Two Herman Miller chairs sit within about sixty dollars of each other on our floor: the Mirra 2 at $2,090 and the Aeron Remastered in Graphite at $2,150. Almost everyone who walks in asking for "a Herman Miller" means the Aeron. Almost nobody arrives asking for the Mirra 2. That is a shame, because the two chairs answer completely different questions, and for a decent slice of the people who ask us, the Mirra 2 is the better answer.
This is an honest look at the Mirra 2 for Australian buyers: what Herman Miller actually publishes about it, what we actually hold, what it costs here, and — the part most reviews skip — who should walk past it.
The short version
The Mirra 2 was designed by Studio 7.5 and is the second generation of a chair Herman Miller launched in 2003. Herman Miller describes the design principle plainly: "the more people move, the more they need support that moves with them."
Three things define it. The Loop Spine, which Herman Miller says "provides torsional flex, allowing you to stretch and reach laterally". The Harmonic 2 tilt, a "responsive leaf-spring design" that Herman Miller states "creates a smooth and balanced feel as you move from one posture to another, whatever your size or stature — from 90 to 350 pounds" (roughly 41 to 159 kg). And FlexFront, an adjustable seat depth of 16¼ to 18 inches, which the Aeron simply does not have at any price.
If you sit still and deep in one posture for eight hours, the Aeron is probably still your chair. If you twist, reach, swap between a keyboard and a sketchpad, or share the chair with someone a different size, the Mirra 2 does something the Aeron cannot.
What Herman Miller publishes
Every figure in this table comes from Herman Miller's own specification page and product literature for the Mirra 2. Herman Miller publishes in inches; the millimetre column is our conversion, rounded to the nearest millimetre.
| Measurement | As published (in) | Converted (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall height | 41.8–43.8 | 1062–1113 |
| Overall width, fully adjustable arms | 26.5–31 | 673–787 |
| Overall depth | 26.5 | 673 |
| Seat height, low-height cylinder | 14.75–19 | 375–483 |
| Seat height, standard cylinder | 16–20.5 | 406–521 |
| Seat height, extended cylinder | 16.75–22.25 | 425–565 |
| Seat depth, fixed | 16.25 | 413 |
| Seat depth, FlexFront adjustable | 16.25–18 | 413–457 |
| Arm height, fully adjustable arms | 6–11.5 | 152–292 |
| Arm height, fixed arms | 8.3 | 211 |
| Maximum user weight | 350 lb | 159 kg |
| Population range | 5th–95th percentile | |
| Recyclability | Up to 93%, BIFMA level 3 certified | |
| Warranty term published by Herman Miller | 12-year, 3-shift, with limited exceptions | |
Two things Herman Miller does not publish on these pages, so we do not state them: the weight of the chair itself, and where it is assembled. If either matters to your specification, ask us and we will chase the answer from the supplier in writing rather than repeat a number we found on a reseller's website.
The Butterfly back, and why we only stock it
Herman Miller builds the Mirra 2 with two different backs. The Butterfly back is, in Herman Miller's words, "made from a combination of a fabric-and-polymer backrest and a self-contouring seat material that acts like a suspension membrane", with "three levels of zoned support mapped to your body's anatomy". The TriFlex back is polymer only — Herman Miller says it "doesn't have any fabric" so it can meet rigorous cleaning protocols, and it carries "the same zones of support created by the size, shape, and pattern of the perforations".
We hold the Butterfly. The reason is simple: for a desk chair in a home or an office, the fabric layer gives a softer first contact without giving up airflow. The TriFlex earns its place in labs, clinics and anywhere that gets wiped down with something aggressive — and if that is your building, tell us and we will quote it rather than sell you the wrong back.
The seat: AireWeave and FlexFront
Herman Miller describes the AireWeave seat as "temperature neutral, so heat doesn't build up as you sit". In practice it is a taut suspension seat rather than a foam cushion. It holds you up rather than letting you sink in, and in a Sydney or Brisbane summer that matters more than most people expect.
The genuinely useful bit is FlexFront. Herman Miller says it "offers seat depth adjustability to properly support your thighs as you sit", across 16¼ to 18 inches (413 to 457 mm). You roll the front edge of the seat rather than sliding a pan.
Here is why that is a bigger deal than it sounds. The Aeron has no seat depth adjustment at all. Its seat depth is fixed by size: 406 mm on a size A, 432 mm on a size B, 470 mm on a size C. You choose your seat depth by choosing your chair and you live with it. One Mirra 2 covers 413 to 457 mm — most of the ground the Aeron needs two different chairs to cover.
The three cylinders — the fit decision people get wrong
The Mirra 2 is not one seat height. Herman Miller builds it on three different gas cylinders, and the difference between the ends of that range is 190 mm:
| Cylinder | Seat height | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Low-height | 375–483 mm | Shorter sitters, and anyone whose feet do not reach the floor on a standard chair |
| Standard | 406–521 mm | The great majority of desks at 720–750 mm |
| Extended | 425–565 mm | Higher benches and taller users |
Note the ceiling. The tallest cylinder tops out at 565 mm. That is a chair for a desk, not for a standing desk — the same limitation the Aeron has at 579 mm. If you want to perch at 900 mm you need a saddle chair or a drafting stool, not a Mirra 2. Our HÅG Capisco buying guide covers what that job actually needs.
The cylinder is fitted at the factory. It is not a setting you change with a lever, so it needs to be right on the order. Ring us on 02 9640 0642 and we will confirm which cylinder is on the chair you are looking at before you buy.
Mirra 2 vs Aeron: the comparison people are actually making
Both figures below are from each chair's own Herman Miller documentation.
| Mirra 2 | Aeron Remastered | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing | One shell, three seat-height cylinders | Three sizes: A, B, C — sized on height and weight together |
| Seat depth | Fixed 413 mm, or FlexFront 413–457 mm | Fixed by size: 406 / 432 / 470 mm. No adjustment. |
| Seat height | 375–483 / 406–521 / 425–565 mm by cylinder | A 366–490 mm · B 376–579 mm · C 401–579 mm |
| Back | Butterfly fabric-and-polymer, or TriFlex polymer | 8Z Pellicle mesh |
| Lateral movement | Loop Spine gives torsional flex | Rigid frame |
| Lumbar | PostureFit sacral support standard; height-adjustable lumbar optional | Four back supports listed by Herman Miller; we stock PostureFit SL |
| Maximum user weight | 159 kg | 136 kg (A) · 159 kg (B) · 181 kg (C) |
| Our price | $2,090 | From $2,150 (Graphite Remastered) |
Read that table twice, because it contains the whole argument. The Aeron gives you a bigger seat and a higher weight rating if you buy the right size — and getting the size right is the single most consequential decision with an Aeron, which is why we wrote a whole Aeron size guide about it. The Mirra 2 gives you one chair that adjusts to fit a range of people, and a back that lets you twist. If you are weighing up which Aeron back support you are actually looking at, our guide to PostureFit SL vs Adjustable Lumbar Support sets out all four.
If you are also weighing the Cosm and the Embody, our Aeron vs Cosm vs Embody comparison covers those three head to head.
What it costs in Australia, and what you actually get
We hold one configuration: the Mirra 2 in Graphite with the Butterfly suspension back, at $2,090. That puts it $60 under the Graphite Aeron Remastered, which is close enough that price should not be the thing that decides between them.
Two things to be straight about before you order:
- Stock. The Graphite Butterfly build is currently selling from incoming stock rather than sitting on the floor in Sydney. You can order it today, but ring us before you commit to a delivery date.
- Lumbar support. Herman Miller supplies PostureFit sacral support as standard and the height-adjustable lumbar as a separate option. Tell us which one you want and we will confirm it on the order.
You can sit in what we hold at the Pyrmont showroom, 1/209 Harris Street, by appointment.
The warranty — read this bit properly
Herman Miller publishes a 12-year, 3-shift warranty, with limited exceptions on the Mirra 2. That is Herman Miller's global term and it is a genuinely long one.
What you get from us is not that term. Our Herman Miller stock is genuine, brand new product supplied as an international parallel import — which describes the supply route, not the product. Because it is sourced outside Herman Miller's authorised Australian channel, the cover on it is our own 12-year Chair Dinkum warranty, not Herman Miller's. It runs across the frame, mechanism, gas lift, base, armrest structure and mesh, it is assessed and handled here in Sydney, and the terms are on our warranty page.
We think that is a fair deal and we say so on every Herman Miller product we sell. But it is a different thing from a manufacturer's warranty and you should know which one you are buying. Nothing in it displaces your rights under the Australian Consumer Law, which apply regardless.
Suits you if
- You move while you work. Reaching for a second monitor, turning to a colleague, swinging between a keyboard and a notepad. The Loop Spine's torsional flex is the whole point of this chair.
- More than one person uses the chair. FlexFront means one chair fits a 165 cm and a 185 cm sitter without buying two chairs. For a shared home office or a hot desk, that is worth real money.
- You run warm. A suspension seat and a perforated back move a lot more air than a foam cushion.
- You want a Herman Miller and the Aeron sizing has you stuck. If you are between an A and a B, or between a B and a C, the Mirra 2 sidesteps the problem entirely.
- Sustainability is in your tender. Up to 93% recyclable, BIFMA level 3 certified, and Herman Miller changed the nylon base and spine to 100% recycled material in 2024.
Does not suit you if
- You want a padded seat. The AireWeave seat is firm and taut. Some people never warm to a suspension seat, and no amount of adjustment fixes that. Sit in one first.
- You are over 159 kg. Herman Miller's published maximum user weight for the Mirra 2 is 159 kg, full stop. There is no larger size. An Aeron size C is rated to 181 kg, and our guide to office chair weight ratings in Australia explains what those numbers do and do not certify.
- You need a chair for a standing desk. The tallest cylinder stops at 565 mm. You want a saddle chair or a drafting stool.
- You want the badge. If part of what you are buying is the chair everyone recognises, the Mirra 2 will not do that job. The Aeron will.
- You sit deep and still all day and you are tall. A size C Aeron gives you 470 mm of seat depth. The Mirra 2 tops out at 457 mm.
- Your building demands wipe-clean surfaces. Then you want the TriFlex back, which is not what we hold on the floor. Talk to us before ordering.
How it fits the rest of the desk
A chair with torsional flex only pays off if the rest of the desk lets you move. Two things matter more than the chair once you are past the $2,000 mark.
The first is screen height. If your monitor is sitting on the box it came in, you will crane forward and cancel out everything the backrest is doing. A monitor arm fixes it for a couple of hundred dollars — our comparison of premium monitor arms works through which arm suits which screen weight, and heavy curved and ultrawide panels have their own rules.
The second is desk height. The standard cylinder's 406–521 mm range assumes a desk somewhere around 720–750 mm. If your desk is fixed and tall, you need the extended cylinder and possibly a footrest; if it is a sit-stand desk, the chair is only doing half the work anyway.
You can browse the full Herman Miller range we hold, or compare it against everything else on the floor in ergonomic task chairs.
Our verdict
The Mirra 2 is the chair we recommend most often and sell least often, and the gap between those two facts is entirely about brand recognition rather than the chair.
Buy it if you move while you work, if more than one person will sit in it, or if the Aeron's fixed seat depth is the thing that has stalled your decision. Buy the Aeron instead if you sit deep and still, if you are over 159 kg, or if you want the chair people recognise. And if you are not sure which of those describes you, come and sit in both — that is what the showroom is for, and twenty minutes in a chair tells you more than another hour of reading.
The Mirra 2 in Graphite with the Butterfly back is the configuration we hold. Call 02 9640 0642 or get in touch and we will tell you straight whether it is the right chair for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum user weight of the Herman Miller Mirra 2?
Herman Miller publishes a maximum user weight of 350 lb, which is 159 kg. There is no larger version of the Mirra 2. If you need a higher rating in a Herman Miller, the Aeron size C is published at 400 lb or 181 kg.
Does the Mirra 2 have adjustable seat depth?
Yes, if it is specified with FlexFront. Herman Miller publishes a fixed seat depth of 16.25 inches, which is 413 mm, or a FlexFront adjustable range of 16.25 to 18 inches, which is 413 to 457 mm. The Aeron has no seat depth adjustment at all — its depth is fixed by the size you choose.
How high does the Mirra 2 go?
It depends which gas cylinder the chair is built on. Herman Miller publishes three: low-height at 375 to 483 mm, standard at 406 to 521 mm, and extended at 425 to 565 mm. The cylinder is fitted at the factory and is not something you change with a lever, so it needs to be right on the order.
Can I use a Mirra 2 at a standing desk?
No. The tallest cylinder tops out at 565 mm, which is a desk-height chair, not a standing-height one. For perching at a raised desk you want a saddle chair or a drafting stool instead.
What is the difference between the Butterfly and TriFlex backs?
The Butterfly back combines a fabric-and-polymer backrest with a self-contouring suspension material, in three zones of support mapped to the body. The TriFlex back is polymer only, with the same zones created by the size, shape and pattern of the perforations, and no fabric at all so it can meet rigorous cleaning protocols. We stock the Butterfly, and we can order the TriFlex for clinical and laboratory settings.
What warranty comes with a Mirra 2 from Chair Dinkum?
Herman Miller publishes a 12-year, 3-shift warranty on the Mirra 2. Our stock is genuine Herman Miller product supplied as an international parallel import, so the cover on it is our own 12-year Chair Dinkum warranty rather than Herman Miller's. It covers the frame, mechanism, gas lift, base, armrest structure and mesh, and it is handled here in Sydney. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply on top of it.
Is the Mirra 2 cheaper than the Aeron?
Slightly. We sell the Mirra 2 in Graphite with the Butterfly back at $2,090, and the Aeron Remastered in Graphite starts at $2,150. The two chairs are close enough on price that cost should not decide it — the fit and the way you work should.
How recyclable is the Mirra 2?
Herman Miller publishes the Mirra 2 as up to 93% recyclable and BIFMA level 3 certified, and states that in 2024 the nylon base and spine were changed to 100% recycled material.
Does the Mirra 2 arrive assembled?
Yes. The chairs we ship in Australia arrive fully assembled and ready to sit in.
