office chairs are used, one should be very careful not to get it exposed too much heat and light as these are the factors that can lead to cracking and bleaching out of leather. It can make the leather office chair look very bad.

Conclusion 

When buying an ergonomic office chair, the aspect should be choosing the most comfortable chair irrespective whether it is made up of mesh or leather. Mesh chairs are a very useful and economical option for easily setting up an office without spending a lot of money on it. Leather office chairs are great investments for a conference room or such spaces that should look great to impress prospective clients and customers.

If you are ever in a shortage of options, browse our website for a variety to choose from. You can subscribe with your email for trials and discounts.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Mesh Office Chair.