Electric Riser Recliner Chairs

Lou1973

I'm looking for a bit of advice and wondered if anyone has any experience with these types of chairs.

My mum lives in assisted living accommodation, and recently a salesperson visited to demonstrate bespoke, made-to-measure electric riser recliner chairs that fully recline and help you from sitting to standing.

A couple of residents have already bought one. My mum visited one lady to try hers and really liked it. The lady told Mum that the salesperson initially quoted her around £3,000, but when she said it was too expensive, they suddenly remembered they had a chair already made in exactly her measurements, so she could have it for £2,225 instead.

Today, my mum went to the company's showroom. She was measured up, chose her fabric, and spent quite a while there. When it came to the price, they quoted £5,000. My sister-in-law, who was with her, said that was far too expensive. They knocked a bit off, threw in a couple of extras and got it down to around £3,500. When that was still too much, they then said they just happened to have another chair already made in my mum's exact measurements and could let her have it for £2,225... but only if she agreed before 10am tomorrow, otherwise it might be sold to someone else.

That immediately set alarm bells ringing for me. Having worked in sales myself, it sounds very much like a classic pressure-selling tactic, especially as the exact same "already made chair in your exact measurements" story has now been used twice.

My mum is very keen to buy it, but I'm worried she may be being taken advantage of. She's quite impulsive when she wants something (I know exactly where I get that trait from, so I can't be too hard on her! 😂).

My questions are:

• Has anyone bought one of these bespoke riser recliner chairs?
• Are they genuinely worth £2,000–£5,000?

For context, Mum would be replacing a sofa with a single riser recliner, so she doesn't necessarily need anything particularly specialised.

I'd really appreciate any advice or experiences before she commits tomorrow. Thank you!

UnsureAboutthis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6675564/electric-riser-recliner-chairs

Hey

Personally, IMO, NO

Unless your mum has a very notable disability, EG, curved spine, weakness on one side of body as a result of a stroke/etc., very, very short or tall or weights a a lot above average, etc.

Most standard riser//recliner or riser-only electric-powered chairs can often be adjusted in height and pitch of seat/etc - just google around and investigate trusted suppliers ie check their reviews etc

IMO - if your mom's chair is a relatively straightforward riser or riser/recliner, you should get one easily sub 2k if not a lot, lot less that that. The hand control can easily be adapted or already user-friendly for those with RA hands, etc.

Need to ensure her feet touch the floor as she sits—ensure she is not confused ie may forget to take hand off control when getting up and possibly resulting in too much of a rise/angle in seat

future-proof chair ask about how easy to cleant - servicing costs, warranty, free trial period, or any charges with that—possibly a nominal charge to cover delivery, etc.—but ask.

I've seen new chairs widely adveritsed or 300 quid but personally I'd go for something a bit better and you can only decide that by trying it out

IMO - if no notable disability, there is no reason why a chair costing around the 500 quid mark would not meet her requirements as things stand and into the future when mum ages as expected ie no unexpected big medical events/news/etc

jankers30

If your Mum doesn't need a specialist chair and lives near an Ableworld Store give them a ring as would be a lot cheaper. They have a website you can view the standard riser recliner chairs on.

XzavierWalnut

If she does not need anything specialised, just to help her get up, and lie down, you can get plenty good clean ones in places like British Heart Foundation for about £200.

For info, my father and mother in law, both had them, and never used the controls, they still continued to struggle to stand up.

Lou1973

Thanks @jankers30 @UnsureAboutthis and @XzavierWalnut for putting my mind at rest. She is actually very mobile for someone in her 80s. She walks a couple of miles every day but does struggle a little getting out of the chair.
I'll see if there are any Ableworld Stores near to her or me and check those out.

sheenas

Purchase a chair for around £600 for the mother inlaw. She never used the electrics as the extra hight it already has is just enough for her to stand-up. Loves the chair though

Farway

I can only second the suggestions to visit or online any "normal" riser chair.

I have one and although mostly I can get up & out there occasions when the extra lift helps, and a God send when I had a bad back & could hardly move, managed to get into flat position to sleep in the chair, not a comfy as a bed, but it is if you are unable to get to bed at times.

middlewife

We purchased one for my mum from an independent (Pearce bros) shop in Yate, Bristol. They were excellent. She was only 4 foot 11 and very frail ( 92) they were excellent. If you can, take her to a shop so she can try, we paid around 1000 pounds 4 years ago, then they took it back to resell second hand when mum died. Do not fall for pressure selling, wonder if the home gets commission?

Albermarle

Most of the big furniture sheds also sell them , and online only stores. Here is one example.

Riser Chairs - Lift and Rise Chairs | Furniture World

Nebulous2

We've helped older relatives buy 2 in recent years, with a third being considered.

1. Second-hand, lightly used leather one. Got it for £150. It's in daily use, 5 years later and has never had an issue at all. It's bulky, with the newer ones being more streamlined, but has certainly been value for money.
2. Cloth, bought this year from a local independent furniture shop. He knocked 10% off because it was a display model. The person wasn't prepared to consider second-hand. Under £1500 with the discount. Tried one morning, delivered and set up the following day.

Like most disability equipment there is a huge gap in price between new and second-hand. Second-hand, with good history and relatively new is about 10-20% of the new price where we are. I don't have a problem with second-hand, but many people do - which is why the gap is so large.

Pollycat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6675564/electric-riser-recliner-chairs

They sound like a total scumbag company using double glazing style selling techniques.