For the elderly and people with physical disabilities, getting in and out of a chair can be a grueling exercise. Power lift chairs solve this problem by using a motor to make it easy to change the tilt of a chair so that you can sit down and recline in it without effort, and then return to a near-standing position. But with such a great number of chairs with different reclining positions, dimensions, weight capacities, and various additions such as heating and massage, how do you choose the best lift chair?
The first thing you need to be guided by is your constitution, and then consider your personal preferences as for materials and additional features a chair may have. To make your choice easier, we researched the most popular power lift chairs to find the seven best on the market. We looked hard at technical specifications and read through hundreds of customer reviews to come up with our picks, and we are confident that our choices can cover everyone.
The table below offers a quick look at our seven picks for the best power lift chair, with distinguishing features of each. Continue reading for detailed reviews, complete with pros and cons of each chair. Our buying guide covers some of the most important features to look for in a power lift chair, and we finish off the guide by highlighting our overall favorite power lift chair.
This power lift chair from U-Max has almost everything you could want in a chair. The chair is upholstered with synthetic leather, which gives it a classy look while remaining comfortable in all but hot weather. It reclines from tilted about 45° up to help with getting in and out of the chair all the way back to 135°. The footrest does not lift independently of reclining, although few users found this to be an issue with comfort when sitting upright. The seat itself is about 20 inches across, which offers plenty of room for most people but is not among the widest chairs in our roundup. However, tall users (over 5’10”) found that the chair is quite short and can leave your feet dangling over the footrest when reclined.
What sets this chair apart is the integrated heating and massage mechanisms. In fact, this is one of the best massage chairs under $1000 out there. The internal massager has four separate points of contact spread throughout the chair from the legs to mid-back, and the chair can be programmed for any of five different massage modes – so there is certain to be a massage setting that will work for your sore muscles. These massage functions and the heater are controlled by a separate remote from the reclining functions. Although this means a second remote to keep track of, it also enables a timer function to be built into the massage and heating programs.
This cushy lift chair from Ashley Furniture Signature Design is packed with features. To start, the dual motor means that you can recline the back and lift the feet independently from one another to achieve the perfect sitting position. Better yet, the back lifts forward very far to make it extremely easy to get in and out of the chair. A remote control allows you to easily control the chair without having to reach for oddly placed buttons.
The seat itself is extremely roomy, with plenty of space to settle in. At 19 inches wide and 21 inches deep, this lift chair is perfect for heavyset users who need the extra space as well as smaller users who simply want to spread out while they relax. This model will make a great reading chair. Just keep in mind that the chair is limited to a maximum weight of 300 pounds.
Users found the polyester upholstery to offer the perfect level of firmness, allowing you to sink into the chair – but not too much. In addition, the polyester is colored to look like leather, but it’s much less prone to wear over time and much less expensive than genuine leather. Still, polyester can stain more easily than leather, so you’ll need to be careful about eating and drinking in the chair.
While this lift chair doesn’t come standard with a warranty, Ashley Furniture offers a five-year warranty for just $11. It’s well worth having this warranty, as it protects you against motor damage for a five-year period.
The Golden Technologies DayDreamer recliner is a must-have when it comes to comfort. If you are looking for a reclining massage chair that gives you significant back pain relief, the power recliner chair will be perfect for you. It is designed to give you the relaxation you crave as it comes with great features like the massage feature and the position memory to satisfy all your needs.
If you have back pain or have other injuries, this chair will be your best friend. The Golden Technologies DayDreamer recliner will be ideal for seniors or people with disabilities who cannot stand up on their own.
When not tilted, the recliner features a peaceful gliding motion that many users will find very relaxing. This seat has thick padding and a solid structure. You can also expect good cushioning from the headrest and footrest.
This affordable reclining lift chair is a comfortable choice for a wide variety of users. While it features plush arms and an articulated headrest, users note that it’s a bit firmer than many other fabric chairs in the same price range. If you’re worried about sinking too deep into the lift chair, this model could help fix that problem.
The recliner is able to recline up to 140 degrees, which is just far back enough for many people to comfortably sleep. The reclining mechanism and lift are easily controlled by a wired remote, which just has forward and back buttons for simplicity. This lift chair is also equipped with wide cupholders in each armrest and a USB port for charging a smartphone or tablet.
This chair is upholstered with cloth rather than faux leather, which helps to keep the price relatively low. On the upside, users found that this cloth is soft and silky to the touch, which adds to the overall comfort of the chair. However, it does stain relatively easily so you’ll need to be careful about eating and drinking in the chair.
Another thing to note about this chair is that it’s designed primarily for shorter users. The maximum recommended height for comfort is 5’9”, so it may be more suitable for women than for many men.
This plush fabric chair is incredibly comfortable and soft to the touch. It comes with an overstuffed base, armrests, and back, which users found allows you to sink into the chair when you lay back into it. There’s a lumbar support panel, which helps keep your back in alignment when reclining, although users wished for an articulated headrest to reduce strain on the beck.
The chair can recline anywhere from 110 to 145 degrees, making it an ideal choice for sleeping in. The footrest can be raised without reclining the chair as well, which users appreciated. Reclining and lifting is controlled by a simple wired remote, which just has up and down buttons for ease of use. You can stow the remote away in the large side pocket when not using it.
While CANMOV doesn’t recommend a specific height range for this lift chair, users found that it’s on the smaller side. Most women found that it fit them perfectly, but some taller men found that their head reached over the top of the chair back.
Users found this lift chair to be relatively durable. However, it’s worth noting that it only comes with a one-year warranty and is designed only to hold up to 300 pounds safely. The cloth upholstery can also stain much more easily than faux leather, so you’ll need to be careful with food and drinks around this recliner.
This power lift chair is extremely comfortable thanks to soft padding underlying the soft textile upholstery. Both the cushion and backrest are plush and padded, making it easy to relax without feeling like you’re sinking into the chair. Meanwhile, the cushion is a whopping 19 inches deep and 21 inches wide, which allow to move around and find the position that feels best.
The chair is able to tilt between forward and fully laid out, which makes it perfect for taking a nap as the brand name might suggest, and get up easily. The foot rest does not operate independently from the recliner, so you’ll need to lay the chair all the way back to bring the foot rest all the way up.
Catnapper offers a great warranty on this chair, which helps to justify its high price. The electronic components are warrantied for up to three years, while the parts are covered for life. On top of that, the chair comes with massage function with adjustable intensity.
This chair from Mega Motion is perfect for short people, as it is specifically designed to provide comfortable lumbar support for people shorter than 5’4” in height. And for people that height, it provides plenty of space – the chair features a 19” wide and 22” deep cushion and can support up to 325 pounds.
Unlike many of the other chairs in our roundup, this is a 2-position chair – it is designed primarily to move between upright and about 45° reclined. This can make it hard for severely disabled people to get out of the chair, since it still requires standing up from a seated position. In addition, the foot rest height is dependent on the degree of recline and unfortunately does not come all the way up even when the chair is fully tilted back.
The chair is upholstered in polyester that is plenty soft in the cushion, but can be quite firm in the backrest. Some users found the chair to be comfortable, while others needed a foam pillow to soften the backrest.
A welcome feature of this chair is that it has an emergency battery backup, which means that you’ll be able to get out of the chair as you normally would even if the power goes out unexpectedly. The chair also comes with a one-year warranty during which you can receive in-home service to address any issues.
This power lift chair from Coaster Home Furnishings is soft and comfortable thanks to the textured chenille upholstery and a well-cushioned seat. The chair is a 3-position recliner controlled by a remote cabled to the chair and is capable of stopping anywhere in between 45° and nearly flat. The footrest does not lift independently, but rather begins to lift as the chair crosses upright and continues to recline. The chair itself is situated on a swivel base that allows it to spin in 360° even while reclined. The chair can handle people weighing up to 300 pounds and is designed to fit anyone less than about 6 feet in height.
The chair has few additional bells and whistles other than a side pocket, which helps to keep the overall price down relative to some of the other chairs in our roundup. But users rave about the cushioning in this chair. The seat offers plush padding, just enough to feel like royalty without fully sinking into the cushion. The 22-inch wide seat also offers plenty of room to fidget around.
The warranty on this chair is good for 5 years, but note that it applies only to the reclining mechanism and not to the upholstery itself.
Finished in a tough microfiber finish, this seat requires little maintenance and should provide years of support. This recliner can be mounted to the wall, so it is a great option if space is limited. However, you can still set it at a reclined position for utmost comfort. What we liked most is that the recliner can be adjusted to a 180-degree position, turning completely flat with the leg rest following suit. Hence, it is ideal for an afternoon nap
This mid-priced power recliner is available in 2 colors so you can choose one that matches your decor. The non-slip padding will keep you from slipping while the padded cushions keep you comfortable without sacrificing support. The armrest and spine also help when you have any kind of tension and aches and maintain your posture.
The lift chair comes with remote control. It has massage, vibration, and heating functions. The power lift recliner is built durably with high strength steel structure and can withstand a maximum weight of up to 320 lbs. Overall, this plush, ultra-soft microfiber recliner offers the perfect blend of comfort and helps in a fairly compact form element.
This stylish and heavy-duty life chair from Harper & Bright Designs is an ideal choice for heavyset users up to 330 pounds. The chair is upholstered to be plush, allowing you to sink a decent way into the seat and offering cushioning for your arms and neck. While users found the microfiber fabric to be soft to the touch, beware that it can stain very easily if you eat or drink in the chair.
The main drawback to this lift chair is that the seat is somewhat small. At just 17.3 inches wide, this chair can feel a little constricting – especially for the heavier users it’s meant to support. While users definitely noticed the tight width of this chair, most didn’t mind given that the armrests are lushly padded if you come up against them.
The other downside to this chair is that the back and leg lifting mechanisms don’t work independently. The chair has a slight recline when the leg rest is lifted all the way up, and you can’t lay the chair back without lifting the leg rest. Still, users were very happy with the fact that this chair can recline all the way to 160 degrees. Plus, the forward tilt is extensive enough to make it as easy as possible to get in and out of the chair.
A one-year warranty is included with this chair, which is short but otherwise not bad for the relatively inexpensive price of the lift chair. Users did not report any problems developing with the motor over several years of use.
It’s almost impossible to cut out the Flamaker Power Lift Recliner Chair when one speaks of the best lift recliners. This recliner doesn’t only give you satisfaction but adds to the beauty of your room, too, with its PU leather seats and classic style design. Speaking of pleasure and comfort, everything works with this Flamaker product as you can set up massage timing with the timer feature of the chair and also bask in waist pressure relief and improved blood circulation with the heating feature. Made with alloy steel frame material, this recliner breathes quality and durability with simple usage, easy assembly, and ample space for comfortable seating. You can also get up easily.
This Flamaker Recliner Chair has constantly been voted as one of the best lift recliner chairs for seniors because of its offered excellent neck support, raised headrest, promoted relaxation, improved blood circulation, targeted lumbar region, and overall comfortability and satisfactory seating experience. However, we advise you don’t overlook this recliner as only suitable for seniors because it’s also fit for young people who wouldn’t mind indulging in this special treatment. Beyond these, this chair can be a great addition to your theater. And lastly, it’s a great buy for it’s not as expensive as other recliners with this level of quality.
If you’re new to lift chairs and drastically need to buy one, it’s vital that you understand how it works and what is important to consider while choosing one. Take a look at our buying guide to be clear about it.
A lift chair works by incorporating an electric motor into the chair, which is powered either by a power cable connected to a wall outlet or, in some cases, an internal battery. The motor allows the chair to tilt forward to make it easier to get into or out of the chair or backwards to allow the sitter to recline. Typically, power lift chairs are controlled by a remote or integrated button pad, either of which is easy to use with only a few simple buttons.
Power lift chairs come in several different options depending on the degree of reclining and control that you want. The simplest power lift chairs are known as 2-position chairs; they are able to move anywhere between upright and tilted forward 45º to make it easy to get in and out of the chair. The next step up in reclining versatility is a 3-position chair, which can cover the same range as a 2-position chair but can also recline almost all the way back to flat. Both 2- and 3-position chairs typically have a footrest that comes up automatically as the chair is reclined, but infinity chairs offer independent control of the footrest using a second motor. Infinity chairs thus allow the user to set their reclining and footrest separately to offer the most comfortable position.
Power lift chairs come in a variety of sizes to optimally fit users of different constitutions. These height differences affect not only the overall size of the chair, but also design aspects like where the lumbar support is placed. In addition, power lift chairs are rated for multiple weight categories – typically up to 300 pounds, up to 350 pounds, or heavy-duty for people greater than 350 pounds.
Since power lift chairs must support the weight of the user when they are reclining, be sure to get a chair with the appropriate weight rating for the heaviest intended user.
The materials that a power lift chair is made of can affect everything from comfort to durability. The upholstery is typically made of leather or a polyester blend material. While leather is highly durable and looks nice, it can also get sticky and uncomfortable in hot weather. Synthetic materials, on the other hand, may be more comfortable but also tend to stain and rip more easily than leather. Although the inner frame materials are not as obvious as the upholstery materials, they are also critical to the life of the chair.
Some power lift chairs have accessory functions, such as a built-in massager or heater, that can make a huge difference in the comfort of the chair. Other welcome additions include cupholders in the chair arms and pockets sewn into the sides of the chair. All of these features can make a huge difference, especially if you’re after a lift chair for elderly people.
These features, especially massaging and heating functions, typically add to the cost of the chair, so consider whether they are important to you when setting a budget.
Power lift chairs are a significant investment, so you want to choose a chair that is designed to last for years of use. Durability depends in large part on the materials the inner frame and upholstery are made of, although more added parts like massage and heating motors can also add to the chance that something in a chair breaks. Most power lift chairs come with at least a one-year warranty, although companies can vary widely in terms of customer support and it may be worthwhile looking for chairs with longer warranty periods if durability is a major concern.
Power lift chairs can be a huge help for people who have difficulty getting in and out of chairs, and at the same time can be so comfortable once you are in them that you may never want to get up. These chairs can have different reclining capabilities, levels of comfort and fit, and integrated accessories, so it is important to understand what features you are getting in a power lift chair. Our roundup highlights seven of the best power lift chairs on the market today, with special emphasis on finding a chair that fits every budget and feature set.
