Sit in it before you decide

Recliners for lower-back pain, tested on our floor in Northfield

If your back hurts when you sit, the chair that helps is the one that holds your spine where it wants to be and lets you change position without effort. That usually means a zero-gravity recline, an adjustable lumbar, or power controls, and the only way to know which is to sit in each for ten minutes. We keep zero-gravity, power-lumbar and lift recliners set up side by side in Northfield, and we will not tell you a chair treats anything. It supports you; the rest is up to you and your doctor.

Zero-gravity power recliner at Kensington Furniture, Northfield NJ

Kensington Furniture is a family-owned store in Northfield, New Jersey, since 1912, with La-Z-Boy, Ashley, Bassett and England recliners on one two-acre floor. Call 609-241-0807 to ask which models are set up this week.

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Four decisions, in the order that matters

Everything else on a recliner is trim. These four things decide whether your back is better or worse after an hour in it.

1. Zero gravity, or a standard recline?

Legs at or above the heart, hips openA zero-gravity position tilts the whole seat back so your legs come up level with your chest and your weight spreads along the full length of your body instead of sitting on the lower spine. People with lower-back pain often find this the first position they can hold for an hour. A standard recliner lowers the back and raises the footrest but leaves your hips folded; fine for a nap, less so for a sore back. The limit: a zero-gravity chair needs power and a bit more room.

2. Lumbar support you can adjust

Power lumbar beats a fixed cushionBacks differ by inches. A fixed lumbar bump is right for one person and wrong for the next; a power lumbar lets you move the support up into the curve of your own lower back and take it away when it starts to press. If two people share the chair, this is the feature that stops the argument. The limit: it is a motor and a mechanism, so try it in the store, not from a photo.

3. Power or manual?

Power if reaching a lever hurtsPulling a manual lever twists the trunk and pushing the footrest down with your legs loads the lower back. A power recliner moves in small steps at the touch of a button, holds any angle, and after surgery it is often the difference between using the chair and avoiding it. The limit: it needs an outlet within reach of the cord, and a battery pack if you want it away from the wall.

4. Will you sleep in it?

Then think head support and getting upIf you are sleeping in a chair for a while after a procedure, add a power headrest so your neck is not doing the work, and consider a lift model so you can stand without pushing off your arms. Rocker recliners are a poor choice here; they move when you do. If it is the bed that hurts your back, the answer is the mattress, and we have a 7-minute pressure-mapping test for that on the same floor.

What we will not claim

No recliner treats back pain, and we are not going to say one does. What a good chair can do is hold your spine in a neutral position, take the weight off the lower back and let you change position without straining. If a doctor or physical therapist has told you what position to keep, bring the note; our consultants will find the chairs that hold it.

Which type, side by side

Four kinds of recliner we keep on the floor, judged on the things a sore back cares about.

Zero-gravity power reclinerPower recliner with power lumbarPower lift reclinerRocker recliner, manual
What it does for the backOpens the hips and spreads weight along the whole body; legs level with the chestPuts adjustable support into the lower-back curve at any recline angleSame recline as a power chair, plus it rises and tilts forward to stand you upRocks and reclines with a lever; support is whatever the cushion gives
Best forLower-back pain that eases when lying down; long sitsBacks that need support in a specific spot; two people sharing a chairGetting up hurts, or you are sleeping in the chair after a procedureNaps and TV when the back is not the problem
Getting in and outNeeds the chair brought upright firstEasy at any angle with the buttonEasiest: the chair does the liftingNeeds a push off the arms
Sleeping in itGood, with a headrestGood, with a headrestGood, and the rise helps in the nightPoor: it moves when you do
NeedsAn outlet, about a foot behind the chair unless it is a wall-huggerAn outletAn outlet; a battery backup is worth asking aboutNothing
Try on the floor5Z-Comfort zero-gravity power reclinerAsk which power-lumbar models are set up this week4Z Peaceful Pause and Snowfield power lift recliners34 La-Z-Boy rocker recliners in one row

Floor models change; the four named here were on the floor when this page was written. Call ahead and we will confirm.

How to test a recliner for your back

Give it ten minutes, not ten seconds

Sit all the way back, recline to where you would actually watch a film, and stay there. The first minute feels good in every chair. By minute eight you will know whether the lumbar is in the right place and whether your legs are high enough. Then get out of it the way you would at home, without help.

Bring the person who shares the room. Seat depth and lumbar height that suit a 6-foot man are wrong for a 5-foot-2 woman, and a power lumbar is the compromise that works for both.

Measure two things before you come

The distance from the wall to where the chair will sit, so we can tell you whether you need a wall-hugger, and the height of the seat you find easiest to stand from at home. Our consultants will pull the chairs that match and leave the rest.

If you are shopping for someone who cannot come in, a 7-minute phone call with a consultant covers the same ground, and our crew sets the chair up in the room on delivery.

Zero-gravity recliners on the site now

Power recliners and reclining sofas with a zero-gravity position, from Ashley, La-Z-Boy and Bassett. Sizes and covers are on each product page; in-stock pieces are available for pickup or fast delivery.

Bassett Airy Wallsaver Recliner — Power Headrest, Zero Gravity Bassett Reclining Sofa
Reclining Sofa

Bassett Airy Wallsaver Recliner

$2,007.99$2,867.99
La-Z-Boy Acadia Power Reclining Sofa — Zero-Gravity Comfort La-Z-Boy Power Reclining Sofa
Reclining Sofa

La-Z-Boy Acadia Power Reclining Sofa

$2,354.99$4,473.99
La-Z-Boy Acadia Power Reclining Loveseat — Two-Seat Zero Gravity La-Z-Boy Power Reclining Loveseat
Reclining Loveseat

La-Z-Boy Acadia Power Reclining Loveseat

$2,229.99$4,236.99
La-Z-Boy Acadia Power Reclining Chair — Zero Gravity, One Seat La-Z-Boy Recliner Chair
Recliner Chair

La-Z-Boy Acadia Power Reclining Chair

$1,584.99$3,011.99
Mosswell Power Reclining Sofa — Toffee Zero-Gravity Ashley® Living Room
Reclining Sofa

Mosswell Power Reclining Sofa

$1,886.99$2,820.99
In stockMosswell Power Reclining Loveseat — Toffee Zero-Gravity Ashley® Living Room
Reclining Loveseat

Mosswell Power Reclining Loveseat

$1,840.99$2,750.99
In stockMosswell Power Recliner — Toffee Zero-Gravity Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

Mosswell Power Recliner

$1,289.99$1,927.99
In stockMixed Motion Power Recliner — Shadow Gray Zero-Gravity Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

Mixed Motion Power Recliner

$840.99$1,255.99

All zero-gravity recliners · All power recliners

If standing up is the hard part, a lift recliner

The chair rises and tilts you forward onto your feet. Most of ours recline fully as well, so it is one chair for the day and the night.

In stock4Z-Peaceful Pause Power Lift Recliner — Heat, Massage, Easy Rise Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

4Z-Peaceful Pause Power Lift Recliner

$1,451.99$2,169.99
Marybeth Reclining Lift Chair — Motion Chair Built in Indiana England Recliner
Recliner Chair

Marybeth Reclining Lift Chair

$1,527.99$2,076.99
La-Z-Boy Jean Power Lift Recliner — A Gentle Rise When You're Ready La-Z-Boy Recliner Chair
Recliner Chair

La-Z-Boy Jean Power Lift Recliner

$844.99$1,605.99
4Z-Riverlee Power Lift Recliner — Espresso Leather Match Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

4Z-Riverlee Power Lift Recliner

$1,668.99$2,494.99
4Z-Tribano Power Lift Recliner — Espresso, Effortless Standing Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

4Z-Tribano Power Lift Recliner

$1,668.99$2,494.99
4Z-Tribano Power Lift Recliner — Anchor Leather Match Ease Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

4Z-Tribano Power Lift Recliner

$1,668.99$2,494.99
Belmone Pike Power Lift Recliner — Sand Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

Belmone Pike Power Lift Recliner

$814.99$1,218.99
Belmone Pike Power Lift Recliner — Gunmetal Signature Design by Ashley® Living Room
Power Recliner

Belmone Pike Power Lift Recliner

$814.99$1,218.99

All lift chairs · Our guide to chairs that are easy to get out of

$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 about your back. A consultant calls you.

Say what hurts and when, and whether the chair is for you or a parent. A Kensington consultant calls back, pulls the two or three chairs that fit, and has them ready when you come in. No appointment app, no virtual session: a phone call and a 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 recliner on this page can be sat in at 200 Tilton Road. The floor rotates, so call 609-241-0807 and ask for the models you want to try; a consultant will have them cleared and plugged in. Our own crews deliver, set the chair up in the room and plug it in, so the position you liked on the floor is the one you get 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

Recliners and back pain, the questions we get

Is a zero-gravity recliner good for lower-back pain?
Many people with lower-back pain find the zero-gravity position, legs raised level with the chest and hips open, the first position they can hold for an hour, because weight spreads along the body instead of sitting on the lower spine. It is support, not treatment; sit in one for ten minutes on our floor before deciding.
What should I look for in a recliner if I have sciatica?
The ability to change position without effort, so a power recline, and a lumbar you can move up or down into your own curve. Avoid deep, soft seats you sink into; a firmer seat with a slightly higher seat height is easier to get out of when the leg flares.
Power lumbar or a lumbar pillow?
A pillow works if one person uses the chair and the spot never changes. A power lumbar moves the support to the exact height for each person and can be flattened when it starts to press, which matters in a shared chair or after a long sit. Try both on the floor.
Is a lift chair only for older people?
No. A lift recliner is for anyone who finds standing from a low chair painful: after hip or back surgery, in late pregnancy, or with a bad knee. Most of ours also recline fully and sit at a normal height, so the lift is there when you need it and invisible when you do not.
Can I sleep in a recliner after surgery?
Many people do for a few weeks. Choose a power chair so you can adjust in small steps without pulling a lever, add a power headrest for the neck, and consider a lift model for getting up at night. Ask your surgeon which angle to keep and bring the answer; we will match it.
Do power recliners need a wall outlet?
Yes, most run on a cord to a standard outlet, and the cord should reach without an extension across a walkway. Some models take a battery pack, which lets the chair sit in the middle of the room. A wall-hugger recline needs only a few inches behind the chair; a standard recline needs about a foot.
What recliner is best for a tall or a short person?
Seat depth and seat height. A tall person needs a deeper seat and a footrest that reaches the calves, not the heels; a shorter person needs a shallower seat so the knees bend at the edge. We keep both on the floor and the product pages list seat height and depth where the maker publishes them.
Does Medicare cover a lift chair?
Medicare Part B may cover part of the lifting mechanism of a lift chair when a doctor prescribes it for a qualifying condition, not the chair itself, and the supplier has to be enrolled with Medicare. We are a furniture store, not a Medicare supplier, so ask your doctor and Medicare before you buy if coverage matters.
Which recliner brands do you carry?
La-Z-Boy, Signature Design by Ashley, Bassett and England, in manual, power, power-lumbar, zero-gravity and lift versions, in fabric, performance fabric and leather. The site lists what is in stock; the floor in Northfield has a rotating selection you can sit in.
If my back hurts in bed, is it the mattress?
Often, yes. If you wake stiff and loosen up during the day, the mattress is the first suspect. On the same floor we run a free 7-minute pressure-mapping test that shows where your body is carrying weight on different mattresses; it takes the guesswork out of firm versus soft.
Where can I try these 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 recliners to the Shore towns?
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 recliner?
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.