Herman Miller Sayl review: This is a brilliant, frustrating chair

I understand that many readers of this review will just look at the stars I've awarded it, and base their buying decision mainly on that. That's why I really struggled to give the Sayl chair, from chair experts Herman Miller, its three and a half stars. Most people won't bother with anything lower than four, and I get that. Especially when the asking price is around $700.

So how about this: The Sayl chair is the best three and a half star chair I've reviewed! And I'm not damning it with faint praise. It's a really fantastic chair in many ways. It looks, frankly, beautiful – like much of the Herman Miller roster. It's comfy and has a tilt mechanism that I wish was picked up by more chair manufacturers. But those arms! Ooof, they be cheap!

The Sayl chair is an easy chair to review, because there's so much to say about it. But will it make my list of the best chairs for back pain? It's definitely a contender. So let's get to it...

Comfort and ergonomics

The Sayl is a comfortable chair to sit in. I used it as a regular office chair at my home office for a couple months, and got to know its soft, cushioned seat, it's breathable, springy back, and its hugging shape that is supportive, not clingy.

And that dual use of materials for the seat and back isn't just an aesthetic decision. Without getting too gross about it, you sweat more from your torso than your butt (well, I do), so having the back net patterned allows loads of air to circulate around your upper body, while the seat goes for classic foam cushion, prioritising comfort over breathability. The end result is I never felt over heated using this chair – and I used it during the 2024 UK summer, which had a few zingers.

In fact, with all the back breathability, it's no surprise that Herman Miller is also trying to rebrand the Sayl as a gaming chair, much like it did with the Embody (though this is not restricted to the UK as it is with Embody). I'm not reviewing the 'gaming' version of the Sayl, so i'll keep this bit minimal. There is no difference between the 'gaming' model of the Sayl and the normal model – apart from the 'gaming' version doesn't come with lumbar support, but does come in different colours. This is all marketing nonsense. The Sayl is not a gaming chair. Anyway, back to this review...

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Comfort is easy to review, but things get a little more complicated when we talk about ergonomics. Head over to my interview with Dr Lindsey Migliore about what makes good ergonomics and how to choose your office chair. TL;DR version: lumbar support is good; a chair that encourages micro-movements is good, just as a chair that encourages inertia is bad; adjustability for natural sitting comfort, whatever your body type, is also good.

The Sayl has an adjustable lumbar support, the spring of the back rest encourages movement, and it has decent adjustability. It is definitely built for smaller bodies, but as an average 5'10, 170lbs man, it suited me perfectly. It also raises notably high for any chair, not just a small one. Sure, the lumbar support isn't as solid as the Aeron is, for example, but you still feel it's support, and after all you don't want the thing stabbing into your back all the time. I really like the back to the Sayl. It's springy and looks cool and definitely encourages movement.

But oh me oh my, what the hell is going on with these arm rests? Did the Arm Rest Guy take a day off and get covered by the... the Flimsy Plastic Guy?? (yeah, I said it!) It's crazy, because Herman Miller is the absolute last company that I would call cheap. They produce iconic furniture that I actually love. The Embody is my favourite chair of all time. The Aeron is right up there too. But these arms feel cheaper than a Sihoo budget chair (not that there's anything wrong with the best budget chairs out there.... it's just a different market).

And the Sayl is not a cheap chair, in quality or price. I see it selling for just under $700, but I think it originally retailed for $1,000. Yet the arms you get with it feel super light and easy to rattle side to side. You can easily shake them with no effort. Saying that, they do have a good range of height movement, and I like that they move forward/backward and side to side, and top foam is comfortable... like the title says: frustrating.

Design and aesthetics

Yves Béhar was inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge in designing the Sayl chair. The thinking behind it is actually really cool, and you should head over to the Herman Miller site to read about that story. But what does that mean for the users that are going to sit on it day to day?

It means you are buying yet another iconic piece of furniture design from Herman Miller. It looks stunning, because it's unique and does its job really well. What creative isn't a sucker for that?

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A design features that I particularly like about the Sayl is its recline mechanism – it's genius. There are two side-by-side switches under the seat to the left (image above). One of them has four notches you can move through, which dictates the recline angle you can then move the chair back to. The second switch locks the chair in one of the angle settings.

Weirdly, the locked position is the 'normal' upright sitting angle. That's because the first notch setting is actually forward! That's right, you can have the back rest of the chair leaning forward if you so wish. I thought this was perverse when I first discovered it, but actually when you think about ergonomic micro-movements, and changing the way you sit over long working sessions, it's a pretty cool adition. It also makes more sense with the high height option of the chair. You can basically perch on the chair for a time. Definitely not the ideal way to sit as a standard, but a neat option to have.

Herman Miller chairs often offer distinct, unique features, and this is definitely the Sayl's. I love it, and it almost makes me stop fixating over those horrible arm rests... almost.

Price and verdict: should I buy it?

The Herman Miller site states that the Sayl is one of its 'affordable' chairs. That's probably because Herman Miller usually deals with big companies or rich individuals who own gold toilets. The Sayl, which averages around $700, is not affordable to the majority of people. The aforementioned Sihoo manufacturers do affordable. Budget chair for under $200? That's more like it.

So, is it worth the price? If it had even slightly better arms, I wouldn't hesitate. There is so much to love about this chair – most importantly the ergonomics/comfort and the gorgeous design. But the arms remain, right there, for all to see... and rattle. If ergonomics and exquisite design is your thing, sure – go for it. If you really like a chair with quality arm rests – run for hills.

Key specs