Best Office Chairs Europe

Herman Miller Aeron vs Sayl

A side-by-side reading of the manufacturers' own European data. Where one chair's published spec is better, it is marked; where data is missing, we say so.

Updated By The Best Office Chairs Europe editorial team26 sources

Herman Miller Aeron and Herman Miller Sayl side by side, to scaleSchematic side views at the same scale. Herman Miller Aeron: seat 406–521 mm. Herman Miller Sayl: seat 406–521 mm. Lime band: EN 1335 Type A, 400–520 mm.020040060080010001200521406AAeronHerman Miller · seat 406–521 mm521406BSaylHerman Miller · seat 406–521 mmSAME SCALE · MM · LIME BAND: EN 1335 TYPE A
Schematic side views at the same scale, from each maker's published seat height, seat depth and overall height. Dashed outlines: highest seat setting.

The short answer

Both are made in Melksham for Europe, with Europe-scope EPDs and 12-year warranties. The Sayl offers seat depth as an option and costs less; the Aeron offers three sizes.

On published specifications, the Aeron leads on no measured row; the Sayl leads on seat depth adjustment, lowest official price found, Spec Index.

Side by side

● marks the better published value on rows where "better" is measurable. Blank: not published.
SpecificationHerman Miller AeronHerman Miller Sayl
Seat height406–521 mm406–521 mm
Seat-height span115 mm115 mm
Lowest seat (shorter users)406 mm406 mm
Highest seat (taller users)521 mm521 mm
EN 1335 Types spannedType B, Type CType B, Type C
Seat depth432 mm406–457 mm
Seat depth adjustmentFixedOption
Max. user weight159 kg159 kg
Warranty12 years12 years
EN 1335 declaredNoNo
Third-party EPDYesYes
Made for Europe inMelksham, United KingdomMelksham, United Kingdom
Made inside the EUNoNo
Lowest official price found£1,219 (United Kingdom)€794 (Germany)
Spec Index60/10064/100

Fit: which bodies each chair suits

Seat height decides whether your feet reach the floor with your thighs level. The bars show each chair's published range against the four EN 1335-1:2020 Types. Work out your own target with the office chair height calculator.

Seat-height range compared with EN 1335-1:2020 types EN 1335 Type Ax: 400–540 mm; EN 1335 Type A: 400–520 mm; EN 1335 Type B: 420–510 mm; EN 1335 Type C: 430–480 mm; Aeron: 406–521 mm; Sayl: 406–521 mm 380420460500540580620660 EN 1335 Type Ax EN 1335 Type A EN 1335 Type B EN 1335 Type C Aeron 406–521 Sayl 406–521
Seat height in mm, loaded seat. Grey bars: the range each EN 1335-1:2020 Type must cover. Black bars: the manufacturer’s published range.

Aeron: Standard cylinder, 406–521 mm (16–20½ in) per the Herman Miller Store. The EMEA product sheet gives 394–600 mm: Size B per EMEA sheet spec table ('range may vary depending on cylinder height'); Size A 366-490, Size C 401-579 mm. The sheet's dimension drawing shows different figures (e.g. 376-579).

Sayl: Standard cylinder, 406–521 mm (16–20½ in) per the Herman Miller Store. The EMEA product sheet gives 419–559 mm: 'Extended Height Range' (EMEA sheet)

Adjustments

Adjustments
AdjustmentHerman Miller AeronHerman Miller Sayl
Seat depth adjustmentFixedOption
Backrest height adjustmentnot publishednot published
Lumbar supportOptionOption
ArmrestsOption (adjustment type not published)Option (adjustment type not published)
Recline tensionnot publishednot published
Recline lockSeveral positionsSeveral positions
Forward seat tiltOptionOption
Headrestnot publishednot published

Prices in Europe

Official brand-store prices by country, including VAT, for the configuration each store lists. Checked on the dates shown.

Prices by market
MarketAeronSayl
Belgium€1,598€808
Germany€1,573€794
Denmark12,400 DKK6,300 DKK
Spain€1,598€808
Finland€1,708€863
France€1,586€801
Netherlands€1,598€808
Sweden18,700 SEK9,400 SEK
United Kingdom£1,219£722

For euro conversions, VAT-free comparisons and every market at once, use the EU price comparator.

Some links on this page are commercial.

Spec Index

Points for what each maker publishes, using the same rules for every chair. A missing figure scores zero, so a low score can mean "not published" rather than "worse".

Spec Index: computed from published specifications only (rules). Not a comfort rating or a test result.
CriterionHerman Miller AeronHerman Miller Sayl
Adjustability / 401216
Seat-height range vs EN 1335 type A / 201919
Load and standards disclosure / 1588
Warranty / 101010
Environmental disclosure / 151111
Spec Index / 1006064

More detail

Sources

  1. Herman Miller Store: Aeron dimensions (size B seat height 16–20½ in): store.hermanmiller.com/office-chairs/aeron-chair/2195348.html
  2. Herman Miller UK - Aeron: www.hermanmiller.com/en_gb/products/seating/office-chairs/aeron-chair/
  3. Aeron EMEA product sheet en-GB (PDF): www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hermanmiller/documents/product_literature/product_sheets/
  4. Aeron Aluminium Base - EU EPD-IES-0028576: www.environdec.com/library/epd28576
  5. Herman Miller Store: Sayl dimensions (seat height 16–20½ in): store.hermanmiller.com/office-chairs/sayl-chair/2294.html
  6. Herman Miller UK - Sayl: www.hermanmiller.com/en_gb/products/seating/office-chairs/sayl-chairs/
  7. Sayl EMEA product sheet en-GB (PDF): www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hermanmiller/documents/product_literature/product_sheets/
  8. Sayl Work Chair - EU EPD-IES-0027291: www.environdec.com/library/epd27291
  9. Herman Miller Store (Belgium & Luxembourg) (BE): eustore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  10. Herman Miller Store DE (DE): destore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  11. Herman Miller Store FR (FR): frstore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  12. Herman Miller Store NL (NL): nlstore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  13. Herman Miller Store ES (ES): esstore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  14. Herman Miller Store FI (FI): fistore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  15. Herman Miller Store SE (SE): sestore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  16. Herman Miller Store DK (DK): dkstore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  17. Herman Miller Store UK (UK): ukstore.hermanmiller.com/products/aeron-office-chair
  18. Herman Miller Store (Belgium & Luxembourg) (BE): eustore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  19. Herman Miller Store DE (DE): destore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  20. Herman Miller Store FR (FR): frstore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  21. Herman Miller Store NL (NL): nlstore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  22. Herman Miller Store ES (ES): esstore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  23. Herman Miller Store FI (FI): fistore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  24. Herman Miller Store SE (SE): sestore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  25. Herman Miller Store DK (DK): dkstore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair
  26. Herman Miller Store UK (UK): ukstore.hermanmiller.com/products/sayl-office-chair

All sources checked 20 October 2026. Where a manufacturer does not publish a value, we say so rather than estimate it.

Cite this page

Best Office Chairs Europe, “Herman Miller Aeron vs Sayl”, https://bestofficechairs.eu/compare/aeron-vs-sayl/, updated .