How to choose a recliner? This question has been asked by millions of people around the globe. There are thousands of models of recliners out there. How do you decide which one is perfect for you?
Recliners are designed to provide comfort, relaxation as well as support. They come in various shapes and sizes and different features and functions. Some are ideal for watching TV or reading books while others are meant for sleeping. The type of recliner you should get depends on your lifestyle and preferences.
There are several things to consider before buying a recliner. While some factors could weigh more based on your requirement, all of them are equally important.
- Usage
- Placement
- Body type of the person
- Material
- Functions and features
- Quality / Budget
Usage
Why do you want to buy a recliner is the key to start with. First find the reason why you’re looking for a recliner.
You may want to watch TV, or read a book with your legs resting on a recliner. If you’re going to spend a lot of time on the recliner, choose a recliner that has heavily padded cushion on the seating, back as well as on the arms.
When you’re shopping for a recliner to use as an accent furniture or just to complete the look in your living room, choose a recliner that can complement the furniture design style in your space.
If you’re going through a Surgery and/or if you are planning to sleep on the recliner temporarily, choose a recliner with added lumbar support and has different comfort settings. Also, Lift Recliners are for people who have health conditions that make it difficult to get in and get out from a chair.
Bernhardt Milo Accent Recliner Chair
Image Courtesy: Neiman Marcus
Placement
Another important factor to consider is where you are going to keep the recliner.
If the reclining chair is placed against a big window where it gets a lot of sunlight during summer, you may have to avoid materials like faux leather.
When the recliner is going against a wall, you also have to consider the space you need between the Recliner and the wall. A wall-away recliner only needs 4-6 inches between the wall and the back of the recliner which could be the best option for this requirement.
If the recliner is going to be placed in the middle of the room and if you are choosing a power motion recliner, you may have to think about running the power codes. You may have to put the recliner against a wall, or run the power codes under the rug.
Body Type of the Person
Different people have different body types. Therefore, one recliner does not fit all. A Petite person who is 5’4″ or less should choose a recliner with shorter height. People who are 6’3″ and up should choose an extra tall recliner to have the support on the back.
Industry Standard weight for Recliners is 350 lbs. However, if you have a heavy built body type and you’re looking for a motion recliner, certain brands like SimonLi has higher weight capacities (450 lbs).
When choosing a power recliner, for some people it may be difficult to reach the switches if they’re located far down on the sides of the recliner. Therefore, choose a recliner with the controllers inside the arm. Or you could choose a recliner with a Wireless remote controller as well.
Materials
Today, there are a few materials available in the market such as Leather, Faux Leather, Microfiber and Fabric.
Genuine Top Grain Leather is a very resilient and durable material that can last a very long time. Genuine leather is also easy to clean and maintain. However, leather feels cold during winter and feels hot during summer. Also, leather needs to be maintained by applying leather conditioner at least once a month to avoid drying out and wearing.
Image courtesy: Mathis Home
As Top Grain leather recliners are generally expensive, Bonded Leather or Faux Leather can be a good alternative as they share some of the qualities with top grain leather such as being able to clean easily. However, these materials generally don’t last long as top grain leather does, as they crack and peel overtime.
Microfiber is a very popular material nowadays. It’s easier to clean than regular fabric and also has a soft touch. Microfiber is a very breathable material which improves the airflow. Therefore, it does not get hot when you sit for a long time.
Regular fabric, mostly made with Polyester is very common on Recliners. Specially if you are looking for an accent furniture, fabric recliners come in a vast variety of colors and patterns. Also fabric is very breathable and it does not feel cold during winter and hot during summer as leather does.
Functions and Features
Since the inception in 1920s, Recliners have evolved with various functionalities and features. There are a variety of recliner types based on different functions. If you want to learn more about different recliner types please read the article on Different types of Recliners.
Since power motion recliners are most popular today, let’s explore different functions and features available on them so that you would know what functions you need on your recliner.
Independent Backrest
These recliners provide the ability to independently control the movement of the backrest. This functionality is very similar to the regular manual recliners. On Manual Recliners you can use the handle to lift up the footrest, and then push back to control the backrest. Power Recliners with Independent Backrest have two separate motors to control footrest and the backrest. This is ideal for people who want to have the perfect reclining position to read a book or watch TV while reclining.
Neck and Lumbar Support
Some of the recliners have the ability to adjust the neck pillow. This is a cool feature when you read a book or watch TV.
Just like on a car seat, lumbar support provides the added support to your lower back area. Since these features require the recliner to have multiple motor assemblies, they are generally high on pricing.
LaZBoy Greyson with Lumbar Support
Image Courtesy: Wayfair.com
Heating and Massaging
If you hate to sit on a chair that is cold during Winter, seat heating function is for you. In addition to seat heating, some of the recliners have massaging as well.This massaging feature is not a deep tissue massage, although it usually have more than 01 intensity settings to choose from. Massaging is a great feature that helps you relax after a long day at work or if you sleep on your recliner, it could help you fall asleep.
Alternatively, if you don’t care for a built in seat heating or massaging function, you can always get a seat heater pad or seat massager pads to use on your recliner.
USB Ports / Wireless Charging / Remote Control
Most of the power motion recliners have at least one USB port next to the controllers.
At the time of writing this article, majority of them are USB A ports and soon most of them will have USB C ports.
Motion Sofas, Love Seats and Sectionals could be equipped with a Wireless charging port, and these are located mainly in the console or as a pocket in the armrest.
Recliner chairs can also be equipped either with a wired or a wireless remote control. This is a very handy feature for those who cannot reach the buttons on the sides of the armrest.
Quality and Budget
One of the most important thing to consider when choosing a recliner is the quality and how much are you willing to spend on a recliner.
Typically, a recliner could cost anywhere between $100 – $6000 and up to $20,000 if you want to have a luxury reclining sectional. However, the price is mostly determined by the materials used, construction as well as the functions and features.
People own recliners for a long period, sometimes up to 20 years. A quality recliner can last that long.
The best way to check a recliner if you’re at a furniture store is by flipping the recliner. Check the construction underneath. The wood frame needs to be strong enough to hold the weigh as well as to last long. Most of the recliners use Sinuous coils also known as S Springs, and some of the expensive recliners use eight way hand tied coils which is a more advanced and high end spring mechanism. Inspect the reclining mechanism for the strength, and steadiness.
If you shop online, read reviews of people who have at least used the recliner for more than one year as it is very common for regular foam cushion to break down after using it for sometime.
A recliner could affect your health in many ways. Therefore, make sure to take your time, feel yourself comfortable for a good 05-10 minutes by sitting and trying it before buying it.
These are the major things to consider when choosing a recliner. Since it’s an investment that has a direct affect on your health, make sure you take choose the right recliner for you.