Are Power Reclining Sofas Reliable? What You Need to Know

When you are looking to furnish a new home or apartment or replace existing furniture you probably want to shop for comfort. Chances are when you go into the furniture store, you are looking at so many different types of furniture it may be confusing. You will likely see many types of sofas, loveseats, and sectionals. They also have normal and reclining. Are they all they are cracked up to be? 

Power recliners are reliable. As long as you choose a high-quality material and chair, you can rest assured that your power reclining sofa will serve its purpose well. 

Power recliners have benefits over manual recliners, but they also have drawbacks. Power recliners have more electronic parts and are more complicated so they require more expensive upkeep and repairs. Manual recliners cost less and are less expensive to repair. They also have fewer parts that will go out. Read on to learn more about power recliners so you can decide if one might be right for your home. 

Are Power Recliners Good?

Power recliners tend to outlive manual recliners. They are easier on people with weakness and disabilities because strength is not needed and they can add to the comfort of the room. 

Power Recliner	Manual Recliner
Easier on people with less strength	Requires more strength
Limited range of motion	Sometimes too much range and that can damage the chair prematurely
Longer lifespan	Gets worn out faster
More expensive	Lower cost
More expensive to repair	Since the parts are not electronic, repairs are not as expensive
Needs more repairs when it gets older	Needs fewer repairs due to the lack of electronic parts
More complex	More simple
Multiple settings	Only two or three settings total
May require being plugged in	Can go any area in the room it will fit
May require more space	May take up less space

There are more benefits to buying power recliners, especially if you are also disabled or live in a home with someone disabled. Some people need to sleep in their recliner and those people also benefit from the longevity of a power recliner. There are also drawbacks to power recliners. They require more expensive repairs and can take longer to be repaired. 

Some of them are also bulkier than manual and will not fit as neatly into a room. A reclining couch may not fit in some smaller living rooms due to space constrictions. It will not matter if they are manual or power, they are too big and bulky. 

There are benefits and drawbacks to both manual and power chairs, the best thing to do is look at your finances and your needs, weigh both out carefully and go with the highest quality of either chair you can find.  

Another thing to look at is the space you have and where you are going to put the chair. Is there enough room next to an electric outlet for the chair to fully lean back? If you have a very small space, you may not want to get a recliner at all. 

The Lifespan of a Recliner

On average, a recliner will last around 10 years. If you have kids and pets who abuse it, you may get fewer years. Still, the average age of a well-used recliner is a decade. If the recliner is not used as much, it can add years to the lifespan, but heavy use can take years off. 

As long as you follow these tips, you can make sure your recliner (of any kind) will last:

• Find high-quality build
• Find high-quality material
• Preferably get leather or synthetic upholstery and avoid vinyl
• If you have kids or pets, cover the chair or couch with a durable, high-quality cover
• Do not let cats use it as a scratching post
• Do not let people eat on it
• Clean it regularly
• Do not overuse it
• Do not let children ride it repeatedly
• No jumping
• No flopping

Most of those are common sense, but those tips will make sure the chair lasts longer than a roughed-up or cheap quality chair/sofa would. Also- higher quality may cost more in the short term, but it will also be cheaper in the long term. It is better to spend $1,000 or more on a quality piece of furniture than spend thousands to have it replaced every few years or constantly repaired. 

What to Look For in a Power Recliner

What you need to look for typically is the upholstery. Make sure it is a higher quality material that is generally easy to upkeep. Pleather, leather, and suede can be washed fairly easily and the material is thicker. You can also find a higher-quality cover that you can take off and clean. 

Make sure the fabric has at least a cushion density rating of 1.9 or more and can handle 10,000 rubs. 

The manual recliners may have a lever you pull to push back the chair, those are better than the ones you lean back in. They are more controlled and will wear down more slowly over time. 

Best Materials

Leather and synthetic microfibers are the absolute best quality materials. They are more durable and leather can move more without ripping. If you find a vinyl recliner, avoid it. It will rip and tear faster and easier. 

Buying a Power Reclining Sofa

Power reclining sofas also have a longer life span. What are the benefits of reclining sofas versus regular sofas? Besides being more expensive, you can typically sleep on regular sofas as well as reclining and regular sofas take up less room than reclining. 

Not every living room is big enough for a reclining couch. When it comes to a power reclining couch vs manual, it has the same benefits and cons as a manual. Manual recliners take more strength than some seniors and disabled adults may not have, so they are ideal for the disabled and older. 

To ensure it will be a fit for your home:

• Make sure you have space
• Make sure it is in your budget
• Make sure you will have the money to get it fixed if it breaks
• Make sure you are able to take care of it (control kids or pets and do not overuse it) 

As long as your room is big enough and you have the money, it will last and you will be able to keep it for a long time. 

Can Power Recliners Be Fixed?

Yes. If you take them to professionals, expect to shell out between $150 and $500, depending on the part you need fixing and how long it will take. It is a similar amount for the upholstery, expect to pay between $150 and $300. 

With manual chairs, you may be able to Youtube the fix and fix the problem yourself. You will also pay a professional less but an electrical recliner will require special fixes and parts that will raise the cost and require a professional. 

What Are Some of the Top Brands?

The Caesar Electric Auto Recliner is a popular choice. Not only does it have a higher quality leather upholstery and it is a higher quality chair, but it also has heated seats and massage options. 

The Chester heated massage recliner is another electric recliner that has the heated seats and massage options. 

La Z Boy is a brand known for quality and they offer many styles of chairs. One of the best is the Pinnacle Platinum Power Lift Chair, it is a higher price, on sale for 1300 but it is one of La Z Boy’s best sellers. 

Conclusion: 

There are many pros to buying a power recliner- either couch or chair. Despite the expense, if you have the room, it will be well worth the expense. Just remember to get a higher quality upholstery and a cover if you will have kids and pets around it that will be easy to wash.