I need a recliner

[roguefrog]

Any recommendations before I just go to IKEA down the street and select something off the show floor?

[LMN8R]

I have an Ashley reclining sofa. It's quite possibly the most gloriously comfortable anything that my body has ever sat on.

I imagine for a regular single-person recliner, it wouldn't be too expensive.

[Giles Habibula]

Whatever you get, Scotchgard it first thing.

I bought my La-Z-Boy 20 years ago for around $400, Scotchgarded it, and about 2 years later, my cat threw up on it. It literally wiped right off. Scotchgard is the schnitz.

[Bahimiron]

Whatever you do, don't buy a chair from IKEA. Bookshelves? Tables? Sure. Chairs? I'm not sure the designers of these things know what humans are shaped like. Or what comfort is.

Edit: Here's an actual tip. If you're not going to get an electric recliner (which you shouldn't, since they're silly) make sure you get one that has the long lever on the side that you move up and down to extend and retract the built in ottoman, not the little switch that you pull that causes it to kick out. The switch is just hooked up to a steel wire which activates the mechanism, as opposed to the lever which is part of the mechanism. The difference is that that stupid wire can pretty easily come unhooked from the works on either end, meaning suddenly your chair don't work and then you have to flip it over to figure out what the fuck went wrong.

[Tracy Baker]

Go with an Ekornes unless you don't want an ottoman: http://www.ekornes.com/us/stressless/stressless_recliners/

You can get them in different sizes, they lean back to whatever angle you want, some have adjustable headrests (very nice), and they are incredibly comfortable.

[Athryn]

Bahimiron is crazy, I love my Poang chair. That being said, I would shop around. La-z-boy still makes good upholstered recliners, but there may be a no-name furniture store you run across that has something better. That's what happened when we bought a sofa. There's a lot of furniture out there when you start looking, and you can get things customized to your exact desires as well.

[markv]

Make sure you get one that has a cooler built in to the arm rest so you don't have to get up to get another beer, you can just bring six with you and chill out. That's what recliners are for right?

But in all honesty go to a bunch of different stores and try a wide variety out. Bring a book and relax in it for a while to see if it's the one you want.

[mkozlows]

Ikea looks stylish but is not well-made. Lazboys are durable, but look so unbelievably ugly. Probably there are things that are stylish and well-made, but one imagines they will be pricy as hell.

[Bahimiron]

Now that I think of it I have a recliner I'd be happy to sell you. Nice overstuffed seat, fabric cover, only minor cat-claw damage, faint pee smell*. I could cut you a deal.

*From the cat, not from me.

[roguefrog]

No thanks on the cat defiled chair.

Thanks for the suggestions/tips. Price is a factor. I don't want to drop a grand on a chair. 400-550 range is more my speed. Not sure what I can get for that but I'll just have to look and test drive.

IKEA did have this swivel recliner that was pretty spiffy.

[RickH]

Thanks for the suggestions/tips. Price is a factor. I don't want to drop a grand on a chair. 400-550 range is more my speed. Not sure what I can get for that but I'll just have to look and test drive.

IKEA did have this swivel recliner that was pretty spiffy.

Do look around. Do test-sit, find out if your body type works with the chair. If you're going to become a family man, be sure to get one that rocks. Ask about warranty, the mechanisms can break.

I love my LaZboy leather recliner, but it's probably 3x more than your price range. At your price point, I'd expect to find a chair with a fabric outer cover and un-upolstered arms, but there will definitely be quality options.

[Athryn]

Ikea looks stylish but is not well-made. Lazboys are durable, but look so unbelievably ugly. Probably there are things that are stylish and well-made, but one imagines they will be pricy as hell.

Not all of the La-z-boys are ugly. The traditional ones are, but they have some in updated styles that are pretty nice. My parents have a pair they bought a few years ago that they enjoy.

[LMN8R]

Again, Ashley recliner. Do it. You won't regret it.

The reclining sofa I mentioned was just a hair under $1000. Getting a normal-sized recliner would probably easily fall within your $400-550 price range.

[Pyperkub]

We have a reclining love seat, and one thing that we don't have an easy option is re-stuffing the cushions. Those things break down after awhile, and if it's a chair you'll have for awhile, then you might have it long enough that the cushion breaks down (rather like a car seat after a number of years). So get one that you can have easily restuffed if you think this is something you'll have for more than a couple of years.

[Gendal]

Whatever you do, don't buy a chair from IKEA. Bookshelves? Tables? Sure. Chairs? I'm not sure the designers of these things know what humans are shaped like. Or what comfort is.

Agreed.


Edit: Here's an actual tip. If you're not going to get an electric recliner (which you shouldn't, since they're silly) make sure you get one that has the long lever on the side that you move up and down to extend and retract the built in ottoman, not the little switch that you pull that causes it to kick out. The switch is just hooked up to a steel wire which activates the mechanism, as opposed to the lever which is part of the mechanism. The difference is that that stupid wire can pretty easily come unhooked from the works on either end, meaning suddenly your chair don't work and then you have to flip it over to figure out what the fuck went wrong.
Learned this one the hard way. I just don't let anybody put the foot rest all the way down lest I have to flip it over and manually release it.

[lordkosc]

Didn't see it mentioned, but LANE makes some quality recliners, the one I have is going on 15 years, looks like new. The mechanism for the legs stopped working correctly ( wouldn't stay up, I called to ask how much parts were, and found out they have lifetime warranties on the mechanism. I had to pay $50 for labor , but it is like new again.