A lift chair is a power recliner that also helps you stand. The whole seat rises and tilts forward until your feet are on the floor and you are nearly upright, and it lowers you back down the same way. It reclines at the touch of a button when you want to rest.
Choosing one comes down to four questions. How far do you want it to recline? What size fits the person who will sit in it? How much room is there in the room? And which extras are worth paying for? This guide takes them in that order. Every model on our lift chairs page lists its own figures for each size, and the product page is the one to trust for any particular chair.
How far it reclines
Lift chairs recline in three ways, and this is the choice that shapes everything else.
| Type | How it moves | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| 3-position | The back and the footrest move together on one motor, from upright to a relaxed recline to a nap position. | Someone who wants the simplest chair to use and mostly sits upright or reclines a little. |
| Infinite position | The back and the footrest move on their own, so you can stop at any angle, up to lying almost flat. | Someone who spends long hours in the chair or naps in it, and wants to set the back and legs separately. |
| Zero gravity | The seat tilts back so the legs rise above the heart and the weight spreads across the whole chair. | Someone who wants the legs raised or sleeps in the chair. |
Shop by type: 3-position chairs, infinite position chairs and zero gravity chairs. A zero gravity chair is also an infinite position chair, so many chairs appear in both.
A 3-position chair is the easiest to live with. An infinite position chair adds control and often adds a power headrest and a power lumbar. A zero gravity chair goes furthest.
The right size for the person
A lift chair has to fit the person who sits in it. When the seat is too high, the feet dangle. When the seat is too deep, the back never meets the cushion. When the chair is too small, the lift pushes in the wrong place as it rises.
Most models come in several sizes, and each product page lists the recommended user height for every size. Start with the height, then check these three figures on the size you picked.
- Seat to floor. With the chair down, the user's feet should rest flat on the floor with the knees level with the hips.
- Seat depth. The user should sit with their back against the cushion and a little space behind the knees.
- Seat width. The user should fit between the arms without pressing on them, with room for a hand on each side.
Shorter users do best in a petite chair, which has a lower, shorter seat. Taller users need a tall chair, with a higher seat and a taller back that supports the head.
Weight capacity
Every lift chair is rated for the weight it can lift. Standard chairs are commonly rated around 300 to 400 lbs. Heavy duty chairs are rated higher and have wider seats, and on some models the rating changes with the size, with the widest size carrying the highest rating.
Choose a rating above the user's weight
A lift chair raises the whole person every time they stand. Pick a chair whose rating is comfortably above the user's weight, and read the rating for the exact size you are ordering, because on several models it is different for each size.
Room in the room
A lift chair needs space behind it to recline and space in front of it for the footrest. The figure that catches people out is the distance from the wall. It is how far the chair has to sit from the wall so the back can recline without hitting it.
That distance varies a lot from model to model, and it can change with the size. Each product page lists it, along with the overall height and width and the length when fully reclined. Measure the spot where the chair will go before you order.
Extras worth knowing about
Battery backup. A lift chair plugs into the wall. If the power goes out, a battery backup lets the chair raise the user so they can stand. Some chairs have one built in, and for others it is an accessory in our lift chair accessories. Each product page says which.
Power headrest and power lumbar. These let the user move the head support and the lower back support on their own. They come on many infinite position chairs.
Heat and massage. Some chairs have heat, massage or both, either standard or as an upgrade. The product page lists what each model includes.
Fabric. Most chairs come in a choice of fabrics and colors, and each product page shows the ones available for that model.
Medicare and lift chairs
Medicare treats a lift chair as two parts. The seat lift mechanism is the motor and frame that raise the seat, and Medicare can cover it as medical equipment when a doctor orders it and the person meets Medicare's medical criteria. The rest of the chair counts as furniture, and Medicare does not cover it. So even when Medicare pays, it pays only toward the lift mechanism, and the buyer pays for the rest of the chair.
That payment goes through a supplier that bills Medicare. Hieline sells direct and does not bill Medicare or any other insurance, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Buying from Hieline
Shipping follows our shipping policy. Some chairs show their price on the product page, and others show a request form, and we reply with the price for the size and fabric you pick. Financing is available through CareCredit.
Lift chairs cannot be returned
We do not accept returns on lift chairs. Check the size, the weight capacity and the distance from the wall before you order, because the chair you order is the chair you keep.
How to decide
- Choose how far the chair should recline: 3-position, infinite position or zero gravity.
- Note the user's height and weight.
- Measure the spot where the chair will go, including the distance to the wall.
- On the product page, pick the size whose user height, weight capacity and wall distance all fit.
- Add a battery backup if the chair does not include one.
Start on our lift chairs page, pick the type that fits, and compare the models side by side.
