Buying a Recliner - What You Need to Know Before Buying a Recliner

If you’re buying a recliner, the good news is you don’t have to forsake style for comfort. Today’s recliners come in countless shapes and sizes, from traditional to extremely contemporary, along with everything in-between. Models today are slimmer than ever before, with many hiding their mechanisms so discretely you’d never know they were recliners—until, of course, you put them to work.

Types of Recliners

With so many models on the market, buying a recliner can be a confusing process until you know the terminology. The most popular chair type, the rocker recliner, rocks when you sit in it and features a back that tilts and a footrest that rises with either the pull of a lever or, less commonly, a backward thrust of the body (this type is called a push-back recliner). A glider recliner sways back and forth without altering the angle of your body. A swivel recliner rotates in a circle, which helps if you want to turn around to face a TV, fireplace or view. A wall-hugger—also called a zero-clearance chair—will not rock, but can be placed closer to a wall, since it does not need as much clearance when it reclines. Hi-leg chairs--also called Queen Anne chairs or occasional chairs—sit atop exposed wooden legs, so they look like traditional chairs, but the backs recline and footrests pop out of an apron in front, giving you the comfort of a recliner without the look of one.

What's Right for You?

As with any piece of furniture, consider the style of your home and the scale of your room before buying a recliner. (Keep in mind that a piece of furniture will look smaller in an expansive, high-ceilinged store than it will in an enclosed room, so bring along a tape measure and check the dimensions back at your house before you buy.) Since recliners tilt back when they’re in use, be sure to allow at least 6 inches of space behind a wall-hugger or zero-clearance model, and at least a foot in back for other recliners. Leave plenty of space in front, too, as the footrest will extend out an added 1 to 2½ feet (depending on the design) when the chair is in full recline position.

Taking a Test Drive

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all recliner, so make sure the primary users visit the furniture store for a “test drive” before buying a recliner. (If you want to give a recliner as a present, give a gift certificate to the furniture store instead, or let the recipient choose the model.) No matter how comfortable the first recliner you try might feel, force yourself to sit in at least half a dozen more before making a decision. Once you find a recliner you like, spend at least five minutes sitting in it, and assume the position you’re most likely to use at home. If you like to throw your leg over the arm when you sit, by all means sit that way in the store. If you plan to use the recliner primarily for reading, be sure to bring along some reading material to see how that feels.

When testing a recliner, note how the headrest supports your head and neck. Short people often complain that poofy headrests push their head forward, giving them a headache. So if you’re small in stature, look for a headrest with less padding. Conversely, tall people should make sure the back is high enough to support their head.

Controls

The majority of recliners sold today have a lever on the side that operates the reclining mechanism. The lever is always located on the right side, although a few companies will let you special-order a recliner with the handle on the left. While old-fashioned push-back recliners are still available, they’re not recommended for people who are frail, light or very overweight, as they may be hard for them to operate.