A Recliner for the bigger fella, not too many extraneous frills
May 2, 2015 1:26 PM   Subscribe

I am in the market for a new recliner. The internet has presented me with a dizzying array of choices, almost all of which I do not want or need. More inside in the -->

I am a bit hefty. Not svelte. I need a recliner that could realistically support up to 300 pounds. I am not anywhere near 300 pounds but I'd like to err on the side on the side of caution.

I need a recliner that can support this kind of weight and costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. My decorating style is pretty conservative, so I'd like a chair that's reasonably tasteful, not the sort of thing you'd see featured in a P*rnhub video.

I do not need electric lift capacity, power recliners, massage, heat, rocker recliners, swivel capacity or any of those other things that might be useful for some people but, as far as I'm concerned, help jack up the price into the four digit range. Just a solid, bombproof recliner that would be good for reading and relaxing after a long day at the office.

TIA.
posted by the hot hot side of randy to Home & Garden (6 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
We've had a pleasant experience with the La-Z-Boy Gibson. We got it at a La-Z-Boy retail store. We didn't get it for the rocking functionality and thought the price was good regardless. It was $599 when we bought it, and they have a pretty wide variety of colors and materials (we got the Granite fabric, it's pretty easy to work into a room) that don't cost extra. I felt weird about buying name-brand furniture, and most of the other recliners in their showroom were crazy expensive and not very comfortable, but this one is really nice. They didn't have stock in-store, so we waited about 7 weeks for it to be custom-made and delivered. It doesn't feel flimsy or creak under the weight of heavier people.

It's also somewhat cat safe--when you recline, there's a wall underneath your feet so your cat can't climb in and get stuck. This was a big deal to me.
posted by almostmanda at 2:12 PM on May 2, 2015


We bought a La-Z-Boy Jasper. I'm both fat and hugely pregnant and I've had no issues with it at all. At this point it's the only place in the house where I'm comfortable for more than five minutes. From a style perspective it's not really my cup of tea but I love it anyway.

The only downside for us was the recliner shopping process. The La-Z-Boy salespeople were super aggressive and stalked us around the store even after we asked them to let us try out the chairs in peace. I don't know if that's a La-Z-Boy thing or just specific to the store we went to, but it was super annoying.
posted by makonan at 3:03 PM on May 2, 2015


I don't know if that's a La-Z-Boy thing or just specific to the store we went to, but it was super annoying.

This was not my experience at my local store--they left us alone, but were also sorta busy when we went in. We did get a hard-sell on fabric protection treatment and extended warranties that annoyed me.
posted by almostmanda at 3:28 PM on May 2, 2015


My husband is upwards of 300 pounds, and he tends to flump down rather heavily on his furniture. So I've had to check into these things. (Both of these selections are a bit more contemporary, but reasonably classic -- particularly given your fabric choice -- so I figured I'd mention them anyway.)

Ekornes Stressless recliners are out of that price range, but I acquired mine at an estate sale for $45 (it was like the best day of my life). I just emailed them recently and they said it was rated for up to 350 pounds, which means they've probably tested it higher.

We purchased a La-Z-Boy Carlyle recliner on Craigslist. I really like the classic recliner feel without the giant puffy look that old-style La-Z-Boys are known for. Again, my husband has flumped down in it and used it VERY heavily, as it has been our primary baby-feeding and up-all-night-with-baby chair for the past nine months. The back slipped a bit once, but it was easily fixed by tightening a bolt.

There are a lot of large furniture stores who have imitation versions of all of these styles. If you can find the original, do it. We're likely to buy more La-Z-Boy stuff in the future, as it's been pretty strong.
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:10 PM on May 2, 2015


La-Z-Boy seems to be a good shopping choice for big recliners. My dad has one and it's been great. Also, they have a ton of options when choosing style and colors although you might have to order.

My mom has had a couple of Flexsteel recliners and loved them, although I don't know if they make the "Big and Tall" version like La-Z-Boy. I do know they have a lifetime warranty. Something broke in my mom's Flexsteel and they sent someone out to repair it without any issues. I think La-Z-Boy offers the same but don't quote me on that.
posted by MultiFaceted at 11:05 PM on May 2, 2015


La-Z-Boy is the gold standard for quality and comfort.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:10 AM on May 3, 2015


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