Which Mirra Do I Have? How to Tell a Mirra 1 from a Mirra 2

Herman Miller made the original Mirra from 2003 until the Mirra 2 replaced it in 2013. At a glance the two look much the same, but most of their parts are different, so it is worth checking which one you have before you order arm pads, a lumbar support or a gas lift. There are four quick checks, and you need nothing but your eyes and hands.

How to tell a Mirra 1 from a Mirra 2

1. Look at the spine from behind

Stand behind the chair and look at the frame that runs up the middle of the back.

Mirra 1: a Y, bolted to the back

Mirra 2: a smooth loop, no bolts

• Mirra 1: the spine splits into a Y near the top, and the end of each arm is fixed to the back with a bolt you can see.
• Mirra 2: there is no Y and no bolts. The spine sweeps up into a smooth loop that runs round the top edge of the back.

2. Look at the mechanism under the seat

Look at the chair from the side, at the box under the seat that holds the tilt mechanism.

Mirra 1: a large, deep box

Mirra 2: slim and flat

• Mirra 1: a large box with a deep, rounded underside, roughly 8 to 10 cm deep.
• Mirra 2: a much slimmer, flatter mechanism, roughly 5 to 6 cm deep.

3. Check the bolts at the hip

Look at the back corners of the seat, around hip height, where the arms are fixed to the chair.

Mirra 1: the bolt head on show

Mirra 2: covered, no bolt showing

• Mirra 1: the arms are held on by large bolts, and you can see the bolt heads.
• Mirra 2: the bolts are hidden inside a smooth plastic cover.

4. Feel the front edge of the seat

A Mirra 1 has a padded foam strip along the front edge of the seat. On the Mirra 2 Herman Miller took the foam out, so the mesh runs right to the front edge.

Mirra 1: padded front edge

Mirra 2: mesh to the edge

What the back is made of will not tell you. Both models were made with the plain plastic TriFlex back and with a fabric-covered back, so use the checks above instead.

Mirra 1 and Mirra 2 at a glance

The Mirra 2 is also about 4.5 kg lighter than the Mirra 1.

Which parts fit which Mirra

Most Mirra parts are made for one model only, so a Mirra 1 part will not fit a Mirra 2, or the other way round. Casters and wheels are the exception.

Replacing worn arm pads on a Mirra 1? Our Mirra 1 arm pad guide shows you how, and you can see every part we stock in Mirra parts.

Still not sure?

Email a photo of the back of the chair and one from the side to info@hmchairs.co.uk. We will tell you which Mirra you have and which parts fit it.