What should I look for in a riser recliner chair?

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of riser recliner chairs there are to choose from? And wondering how you should go about deciding what is or isn’t a good product?

We’ve seen many a model in our 45 years of experience and, in this article, we suggest 5 aspects you should factor into your buying decision.

This isn’t a guide to the best brand of riser recliner, or a review of available models. But it is our best advice to help you answer the question: why would I choose one model or manufacturer of riser recliner chair over another?

1. Comfort and support

Quite simply, there is little point in buying a riser recliner chair unless it’s comfortable and supports your mobility! So, what makes a riser recliner comfortable and supportive? Some of it comes down to personal preferences – firm or soft seat cushion, for example. Other aspects, like the way a rise and recline chair works and its size, can have quite a big impact on how safe and easy it is to get in and out of, and whether it helps or exacerbates health conditions like arthritis and COPD.

2. Options

Yes, there’s probably such a thing as too many options, but the importance of a supportive chair means you deserve at least a basic choice of configurations. At a minimum, you should be able to choose the size (either from a set of standard sizes, or bespoke depending on your needs), motor type and seating style. A choice of upholstery should be available, along with a range of optional add-ons like arm caps and battery back-up.

3. Product quality

What are the best indications of a quality riser recliner chair? It may surprise you if we say you can’t always tell by the price. While a cheap riser recliner chair – around £500 – is usually low quality, there are companies that charge premium prices for decidedly average quality chairs. So, price aside, you can often get a good idea by the overall finish. If a manufacturer clearly takes pride in the standard of their upholstering, it’s likely it also uses high quality components. This isn’t always black and white so, if you really want to make sure, find out what brand of mechanism is being used. In our experience, UK companies like Seminar Components make some of the best quality riser recliner chair mechanisms. This brings us to our next point, which is that the quality of a rise and recline chair can also be determined by which country it’s manufactured in.

4. Country of manufacture

It isn’t to say that all imported rise and recline chairs (or components for) are poor quality, or that all British made riser recliner chairs are high quality. However, the UK does have a proud record in furniture manufacture and textiles. Besides product quality, there should be the assurance of ethical practices, as well as environmental benefits, that come with British made riser recliner chairs. There are also big advantages in terms of aftercare, with local support and the ready supply of spare parts, should they be needed.

5. Warranty

Generally, you can expect longer warranties offered for better quality products. Just make sure that there’s no hidden small print and the warranty is exactly as advertised. Sometimes, warranty lengths vary for the different components of a riser recliner chair, or an optional extended warranty only covers specific components.

What next?

With these 5 factors, you should be better equipped to discern what’s a good buy. Finding out how to choose a riser recliner chair would be our suggested next step. As ever, our expert advisors are only a phone call away, so do get in touch to discuss your needs in more detail.

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