When you invest in a seemingly upscale home theater recliner, the last thing you want to happen is unboxing it only to realize it’s a subpar chair. But it happens all too often. Choosing a respected manufacturer of quality entertainment room seating is paramount for long-term satisfaction and comfort.
In today’s world, though, it seems like there’s a dizzying number of theater seating builders who claim to be the best. Certainly, all of them can’t be the greatest — it can feel downright impossible to know who’s who and which manufacturer of multimedia room recliners you can trust. Thankfully, we’re here to share some of our criteria for figuring out who to trust and who to stay away from.
Quality of Frames and Upholstery Material
The first — and perhaps most obvious — thing to look at when trying to discern some of the top manufacturers of luxury theater seating is the quality of the materials used. You’ll want to look at the materials used in the frame of the media room recliner chair to make sure that it will literally hold up. Hardwood and steel materials are generally the sturdiest frames you’ll find. Reinforced joints up the durability of a hardwood or steel frame tenfold, and is a good indicator you’re looking at a reputable crafter of upscale media room seating.
Similar to the frame, the material used for the upholstery can say a lot about whether or not you’re looking at one of the best manufacturers of home theater seating. There are generally three types of upholstery used in home theater recliners: fabric, leather, and faux leather. Keep an eye on the type of leather used. Even though it has “genuine” in the name, genuine leather is sometimes not what it’s cracked up to be. Look for descriptions like “top-grain leather” or “full-grain leather upholstery” when shopping around. These grades of leather are incredibly durable and breathable and hold up to the test of time.
Cushions, Support, and Reclining Mechanisms
These three factors are going to determine how comfortable your reclining entertainment room seat is. The cushions play a big role in your enjoyment of the chair, and they can do a good job of telling you if you’re working with a top-tier company that designs home theater chairs. You’ll always want to look for seating that is filled with either high-density foam or memory foam. Both options hold up incredibly well to the test of time. You know how some seat cushions sag after some time? You won’t find that here. They’re designed to hold their shape over time so your recliner always has that out-of-the-box look. The best home theater seating companies know to use them, and they’ll even stuff their cushions to the brim with high-quality foam to ensure their customers have a great experience.
Power recline mechanisms are an almost surefire way to determine whether or not you’ve found a reputable builder of upscale theater room seating. The best chairs have built-in reclining mechanisms that you can easily control at the touch of a button. With features like power recline and lumbar support, you’re able to fine-tune your chair’s position to find the perfect spot to relax in. It’s kind of like a gentle embrace for your spine and neck — it’ll keep you comfortable and satisfied all night long.
Reputation and Reviews
On your search for the best manufacturers of home theater seating, you’re likely to come across plenty of reviews online. When you’re looking at reviews, make sure that they’re from an independent source and not directly from the retailer’s website. While we always want to believe the best in everyone, retailers can easily cherry-pick the good and glowing reviews and disregard any possible negative reviews on their website.
Independent sites like Yelp, Google, or even the Better Business Bureau give you an unbiased look at reviews from real customers. If you find nothing but praise on these sites, chances are you’ve stumbled upon a brand that builds home theater seating that everyone loves.
Keep an eye on how long a company has been around, too. Subpar companies are a dime a dozen, but the truth is that they generally don’t last long. Has that company who crafts some of the finest theater seating been around for over 5 years? 10 years? The longer a company has been on the market for, the more you can trust their products. Companies that don’t produce quality products for their customers won’t have a long history.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
This wouldn’t be a post on how to find some of the highest rated manufacturers of entertainment room recliners if we didn’t mention some common red flags. While by no means an exhaustive list, these are some of the things to watch out for when shopping for luxury home theater reclining chairs:
- Vague product descriptions – Don’t see a ton of information about the materials or the construction? There’s probably a reason for that. Steer clear of companies that aren’t transparent about their products.
- Extremely low prices – If the price is too good to be true… it probably is. As the common saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” If that leather-upholstered media room chair seems like it’s practically a steal, it’s usually indicative of poor quality.
- Lack of transparency – The most popular entertainment room seating manufacturers want you to know about their product because they’re proud of it. Subpar companies don’t want you to know much at all.
- Poor or no customer reviews – While this might seem obvious, a bunch of one-star reviews means something. And it’s not great. Similarly, products with no reviews at all also raise eyebrows. It might be best to let someone else take that chance.
- Limited or nonexistent warranties – This is a major red flag. If a company doesn’t offer warranties on their products, expect it to fall apart fast. Take your business elsewhere.
Investing in multimedia room recliners from a reputable company that builds quality home theater seating promises you years of entertainment and unparalleled comfort. Don’t get fooled by one of the many subpar companies out there — you deserve the best of the best.