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Where Can I Find the Best Recliner For People With Disabilities?

By Jeff Frank

Question

I’m looking to have a very specialized custom recliner built and you seem to be someone who can point me in the right direction.

I’m 6’7″ and handicapped. I’m looking to have an oversized recliner that nearly fully reclines, but also can rise straight up around 36 inches or so.

I’ve talked to some regular manufacturers and it seems like it’s going to have to be a fully custom job.

Please let me know any insights you have and where you can point me to get this done. Thanks!

Eric

May 25, 2020

Answer

What you are looking for is known as a “lift chair.” They are available in a few furniture stores, but it is easier to find them in medical supply stores.

Below are the important dimensions for someone your size. For maximum comfort, the dimensions of any lift chair you choose should be within 1″ of these measurements.

Floor to Top of Seat 22.5″
Seat Depth 24″
Seat Width 29.5″
Seat to Top of Back 30″

Here are a few companies that may make what you are looking for.  I can’t personally vouch for the quality of any of these, but generally $500 chairs are not as well made as those priced at $1000. Chairs priced at $2000 will probably be better.

LaZBoy Lift chairs This link is for LaZBoy’s extra tall reclining chairs which are designed for individuals above 6 ft. 3″.  The ones that may work for you are the “Power Lift” models.

LaZBoy uses 350 lb. mechanisms. If that is a problem for you, there are other options listed below rated at 500 lbs.

U.S. Medical Supplies (Lift Chairs)

Southern Mobility

A few shopping tips:

  • Ignore “list” prices. Those are often phony. Assume that the “selling price” is calculated so that the seller is making a full profit margin, no matter how large the discount appears to be. Check out my blog article about mattress discounts. Reclining chairs are another category in which “fake” pricing is common.
  • Do not buy “bonded leather.” Many chairs in this category are sold with bonded leather. This material is one of the largest sources of complaints in the furniture industry. There are thousands of complaints about bonded leathers which “peel” after a short time, especially when used often or by a larger sized person.
  • 100% polyurethane or 100% vinyl faux leathers are OK.
  • So is 100% top grain (real) leather, but it will add several hundred dollars to the price. What you need to keep in mind with real leather is that a $1500 “real leather” chair has the same overall construction as a $1000 fabric chair.

Below are a few specific recommendations for you.

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