Herman Miller vs Secretlab vs Branch: Which Chair Wins?

These three brands dominate very different corners of the office chair market:

• Herman Miller — the legacy ergonomic icon ($1,200+)
• Secretlab — the gaming-turned-office chair disruptor ($450–$600)
• Branch — the modern DTC minimalist ($449–$650)

I've used all three extensively. The right choice depends entirely on what you value — and I'm going to be blunt about where each one falls short.

The Contenders

For this comparison, I'm using each brand's flagship sit:

• Herman Miller Aeron (Size B, fully loaded) — $1,395 | Check Price
• Secretlab Titan Evo 2026 (Regular) — $519 | Check Price
• Branch Ergonomic Chair — $449 | Check Price

Yes, the Aeron costs nearly 3× the Branch. We'll talk about whether it's worth it.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Comfort: The Thing That Actually Matters

Herman Miller Aeron

The Aeron is an all-mesh chair, and that polarizes people. There's no cushion — you sit on tensioned mesh that distributes your weight across the entire seat surface. After a 2-week adjustment period, it's incredibly comfortable for long sessions. The mesh eliminates hot spots and pressure points that foam chairs create.

The PostureFit SL lumbar system is the gold standard. Two adjustable pads support both your lumbar and sacral regions independently. It's the only chair on this list that made my lower back feel genuinely better after an 8-hour day, not just "not worse."

Hour 1 comfort: 8/10 (mesh feels strange at first)
Hour 8 comfort: 9.5/10 (this is where it shines)

Secretlab Titan Evo 2026

The Titan Evo takes the opposite approach: premium cold-cure foam with a wide, flat seat and high backrest. It feels like a luxury car seat. The integrated L-ADAPT lumbar system adjusts in four directions and provides firm, noticeable support.

The foam is excellent — dense enough that it hasn't compressed noticeably after months of use. The SoftWeave fabric version breathes better than the leatherette but both trap more heat than mesh.

Hour 1 comfort: 9.5/10 (immediately comfortable)
Hour 8 comfort: 7.5/10 (foam heat buildup, slight pressure points)

Branch Ergonomic Chair

Branch splits the difference with a mesh back and foam seat. It's the least opinionated of the three — comfortable in a "nothing bothers me" way rather than a "this is incredible" way. The lumbar support is present and adjustable but less pronounced than either competitor.

Hour 1 comfort: 8.5/10 (pleasant, neutral)
Hour 8 comfort: 8/10 (consistent, no degradation)

Winner: Herman Miller Aeron for 8+ hour days. Secretlab Titan for shorter sessions and immediate comfort.

Build Quality & Materials

Herman Miller Aeron

This is where the price shows. The Aeron is over-engineered in a way that's almost absurd. The cast aluminum frame, the proprietary Pellicle mesh that's been refined for 30 years, the mechanisms that move with precision — every component feels like it was designed to last decades. Because it was.

I've seen Aerons from the early 2000s still in daily use in offices. That doesn't happen with $500 chairs.

Secretlab Titan Evo

Secretlab has improved dramatically from their early gaming chair days. The Titan Evo's metal frame is solid, the piston is smooth, and the magnetic armrest system is genuinely clever. The leatherette will eventually wear (2-3 years typically), but the SoftWeave fabric holds up much longer.

Build quality is good-to-great. It's not Aeron-level, but it's well above what you'd expect at $519.

Branch Ergonomic Chair

Branch is well-built for the price. The mesh is high-quality Italian weave, the frame doesn't creak, and the adjustments feel solid. But — and I say this respectfully — you can feel the cost-cutting in the armrests (basic, slight wobble) and the recline mechanism (functional but not buttery).

Winner: Herman Miller Aeron by a mile. It's in a different league of material quality.

Adjustability

Herman Miller Aeron

The fully loaded Aeron gives you: seat height, tilt tension, tilt limiter (5 positions), forward tilt, armrest height/width/depth/pivot, and PostureFit SL lumbar. Notably missing: seat depth adjustment and headrest (available as an aftermarket add-on only).

The lack of native headrest is a real issue for video calls and reading. It's the Aeron's most common complaint.

Secretlab Titan Evo

Armrest height/depth/width/angle, 4-way lumbar, recline to 165° with lock, seat tilt, magnetic headrest pillow. The 165° recline is overkill for work but great for an afternoon power nap.

The magnetic CloudSwap armrest tops are a nice touch — you can swap materials without tools.

Branch Ergonomic Chair

Seat height, lumbar height/depth, recline with 4 lock positions, and armrest height. That's it. The armrests don't pivot, slide, or angle-adjust. For a $449 chair, the adjustability is adequate but not competitive.

Winner: Secretlab Titan Evo. The 4-way lumbar, 165° recline, and 4D armrests give you the most control over your sitting experience.

Aesthetics & Office Fit

Let's be honest — this matters. Your chair is one of the most visible objects in your workspace, and it shows up on every video call.

Herman Miller Aeron

The Aeron is iconic. It's in MoMA's permanent collection. It reads as "serious professional" and fits seamlessly into any modern office. Available in Graphite, Carbon, and Mineral (light grey).

It looks expensive because it is. That's not always a positive — in casual settings it can feel sterile.

Secretlab Titan Evo

The Titan Evo looks like a gaming chair that went to business school. It's sleeker and less aggressive than the old Titan design, with subtle branding options including collaborations (Batman, Game of Thrones, etc.). The all-black versions pass as professional; the branded versions don't.

On a video call, it reads as "this person plays games" to most people. That may or may not matter to you.

Branch Ergonomic Chair

Branch wins the aesthetics game. Clean lines, no visible branding on the front, available in Slate, Eucalyptus, and Storm colorways that look like they belong in an Architectural Digest spread. It's the chair that gets "where did you get that?" comments.

Winner: Branch for home offices and shared spaces. Herman Miller for traditional professional settings.

Value Analysis

Let's do the math over a 10-year ownership period:

*Assumes one replacement for Titan Evo (2 chairs over 10 years)

Surprising finding: The Branch is actually the best per-year value, and the Aeron — despite its high sticker price — costs only ~$36 more per year than the Titan when you factor in the Secretlab's shorter lifespan. Plus the Aeron holds resale value exceptionally well.

Winner: Branch on raw value. Herman Miller Aeron on long-term cost of ownership when factoring durability and resale.

Who Should Buy What

Buy the Herman Miller Aeron if:

• You work 8+ hours daily and back support is paramount
• You want a chair you'll keep for 10-15 years
• You run hot (all-mesh is unbeatable for breathability)
• You can stomach the upfront cost or buy refurbished ($700-$900)
• You don't need a headrest (or are willing to add aftermarket)

→ Buy the Herman Miller Aeron

Buy the Secretlab Titan Evo if:

• You want immediate out-of-box comfort
• You value deep recline for breaks and varied postures
• Your sessions are mixed (work + gaming + media)
• You want the most adjustability under $600
• You prefer foam cushion over mesh

→ Buy the Secretlab Titan Evo

Buy the Branch Ergonomic Chair if:

• Aesthetics are a top-3 priority
• Your chair is visible in a shared living space
• You want good-enough ergonomics with great design
• Budget is firm under $500
• You don't need extensive armrest adjustability

→ Buy the Branch Ergonomic Chair

The Pro Move: Buy a Refurbished Aeron

If this comparison has you leaning Aeron but wincing at $1,395, here's the move: buy a certified refurbished Aeron from a reputable office furniture liquidator. You'll pay $700-$900 for a chair that's functionally identical, usually with a 2-5 year third-party warranty.

Check: Crandall Office Furniture, Madison Seating, or local office liquidators in major cities.

→ Check Refurbished Aeron Prices

Final Verdict

There's no universal winner. But if I had to pick one chair for one person:

• For most remote workers: Herman Miller Aeron (refurbished). The long-term comfort and build quality justify the price, especially when bought refurbished.
• For mixed use (work + gaming): Secretlab Titan Evo. Best versatility and immediate comfort.
• For design-conscious buyers: Branch Ergonomic Chair. Good enough ergonomics in a beautiful package.

The worst choice? Buying a $150 "ergonomic" chair from Amazon and wondering why your back hurts. Any of these three will transform your work-from-home experience.

Last updated: February 2026. Prices may vary. We earn commissions on qualifying purchases — this never influences our rankings.