Home / Home & cleaning / Office chairs / Compare
Haworth Fern vs Herman Miller Embody vs Steelcase Gesture
Too close to call: the right one depends on your home.
The verdict in 10 seconds
The Haworth Fern suits you if
- You sit at a desk for long hours and want a chair for the long haul
- You value a flexible, supportive backrest and very adjustable armrests
- You like choosing your own colors, materials and features
May not suit you if
- You're tall and need the deepest seat setting without a gap at your back
- You depend on a good, fully adjustable headrest
- You want a full mesh chair or a lower-cost starter option
The Herman Miller Embody suits you if
- You sit at a desk most of the day and want a chair that moves with you
- You like a firm, curved lower-back shape and a smooth recline
- You want a chair built to last for many years
May not suit you if
- You prefer a softer, flatter back or are prone to tailbone pressure
- You want a headrest or armrests that slide forward and pivot
- You're taller than about six foot two or on a tighter budget
The Steelcase Gesture suits you if
- You sit at a desk for long hours and want all-day comfort
- Several people of different sizes will share one chair
- You like sitting upright and want armrests you can position almost anywhere
May not suit you if
- Your back needs firm, pronounced lumbar support
- You run warm and prefer a breathable mesh chair
- You're very tall, over about six foot four, or on a tight budget
The short version
These are closely matched, so pick by what your home needs. The Haworth Fern suits you if you sit at a desk for long hours and want a chair for the long haul. The Herman Miller Embody suits you if you sit at a desk most of the day and want a chair that moves with you. The Steelcase Gesture suits you if you sit at a desk for long hours and want all-day comfort.
We researched 13 expert reviews, analyzed 11,064 owner ratings and comments across 12 sources for the three, and cross-checked them into one verdict, so you don't have to.
See the evidence
The scoreboardProduct Review score 78 vs 80 vs 80 · reliability 73 vs 91 vs 85
| Haworth Fern | Herman Miller Embody | Steelcase Gesture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Review score | 78 | 80 | 80 |
| Experts | 89 | 83 | 82 |
| Owners | 69 | 73 | 75 |
| Reliability | 73 | 91 | 85 |
| Report problems | 11% | 4% | 6% |
| Evidence | 3 reviews · 158 comments | 4 reviews · 602 comments | 6 reviews · 514 comments |
| Typical price | $1,105 | $1,695–$2,075 | $1,100–$1,700 |
● marks the better number on each row.
Experts vs ownersExperts 89 vs 83 vs 82 · Owners 69 vs 73 vs 75
Haworth Fern
Herman Miller Embody
Steelcase Gesture
How we reached each verdictThe numbers behind each model's score
Haworth Fern
All 3 expert reviewers used the Fern hands-on and rated it highly (expert score 89 across 2 published scores), praising long-session comfort, adaptive back support, adjustable arms and a 12-year warranty. Owners are cooler (owner score 69 from 158 comments, 111 first-hand): 26% praise comfort and 14% praise back support, but 12% find it uncomfortable and 14% say it isn't worth the money. Failure-related mentions show up in 11% of comments, though only 3% describe the chair actually breaking, with smaller numbers citing armrest issues (5%) and squeaks (3%). The evidence on back problems specifically is thin, since no reviewer assessed it for particular conditions; also, a large Amazon listing matched to this product is a houseplant, so we left it out, and the remaining retail ratings are modest (4.21 stars from 48 at the brand store, 3.92 from 69 on Google).
Herman Miller Embody
Comfort is the standout: 62% of owner comments praise it, and 3 of 4 hands-on reviewers found it very comfortable, with 32% of owners highlighting good back support. The fit isn't universal, though: one reviewer (btod.com) found the pronounced lumbar curve, hard back, and tailbone pressure uncomfortable enough to rotate it out, a techgearlab tester rated it poorly, and 10% of owners complain about comfort. Durability looks strong, with a reliability score of 91, failures mentioned in only 4% of comments, and a 12-year warranty noted. Expert evidence is thin at just 4 reviews with 2 published scores, so confidence is medium, and the Amazon rating (3.7 from 222 votes) runs noticeably lower than the Google listing (4.45 from 4,659).
Steelcase Gesture
Five of the six expert sources tested the Gesture hands-on, and all five praise its build, comfort, and unusually adjustable armrests; one source (Consumer Reports) gave no usable verdict. The clearest caveat for back-pain shoppers is lumbar support: 4 of 5 hands-on reviewers describe it as subtle, mild, weak, or minimal, though the New York Times still calls the chair supportive and its top pick. Among 514 owner comments, 45% praise comfort and 22% praise back support, while 18% find it uncomfortable and only 4% mention back pain. Evidence specific to medical back conditions is thin, since no source tested it for that purpose.
Where each one falls shortThe most common complaints
Haworth Fern
- Very expensive for what some owners get
- Seat feels firm or uncomfortable to some
- Lumbar support is an add-on and the headrest is clumsy
Herman Miller Embody
- Very high and rising price
- Pronounced lumbar curve and firm back don't suit everyone
- Limited, bulky armrests that only adjust height and width
Steelcase Gesture
- Very high price
- Weak, subtle lumbar support
- Armrests don't lock and controls are unlabeled or fiddly
Quick answers
Which is better, the Haworth Fern or the Herman Miller Embody or the Steelcase Gesture?
Neither, clearly. They're closely matched, so choose by your floors, pets and budget.
Based on: Product Review score 78 vs 80 vs 80.Which is more reliable?
The Herman Miller Embody. It's the least likely of the three to give you trouble.
Based on: Reliability 73 vs 91 vs 85; problems mentioned by 11% vs 4% vs 6% of owners.Which is easier to live with day to day?
It's a draw. Day to day, the three are about as satisfying.
Based on: Owners score 69 vs 73 vs 75, from ratings and comments.Which is cheaper?
The Steelcase Gesture usually costs less.
Based on: Typical prices: Haworth Fern $1,105; Herman Miller Embody $1,695–$2,075; Steelcase Gesture $1,100–$1,700.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes a score.