Seat height, seat depth, and a chair that helps

Recliners and chairs that are easy to get out of

Getting out of a chair is mostly geometry: how high the seat is, how far back it sits, how firm the front edge is and where the arms are. Get those right and most people stand without thinking. When they are not enough, a power lift recliner does the lifting. This page is for the people who search for oversized recliners, big-and-tall recliners and lift chairs, which is more of you than any other recliner shopper we see.

Power lift recliner at Kensington Furniture, Northfield NJ

Kensington Furniture is a family-owned store in Northfield, New Jersey, since 1912. Lift recliners, oversized recliners and La-Z-Boy rocker recliners are on one two-acre floor; our own crews carry them in and set them up. Call 609-241-0807.

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What makes a chair easy to stand from

Five things, in order. The first three cost nothing extra; the last two are features you pay for and should test.

1. Seat height

Knees level with the hips, or a little aboveThe easiest seat to leave puts your knees at hip height or slightly higher when your feet are flat. Deep, low lounge seats make everyone work harder. The product pages on this site list seat height for most recliners; the floor lets you check it with your own legs.

2. Seat depth and a firm front edge

Shallower is easierIf your knees bend well past the front edge, you have to slide forward before you can stand. A shallower seat and a firm front edge let you plant your feet and rise in one motion. Oversized chairs are wide, not necessarily deep; check both numbers.

3. Arms you can push on

Firm, at elbow height, not too widePadded arms that are firm underneath and end where your hands fall give you the push-off. Very wide, pillowy arms, common on oversized chairs, put your hands too far apart to help. Sit down, put your hands on the arms and stand up: you will know in one try.

4. Power recline, so you are not fighting the chair

Small steps, any angleA manual footrest has to be pushed down with the legs before you can stand, which is the moment most people struggle. A power chair brings you upright at the touch of a button and stops where you want.

5. A lift, when the rest is not enough

The chair rises and tilts you onto your feetA power lift recliner raises the whole seat and tips it forward until you are standing, then reclines like any other chair. Two-motor models move the back and the footrest independently, which matters if you sleep in it. This is the chair for after surgery, for a parent, or for anyone who has started avoiding their favourite seat.

Big and tall, and the numbers that matter

For larger bodies the questions are weight rating, seat width between the arms and seat depth, and the makers publish them. Our product pages show the figures the maker gives, nothing we guessed, and the floor in Northfield has oversized recliners set up to sit in. A consultant can pull the models rated for your weight before you arrive.

Lift chair, power recliner or a well-chosen manual chair, compared

Judged on standing up, sitting down and living with the chair.

Power lift reclinerPower reclinerOversized reclinerHigh-leg or rocker recliner, manual
Standing upThe chair lifts and tilts you onto your feetButton brings you upright; you stand with a push on the armsDepends on seat height and depth; test itPush off the arms; higher seats are easier
Who it suitsAfter surgery, weak knees or hips, anyone avoiding a low chairMost people who find levers and footrests a choreLarger bodies, people who want room to movePeople who stand easily and want a simpler chair
Sleeping in itGood; two-motor models bestGood with a power headrestComfortable, but check the recline anglePoor in a rocker; fair in a high-leg
NeedsAn outlet, and a battery backup is worth asking aboutAn outletNothing, unless it is a power modelNothing
What to check on the floorRise speed, where it leaves your feet, arm heightSeat height, lumbar, headrestWidth between arms, seat depth, weight ratingSeat height, firmness of the front edge
On the floor now4Z Peaceful Pause and Snowfield power lift recliners5Z-Comfort and Knightington power reclinersLindyn oversized swivel and Ashley oversized chairs34 La-Z-Boy rocker recliners, Sarah high-leg recliner

Floor models rotate; these were set up when the page was written. Call ahead and we will confirm.

Buying for a parent who cannot come in

Three measurements from home

The seat height of the chair they find easiest now (floor to the top of the cushion), the distance from their knees to the floor when sitting, and their weight if a lift chair is in play. With those a consultant can shortlist by phone in a few minutes.

Delivery that finishes the job

Our own crew brings the chair in, sets it in the room, plugs in a power or lift model and shows how the controls work before leaving. Removal of the old chair is available for a charge if you arrange it when you schedule.

$0 DOWN, 0% INTEREST FINANCING

36 equal monthly payments on furniture, no minimum purchase. Mattress purchases of $999 or more: up to 60 months. Kensington Furniture Synchrony HOME™ Credit Card, subject to credit approval.

See if you prequalify

Tell us who the chair is for. A consultant calls you.

Say who will use it, what makes standing hard today and whether the chair goes upstairs. A Kensington consultant calls back, shortlists by seat height, width and weight rating, and has the chairs cleared and plugged in for your visit.

Or call 609-241-0807, Monday to Saturday 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

What is it for?

A Kensington consultant calls back the same or next business day. No spam, no list.

Delivery, testing and the floor

Delivery and pickup

We deliver throughout South Jersey: Atlantic City, Ocean City, Cape May, Somers Point, Linwood, Margate, Ventnor, Galloway, Mays Landing and the Shore towns between. In-stock pieces are available for pickup or fast delivery.

Delivery is white-glove: our crew brings the piece in, sets it up in the room and takes the packaging away. Removal of old furniture or a mattress is available for a charge and has to be arranged when you schedule the delivery.

Try it before it comes home

Every chair on this page can be sat in at 200 Tilton Road. Call 609-241-0807 with the names you want to try and a consultant will have them cleared and plugged in. Our crews set the chair up in the room on delivery and show the controls, so what worked on the floor works at home.

Come see it at 200 Tilton Road

Kensington Furniture & Mattress, 200 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ 08225. Exit 36 off the Garden State Parkway. Phone 609-241-0807.

  • Monday to Saturday10 am to 7 pm
  • Sunday11 am to 5 pm

Get directions

Chairs that are easy to get out of, the questions we get

What seat height is easiest to stand up from?
One that puts your knees level with your hips or slightly above when your feet are flat. For most adults that is a seat that is not low and lounge-like; taller people need a little more. Product pages list seat height where the maker publishes it, and the floor lets you check with your own legs.
What is the difference between a lift chair and a power recliner?
A power recliner moves the back and footrest with buttons. A lift recliner does that and also raises the whole seat and tilts it forward until you are standing. If levers and footrests are the problem, a power recliner is enough; if the standing itself is hard, you want the lift.
Do lift chairs recline all the way?
Most of ours do. Two-motor lift chairs move the back and the footrest separately and reach a near-flat position for sleeping; single-motor models move both together and stop a little short of flat. The product page says which motor layout a chair has.
How much weight can an oversized recliner hold?
It varies by model, and we only quote the maker's rating. Where a manufacturer publishes a weight rating, seat width or seat depth, it is on the product page; where they do not, the page says nothing rather than a guess. Ask a consultant to shortlist by rating before you come in.
Is an oversized recliner easier to get out of?
Not automatically. Oversized means wider, and many are also deeper and lower, which makes standing harder. What helps is seat height, a firm front edge and arms you can push on. Sit in it and stand up once on the floor; that tells you more than the name.
Which recliner is best for a tall man?
One with a deeper seat, a footrest that reaches the calves and a headrest that meets the head, plus the weight rating if that applies. Big-and-tall models exist for this reason; our floor has oversized recliners set up so a tall person can check all three in one sit.
Can a lift chair go upstairs or through a narrow door?
Usually, but measure first. Lift chairs are heavier than ordinary recliners and some backs do not detach. Give us the doorway width and whether there is a turn on the stairs when you schedule delivery and the crew plans the route; the delivery guide on this site has a will-it-fit checklist.
Does Medicare pay for a lift chair?
Medicare Part B may cover part of the lift mechanism, not the whole chair, when a doctor prescribes it for a qualifying condition and the supplier is enrolled with Medicare. Kensington is a furniture store, not a Medicare supplier, so check with your doctor and Medicare first if coverage matters.
What if the chair is for a parent who cannot come to the store?
Bring the three numbers: the seat height they find easiest now, knee-to-floor when seated, and weight if a lift chair is in play. A consultant shortlists by phone, you sit in the candidates, and our crew sets the chair up in their room and shows the controls on delivery.
Which brands of lift chairs do you carry?
Signature Design by Ashley, La-Z-Boy and England, in fabric, Nuvella performance fabric and leather match, with heat and massage on some models. The site shows what is in stock; the floor in Northfield has power lift recliners set up to try.
Where can I try lift chairs and oversized recliners in South Jersey?
Kensington Furniture is at 200 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ 08225, off Exit 36 of the Garden State Parkway, open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. Call 609-241-0807 first and we will tell you which models are set up that week.
Do you deliver and set up lift chairs at the Shore?
Yes. Our own crews deliver throughout South Jersey, and in-stock pieces are available for pickup or fast delivery. Delivery is white-glove: we bring the chair in, set it up in the room, plug in a power recliner and take the packaging away. Removal of an old chair is available for a charge and is arranged when you schedule.
What financing is available on a lift chair?
Furniture financing at Kensington is 36 equal monthly payments with $0 down and 0% interest, no minimum purchase, on the Kensington Synchrony HOME credit card, subject to credit approval. Prequalifying does not affect your credit score.