Question:
I want to buy 2 leather recliners.
I am looking at recliners from Hooker and Motioncraft.
The MotionCraft recliner is considerably higher in price, but a lot more comfortable.
What is the difference in quality between these 2 recliner brands?
Answer:
MotionCraft leather recliners are better quality than Hooker leather recliners.
Hooker has two different recliner lines.
The Hooker brand is imported.
Hooker’s U.S. made reclining furniture line is Bradington Young.
Bradington Young is at the same quality level as Motioncraft.One difference is that Bradington Young uses plywood for its frames.MotionCraft frames are solid hardwood.
Hooker’s reclining furniture is made with non-removable seat cushions.
Non-removable seat cushions are almost universal in reclining furniture in Hooker’s price range.
The polyurethane foam used in non-removable seat cushions is usually 1.8 density, covered with a layer of polyester fiber.
Non-removable reclining furniture seat cushions typically begin losing their resiliency (ability to bounce back) within one year.
The cushions become noticeably less comfortable within 3 – 5 years for average size people.
Larger individuals or more frequent use than normal can shorten the time period before the cushions lose their resiliency and comfort.
Both MotionCraft and Bradington Young should last 20+ years.
Most seat cushions are removable for these two brands and there are multiple cushion options.
Seat cushions with higher density foam or coil spring construction will maintain their comfort and resiliency at least twice as long.
They should last 10+ years before the cushion cores need replacement.
Many of Hooker’s “leathers,” will actually be “leather match,” or “bonded leather.”
These are very different (and much cheaper) than the high quality all-leather reclining furniture made by MotionCraft and Bradington Young.
Although Hooker may offer an all-leather option for its reclining furniture, it would not be a good value.
Top-grain leathers can last 20 years.
That is wasted when combined with cushions that last only 5 years.
Non-removable cushions are prohibitively expensive to replace.
The frames and mechanisms are unlikely to last much over 10 years.
Check out my article, 18 Best American Reclining Furniture Manufacturers.
Hooker is not listed in this article, since it is imported. The quality is roughly equivalent to LaZBoy.
The top 9 listed brands (including both MotionCraft and Bradington Young) are all superior in quality to Hooker’s imported line.
The photo shown above is courtesy of Motioncraft.
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