Recliner

[Walkin Horse]

5 years ago when I was in the market I went to Lazy Boy first. Their prices were ridiculous compared to the past. I shopped all over and found two at Rooms to Go. 3 years 0% finance. The one I use has held up great. The one my Doberman has taken over not so well.
The most important feature I looked for, is being able to raise the back and headrest up when reclined. This prevents a pillow under your head or your arms folded behind your head when watching tv.

 

[Narragansett]

You probably never heard of Smith Brothers. They make great recliners, we have two.

I thought they made black and red cough drops.

 

[K-22]

Good Leather

Hopefully, I get out and check to see if I can find something on sale for Black Friday. I looked online a little bit last night and didn’t see much advertised. Maybe I have to actually wait until Friday, but I thought most places started their sales earlier nowadays. One thing that I am curious about, will most places have recliners in stock or will I have to wait weeks to get one built? I saw where rockquarry talked about waiting for an Amish built chair, but is that normal everywhere else too?

I definitely want to “try it before I buy it” for comfort sake. It seems like most here recommend La-z-boy branded chairs. I know they have been around forever it seems and are quality made. They may end up being too expensive for me though. I always thought it would be nice to get leather, but have sat in a couple years ago and didn’t like them. I am willing to try them again though. My chair that has lasted 26 years isn’t leather, and truthfully, I’m not even sure who makes it. I turned to over the other day trying to figure out what its problem was, and there is no tagging there anymore. Of course, it could have fallen off over the years.

Thanks for the reply’s so far, keep them coming, and I’ll let y’all know what I find.
Larry

Lazy Boy and Flex Steel have both served me well.
As far as leather, don’t cheap out. Spend a little more, and get good leather.
You can thank me later.
Best,
Gary

 

[DukeSoprano]

I have had Lazy Boys in the past but this is the best recliener I have ever had, and its for us BIG GUYS

Just a moment...

 

[tops]

We purchased a "Golden Technologies" chair last week. It does everything but speak Spanish.
I told my wife yesterday it's not satisfactory when watching TV because I go to sleep. Larry

 

[boykinlp]

I have had Lazy Boys in the past but this is the best recliener I have ever had, and its for us BIG GUYS

Just a moment...

That’s a really nice chair, but I need something that I can put close to a wall.

We purchased a "Golden Technologies" chair last week. It does everything but speak Spanish.
I told my wife yesterday it's not satisfactory when watching TV because I go to sleep. Larry

tops, I checked that brand out, and you’re right, it does everything! Probably has wheels that drop down so it can take you to your favorite destination! A little out of my price range.
Larry

 

[CalifEd]

Definitely get powered controls, makes life easier! Have non power upstairs its ok but as I age noticed that leg strength aint what it used to be. In the Man cave have powered recliners spent alot of time recovering in it from Rotator cuff surgery. Doc even suggested it. You can fine tune comfort! In time when replacement is necessary will look at the type that assists you up and out of chair, wish my dad would have got that model as now he struggles to get up!

I have to take the position for the loyal opposition.
I recently got stuck in the reclined position when my house lost power due to a power outage.
I too have back, neck and leg strength issues, I was 15 minutes trying to get out out the recliner; picture a stranded grey-headed bull elephant seal stuck on top of a log.

No amount of language, twisting or turning seemed to work and I was afraid of pulling something by getting too aggressive to get out of the leather man-trap.

 

[boykinlp]

I have to take the position for the loyal opposition.
I recently got stuck in the reclined position when my house lost power due to a power outage.
I too have back, neck and leg strength issues, I was 15 minutes trying to get out out the recliner; picture a stranded grey-headed bull elephant seal stuck on top of a log.

No amount of language, twisting or turning seemed to work and I was afraid of pulling something by getting too aggressive to get out of the leather man-trap.

I know what you mean, Ed. Just before having cancer surgery, I realized that having a lift chair would make my life so much easier. My next door neighbor, and friend of 45 years had one that had belonged to his mother-in-law, she had passed away, and it wasn’t being used. So he told me that I could borrow it, and he and his son delivered and set it up for me. Soon after I had gotten home from my cancer surgery, and while I was having SEVERE back pain, I was in the chair completely reclined. My power when out because a vehicle hit a power pole. I WAS STUCK, didn’t know for how long, and knew that I would have to use the bathroom relatively soon.

Luckily, it was on the weekend and my neighbor/friend was home. His son has a truck that has electrical outlets on it. They were able to drive over, park in my driveway, and string a 100’ electrical cord to my chair. I was able to use the chair controls to get out of the chair. I will admit it was FUNNY, AFTER I was out of the chair. I still borrowed the chair for about 6 months without another incident, before my neighbor’s father-in-law needed the chair. I didn’t need it anymore. I was very grateful to have it while I needed it!
Larry

 

[lihpster]

I know what you mean, Ed. Just before having cancer surgery, I realized that having a lift chair would make my life so much easier. My next door neighbor, and friend of 45 years had one that had belonged to his mother-in-law, she had passed away, and it wasn’t being used. So he told me that I could borrow it, and he and his son delivered and set it up for me. Soon after I had gotten home from my cancer surgery, and while I was having SEVERE back pain, I was in the chair completely reclined. My power when out because a vehicle hit a power pole. I WAS STUCK, didn’t know for how long, and knew that I would have to use the bathroom relatively soon.

Luckily, it was on the weekend and my neighbor/friend was home. His son has a truck that has electrical outlets on it. They were able to drive over, park in my driveway, and string a 100’ electrical cord to my chair. I was able to use the chair controls to get out of the chair. I will admit it was FUNNY, AFTER I was out of the chair. I still borrowed the chair for about 6 months without another incident, before my neighbor’s father-in-law needed the chair. I didn’t need it anymore. I was very grateful to have it while I needed it!
Larry

Good neighbor/friend.

 

[Golddollar]

Think long term when you buy your recliner/lift chair. I still have the one I bought in 2017 after my knee surgery. None of us is getting any younger.

 

[boykinlp]

Good neighbor/friend.

The BEST!
Larry

 

[GaryS]

There is a retired Lazy Boy repairman on YouTube. He has a number of different videos showing how to repair broken couches and recliners. I used one to help me reassemble one that I have when the base broke.

Not only the repairs in the manuals, but handy shortcuts as well.

That piece is part of the footrest mechanism.

Our fabric-covered La-Z-Boy love seat with dual manual recliners is over 20 years old and still looks good works perfectly. It's so sturdy that the loss of a piece of the mechanism hasn't affected it at all. A few years ago, this item fell out (the Shield did not fall out, it's there for reference.):

I don't know what it is, but our La-Z-Boy doesn't seem to miss it. However, if you need a 200 lb. recoil spring I can send it to you.

And I agree about the bonded "leather". I had a beautiful desk chair with bonded leather I had to discard after only about 5 years because its bonded "leather" upholstery completely disintegrated.

 

[boykinlp]

Well, I went out this afternoon and looked at 3 places. I went to Ashley Furniture first because they had 2 chairs online that checked ALL the boxes. When I got there, a salesman met me at the front door, of course. I showed him the pictures of the 2 chairs which I had saved to “My Wishlist”. He asked me to follow him, which I did, to an area with a bunch of different recliners. As he walked through them looking at the tags on some, he exclaimed that he no longer had those 2 chairs. He only had 1 Manual wall hugger recliner in stock and it was junk. If I placed my hand on the top corner of the back of any chair and pulled back slightly, the back would kinda twist like it was trying to recline. It felt extremely flimsy and cheap!

The second place I went was rooms to go. They only had 4 manual wall hugger recliners that didn’t rock or swivel, and ALL of them were the tiny style chairs built for women. I saw a larger very plush chair and sat in it. It was huge, leather, and very comfortable, but it rocked. The salesman said that it was a La-z-boy and called “The Shaq”, built to Shaquille O’neal’s specifications! It was nice and expensive. Then, the salesman actually told me that they got their La-z-boy chairs from across the street at the La-z-boy store, and said that I should go over there because they had a lot more chairs, and could build whatever I wanted. I was almost shocked that he did that.

I went across the street to the La-z-boy store, and when I walked in I was greeted by a salesman, of course. I couldn’t believe how many chairs they had on display! By the time I got there, I was getting short on time, but the salesman showed me a few different chairs that checked all the boxes, some he actually had in stock for carry out purchase. I sat in them, one was too narrow, but the rest were large enough. I didn’t really care for the fabric used on the few that I sat in that were made from it. The leather ones were comfortable, and I brought up my reluctance to buy leather wondering about their durability. He even showed me “The Shaq” chair too. He said that ALL their chairs were made of “top grain” leather(?), and that most of the chair was leather. I asked what parts weren’t leather and he said the sides and the front of the arms weren’t leather, but basically everywhere you touched when sitting in one, was leather. He stated that I could buy a chair that was completely leather, but it was more expensive. He also said they had a warranty on their chairs, 5 years on leather and 10 years on fabric, and I believe lifetime on the mechanism. I forgot to ask the cost, but feel sure it is an additional cost except for the mechanism. Since I was in a hurry and had to leave, he told me that basically if I found one of their chairs, that was comfortable, that he could have it built with many different fabrics/colors or leather in different colors, and whatever mechanism I wanted. It only takes money! Unfortunately, it will take 6-8 weeks to get a chair built. I think I will go back tomorrow. With as many chairs as they have, it might take hours to check them out.
Larry

 

[boykinlp]

I forgot to tell you in the long post above, that when I was at La-z-boy, the salesman asked me what brand my recliner was that lasted 26 years. I told him that I couldn’t remember and couldn’t find any tag on it when I had it flipped over. He asked if I had checked on the wooden reclining handle? I hadn’t. When I got home, I checked, and it was……….LA-Z-BOY! That would’ve made him happy!!

Before you ask, I got really excited when I saw that my chair was a La-z-boy because of their lifetime warranty on the mechanism. But, after looking online at the requirements, you must be the original owner, which I am, and have the original receipt, which I don’t for a 26 year old chair!
Larry

 

[ACORN]

My wife suggested a new recliner for me for Christmas, but my main concern is my daughter’s (who recently moved in) 2 cats.

 

[pharmer]

I have owned one recliner way back in the 20th century. I refuse to buy another because I have solid (FMA) information that the Grim Reaper has accessed the home addresses of all owners. I plan to not be in one when he knocks Joe

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Another vote for La-Z-Boy. Be sure to sit in it before you buy it.Buy the bigger one as a smaller ones are usually not wide enough to get comfortable.

Same here..........My big Lazy Boy is great to take naps in....

 

[CalifEd]

I forgot to tell you in the long post above, that when I was at La-z-boy, the salesman asked me what brand my recliner was that lasted 26 years. I told him that I couldn’t remember and couldn’t find any tag on it when I had it flipped over. He asked if I had checked on the wooden reclining handle? I hadn’t. When I got home, I checked, and it was……….LA-Z-BOY! That would’ve made him happy!!

Before you ask, I got really excited when I saw that my chair was a La-z-boy because of their lifetime warranty on the mechanism. But, after looking online at the requirements, you must be the original owner, which I am, and have the original receipt, which I don’t for a 26 year old chair!
Larry

Call them anyway and act surprised, maybe a little shocked, that anybody would keep a receipt for 1/4 of a century.
A little bit of acting may melt the heart of the warranty department (in this season of good will, it may happen).

 

[Kinman]

My recliner has given up the ghost after a mere 26 years! They just don’t make ‘em like they used to! Maybe it was a blessing since Black Friday is coming soon, which means sales to me. I am a bigger guy, so looking for something that will be comfortable to me. I actually prefer a manual recliner, a wall hugger style, and don’t really care for the stuff like massaging, heat, rocking, gliding, etc., just a standard one. You folks have any recommendations for something that you have purchased recently?
Larry

I looked around at all the local stores looking for a good replacement for my last LazyBoy recliner. In this house we refer to it as the "bad chair", sit down and kick back and your gonna be asleeep. The old one crapped out after 20+ years, mechanical issue not worth repairing. We had some good hits at another store that makes a good chair, went back to LaZyBoy and talked some more, the guy had a chair for a taller person with higher back...been on the floor a couple months, talked them down a couple hundred and am very happy with the new bad chair. The last one wasn't a LazyBoy...Lazyboys have a different action, once mine is any recline position it doesnt allow me to back off without going back to beginning. Another Lazybody pecularity is if you just let the lever go and slam it down it will slam it down right now, KaBang. I've learned to ease back down on the lever. It does adjust quite neatly once you start the recline operation and there are subtle nuances you will learn about that makes it a nicer chair. When I'm sick I sleep in this bad boy. I'd buy another without looking anywhere else, kinda like the way I am with Toyotas.

 

[pasound]

My La-z-boy is the annoying transition version that did not become mainstream. No lever, no button, kick out to unlock and stretch out, with a spring loaded chair back up. Sit up to unlock. Only up and down positions.