What size lift chair do I need?

Match the seat height to the distance from the back of the knee to the floor while wearing normal shoes. Feet should rest flat with the knees at roughly a right angle. Seat width should be hip width plus about two inches, no more, because too wide is what makes a chair hard to push up out of. Most makers publish a recommended user height range for each model, so check yours against it before anything else.

What is the difference between 2-position, 3-position and infinite position?

A 2-position chair reclines to about 45 degrees, which suits sitting and reading. A 3-position adds a near-flat recline for napping. An infinite position uses two motors so the back and footrest move independently, which is the only type that reaches a true zero-gravity or fully flat position. If somebody will sleep in the chair, you want infinite position.

Does Medicare pay for a lift chair?

Medicare Part B may cover part of the seat lift MECHANISM as durable medical equipment when a doctor prescribes it, but not the chair itself. You pay for the furniture. Check the specific item at medicare.gov and talk to a supplier who accepts assignment before you assume either way.

How much clearance does a lift chair need from the wall?

It depends on the mechanism. A standard lift recliner needs several inches behind it to recline, while a wall-hugger design slides forward as it reclines and needs much less. Measure the space you actually have before you shop, because this is the single most common reason a chair goes back.

What weight capacity do I need?

Choose a rating comfortably above the user's weight rather than at it. Heavy-duty models are commonly rated to 450 or 500 pounds and are built with a wider seat and a stronger frame, which is a different chair rather than the same chair with a bigger number.

Is a lift chair the same as a power recliner?

No. A power recliner reclines by motor but does not lift. A lift chair tilts the whole seat forward and up to bring somebody to a standing position, which is the entire point. If the difficulty is standing up rather than getting comfortable, an ordinary power recliner does not solve it.

Best Lift Chairs for Seniors

A lift chair that does not fit its owner is worse than no lift chair, because they will stop using it and it cost a thousand dollars.

The short answer

Measure the back of the knee to the floor first. That one number rules out most of the catalogue and it is the measurement people skip. Then decide whether anyone will sleep in the chair, because that is what forces infinite position over the cheaper two and three position mechanisms. Everything else, upholstery included, is preference.

We do not list model numbers and prices here, because lift chair ranges turn over constantly and a price we typed in August is wrong by October. What does not change is the seven decisions below.

The seven decisions, in the order they matter

Seat height, measured from the back of the knee

This is the measurement people skip and the one that ruins the purchase. Sit in a firm chair in normal shoes and measure from the floor to the back of the knee. The seat should let the feet rest flat with the knees at roughly a right angle. Too high and the feet dangle, which is unsafe on the way down. Too low and the lift has further to travel, which is harder on the person and the motor.

Seat width, which should be snug rather than generous

Hip width plus about two inches. It is counter-intuitive, but an over-wide seat makes standing harder because there is nothing to push against and the armrests are out of reach. This is also why buying a heavy-duty chair for a slim person is a mistake rather than a margin of safety.

Two, three or infinite position

Two-position reclines to about 45 degrees for reading. Three-position adds a near-flat nap position. Infinite position uses two motors so the back and legs move independently, and it is the only type that reaches a true flat or zero-gravity position. If anyone will sleep in this chair, infinite position is not a luxury.

Wall clearance, before you shop rather than after

A standard lift recliner needs room behind it to recline. A wall-hugger slides forward instead and needs far less. Measure from the wall to where the chair will sit, and remember a radiator, a skirting board or a window sill all count.

Weight capacity with room to spare

Pick a rating above the user's weight, not level with it. Heavy-duty models commonly go to 450 or 500 pounds, and they are a different build: wider seat, stronger frame, stronger motor.

Power headrest and lumbar, only if the chair is lived in

Worth paying for when somebody spends most of the day in the chair, because being able to change position without standing is what prevents pressure problems. Not worth paying for on a chair used a couple of hours an evening.

Delivery, assembly and what happens if it is wrong

A lift chair is heavy and arrives boxed. Find out before you buy whether delivery is to the room or to the kerb, whether assembly is included, and exactly what the return terms are for a large item. Getting the size wrong is common enough that the return policy is part of the product.

Where to see current models and prices

Coleman Furniture carries lift chairs from Catnapper, Flexsteel, Lane and Barcalounger, including heavy-duty and infinite-position models, and lists the seat dimensions and weight ratings on each product page. Take your knee-to-floor measurement with you and filter on that first.

See current lift chairs at Coleman Furniture

We earn a commission if you buy through that link, at no extra cost to you. It does not change the advice above, and the advice above is the part that decides whether the chair works.

Amazon carries lift chairs too, generally at the lower end of the market and usually kerbside delivery rather than to the room. For a chair somebody will sit in every day, the delivery and returns terms are worth as much as the price.

When a lift chair is the wrong answer

If somebody can stand from a firm dining chair without pushing on the arms, they do not need a lift chair yet, and a chair that does the standing for them will make that worse rather than better. If the difficulty is getting comfortable rather than getting up, an ordinary power recliner costs far less.

And if standing up has become hard everywhere in the house rather than in one chair, the chair is treating a symptom. That is worth an occupational therapist looking at the whole picture before a thousand pounds of furniture arrives.

Common questions

What size lift chair do I need?: Match the seat height to the distance from the back of the knee to the floor while wearing normal shoes. Feet should rest flat with the knees at roughly a right angle. Seat width should be hip width plus about two inches, no more, because too wide is what makes a chair hard to push up out of. Most makers publish a recommended user height range for each model, so check yours against it before anything else.
What is the difference between 2-position, 3-position and infinite position?: A 2-position chair reclines to about 45 degrees, which suits sitting and reading. A 3-position adds a near-flat recline for napping. An infinite position uses two motors so the back and footrest move independently, which is the only type that reaches a true zero-gravity or fully flat position. If somebody will sleep in the chair, you want infinite position.
Does Medicare pay for a lift chair?: Medicare Part B may cover part of the seat lift MECHANISM as durable medical equipment when a doctor prescribes it, but not the chair itself. You pay for the furniture. Check the specific item at medicare.gov and talk to a supplier who accepts assignment before you assume either way.
How much clearance does a lift chair need from the wall?: It depends on the mechanism. A standard lift recliner needs several inches behind it to recline, while a wall-hugger design slides forward as it reclines and needs much less. Measure the space you actually have before you shop, because this is the single most common reason a chair goes back.
What weight capacity do I need?: Choose a rating comfortably above the user's weight rather than at it. Heavy-duty models are commonly rated to 450 or 500 pounds and are built with a wider seat and a stronger frame, which is a different chair rather than the same chair with a bigger number.
Is a lift chair the same as a power recliner?: No. A power recliner reclines by motor but does not lift. A lift chair tilts the whole seat forward and up to bring somebody to a standing position, which is the entire point. If the difficulty is standing up rather than getting comfortable, an ordinary power recliner does not solve it.

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