If you or someone you love experiences mobility issues or pain caused by injury or age, you may have heard of a lift recliner before. Lift recliner chairs can become a life-changing addition to your living room for those in need.
We at La-Z-Boy South Texas have become well-known for our lift recliners. Every lift recliner chair is hand-crafted with high-quality materials, especially for those with mobility issues.
While these recliners are uniquely designed for those in need, we acknowledge that these reclining chairs are not perfect. It will be important for you to know some of the drawbacks and issues other people have with these recliners before you buy one for your living room.
Read on to learn more about the 6 common problems that La-Z-Boy customers experience with lift recliners.
In this article…
- Lift Recliners Are Expensive
- Remote Control Issues
- Reclining Mechanism Won’t Work
- Lift Chair Height Issues
- Fabric Wear and Tear
- Lift Recliners Can Weaken Your Muscles
1. Lift Recliners Are Expensive
For a multitude of reasons, La-Z-Boy lift reclining chairs are some of the most expensive recliners in the store.
Since lift reclining chairs are specifically designed for those with mobility issues, these chairs have unique qualities. It will tilt back and upwards to make the chair easier to sit down in and will tilt forward and downwards to make the chair easier to get out of.
The cost of a La-Z-Boy power lift recliner can start anywhere between $1,199-3,900, not including any additional upgrades and features added. To put that into perspective, the La-Z-Boy Vail Rocking Recliner, a non-lift recliner, has a starting price of $919.
Not only are reclining chairs more expensive when power features are included but La-Z-Boy lift recliners are sometimes powered by multiple motors depending on the specific type of power lift recliner it is.
The type of power lift recliner you get will influence the cost. The 3 specific types of power lift recliners are:
Two-Position Lift Chairs: Powered by a single motor, these chairs do not recline in a fully extended position. These chairs are best for someone looking to watch TV or read a book but are not the best power lift chairs for napping.
Three-Position Lift Recliners: These recliners can fully extend into a napping position and can be powered by either one or two motors. These are great chairs for napping.
Infinite Position: These recliners have full reclining capabilities and can recline parallel to the floor.
Solution
Picture this: you went into one of the furniture stores in New Braunfels TX and were fully planning to buy a lift recliner until you saw the price. You knew after seeing the price tag that you couldn’t pay the full price upfront.
We at La-Z-Boy South Texas understand that these chairs are some of the most expensive Texas furniture options out there, which is why we offer furniture financing options to our customers!
La-Z-Boy South Texas offers financing plans with 0% interest for 12 months with equal monthly payments. We also offer a La-Z-Boy credit card that you can use at other La-Z-Boy furniture galleries.
By using furniture financing, you can still get the perfect lift recliner chair for you or your loved one without having to pay in full upfront. If you want to learn more about furniture financing, this article will give you a full breakdown of everything you need to know about furniture financing.
2. Remote Control Issues
A La-Z-Boy power lift recliner is controlled by a power remote control. This remote control controls everything from the headrest to the footrest, and can even control the heat and massage features if you opt for the power lift recliner with heat and massage.
A common issue La-Z-Boy customers have with power lift recliners is when the remote control does not work for them. Although these issues are mostly associated with dying batteries, some remotes may be dysfunctional from the get-go.
Solution
The first thing we recommend if you experience remote control issues is to check whether the remote needs new batteries. By replacing the batteries, it can be determined very quickly whether this is an easy fix.
If it is not battery-related and you need further assistance, call your nearest La-Z-Boy store location and explain the issue and our service department will determine the best solution.
If you elect to go with La-Z-Boy’s extended warranty plan to insure your furniture, you can also call to ask for a replacement if your remote is not working.
3. Recliner Mechanism Won’t Work
Another common issue we see among La-Z-Boy customers with power lift recliners is when the reclining mechanism either stops working or is experiencing issues.
If you are not able to recline anymore, some power mechanisms can malfunction over time due to age. The lift motor can wear down and either make the recline process much slower and clunkier or stop working entirely.
Another common occurrence La-Z-Boy customers experience is loud noises when attempting to recline. Due to the many functionalities of a power lift recliner, these are typically the loudest reclining chairs at La-Z-Boy.
Solution
Since the motor operates the functionalities of a power lift chair, it is a priority of the La-Z-Boy service team to have easy solutions.
Depending on the specific power lift series, a new power motor can cost anywhere between $100-300. However, under La-Z-Boy’s 5-year extended service plan, a replacement to the motor or other power reclining mechanisms could be covered under the plan.
4. Lift Chair Height Issues
When customers have feedback on our power lift recliners, some have said that their recliner is not able to lift high enough.
Some customers have expressed concern about their recliners not fitting them properly after a couple of sits. If your head is reaching over the headrest and your lower back is not properly aligned with the back, this may make for an uncomfortable experience if you have a power lift recliner with a power headrest and lumbar support.
If this is the case, your recliner may not be a great fit for you.
Solution
Before you commit to buying a power lift recliner, it is highly recommended that you do a sit test first!
A sit test before purchase will go a long way in identifying if the recliner chair fits your specific body type and size or not.
When doing a sit test, notice where your head is when leaning back in the chair. Ensure that it is resting comfortably on the headrest.
Additionally, notice where your feet lie when you test the reclining mechanism. To get the perfect recliner fit, this article will teach you how to find the perfect recliner fit for you.
5. Fabric Wear and Tear
Wear and tear can happen to any fabric recliner over time, but it may happen faster with a lift recliner.
Since individuals using a power lift recliner are using it to stretch for hours at a time, you might notice the fabric wear out faster than a normal recliner chair.
Since a power lift recliner is a motion chair, the fabric will be extended and stretched over time, creating friction in the material. This will result in the fabric wearing down eventually.
Common areas of fabric wear and tear are often frequent touchpoints, such as the back and seat cushions, as well as arm and leg rests.
Solution
Depending on the fabric type, it may be covered under La-Z-Boy’s protection plans as well. If you do not elect to go with a protection plan, reupholstering your furniture may be a good choice.
If you do not want to have to worry about fabric wear and tear, it would be a good idea to consider leather! Leather is often more durable and stronger than fabric, especially top-grain leather. If you are interested in a brown recliner, a brown leather recliner will be a more durable option than a fabric one.
6. Lift Recliners Can Weaken Your Muscles
Some customers have voiced concerns that they feel weaker after using a power lift recliner.
Since a lift recliner is designed to help those with mobility issues, it functions so that it is easier to get in and out of the chair. This will require less muscle use, especially in your legs.
Solution
If you are coming off of surgery from an injury or have another health-related issue, it is recommended to not rush getting in and out of the chair.
Take your time to get in and out of the chair comfortably, while ensuring that you are using both the chair’s assistance and your muscles to get in and out of the chair.
Is a Lift Recliner Right For You?
After reading this article, you now have a much better understanding of the functionality and purposes of these chairs.
If you or a loved one has been injured, has chronic pain, or has mobility issues, lift recliner chairs are designed especially to give those individuals a more comfortable sitting and reclining experience. If you are not injured and do not have mobility concerns, a lift recliner is not necessary and is likely not the best fit for you.
If you'd like to shop lift recliners by style and model, our products page will help you filter down your selection by filter.
Whether a lift recliner is right for you or not ultimately comes down to your own decision. If you do decide that it is right for you, we recommend that you come into your nearest La-Z-Boy store to sit in the chair yourself to ensure that it is the right fit for you.
