6DW Hands On Review: Inmod’s Eero Aarnio Style Ball Chair

For those of you who have been around awhile, you might remember back when Six Different Ways was completely about ball chairs with thousands of images of both the original and reproductions getting thousands of hits per day. Well for those loyal readers and anyone who might be on the market for a ball chair, I’ve got a hands on review for you of the most affordable yet best knock off of Eero Aarnio’s ball chair that I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot.

5 Panel Interior
A) Classic Five Panel Interior

The Eero Aarnio Style Ball Chair available through Inmod offers unbelievable accuracy & quality. This was immediately obvious to me as I took it out of the box and it didn’t scratch my prized hardwood floor. As I looked at its bottom I could see that its base had a protective fabric covering, a great feature not common to most ball chairs- and I knew this was going to be good.

Now don’t get me wrong, an original Aarnio Ball Chair will always be an original Aarnio Ball Chair, but these days I feel like that is out of reach for most of us. Believe it or not, your favorite modern design blogger is not about to drop $7,000 on a chair but don’t tell anyone.

Bevel Edge
B) Fiberglass frame has a bevel where it meets the fabric

So let me tell you what you can get for a very reasonable $899. This chair features a swivel stainless steel ball bearing mechanism, which in simple terms means that it swivels and offers smooth rotation. Beware of many other knock offs that use a single shaft causing a wobble and meaning the chair will inevitably (and sometimes much sooner) break. And no one wants that.  It also features a fiberglass frame, which is a huge advantage over plastic both in looks and quality.  While you may not even think you know the difference, trust me that if you put a fiberglass and plastic chair side by side it will be very clear which one is a better quality. There is even a bevel(B) where the fiberglass meets the fabric, offering an aesthetic improvement over most knock offs and a firmer, solid look. This chair features a classic five panel interior(A) like the original (unlike 10 plus that I’ve seen on some really poor ball chairs). Its plush cushions(C) are removable and feature an inner lining for a really high end look. Both its foam and fabric are fire resistant and Inmod says it’s suitable for commercial use so go ahead and use them in your restaurants and clubs.

Plush Cushions
C) Plush cushions are fire resistant, and feature an inner lining

Let’s talk about its base(D) for a moment, because while it’s the smallest part of the chair is it one of the most important. The original Aarnio Ball Chair had a shell that directly met its base without any extruding components. This is done for both aesthetic and comfort reasons, and the Inmod Ball Chair is one of the only knock offs I’ve seen that does this. Most have an extended base making the chair higher, less comfortable, and much more likely to break.

Accurate Base
D) Shell directly meets base, ensuring quality and comfort

I’ve gotten quite a few things at Inmod –several of which I have blogged about—so I know one of their biggest things is customization. This ball chair is no exception and comes with your choice of fiberglass shell color and interior fabric. 

In terms of knock offs this chair gets an A. For $899 you aren’t going to do any better and honestly I don’t think you would find a better knock off even in the $2000-$3000 range, at least not that I’ve seen.  So unless you got the dollars to spare for the original (which then by all means do) this is the ball chair to get people.  Feel free to comment/email with questions.

Got a product you want reviewed?  Let me know where I can come see it (NYC area) or send me one (I love gifts!). Contact me at Sixdifferentways6@gmail.com for more info. 

August 7th, 2009 by Christina

Comments 4

4 Responses to 6DW Hands On Review: Inmod’s Eero Aarnio Style Ball Chair

  1. Pingback: Six Different Ways | Modern Furniture Blog» Blog Archive » Quick Six

  2. SixDifferentWays says:

    MichelleC – it is available im wool twill, wool felt, or microfiber all available in a bunch of different colors. You can see fabric swatches here: http://www.inmod.com/globechair.html#

  3. sidra says:

    nice post

  4. MichelleC says:

    Sounds like a good repro! What kinds of upholstery are available?

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