While both names represent the pinnacle of modern design, Herman Miller is a specific, iconic brand famous for its ergonomic office furniture, while MillerKnoll is the larger parent company formed in 2021 after Herman Miller acquired Knoll. In essence, Herman Miller is a star player, and MillerKnoll is the all-star team, representing a broader collective of design brands and a much wider range of styles and products.
Let's compare them to help you decide where to focus your furniture search.
Herman Miller: The Ergonomic Design Pioneer
Herman Miller is an American innovator celebrated for its groundbreaking office furniture and timeless home classics. Since its founding, the brand has collaborated with design legends like Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson to create some of the most influential furniture of the 20th century. Today, it's the gold standard for anyone seeking premium, research-backed ergonomic chairs and workspace solutions that prioritize health and productivity.
- Product mix: Primarily known for world-class ergonomic office chairs (like the Aeron and Embody), height-adjustable desks, and workspace systems. The brand also offers iconic home pieces, including the Eames Lounge Chair, Noguchi Table, and Nelson Bubble Lamps.
- Style/vibe: Modern minimalism with a strong focus on functionality. The aesthetic is clean, sophisticated, and engineered, defined by performance-driven design rather than fleeting trends.
- Price point: Premium. Flagship products are an investment, with the Aeron Chair typically starting around $1,200 and the Eames Lounge Chair costing over $7,000.
- Quality: Exceptional. Herman Miller is known for its high-performance materials like recycled aluminum and advanced plastics, innovative construction, and legendary durability.
- Dimensions/Scale: Ergonomic chairs are famously adjustable and available in different sizes (A, B, C for the Aeron) to provide a precise fit for various body types. Desks and other furniture are designed to integrate seamlessly into modern workspaces.
- Durability/Warranty: Their furniture is built to last a lifetime. They are famous for a comprehensive 12-year warranty that covers almost every component, reflecting their confidence in the product's longevity.
- Sustainability: A long-standing leader in sustainability, Herman Miller utilizes recycled materials, adheres to BIFMA standards, and holds certifications like GREENGUARD. The company has clear, public goals for carbon neutrality and circular design.
Herman Miller is the go-to for those who view furniture as a long-term investment in health, productivity, and iconic design.
Shop Herman Miller: hermanmiller.com
MillerKnoll: The Global Design Collective
MillerKnoll is not a consumer-facing brand in the same way as Herman Miller. It's a collective of design brands that resulted from the 2021 merger between Herman Miller and Knoll Inc. This collective houses some of the most respected names in the industry, offering a massive and diverse portfolio that spans every design style and category for both residential and commercial spaces globally.
- Product mix: An extensive portfolio from its collection of distinct brands. This includes everything from performance seating by Herman Miller, classic mid-century pieces by Knoll, contemporary designs from brands like HAY and Muuto, and high-end retail shopping through Design Within Reach. The selection covers office, lounge, dining, outdoor, lighting, and accessories.
- Style/vibe: Entirely diverse and eclectic. The collective offers everything from Knoll’s refined Barcelona Chair to HAY’s playful Danish modernism. Whatever your aesthetic - from corporate minimalism to colorful Danish modern - you can find it within the MillerKnoll family.
- Price point: Varies significantly across its brands, from the upper-mid-range offerings of HAY to the premium investment prices of Herman Miller and Knoll. This wide range makes high-quality design accessible to more consumers.
- Quality: Universally high. MillerKnoll ensures all its brands maintain a high standard of craftsmanship, material quality, and design integrity.
- Shopping Experience: You don't "shop MillerKnoll" directly. Instead, you shop at the individual brand websites (like hermanmiller.com) or at multi-brand retailers owned by the company, such as Design Within Reach. The experience is tailored to each specific brand within the portfolio.
- Sustainability: As a collective, MillerKnoll continues the strong sustainably-focused legacies of both Herman Miller and Knoll, pursuing aggressive goals around carbon reduction, circular economy, and responsible, ethical material sourcing.
Think of MillerKnoll not as a store, but as a family of specialized design houses united by a commitment to quality and innovation.
Explore the MillerKnoll Collective: millerknoll.com/our-brands
Herman Miller vs. MillerKnoll Comparison
Price Comparison
Here, the comparison is about a brand versus a collective. Herman Miller consistently occupies the premium end of the market. Its products are investments in design heritage and ergonomic science, and the prices reflect this value, with office chairs alone easily exceeding $1,000.
MillerKnoll, on the other hand, blankets a much wider spectrum of price points. While it includes the premium pricing of Herman Miller and Knoll, it also incorporates more accessible brands like HAY, whose accessories might start under $50 and whose furniture offers a more moderate entry point into authentic designer pieces. This diversity provides more options for different budgets under a trusted corporate umbrella.
Style & Aesthetic
Herman Miller's aesthetic is distinct and focused: groundbreaking ergonomics meet modern, minimalist design. The look is purposeful, often understated, and rooted in solving problems - whether it’s creating the perfect task chair or a beautifully simple storage system. It’s a very specific look beloved by architects, designers, and tech professionals.
MillerKnoll’s aesthetic is boundless. It's a catalog of modern design history and its future. It contains the stately elegance of Knoll's Florence Knoll Sofa, the playful and accessible colors of Muuto, and the engineering prowess of Herman Miller. This makes MillerKnoll the better starting point for someone who hasn't settled on a single aesthetic and wants to explore a variety of contemporary styles.
Product Selection
The product selection is the clearest differentiator. Shopping Herman Miller gives you access to its curated catalog of performance-driven office furniture and iconic historical pieces. Its offerings are deep but narrow, focusing on what the brand does best.
Exploring the MillerKnoll collective opens up a world of choice. You can find workplace systems, textiles, contract furniture, residential lounge seating, beds, outdoor furniture, dining tables, lighting, and home decor. This breadth makes MillerKnoll’s family of brands a one-stop destination for designers and consumers furnishing entire spaces with varied needs.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice depends entirely on what you're shopping for.
Choose Herman Miller if:
- Your primary goal is to buy one of the best ergonomic office chairs in the world.
- You are specifically looking for an iconic, authentic mid-century modern piece like an Eames Lounger.
- You subscribe to a minimalist, function-first design philosophy.
- You value a lifetime warranty and are willing to invest in heirloom-quality pieces.
Explore the MillerKnoll portfolio if:
- You are furnishing an entire room or home and need products from multiple categories.
- You want to explore a wider variety of modern aesthetics, from Danish to classic American design.
- You are working with a more flexible budget and want to see options at several price points.
- You're a fan of other designers or brands within the collective, like Knoll, HAY, or Muuto.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MillerKnoll the same as Herman Miller?
No. MillerKnoll is the parent company that owns a collection of design brands, one of which is Herman Miller. The company was formed in 2021 when Herman Miller Inc. acquired its competitor, Knoll Inc.
Is Herman Miller or MillerKnoll more expensive?
Herman Miller is a premium brand with consistently high price points. MillerKnoll is a collective that includes premium brands like Herman Miller but also others with more accessible, mid-range pricing, giving it a much broader overall price range.
Which has better quality furniture?
Both represent the highest standards of quality in the industry. As a key brand within MillerKnoll, Herman Miller's legendary quality is part of what defines the entire collective. You can expect excellent craftsmanship and durable materials from any brand in the MillerKnoll family.
What brands are part of MillerKnoll?
MillerKnoll's collective includes over a dozen brands, with the most notable names being Herman Miller, Knoll, Design Within Reach, DatesWeiser, GEIGER, HAY, Maharam, Muuto, and NaughtOne.
Is buying a Herman Miller chair worth it?
For those who spend many hours sitting, a Herman Miller chair is widely considered a worthwhile investment. The advanced ergonomic support can improve posture and reduce pain, and the 12-year warranty ensures its longevity, often making it cheaper in the long run than replacing lower-quality chairs every few years.
Can you buy Knoll furniture from Herman Miller's website?
No. Each brand within the MillerKnoll collective maintains its own website and sales channels. To purchase Knoll furniture, you would visit the Knoll website or a retailer that carries their products, like Design Within Reach.
What is Herman Miller best known for?
Herman Miller is most famous for its iconic and innovative seating, particularly the Aeron, Mirra 2, and Embody office chairs, as well as classic residential pieces like the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.
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