Should I Buy a Refurbished Office Chair?
A remanufactured Leap V2 or Gesture from Crandall Office sells for a little over half the new Amazon price and carries a 12-year warranty on parts. The sections below define each refurbished label and show when buying new is the better call.
Yes, for the chairs Crandall Office remanufactures: the Steelcase Leap V1 and V2, Gesture, Amia, and Think V1 and V2, plus the Herman Miller Aeron Classic. A remanufactured Leap V2 or Gesture from Crandall costs a little over half the new Amazon price. Crandall’s 12-year warranty covers parts but not labor, applies to the original owner in the US, and cannot be transferred.
No, for a chair with no remanufactured supply and no warranty on the used unit. Crandall lists the Steelcase Series 1 used and as-is, with no new-parts restoration and no dealer warranty, and it does not remanufacture the Herman Miller Embody or Cosm. Buying one of those used means accepting the condition as found, while buying new keeps the manufacturer’s warranty.
Worth buying refurbished
- Steelcase Leap V2, remanufactured by Crandall
- Steelcase Gesture, remanufactured by Crandall
- Herman Miller Aeron Classic, remanufactured by Crandall
- Steelcase Amia or Think, remanufactured by Crandall
- Open-box from an authorized dealer
Avoid buying refurbished
- Any chair sold with no return policy or warranty
- Listings without photos of the chair being sold
- Listings that leave the model or size unclear
- Private sellers with no review history
- Listings that say nothing about the foam or cylinder
What “Refurbished” Actually Means
Sellers use the word refurbished for chairs in very different condition, and the label matters most when you cannot inspect the chair before paying several hundred dollars for it.
Remanufactured
Remanufactured chairs are restored with new parts. Crandall Office sells remanufactured Steelcase chairs and the Herman Miller Aeron Classic, each with a 12-year warranty on parts and free returns. A new Leap V2 carries a 12-year Steelcase warranty, so a remanufactured one from Crandall matches it in length, though Crandall’s coverage is parts only and for the original owner. Category picks across the Crandall lineup are in the guide to the best remanufactured office chairs.
Refurbished
Refurbished chairs are cleaned and repaired where a fault shows, and parts are replaced as needed. Upholstery and foam may be original, so condition depends on the seller.
Used / Pre-Owned
Used chairs are sold as found, usually with no warranty. Corporate surplus sold through liquidators can fall into this group, and its value depends on the specific unit. Crandall sells the Steelcase Series 1 only in this condition.
Open-Box / Display
Open-box chairs are new chairs returned after little use, or showroom display units, sold at a discount. Ask whether the manufacturer’s warranty applies, since Herman Miller’s 12-year warranty holds only through Herman Miller or an authorized reseller.
The Price Math
The table sets the new price beside Crandall’s remanufactured price. The savings column is the new price minus the remanufactured price, shown in dollars and as a share of the new price.
| Chair | New Price | Remanufactured Price | Savings | Per Year Over 12-Year Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelcase Leap V2 | ~$1,400 (Amazon) | $749 (Crandall) | ~$651 (~46%) | ~$62/yr |
| Herman Miller Aeron | ~$2,150 current Aeron (Herman Miller direct) | From $799 Aeron Classic (Crandall) | Different designs, no like-for-like saving | ~$67/yr |
| Steelcase Gesture | ~$1,510 (Amazon) | $799 (Crandall) | ~$711 (~47%) | ~$67/yr |
The per-year column divides Crandall’s price by the 12 years of its warranty term. The Aeron row sets two different chairs side by side. Crandall remanufactures the Aeron Classic, the pre-2016 design, while Herman Miller sells the current Aeron direct, so the gap between those two prices is a difference between models.
Where to Buy a Refurbished Office Chair
Crandall Office Furniture
Crandall backs its remanufactured chairs with a 12-year warranty covering parts but not labor. The warranty applies to the original owner in the US and cannot be transferred, and returns are free. Its Aeron Classic page lists options for the arms, lumbar, tilt, casters and cylinder, plus a headrest. For a remanufactured Leap V2 or Gesture, Crandall is the first place to check.
Remanufactures: Steelcase Leap V1 and V2, Gesture, Amia, Think V1 and V2; Herman Miller Aeron Classic. Lists the Series 1 used and as-is.
eBay and Facebook Marketplace
Both platforms list used premium office chairs, and low prices turn up. The risk is condition: listings differ in how they describe wear and what has been replaced, and the photos may not show the chair being sold. These platforms suit a buyer who can inspect the chair in person, or a price low enough to cover a repair. A first purchase of a premium ergonomic chair is safer from a seller that offers a warranty.
Pricing can be low; every listing needs careful vetting
Corporate Liquidators and Office Surplus Sales
When a company downsizes or closes an office, its furniture may go to a liquidator. Prices at these sales can be low, and buying well needs either an in-person inspection or trust in the seller’s condition report.
Pricing and condition vary from sale to sale
What to Check Before You Buy
Pre-Purchase Checklist
- Has the foam seat pad been replaced, or checked for compression?
- Has the gas cylinder been replaced, or confirmed to hold its height? The guide on how to fix an office chair that sinks covers that fault.
- Are the arm pads free of cracks and peeling?
- Is the size confirmed? The current Aeron is sold in sizes A, B and C, each with a fixed seat depth, so check which size a listing covers.
- What warranty is included? Crandall’s remanufactured chairs carry 12 years on parts for the original owner. A sale with no warranty carries more risk.
- Is the return policy written down, and how long is the window?
- For an Aeron, is it the Aeron Classic (the pre-2016 design) or the current Aeron? They are different chairs, and Crandall remanufactures the Classic.
- Do the adjustments work? Check the lumbar, arm height, recline tension and seat height before the return window closes.
The Best Chairs to Buy Refurbished
Steelcase Leap V2: Lowest Crandall price of the three
The Leap V2 adjusts seat depth from 15.75 to 18.75 inches, has 4D arms and a height-adjustable lumbar with a separate firmness dial, and is rated to 400 lbs. Its recline is the Natural Glide System. Of the three chairs in the table, the remanufactured Leap V2 has the lowest Crandall price, and its 12-year Crandall warranty on parts matches the length of the Steelcase warranty on a new one.
Herman Miller Aeron: Classic at Crandall, current design at Herman Miller
Crandall remanufactures the Aeron Classic, the pre-2016 design. The current Aeron, sold by Herman Miller direct, is a different chair: it comes in sizes A, B and C with a seat depth fixed by size, and its 12-year warranty holds only through Herman Miller or an authorized reseller. Specs for the current Aeron do not apply to the Classic, so read the Crandall listing for the Classic’s configuration. A remanufactured Aeron Classic carries Crandall’s 12-year warranty on parts.
Remanufactured Aeron Classic from Crandall · Configure the Aeron at Herman Miller · Full review
Steelcase Gesture: 360-degree arms
The Gesture’s arms adjust for height, width, pivot and depth through 360 degrees, its seat depth slides from 15.75 to 18.5 inches, and it is rated to 400 lbs. Steelcase fits the Gesture headrest only at the factory, so a headrest cannot be added later; if you want one, confirm the remanufactured unit has it. At Crandall the Gesture costs a little more than the Leap V2.
Refurbished vs New: When Does New Make Sense?
Buy new if:
You want the manufacturer’s warranty. Steelcase covers a new Gesture’s structural parts for life and its mechanism, cylinders, arm caps, foam and casters for 12 years. Herman Miller’s 12-year warranty holds only through Herman Miller or an authorized reseller. On a remanufactured chair, Crandall’s 12-year warranty covers parts but not labor, for the original owner.
You need a configuration the remanufactured listings do not offer, such as a particular fabric, or a Gesture headrest, which Steelcase fits only at the factory.
You want a Herman Miller Embody or Cosm. Crandall remanufactures neither, so a refurbished one is a used chair without Crandall’s warranty.
Buy refurbished if:
You are looking at chairs in the $1,000 to $2,000 range and price is the obstacle. A remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall is the Leap V2 design for a little over half the new Amazon price, with a 12-year warranty on parts.
You want a premium chair you can send back if it does not fit. Crandall’s returns are free.