Steelcase Amia vs Series 2: Which Should You Buy?
Two Steelcase task chairs on the same 12-year warranty. The Series 2 costs about a third less new; the Amia adds a recline tension control and a remanufactured route at Crandall.
The Steelcase Amia and the Steelcase Series 2 both have 4D arms and a seat depth slider, and both are rated to 400 pounds under Steelcase’s 12-year parts-and-labor warranty. Each holds a 4.0 out of 5 SeatedLab rating. The split comes down to price, recline control and the remanufactured route.
Buy the Series 2 new if you want a new-in-box Steelcase at the lowest price of the two. On Amazon it costs about two thirds of a new Amia and still brings 4D arms, a seat depth slider and the full 12-year Steelcase warranty.
Buy the Amia remanufactured if you are open to a restored chair. Crandall’s remanufactured Amia costs less than a new Series 2 and adds a tension control to its recline. The Series 2 has no Crandall remanufactured route at all.
| Spec | Steelcase Amia | Steelcase Series 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (new) | ~$999 New Steelcase Amia on Amazon (~$999) |
~$665 New Steelcase Series 2 on Amazon (~$665) |
| Remanufactured | $549 Crandall Remanufactured Amia at Crandall |
Not remanufactured by Crandall |
| Seat | Flexible front edge, adaptive foam bolstering | High-density foam, flexible edges, adaptive bolstering |
| Seat depth | 15.8 to 18.5 in (slider) | Slider with 2.75 in of travel; seat pan depth not published |
| Seat height | 16 to 21 in | 16.5 to 21.5 in |
| Lumbar support | LiveLumbar, height-adjustable (approx. 4 in range) | Height-adjustable, built into the Air LiveBack |
| Arms | 4D (height 7.5 to 11.25 in, width 13 to 19.5 in, 30° pivot) | 4D (height, width, depth, pivot) |
| Recline | Full recline range, tension control, upright lock | Weight-activated synchro-tilt, upright lock |
| Back options | Upholstered, or 3D Microknit (Amia Air) | Air LiveBack in mesh (Intermix) or quilted upholstery |
| Fit range | 4’11” to 6’4″ (stated) | Not listed |
| Weight capacity | 400 lb | 400 lb |
| Warranty | 12 years new (Steelcase); 12 years remanufactured (Crandall) | 12 years new (Steelcase Limited Lifetime) |
| SeatedLab rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
Choose the Amia or the Series 2?
Choose the Amia if you…
- Will buy remanufactured and want a 12-year Crandall warranty on a lower outlay than a new Series 2
- Want a manual recline tension control alongside the upright lock
- Want a seat depth range stated in inches, 15.8 to 18.5
- Fall inside the stated 4’11” to 6’4″ fit range
- Prefer a 3D Microknit back (Amia Air) or classic upholstery
Choose the Series 2 if you…
- Want a new chair at the lower of the two new prices
- Want the full Steelcase factory warranty on parts and labor
- Need a seat that rises to 21.5 inches for a taller desk
- Want recycled SoftNext fabric or a wider choice of fabric families
How They Compare
New Favors the Series 2, Remanufactured Favors the Amia
Bought new on Amazon, the Series 2 costs about two thirds of the Amia’s price, a gap of roughly a third. For that lower figure the Series 2 still matches the Amia on its 400-pound capacity and its 12-year Steelcase warranty.
Crandall Office remanufactures the Amia and sells it for a little over half the Amia’s new Amazon price. That remanufactured figure also sits below a new Series 2 by roughly a sixth. Crandall does not remanufacture the Series 2, so a buyer who wants a restored chair with a dealer warranty has only the Amia to choose from in this pair.
Both Slide, Only One Publishes the Range
The Amia’s seat depth slider runs from 15.8 to 18.5 inches, about 2.7 inches of travel, and Steelcase publishes both ends of that range. A buyer can compare those figures against a measured thigh length before ordering, which the seat depth guide explains how to do.
The Series 2 seat slides through 2.75 inches of travel, close to the Amia’s range in length. Steelcase does not publish an absolute seat pan depth for the Series 2, so its starting and ending points cannot be compared in inches. Both seats use foam with flexible edges and adaptive bolstering.
Recline Tension Control on the Amia
The Amia’s LiveLumbar adjusts in height across an approximate 4-inch range. The Series 2’s lumbar is also height-adjustable, built into the geometric pattern of its Air LiveBack.
The Amia’s recline offers a full range with tension control and an upright back lock. The Series 2 uses a weight-activated synchro-tilt, which takes its resistance from the sitter’s weight, with an upright back lock. Both chairs have 4D arms. Steelcase gives the Amia’s arms 7.5 to 11.25 inches of height travel and 13 to 19.5 inches of width travel, with 30 degrees of pivot.
Microknit or Mesh
The Series 2 back is the Air LiveBack, a geometric flexor pattern offered in Intermix mesh or quilted upholstery. Steelcase offers it in five fabric families, among them SoftNext, made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyester.
The Amia comes with a standard upholstered back or a 3D Microknit back sold as the Amia Air. Steelcase offers no headrest for the Series 2, so a Series 2 buyer who needs neck support has to get it from outside the chair.
Height Range and Stated Fit
Steelcase states a fit range of roughly 4’11” to 6’4″ for the Amia, with a seat height of 16 to 21 inches. The Series 2 seat rises from 16.5 to 21.5 inches, half an inch higher at both ends, which helps taller sitters and higher desks.
No fit range is listed for the Series 2, so its suitability for very short or very tall sitters is best judged from the seat height and seat depth travel. Both chairs are rated to 400 pounds.
Where to Buy and What Is Covered
A new Amia or a new Series 2 carries Steelcase’s Limited Lifetime warranty, 12 years of parts and labor. A remanufactured Amia from Crandall carries Crandall’s own 12-year warranty, which covers parts for the original owner and comes with free returns.
The Series 2 ships with tool-free assembly that Steelcase rates at under two minutes, and the chair weighs 37.4 pounds. The Amia has two buying routes on this page, new on Amazon and remanufactured at Crandall, while the Series 2 has one.
Final Verdict
The Series 2 is the pick for a new chair, and the remanufactured Amia is the pick for the lowest total outlay. Both share a 4.0 out of 5 rating, a 400-pound capacity and 12 years of warranty coverage.
Choose the Amia if…
You will buy remanufactured from Crandall, or you want a manual recline tension control and a stated fit range to check against your body before ordering.
Choose the Series 2 if…
You want a new chair with Steelcase’s own parts-and-labor warranty at the lower new price, or a mesh back on a seat that reaches 21.5 inches.
Paying full price for a new Amia makes sense mainly for a buyer who wants its Microknit back or tension control new-in-box. Most buyers land on either the new Series 2 or the remanufactured Amia.
Keep Reading
Each of these pages covers one of the two chairs against another Steelcase or rival model:
- Steelcase Amia Review. The full review of the Amia
- Steelcase Series 2 Review. The full review of the Series 2
- Steelcase Amia vs Think. The Amia against the Think
- Series 1 vs Series 2. The Series 2 against its lower-priced sibling
- Leap V2 vs Series 2. The Series 2 against Steelcase’s flagship
- Gesture vs Series 2. The Series 2 against the Gesture
- Branch vs Series 2. The Series 2 against the Branch Ergonomic Chair
- Best Remanufactured Office Chairs. Where the Crandall Amia fits among restored chairs
- Best Office Chairs Under a Thousand Dollars. Both chairs within their price bracket