Question

Thank you for the blog. I’m in the market for a new couch because I bought a cheap one just 2 years ago. It just has fiber fill in the back cushion and it flattened it a month. I’ve had to just tough it out. So that’s what brought me here.

With that said, the problem is knowing how thick the foam is and whether it’s high density or H.R . so I don’t bother.

The other problem is “How can I tell if a couch is mid-grade or garbage.” Descriptions don’t say anything about back cushions, fiberfill and how thick the foam is.

April 18, 2020

Answer

Overall, reclining sofas and sectionals have far more problems (and a shorter lifespan) than stationary furniture made by the same manufacturer.

If you do need reclining furniture, there are some manufacturers that do make better than average products. Some of those are listed below.

Regarding your comment about high density and HR foams – Many product descriptions for upholstered furniture will say only that the foam used is “high density.” When used without a number, this almost always indicates a 1.8 density.

The vast majority of foams with densities of 1.8 or more will be HR. The manufacturer’s cost differential between HR and non-HR foams is minimal, so there is little reason not to use HR foams. (They are also more commonly available than non-HR foams.)

The companies listed below make their reclining furniture with better quality foam (or coil spring) cushions, stronger frames and better tailoring. Most of these are leather specialists, but all of them also offer lower cost fabric options.

• MotionCraft
• American Leather
• Hancock and Moore
• Bradington Young
• Taylor King
• Ekornes (Stressless)
• Omnia Leather
• Smith Brothers

There is also a Canadian company, Elran, which is in the mid-priced category, but makes several models with removable seat cushions (and 2.0 density foam.) Although I have not seen these products myself, I have heard good things about Elran from people I respect.

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