ErgoChair Pro vs Embody Chair Herman Miller: which is safer?
Embody Chair Herman Miller is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Autonomous
ErgoChair Pro
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyFlame-retardant chemicals in upholstery fabric
PossibleFormaldehyde-releasing resins in fabric finish and adhesives
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from off-gassing
Our pick
Herman Miller
Embody Chair Herman Miller
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes (toxic breakdown products)
PossibleAntimony in polyester fiber
PossibleMicroplastics from synthetic fiber shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Flame-retardant chemicals in upholstery fabric, Formaldehyde-releasing resins in fabric finish and adhesives and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from off-gassing on the Autonomous and not on the Herman Miller.
- We flag Azo dyes (toxic breakdown products), Antimony in polyester fiber and Microplastics from synthetic fiber shedding on the Herman Miller and not on the Autonomous.
- The Autonomous is Steel frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, plastic/aluminum components where the Herman Miller is Fabric (polyester/nylon blend) and aluminum/steel frame; no fluoropolymer or water-resistant coating disclosed, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More office chairs: see the full ranking