The catch
Steelcase Amia
The upholstered back on Amia lacks Soji’s open mesh construction. Check its selected carpet casters against your floor as well.
Side by side
Steelcase Amia vs Haworth Soji: Amia goes shorter than 16.25 inches, Soji extends to 18.75
Quick verdict
Amia is the pick if even a 16.25-inch seat setting is too deep for you, or if you like a padded back. At the other end Soji reaches farther, up to 18.75 inches, and pairs a mesh back with a cushioned seat. Recline tension is adjusted manually on both. The selected Soji has lumbar support and 4D arms but no forward tilt. Neither measurement range guarantees a comfortable fit.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
A shorter person may not get the benefit of a mesh back
When the front edge presses behind your knees, you end up sitting farther forward and the backrest is out of reach. In that case Soji’s mesh doesn't matter. Amia retracts another 0.75 inch, which gives a user with shorter thighs a better chance of using the back support and still having knee clearance. If the seat depth you're comfortable with already falls within 16.25 to 18.5 inches, that advantage goes away and Soji’s mesh becomes a reasonable preference. This is a fit screen. It isn't a promise based on your height.
Where this comes from
16.25 minus 15.5 leaves 0.75 inch. This sets seat depth against backrest contact and knee clearance. For general setup guidance, see OSHA.
The catch
Haworth Soji
The seat on Soji doesn't retract as far. The selected Mist Amazon configuration leaves out the optional forward tilt.
Steelcase Amia
- Why pick it
- Soji cannot reach the seat setting you need, which is at least 15.5 but below 16.25 inches. Check knee clearance in person.
- You like an upholstered back and want to set recline resistance yourself. Make sure the selected carpet casters suit your floor.
- The catch
- The upholstered back on Amia lacks Soji’s open mesh construction. Check its selected carpet casters against your floor as well.
Haworth Soji
- Why pick it
- A mesh back on a cushioned seat is what you want, and its 16.25 to 18.75-inch depth range suits you. The selected Soji has no forward tilt.
- A setting past Amia’s 18.5-inch maximum is what you need, but the extra quarter inch is small, so trial fit matters.
- The catch
- The seat on Soji doesn't retract as far. The selected Mist Amazon configuration leaves out the optional forward tilt.
We may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases. How we make money
What this page compares
Amia goes down to a shorter seat setting, while Soji pairs a mesh back with a deeper maximum. See how they compare on shared-desk fit, room clearance and the selected Amazon options.
Each is an adjustable office chair with a cushioned seat, built for a full working day. What you need to decide is whether Amia’s shorter seat setting and upholstered back fix a fit problem that Soji’s mesh-back configuration leaves in place.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
I know 15.75 inches of seat depth is comfortable for me
Amia gets to that setting, but Soji starts at 16.25 inches. Check where the knees and back make contact.
- Steelcase Amia
- Better fit
- Haworth Soji
- Caution
I want a mesh back with a cushioned seat
That combination comes with the selected Soji. Regular Amia is upholstered.
- Steelcase Amia
- Caution
- Haworth Soji
- Better fit
An 18.75-inch seat setting is what I need
Soji gets there, and Amia stops at 18.5 inches.
- Steelcase Amia
- Caution
- Haworth Soji
- Better fit
The chair has to fit in a narrow room alongside a walkway
The listed body dimensions of Amia are smaller. Measure space for movement and access as well.
- Steelcase Amia
- Better fit
- Haworth Soji
- Good
We want the recline resistance to reset on its own
Tension is manual on both. Sharing still means making adjustments.
- Steelcase Amia
- Caution
- Haworth Soji
- Caution
I want the forward tilt that Soji advertises
That optional feature is left out of the selected Soji listing. Look at a different exact configuration.
- Steelcase Amia
- Caution
- Haworth Soji
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
A shorter person may not get the benefit of a mesh back
When the front edge presses behind your knees, you end up sitting farther forward and the backrest is out of reach. In that case Soji’s mesh doesn't matter. Amia retracts another 0.75 inch, which gives a user with shorter thighs a better chance of using the back support and still having knee clearance. If the seat depth you're comfortable with already falls within 16.25 to 18.5 inches, that advantage goes away and Soji’s mesh becomes a reasonable preference. This is a fit screen. It isn't a promise based on your height.
How we worked this out
16.25 minus 15.5 leaves 0.75 inch. This sets seat depth against backrest contact and knee clearance. For general setup guidance, see OSHA.
A deeper seat need not mean a bigger desk corner
An 18.5-inch seat setting is within reach of both, but their published bodies take up different amounts of space. Amia is about 1.4 inches narrower, and its maximum listed depth is 2.25 inches less than Soji’s. That makes Amia worth a look when a shared home office also needs a walkway past the chair. It doesn't prove the chair will tuck under your desk. Arm height, the desk apron, swivel and recline can eat up the space you thought you had saved.
How we worked this out
28 minus 26.625 leaves 1.375 inches, and 27 minus 24.75 leaves 2.25 inches. Static body dimensions are not a measured operating envelope.
A shared chair works only within the usable range of both people
If a household's comfortable seat settings are 15.75 and 18 inches, Amia can reach both. Soji covers the longer setting and misses the shorter one. Flip the problem so one person needs 18.75 inches, and Amia is the chair that runs out of travel. These examples use comfortable settings that are already known. They aren't body measurements that dictate a chair. Both people also have to reset height, arms and manual tension. A wider adjustment range helps only when it includes the settings each person needs.
How we worked this out
This checks interval membership with hypothetical settings known to work, and makes up no conversion from body height.
Option A
Steelcase, 4821410
Amia
Soji cannot reach the seat setting you need, which is at least 15.5 but below 16.25 inches. Check knee clearance in person.
- Best for
- Soji cannot reach the seat setting you need, which is at least 15.5 but below 16.25 inches. Check knee clearance in person.
Facts we checked
- Usable seat depth: 15.5 to 18.5 inches
- Standard seat height: 16 to 21 inches
- Back and seat: Upholstered back and cushioned seat
- Overall body: 26.625 inches wide, 21.75 to 24.75 inches deep
Option B
Haworth, Mist
Soji
A mesh back on a cushioned seat is what you want, and its 16.25 to 18.75-inch depth range suits you. The selected Soji has no forward tilt.
- Best for
- A mesh back on a cushioned seat is what you want, and its 16.25 to 18.75-inch depth range suits you. The selected Soji has no forward tilt.
Facts we checked
- Usable seat depth: 16.25 to 18.75 inches
- Standard seat height: 16.4 to 21 inches
- Back and seat: Selected Mist mesh back and cushioned seat
- Overall body: 28 inches wide, 27 inches deep
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Steelcase Amia | Haworth Soji | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usable seat depth | 15.5 to 18.5 inches | 16.25 to 18.75 inches | Amia goes 0.75 inch shorter and Soji goes 0.25 inch deeper. They share 16.25 to 18.5 inches. |
| Standard seat height | 16 to 21 inches | 16.4 to 21 inches | With the same upper limit, neither one is the answer to every high desk. |
| Back and seat | Upholstered back and cushioned seat | Selected Mist mesh back and cushioned seat | Check body fit first, then choose the surface you prefer. Neither seat is mesh here. |
| Overall body | 26.625 inches wide, 21.75 to 24.75 inches deep | 28 inches wide, 27 inches deep | Amia’s published body is narrower and also shallower. Those figures don't include the clearance needed to recline, roll or walk behind it. |
| Recline control | Manual tension and upright back lock | Manual tension and upright back lock | Two people who share the desk may want different resistance even at the same seat height. |
| Selected adjustments | 4D arms and height-adjustable LiveLumbar | 4D arms and adjustable lumbar, without forward tilt | Don't look at the price of a forward-tilt Soji configuration and then buy this other listing. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Steelcase Amia
- Spend more only when the shorter seat setting or the upholstered back addresses a real preference or fit problem.
With Haworth Soji
- When both fit, compare the exact new offers and the return terms. A lower price helps only if the selected configuration is the right one.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The depth you require is under 16.25 inches and at least 15.5
Go with Steelcase Amia. Amia gets to the shorter setting. Comfort is still decided by trying it.
Each range fits, and a mesh back comes first
Go with Haworth Soji. With Soji you get mesh behind a cushioned seat and don't have to switch to an Amia Air.
The desk makes either chair sit too high for supported feet
Neither model fits. Sort out the desk and foot-support setup before you expect a different chair to fix it.
Decision guide
Before you buy
A breathable back sounds appealing, yet it does nothing for you if the seat stops you from sitting against it. Look at usable seat depth before you decide on upholstery.
What this page can’t tell you
- Manufacturer dimensions give an adjustment range. They are not a guarantee of comfort for any particular height or body shape.
- Neither chair is presented as a treatment for pain. Desk height, keyboard position, movement breaks and individual fit still matter.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the office chairs we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelcase Amia |
|
|
|
| Haworth Soji |
|
|
Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Steelcase Amia
Soji cannot reach the seat setting you need, which is at least 15.5 but below 16.25 inches. Check knee clearance in person.
You like an upholstered back and want to set recline resistance yourself. Make sure the selected carpet casters suit your floor.
See price & reviews on AmazonHaworth Soji
A mesh back on a cushioned seat is what you want, and its 16.25 to 18.75-inch depth range suits you. The selected Soji has no forward tilt.
A setting past Amia’s 18.5-inch maximum is what you need, but the extra quarter inch is small, so trial fit matters.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
We may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases. How we make money