Although there are several headsets that you can use with the Herman Miller Aeron chair, the Engineered Now headrest and Atlas headrest are the most sought-after products.
We have ordered both of them so we can try and share our honest reviews with you. This blog is all about the Engineered Now Headrest review. Here we will brief you more about its quality, installation process, the annoying flaws, etc. so you can decide if it is worth the effort.
We will soon be coming up with a blog on the Atlas headrest. If you are interested in buying that instead, please check back after a few weeks for our detailed review. Currently, we are trying it out. We typically try a product for a few weeks before reviewing it, so we can share our first-hand experience with you.
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Quick Video:
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0:02
Okay, so this is the engineered now headrest, that is for the Herman Miller air on classic chair.
0:12
And I should say that this is actually the H four headrest, so if the taller version from them that lift this up for taller people.
0:23
So the first thing I want to talk about with regards to this headrest is the overall design, it is fantastic. As you can see, it very much looks like it was specifically made for this chair. And it doesn’t look far off from something that Herman Miller would have designed themselves. I also love how easy it is to install. So you just slide this piece on from somewhere back here. And then once you get it into the proper position, which is easy, because of this screw hole that you will see back here, you just align it in the middle of that, once it’s in position to where you want it, then you use the included Allen wrench and tighten this thing on. And it’ll go nowhere at that point. From there, you can actually adjust this quite a bit by loosening this up and it actually becomes quite loose. And then you get it into place where you want it and click it into place.
1:19
Let’s see as far as adjustability, while the Lord’s clicked into place, you can actually move this quite a bit. And we will talk about that later how that’s not exactly a great thing, at least for me. But yes, from this joint here, you can move this back and forth to get it into position. From there, you have these two joints here that actually allow you to move it up and down this way. And then finally, you have these rods here that allow you to raise and lower the height of the headrest a little bit. So there’s a lot of adjustability in this. Now as I just alluded to this fact that what they call free flowing motion, the fact that this can go back and forth, while you’re actually seated. I don’t love that feature. Now they do say here that they have the ability to put these stoppers on it, which will stop that and make it more locked in place. I haven’t tried that. I’m not a big, super big fan of that feature. I will say the bigger problem for me though, is simply the fact that this is not tall enough, or not as tall as I might like it. Now I’m six foot one inch, but I do have kind of a longer torso, so I may be closer in height to someone or my head may be closer to about maybe like a six, two or six, three person. So that’s something to keep in mind for you. This may be a perfect location for you. So definitely keep that fact in mind. With these headrests just like the chairs themselves. It really depends on what you prefer. And what feels good to you. One thing I do need to mention, though, is just how well, and I’ve already touched on this. But I just want to mention how well this pattern matches the chair overall. So we move this around. And if we get in here close, you’ll see that it matches it almost exactly, actually can’t tell much of a difference between the two. So that’s fantastic. Also, some reviewers were complaining that this material here was actually too taut, so too tight.
3:39
And I don’t see that the case with this. This is actually a loose.
3:44
And one thing I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just you know, over time, I wonder if this would stay tight like this as tight as it is now? Or would it loosen up, I heard some people complain that it did loosen up over time. So that’s one thing to keep in mind. So I will say that right now I see no quality issues with this thing. It’s it’s it seems amazingly well built.
4:06
And so finally,
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let’s get to the part of the review where I talk rating. So how would I rate this thing overall. So I would have to give it a four out of five is what I’m giving it. And keep in mind that is because I’m a taller person, and I’m looking for something taller. I also don’t love the free motion kind of design. That’s why for me specifically, it’s a four out of five. Another thing I do love about it, though, is the fact that they’re selling this thing on Amazon. And let me tell you why that’s such a big value add because with Amazon, I know instantly that I’m going to get two days shipping right so it’s going to ship out quickly. As well as I know that because of the Amazon guarantee that if I don’t like it, I can simply return it back. So that’s the big big seller to me and that’s a fantastic thing that I think that
5:00
They are leveraging that channel. Now, as you can see in the lower left hand corner here, I do have the Atlas headrest that just came in. So I’m going to be putting that on today and taking it through its paces. For the next week or so. I’ve been using this for over a week and a half now. It’s great, but I think it could be better. So I’m going to see if the Atlas headrest is better. But Yep, so that’s it for this review, I would give it a four out of five, I think it’s a fantastic option, especially if you don’t have the kind of height issues that I have. So if you’re not a super tall person, this could be perfect for you. The one thing you don’t like overall the the free motion, but keep in mind, you can lock that into place. So that could solve that issue for you. And I think that when you couple this thing with the fact that it looks like it was specifically designed for this chair, you have a great, great product. That looks fantastic. works fantastic. It could be a fantastic option for you. So yes, we are rating it four out of five. Now, I want you to stay tuned to our videos and subscribe because we’re going to be reviewing this Atlas headrest, we have just or should have just gotten out the review for the Steelcase gesture chair, which is head rest. Some of the problems we had with it may actually surprise you. And then we’re also going to be doing a general review over these Herman Miller Aeron chairs from this perspective of buying a used one because I’ve used I bought this used and I’ve been using it for the past five years. So we’re going to talk about is the Herman Miller Aeron chair, still, as you know, as good of a deal, as it was in the past, are there any issues I found that they’re using it for several years now? What do I think of it? And then later on in the next few months, we’re going to be
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doing a review over the Herman Miller embody when that comes in, as well as we’re going to be doing a review over the Atlas embody headrest as soon as that comes out, so definitely please subscribe to the videos. Keep all the comments coming and let us know what are some other products you would like us to review
Engineered Now Headrest Installation and Adjustment Manual
Quick Summary:
Features: Made of breathable mesh fabric, installation is simple, has a free flow design that lets you tilt and swivel as well as adjust its height
Pros: blends well with the color of the chair and doesn’t look like an aftermarket part, works as expected
Cons: free-flow design makes it wobbly but you can adjust the tension, can’t lock its vertical position
Our Rating: 4/5
Full Written Review:
Herman Miller Aeron is one of the best ergonomically designed chairs for people who sit for long working hours at home or in the office. We have used it for years and, as expected, the only major problem that we faced is the missing headrest.
Since Herman Miller does not manufacture or sell headrests for its Aeron chairs separately, we decided to try some aftermarket products because we like the chair but, at the same time, we do want something that can support our neck and head.
We tried the Engineered Now Headrest and we are impressed!
Let’s start our Engineered Now headrest review by looking at some of its key features.
Noteworthy features of Engineered Now headrest
- Dimensions: 12 x 7 x 8 inches
- Weight- 1.6 kg
- Available in 5 different colors to blend well with your chair instead of looking like an aftermarket part
- Easy slip-on installation
- Made of breathable mesh
- Available in two sizes. The H3 size is meant for people under 5’-11” and the H4 is suitable for taller persons. The H4 model is taller and about 20% bigger than the other one.
- Has a free-flow design that lets you tilt/slide freely
- 2 years limited warranty. If you buy from Amazon, you will also get its A to Z guarantee.
Please note- Atlas headrest is available in only one size. We haven’t used it yet, so can’t comment if that works well for all users. But, do check back after a few weeks for a detailed review.
Installation and adjustments
The Engineered Now headset for Herman Miller Aeron chair is pretty easy to install. All you need to do is to slide it through and ensure that it is in its proper position. Then, you need to tighten the clamp which has just one screw. Watch the video below.
Making adjustments is also pretty easy. You can adjust the headrest vertically to position at the right height. You can also tilt it up and down as per your needs. Plus, you can also move it forward or backward, so it provides you with good support irrespective of your sitting position. The manufacturer claims that you can make most of the adjustments while sitting on the chair. See the video below for more details.
Please note: You cannot lock the headrest in its vertical position. It starts sliding down with use and you have to readjust it as and when needed. You can try some DIY methods such as wrapping some electrical tape around the silver rods, attaching a clamp, etc. to prevent the headrest from sliding down but they don’t work so well.
Appearance
The manufacturer of Engineered Now headrests for Herman Miller Aeron chairs claims that they blend well with the fabric of the chairs, so no one would be able to figure out that it is not the chair’s original part. We do agree with that. Although the mesh material is different, the quality, build, and finish make it look like a genuine Herman Miller product.
However, a few buyers, in their Engineered now Headrest review, have stated that there is a slight color difference but it’s very negligible and not a dealbreaker. Here is how the headrest looks:
Image from: Unwanted imports
Comfort
85% of buyers have rated it 4-star and above. Hundreds of buyers in their Engineered Now headrest review have stated that this is exactly what they needed to support their heads while spending hours on their chairs. Unquestionably, this product is comfortable to use. However, there are a few flaws that could annoy you. We have listed them towards the end of the article. Keep reading.
Things that you must know before buying the Engineered Now Headrest
Doesn’t work well with over ear headphones
This headrest for Herman Miller Aeron chair is designed to cradle your neck and lower head. It has a snug fit, so when you use an over ear headphone, the mesh fabric will push them off your head.
Honestly, that’s a fairly common issue with many ergonomic headrests and there is nothing much that can be done to fix it. The manufacturers may try to make the set wider but then we don’t think it would be as ergonomic or well-proportioned as it is currently.
If you use over ear headphones for work, this might not be a good choice for you.
Adjusting the tension of Engineered Now headrest is painful
Once installed, you will have to adjust the tension of everything because the factory setting runs loose. Watch our Engineered Now headrest review video above to see how wobbly (and annoying) it is.
Now, the issue here is that the screws that let you adjust the tension are inside the preinstalled protective caps. These caps are difficult to remove. Although the manufacturer has stated that you need to remove them with your fingernails, buyers have stated that you will have to literally rip them off using a screwdriver. They do send you extra caps just in case you damage the existing ones.
We don’t really understand the need for these caps because they are just aesthetic additions. They don’t have any functional purpose. Moreover, the hardware inside the caps almost matches the overall look of the headrest. So, you can leave them exposed.
There is no way to lock the headrest’s position vertically
We have already mentioned this issue above. A lot of buyers including us had this issue. When you lean on it, the Engineered now Headrest for Aeron chair starts to slip down to its lowest setting. You will have to keep readjusting it repeatedly. And, for making the readjustments, you will have to get up from your chair unless you have enough flexibility to reach for the silver rods while sitting on the chair.
Many buyers in their Engineered Now headrest reviews have stated that its free flow design is more annoying than ergonomic. The headrest is designed to be free-flowing so it can take any position that you are taking. But, it ended up being wobbly. You can tighten the swivel and tilt as mentioned above but there is no way you can fix its height. This is the only major flaw this headrest has.
Other minor issues that buyers have mentioned about
- A few people have mentioned that the mesh snags the hair. We can’t say much because we have short hair.
- The H4 version of this product is shorter than expected. It is meant for people taller than 5.11 ft and yet we found it a bit shorter for us. It is our personal opinion and other buyers haven’t mentioned anything about this in their Engineered Now headrest reviews. So, do not hesitate to try it out because it is anyway covered by Amazon’s return policy.
Engineered Now Headrest for Herman Miller Aeron chair doesn’t void its warranty
While writing this Engineered Now headrest review, we came across many websites that claim that it may void the warranty of your chair. This is false.
Upon reading it, we were taken aback. How could it possibly happen that a headrest can void a chair’s warranty, especially if it is exclusively designed for that specific chair? We checked thoroughly and even called Engineered Now to double-check it. Those claims are wrong. Your warranty won’t be void unless you tighten it roughly enough to damage the chair and that’s fair.
Our Rating: 4/5
Wrap up:
The Engineered Now headrest is truly the ‘original bestselling headrest for the Herman Miller Aeron chair’ as claimed by the manufacturer. Despite its flaws, it is still better than several other products. We are yet to review the Atlas headrest, so we can’t say which one is better but this specific product met our expectations.
The wobbly headrest issue is fairly common. Even the Steelcase Gesture chair that we reviewed recently has the same problem. The manufacturers intentionally make them that way because this helps them adjust with the angle of the body, which is what ergonomic products are supposed to do. But, you can anyway tighten them if needed.
If you are creating an ergonomic office space, we highly recommend that you mount your monitor on a stand so it stays at your eye level and helps reduce the strain on your neck and eyes. We have recently reviewed the Huanuo 17-32” Monitor Mount Stand and we will soon be reviewing a few other popular products.
If you travel a lot, you can use a portable laptop riser such as the Nexstand Laptop Stand to ensure that you never have to hunch your back while working from a coffee shop or a conference center. Also, check out this Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse that we highly recommend for people who have severe mouse usage.
We have also reviewed some of the Best Cell Phone Desk Stands that you can use for hands-free mobile meetings. We never thought these inexpensive gadgets could be of such great help for our ‘text neck’ issue.
