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Recliner Sofa Buying Guide
Dark grey manual recliner sofa with orange scattter cushions in a bright and airy living roomDark blue power recliner sofa with blue and white patterned scatter cushions, finished with a patterned blue rug

By Kellie Wyles

Your guide to buying a recliner sofa

Are you seeking that ultimate ‘ahh’ moment when you get home after a long day? Is your current sofa not quite living up to its relaxation potential? Well, a recliner sofa could provide that kick-back cosy comfort!

Beige leather power recliner next to large windows in a bright and airy living room

What is the best recliner sofa?

Our range of recliner sofas offer the perfect balance between style and comfort, bringing cosy and chic elegance to your living room. But which type of recliner sofa is best suited to you? Maybe you’d like to create a snug reading nook in the corner with a recliner chair. Or perhaps you want to grant the right to recline to the whole family with a big 3 seater recliner sofa, taking film nights to a whole new level. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you find the perfect addition to your personal haven of relaxation. From recliner sofa variations to our customers’ most commonly asked questions, our recliner sofa buying guide, below, has got you covered.

Light grey fabric recliner sofa on a wooden floor with a white patterned rug and white side table with wooden legs

Fabric recliner sofas

Blue leather recliner sofa with white and yellow scatter cushions situated in a black and white living room with light wood floor

Leather recliner sofas

Grey corner sofa with orange and red scatter cushions finished with a gold coffee table and patterned rug

Corner recliner sofas

Grey recliner chair with swivel base in a bright white living room with black accents

Recliner chairs

Which type of recliner sofa should I buy?

From manual to power - and even power plus - there are several options when it comes to choosing a recliner sofa. Watch our video to discover the differences between each type, and help you pick the recliner that's right for your home.

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Grey manual recliner with orange scatter cushions in a white living room with large windows
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Manual recliners

Strong, sturdy, and satisfyingly simple, manual recliners just need a pull of a lever to lull you into lounge mode. There are three positions to choose from, depending on your state of relaxation, including standard straight; legs up, back straight; and full-on recline.

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Bright blue power recliner sofa in a colourful living room with yellow and pink walls finished orange scatter cushions
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Power recliners

Also known as electric recliner sofas, these recliners slowly ease you into the perfect position by holding down a button on a remote or on the furniture itself. Just remember that power recliner sofas should be plugged into the wall, so you’ll need to factor that in when considering placement.

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Young happy couple cuddled together on a Tamla La Z Boy sofa
Beige and brown two tone leather battery powered recliner sofa in a neutral living room with grey wooden flooring and dark grey rug
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Power plus recliners

No wires, no fuss; Power Plus models work the same way as electric recliner sofas, just without the need to find a plug socket. These recliner chairs are powered by rechargeable batteries, which can be left to charge overnight, or can be used manually, if required.

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Light grey recliner corner sofa situated in a bright living room with gold accessories
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Memory recliners

If you enjoy getting into the perfect position of ultimate comfort (who doesn’t?) then a memory recliner could be just what you need. These handy recliners let you save up to two different headrest and recliner positions, ready to be called upon at the touch of a button.

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dark green fabric sofa with white and monochrome cushions next to a brick wall
Green velvet corner recliner sofa with blue and green scatter cushions finihsed with wooden side tables

Recliner sofa fabrics: leather or fabric?

Once you know the type of recliner you want, it’s time to start thinking about the look of your recliner sofa. Typically, you have two choices: a leather recliner sofa or a fabric recliner sofa.

A modern, grey recliner sofa and a central armrest with storage in a stylish living room with large windows and wooden flooring

Benefits of fabric recliner sofas

While leather recliners always make a statement, fabric recliner sofas effortlessly ease into the current set-up of your living room. For example, it’s much easier to mix and match with other pieces of furniture in the room, contrasting colours, textures, or patterns between a fabric chair and a new fabric recliner sofa. They can also be a more affordable option, while still offering the luxurious comfort of a recliner. As for practicality, the RESILIENCE range takes all the bumps and scuffs that a fabric recliner sofa can often take. These harder-wearing fabrics are more resistant to tearing, abrasion, and piling, while still offering that soft, sink-in comfort.

A brown leather recliner sofa with cup holders, set in a cosy living room with natural light and decorative accents.

Benefits of leather recliner sofas

Have you carefully curated a contemporary style over many years? If that’s you, then it makes sense to pick a modern recliner sofa in leather. Leather sofas are sleek, sophisticated and low maintenance. Another consideration when buying a recliner sofa is that leather is an extremely reliable, hard-wearing material. This is vital as the moving parts of a recliner require a tough material to stand the test of time.

White fabric sofa in a modern living room finished with black decorative accents
Blue sofa with hidden storage and cup holders next to a large window

Recliner sofa features

We know the kick-back comfort of a recliner sofa already sounds blissful. But did you know you can take your lounging to the next level with even more features? Read on to discover the fantastic features you might be surprised to find in our recliner range:

Light grey fabric power recliner sofa
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Heated seats

Perfect for naps and bingeing boxsets, heated seats keep you nice and toasty all throughout the colder months.

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Adjustable headrests

Everyone has their own ideas of a comfortable seating position. Adjustable headrests let you enjoy a truly tailored relaxing experience.

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Integrated lighting

Adding to the ambience of a room, integrated lighting creates a cosy warmth that ‘sticking on the big light’ just cannot replicate.

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Hidden storage

Overwhelmed with extra throw blankets, magazines, or children’s toys? Pick out a recliner sofa that keeps the clutter out of sight.

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Reading lights

There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with a good book. A recliner with reading lights lets you find the most comfortable position while you get acquainted with your new favourite fictional characters.

An icon for drinks holders

Drink holders

No coffee tables near your sofa? No problem! You can find recliners with built-in drink holders, keeping your glass safe and secure.

An icon for centre console arm rest

Centre console arm rest

Great for 2 seater recliner sofas, a centre console arm rest gives both loungers the throne-like feeling of their own armchair!

An icon for memory recline function

Memory button

Exclusive to memory recliners, this button allows users to programme their favourite recliner and headrest position, ready for when you need it most.

An icon for usb ports and charging

USB ports/wireless charging

Fed up with stretching awkwardly to check your phone while it’s charging up? Recliner sofas with USB ports or wireless charging let you keep scrolling in comfort.

An icon for dual power

Dual power

Adjust your headrest and footrest <a href="/sofas/">separately</a> with a touch of a button to find the perfect position for you!

Measuring your space for a recliner sofa

Whether for a huge recliner corner sofa or a reclining armchair, it’s helpful to know how to measure your space to fit your new recliner. Read on for our step-by-step guide for measuring your home for a recliner sofa or chair.

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An icon to show entrances and hallways

start with entrances and hallways

Before you even start to think about squeezing a 3 seater recliner sofa into your living room, you need to ensure the rest of your house can accommodate such a big piece of furniture. Take measurements of entrances and hallways leading to the living room. You want to find out whether your new recliner can be moved through the house and installed easily – especially if the sofa is pre-assembled.

Picking out the perfect placement for a recliner sofa

Pick out the perfect placement

Next, you need to decide where you’d actually like to place your recliner sofa. The potential size of the sofa is a big factor here. If you want a single recliner armchair, for example, then you’re going to have to fit it around your current set-up. Of course, if you’re starting from scratch, then you have free reign of the living room - just remember to pick a good spot for the telly!

Measuring out your living room

Measure out the limits of your living room

With the perfect spot for your recliner picked out, it’s time to check what space you have. Take two length measurements, running along the front and the back of where you intend the sofa to sit - this determines the maximum length your recliner sofa can be. Next, measure the potential depth - remember, your recliner will need more space when it’s in the reclining position. If the back of your recliner will be against the wall, you’ll need to leave 10cm of space to prevent any wall scuffs from the headrest.

A green velvet sofa with black and white patterned cushions
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Eaziglides

Our Eaziglides are specially designed to make moving your sofa faster and easier, whether you're cleaning or simply rearranging your space. With Eaziglides attached to the feet, you can simply glide your sofa along the floor - ideal for carpets, wood floors, tiles and vinyl flooring. Add yours at checkout and our delivery experts will even fit them for you!

French Connection Studio recliner sofa and chair set with matching blue and white scatter cushions

Recliner sofa FAQs

For over 50 years, DFS has been pairing customers with their perfect sofas. From recliner corner sofas to stationary leather armchairs, we’ve heard every question and query that people ask about their potential purchase.

Read on to find out the answers to our top recliner sofa queries.

Are recliner sofas good?

As far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing that cradles you in comfort quite like a recliner sofa. Whether it’s for a Sunday afternoon nap or a family film night, recliners offer unrivalled comfort – almost as enjoyable as snuggling up in a big bed! However, we understand that recliner sofas aren’t to everyone’s tastes. That’s why we stock a wide range of stationary fabric and leather sofas that keep you just as comfortable as when you kick back in a recliner.

Where can I buy a recliner?

Here at DFS, we stock a wide range of recliner chairs and sofas. Our vast selection also includes fabric, leather, and corner recliner sofas, ensuring you can always find the perfect addition to your living room set-up. All of our recliner sofas and chairs are available to buy online or in-store, whichever you prefer. Take a look at our recliner sofas page to browse our complete collection.

Do recliner sofas use a lot of electricity?

While the specifics vary from model to model, an electric recliner sofa typically consumes 14W per day on standby mode – or around 10p per day. In motion, a recliner uses 58W of power to actually recline, roughly working out to 8p for a couple hours of constant use. Of course, this is not a consideration for manual or power plus recliners that are not plugged into the mains.

Are recliners good for the elderly?

A recliner sofa might just be the perfect addition to an elderly person’s home. Not only do they make it easier to stand up and sit down, but it’s easier to find a more comfortable seating position – especially with a fully adjustable recliner. Just ensure that the recliner footrest is fully tucked back before trying to get up from the seat.

Is leather good for a recliner?

Due to the constant motion of a recliner, you need an upholstered fabric that can withstand the potential wear and tear of use – and leather does just that! Leather recliner sofas provide the ideal combo of hard-wearing material and stunning good looks. You just need to take special care around a leather recliner sofa with children and pets, as scuffs and scratches show up more easily than they would on fabric.

How long do recliner sofas last?

As long as the furniture is properly maintained, recliner sofas have a similar lifespan to normal sofas of up to 15 years in most households. Of course, the more a sofa is used, the faster it will start to show general wear and tear.. To help your recliner sofa last as long as possible, take a look at our in-depth sofa care guide.

How long do battery recliners last?

While the structural integrity of a battery power recliner sofa will last as long as a normal recliner, you’ll likely need to replace the battery itself every one or two years – or every 1,000 charges (if you’re keeping count!).

Want to find out more about recliner sofas? All you need to do is get in touch with our friendly customer service team. They can answer any and all questions or provide more information on anything in this recliner sofa buying guide. If you’re ready to start shopping, head over to our range of recliner sofas.

Shop the recliner sofa collection

Our range of recliner sofas offer the perfect blend of comfort and style – so why compromise?

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Dark grey manual recliner sofa

Manual recliners

Blue fabric power recliner sofa

Power recliners

Dark grey power plus recliner sofa

Power plus recliners

Light grey leather memory recliner sofa

Memory recliners

Dark green fabric recliner sofa

Fabric recliner sofas

Brown leather recliner sofa

Leather recliner sofas

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