We haven’t been this conscious of viral progeny since the black plague, and the only viral items we used to know and care about were in our phones. Part of the ramifications of the government’s draconian statutes is to stay and work at home, thereby beginning the demand for office tables and chairs. Two years ago, working at home was far discerned as a necessity; too costly, too much hassle, too distracting, with the internet too slow. The immediate yet superficial concerns rendered man’s hands unusable.
Given our evolved understanding of worldly mechanics, a reshuffled system of value, perhaps now we prefer permanence to trivial. So the axiom as above so below is employed while working. We want to mirror or increase the comfort and productivity pre-COVID, without the dread of commuting and banalities of face-to-face conversations. The need for almost everything to be clutched at arm’s length instantly is in linear growth. And the sensible approach to any development is to invest in it.
Science has numerous conjectures about the benefits of ergonomically designed items, immersed in the minute details of as simple as sitting. It turns out that our routine physical positions are multi-faceted and need polishing. But what justifies the cost?
Science and Research
The backing science behind ergonomic items is the standard scientific method. The efficacy of a product is highly scrutinized before it is made public. An ergonomic chair, for example, stems from a study of varying postures of 2000 people worldwide. The study uncovered novel postures that had not addressed any other chairs in the market. You are also paying for years of research of therapeutic aids for bodily pains, and it more relevant now more than ever. We spend over 2000 hours a year, or perhaps more, sitting. We spend more time in front of the TV or PC than we do with our relatives. Scientists, as part of the scientific method, had observed this behavior. If we’re going to be sitting most of our lives, we better do it efficiently with less pain as possible.
Now we have sit-stand desks, standing desks, adjustable, non-adjustable, manual, automatic, and so forth; all to be hailed from the observed need to be productive, healthy, and painless at the same time. Once an ergonomic product, as simple as a chair, has been given a try, you could be the human testament for its comprehensive understanding of our daily routines.
Build Quality
There is a spawn of $15 to $30-dollar tables and chairs in the market, yet we engage in the same conversation of addressing trivial concerns over long-term ones. An abundance of repetitive complaints dances to the same tune of cheaply made tables: wobbly, easily chipped, and damaged upon arrival; most of them made of waste-wood materials. Ergonomic products are built to endure decades of use. Their materials often dictate ergonomic products’ prices. Some products are from expensive materials such as wood, high-end plastic, or aluminum, which explains why they are exponentially more costly.
Its cheap counterpart cuts costs on nearly all facets of quality. Almost all desks selling at $15 online are made of particleboard. It’s not exactly wrong; it’s not made for long-term use either. Particleboards swell and warp when exposed to moisture, therefore the need to replace the entire board if the damage is extensive and irreparable.
Ergonomic products require extensive machines to be built. Designers, engineers, and scientists are the minds behind every successful ergonomic product; you are paying for their talent and cunning for your table to be both an art piece and a tool.
Modifications
Consumers want to adjust their ergonomic products according to their comfort. Non-ergonomic products, which hardly ever consider one’s comfort, do not offer this relatively simple technology; what you see is what you get, and that’s that. For example, ergonomic chairs are more expensive because of their ability to adapt to one’s needs. The more modifications a chair has, the more expensive it is.
You may effortlessly adjust the seat height, lumbar support, and tension to suit your body’s definition of comfort, just like in Flexispot’s Soutien Ergonomic Office Chair. More parts are required to create multiple adjustments in an ergonomic product, which affects the cost of the product. Customization seems limitless in ergonomics. Think of it as if you’re playing a game with a plethora of colors, styles, finishes, fabric, and upholstery options to choose from. It completes the cycle of aesthetics and utility, and you can get it right at your fingertips.
Each of these is a luxury not enjoyed from mindlessly designed products. Maybe just the ease of ordering it online, but that’s about it.
Warranty
Again, maybe you are still tempted, after spilling out the benefits of ergonomic products, to purchase one of those $15-dollar tables. The price itself is tempting. Of all the essential things consumers tend to overlook, a warranty is one of them. The support consumers get after purchasing a product speaks loudly of the manufacturer’s commitment.
Those cheaply made products have little to no warranty at all-the strings of one-star reviews can attest to that. Resellers and manufacturers are uninterested in answering queries once their products are unfavored. What you get in shelling out extra cash for immensely superior products is seamless support if a product does not meet your expectations.
I have seen manufacturers asking consumers to personally go to their warehouse and swap the product for a new one if damaged. Suppose the consumers say no; they are stuck with the product for who knows how long.
High-end ergonomic products often have a lifetime warranty, while some are covered from 10 to 12 years. Their willingness to be better and to listen is often priceless, and you, as a consumer, profit from that too. From your experiences come upgrades of products that next time you have something to look forward to again.
