Who to believe about quality recliners?

[CTLSF]

We have been looking for a high-leg recliner and have heard so many different opinions from salespeople about which brands are best. We thought we found a trustworthy store in VT and ordered a Lane recliner. Later that day, a different store said Lane was definitely not good. We have been trying to cancel the order but the store managers won't return our calls. I know I need to dispute the charge with the credit card company but who is correct about Lane? And who makes a solid, sturdy leather recliner in this country under 2K?
Thanks-Cathy
Also, is Smith Brothers good? Our local store says so-all hardwood and good service. Just don't know whether to believe them!

[drcollie]

Lane motion is made in China, and motion pieces that come out of that region don't have the best reputation. It would be pretty far from being considered "the best". I would not expect a particularly long service duty from that piece, however I am sure many people are happy with theirs.

A motion piece is only as good as its mechanism. The best mechanisms are made by Leggett and Platt, and Ultra-Mek. Both are USA mechanisms (some L&P mechanisms are made in their factory in China - they have manufacturing facilities in both countries). The mechanism is the primary failure point in most motion furniture, not the frame. So it pays to see what mechanism is in the piece and if you have one of these two brands you are doing pretty good. L&P and U-M both label their mechanisms so you can see by opening the recliner if it has either. If there are no maker labels on the mechanisms, usually that's a sign they come out of China. I will not sell Chinese upholstery in my store due to accelerated failure rates.

The Ultra Mek Label:



The Leggett and Platt labels:



Who builds the best recliner? It's Hancock and Moore. No one in the industry builds to their standards in motion furniture, however if you want to stay below $ 2K then you will have to shop in this program from them as otherwise many of their recliners will be in the mid $ 3K range:

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...k-Ship-Program

You can look at Bradington-Young as well, they build excellent motion and it will last as long as H&M, they leave some craftsmanship features out of their recliners to keep the price lower, however those are detail features that do not affect performance and longevity, and every one they make is light years ahead of a Lane in my opinion.

As for cancelling your order, read your sales contract, it will show you the terms of the order. Any attempt at a chargeback should really be done in writing to the store first, not by phone calls. Keep a copy of the letter to support your position. Good luck.

[CTLSF]

Lane motion is made in China, and motion pieces that come out of that region don't have the best reputation. It would be pretty far from being considered "the best". I would not expect a particularly long service duty from that piece, however I am sure many people are happy with theirs.

A motion piece is only as good as its mechanism. The best mechanisms are made by Leggett and Platt, and Ultra-Mek. Both are USA mechanisms (some L&P mechanisms are made in their factory in China - they have manufacturing facilities in both countries). The mechanism is the primary failure point in most motion furniture, not the frame. So it pays to see what mechanism is in the piece and if you have one of these two brands you are doing pretty good. L&P and U-M both label their mechanisms so you can see by opening the recliner if it has either. If there are no maker labels on the mechanisms, usually that's a sign they come out of China. I will not sell Chinese upholstery in my store due to accelerated failure rates.

The Ultra Mek Label:



The Leggett and Platt labels:



Who builds the best recliner? It's Hancock and Moore. No one in the industry builds to their standards in motion furniture, however if you want to stay below $ 2K then you will have to shop in this program from them as otherwise many of their recliners will be in the mid $ 3K range:

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...k-Ship-Program

You can look at Bradington-Young as well, they build excellent motion and it will last as long as H&M, they leave some craftsmanship features out of their recliners to keep the price lower, however those are detail features that do not affect performance and longevity, and every one they make is light years ahead of a Lane in my opinion.

As for cancelling your order, read your sales contract, it will show you the terms of the order. Any attempt at a chargeback should really be done in writing to the store first, not by phone calls. Keep a copy of the letter to support your position. Good luck.

Thank you!