The right riser recliner chair is the one that fits the person first and the room second. Get the seat height, seat width and weight limit right for whoever will sit in it, then check there's space behind and in front of the chair. Massage, heat and fabric come after that.
A chair with every extra still feels wrong if your feet don't sit flat on the floor, and a 110cm wide chair won't help if it blocks the hallway door.
Below, each check uses real figures from the HOMCOM chairs in our riser recliner chairs range.
Riser recliner or electric recliner?
Both run from the mains and recline at the press of a button, so the names get mixed up. The difference is the lift. A riser recliner has a motor under the seat that raises the whole chair and tips it forward, so you're closer to standing before your feet take your weight. An electric recliner (sometimes sold as a power recliner) only moves the backrest and footrest. It stays flat on its base the whole time.
If getting up from a low sofa is the reason you're shopping, you want the lift. If you just want to lean back for the telly without pulling a lever, an electric recliner will do, and our massage recliners give you more choice there. The word "power" in a title doesn't always mean lift, so read the feature list.
Measure the person before the room
Seat height is the number to get right. Sit the person on a dining chair with their feet flat and measure from the floor to the back of the knee. A seat close to that figure is the most comfortable to sit down into. The HOMCOM chairs we've checked sit at 48cm or 48.5cm, so if your measurement comes out well below that, get in touch before you buy.
Seat width comes next. The standard fabric lift chair is 76cm wide overall, while the oversized models give you a 56cm wide seat and a 92cm wide backrest. The corduroy power lift chair has a 60cm wide seat, one of the roomier ones. Wider isn't automatically better for a smaller frame, because armrests set far apart are harder to push up from.
Then find the weight limit on the listing. You'd expect a bigger chair to carry more, but it doesn't work that way. The oversized HOMCOM chair is rated to 120kg and so is the corduroy chair, while the standard fabric lift chair lists a maximum load of 200kg. Compare the listed figure with the person who'll use the chair, not with its size.
If the chair is for someone with a health condition, ask their GP or an occupational therapist which seat height and features to look for. They can assess what a product page can't.
Now check the room
A riser recliner moves in three directions, so it takes up more floor than photos suggest. Before you order:
- Measure the space with the chair fully reclined. The oversized chair is 93cm deep upright and 163cm deep reclined. The corduroy chair goes from 96cm to 170cm.
- Check the gap needed behind it. The oversized chair needs at least 35cm from the wall, and the corduroy chair listing asks for 50cm. The figures differ, so read each listing.
- Find the socket. Every chair in the range runs from the mains, and the corduroy chair has a 1.35m cable. Run it along the wall, not across a walkway.
- Leave clear floor in front. The footrest swings out and the lift tips the seat forward. In the lift position, the corduroy chair stands 137cm tall.
In a terraced house or a small flat, the reclined depth is usually the sticking point, not the width. Mark it out on the floor with masking tape and walk round it for a day.
Lift, recline and the extras
Every chair in the range runs from a handheld remote with separate buttons for the backrest, footrest and lift. Let go and the chair stops where it is, so you don't have to go all the way back. The standard fabric chair reclines to 135 degrees and the oversized chair to 150 degrees, with its lift raising the seat up to 45 degrees.
Some chairs come with two remotes. Handy when the first one vanishes down the side of the cushion.
Massage and heat are on some models only. The oversized chair has eight vibration points across the back, lumbar area, thighs and legs, plus a heated lumbar panel, three massage modes, three intensity levels and a timer. Treat these as comfort extras. Other chairs keep to lift and recline, which means fewer buttons, and for some people that's the better choice.
USB ports and side pockets earn their place. The corduroy chair has a 5V USB port and two side pockets that hold a remote or reading glasses.
One thing to ask about is power cuts. The HOMCOM listings we've checked don't mention a backup battery, so expect the chair to stay where it is until the power comes back. If that worries you, contact us before ordering and we'll check the model with the supplier. The same goes for motor details, as single or dual motor isn't stated on every listing.
Picking a fabric you'll live with
A riser chair gets used every day, sometimes for hours at a time, so choose the cover for how it'll be used. PU leather wipes clean, which helps if spills are likely. Chenille and corduroy feel softer and warmer through winter. The terry cloth chair adds a spring cushion seat.
For a more traditional living room, the button-tufted chairs have a wingback shape, and there are more in that style in our wingback recliners. Cream and light grey show marks sooner. Brown, dark grey and black are more forgiving in a busy house.
Delivery day and setting up
The chairs arrive in parts. The oversized chair uses a tool-free interlocking design, where the backrest slots onto the base. Others, the corduroy chair included, need some assembly, so check the listing before delivery day and line up a second pair of hands.
Once it's together, run the lift and recline a few times with nobody in it to see how far forward the seat travels.
If you've worked through all of this and decided the lift isn't needed, a manual recliner is simpler and has no cable to route. If it is needed, start with the seat height and the weight limit, then narrow down the riser chairs from there.
Delivery and returns footer
Shop riser recliner chairs at Bossy Cat
Delivery is free on all orders to UK mainland addresses and arrives in 3-5 working days, with no hidden fees. If you change your mind, you can return your order, but the return postage is paid by you.
