Nothing beats getting home after a hard day’s work and relaxing on your favorite leather recliner. Leather has always been a popular material for furniture, being durable, comfortable and easy to look after. When choosing leather furniture for your home you may choose a leather sofa, leather ottoman, leather sectional or the all time favorite of the leather recliners.
What is important is that you know just how to pick from the best leather recliners around. Your choice will not be as simple as testing out a leather couch for comfort; recliners having moving parts and other points to take into consideration. So, what turns a run of the mill chair into your most comfortable leather recliner ever? Read on to find out just how to choose your chair.
There are plenty of leather recliners to choose from, in all types of colors, shapes and of course prices, but when choosing a reclining chair it is important to look past just the visual impact the chair makes. Of course when buying a recliner you will want to try it out, but before you head off to your local leather furniture outfit to try out a leather sectional or recliner, you can compare different products online and find out just how well they do.
When choosing a leather sofa, leather ottoman or other leather furniture, you can be sure that the material is built to last and that it will be easy to keep clean and looking great. So, asides the color and shape, what other features should you look out for when choosing from recliners? Recliners have progressed from being something more used by men to attractive pieces of furniture for any household, the average recliner having plenty of positions to choose from for the back, arms and legs.
Firstly, decide which type of recliner you need for your home? If you have loads of space then a rocker recliner that is not just a recliner but a rocker too could be a hit; for more confined spaces you could perhaps try a modern push-back model. Push back models can start from as little as $200, but even so, you need to be sure that your new chair is exactly what you want. Space-saving models are also available, these needing as little as six inches from chair to wall to recline into the most comfortable of leather recliners.
In fact, there are plenty more types of recliners available on the market and these include the double recliner, high leg, home theater, massage, power lift, sectional and sofa. So, when you are shopping for something that will look great alongside a leather sofa or leather ottoman, make sure you know just which type of the many leather recliners you are after.
One important point that you need to take into consideration when choosing from recliners is the gap between the seat and leg rest. Especially if you have pets or small children, make sure they are unable to get caught up in the gap. A badly manufactured recliner can pinch the skin and trap the tiniest of hands or paws. All leather recliners you find on the market should meet safety standards, but when there are small hands around, make sure that buttons and levers are well out of reach too.
Once you are clear on the aesthetics of the leather recliners you want to choose from, next it is important to focus on the quality. It goes without saying that leather is a great material to choose for a recliner; you may already have a leather couch or sofa at home. But as recliners have moving parts, it is essential that they are built to the highest of standards.
When choosing from leather recliners, look for information on the frame of the chair and where possible look for cutaway photos that will show you how thick the frame is as well as what type of screws are used to keep the frame in place. Just because the frame is made from “wood” this does not necessarily mean that it is of quality construction; it could be flimsy or low quality. Look for hardwood for a chair that is really built to last, but expect to pay upwards of $1,000.
A plywood frame is a more economical yet viable choice for the frame of your recliner, and these will generally cost upwards of around $300. All good quality leather recliners should come with a warranty, usually of at least three years. The type of leather used will also be reflected in the price of the chair, the best leather being top-grain. Avoid fake leather and vinyl chairs; these may be built to look more and more like the real thing, but are still far inferior and are prone to cracking and splitting.
Once you have opted for a well built and designed recliner, the next thing to do is to sit on it; the only real way to know whether your new leather chair will be to your liking it to try it. You can read the reviews online and comments, but everyone’s preferences are different. When spending a large amount of money on one chair, if you cannot try it out in a showroom, then at least make sure that there is a trial period where you can return the item. Remember, people are all different shapes and sizes, so one persons’ preference may be another s pet hate.
Comfort is the key to the best leather recliners, so look for the following when trying out a chair:
· Do your feet comfortably touch the floor when the chair is upright?
· Does your head and neck feel supported?
· Are the controls for reclining easily accessible and easy to use?
· Is the cushion as soft/hard as you would like?
· Choose a chair with a high foam density rating; it will stay in shape for longer
· Test for squeaks and creaks
· Make sure the footrest moves smoothly and evenly
· Make sure that you and any other family members who will use the chair try it for comfort and size
What is a comfy recliner for one person may be ghastly for another, and a lot will depend on how tall you are and how much you weigh. When you use customer comments to sway your decisions, remember to check they are unbiased and that the person writing the review is around the same age and size as you. Leather recliners really epitomize comfort and look great in any lounge or study, so take you time and make an informed and sensible decision before your buy.
Your Turn
Now that you have seen the variety of styles, color, and reviewed our top picks for the best leather recliner furniture on the market, its up to you to pick what meets your needs, is in your price range, and overall match the theme of your living room.
As you know, new leather recliner furnitures are being created all the time by new and old manufacturers. For that reason, the comparison chart below will be updated as new leather furnitures need to be added to the list.
