Why are recliner chairs the best option for a man cave?
A good recliner chair is perhaps the single most important thing for making your man cave the ultimate relaxation space. Your man cave is where you go to recharge your batteries, to escape the tedium of the outside world, so anything that will allow you to relax just that little bit more is of course worth its weight in gold! The recliner chair is the thing you’ll spend the most time using, so it’s definitely worth putting a lot of time and effort into choosing the perfect one.
The right chair can make a good book or song all that much sweeter; comfort shouldn’t be taken for granted, being comfortable allows you to focus entirely on the task at hand, whether that’s relaxing or enjoying the best chapter of your favourite new novel. A good chair can facilitate the most interesting of conversations, your comfort allowing the thoughts and words to flow for hours and hours, time spent building and reminiscing over past memories with your best mates. Also, perfect for grabbing a beer from your fridge and just kicking back to relax!
Recliners vs Gaming Chairs – What to choose?
There are heaps of pros and cons for both recliners and gaming chairs, but essentially, it comes down to this: recliners are simply more comfortable. While gaming chairs are often lighter and thus more portable, they just aren’t designed to be quite as comfortable as recliners.
Gaming chairs are supposed to be as comfortable as they can be while still keeping you in a position of complete attention, for hours and hours – they often aren’t adjustable, and they don’t let you simply sink into their folds. This isn’t a fault with gaming chairs, not at all, it’s simply what they’re designed to do! If you game a lot, you’ll probably want one as well as your recliner, but don’t think that it can take on the role of both.
Recliners are designed to offer complete comfort and relaxation. Sure, they’re big lumps and often aren’t that portable, but they’re not supposed to be like stools, no – once you put one in its place, that’s where it stays. You don’t want to be kept alert in your recliner, you want to be able to do whatever your body tells you it wants to do next, whether that’s read, drink, or very likely, take a nap!
Our favourite recliners for a chilled-out man cave
Our Top Picks
1. More4Homes Caesar Electric Auto Recliner Leather Chair
Luxurious Caesar recliner offers plush comfort with motorized reclining, heating, and massages.
- Comfortable, soft, leather
- Massage function
The Caesar recliner from More4Homes is quite something, in plush, soft, leather, offering an intensive course on comfort. Go from upright to reclined at the push of a button, the motors doing all the work, with multiple heater locations there to warm your back, thighs, and calves. It also provides massages, great after a long day at work.
It’s well made, and the leather feels like it’ll only get better with age, like the best of things. It’s on the pricey side, but not overpriced by any means, and represents a good investment in terms of the usage it’ll get.
2. EVRE Recliner Arm Chair with Reclining Functions
This affordable and durable faux leather recliner is a solid choice, easy to assemble.
- Easy to assemble
- Best for value
This gorgeous faux leather chair it’s another solid option for a recliner. A little more on the affordable side, the strong metal frame is durable and rated to take up to 130kg.
It takes about 15 mins to assemble, which isn’t too bad, and the customer service is pretty good should you run into any issues. As it’s a slightly more budget focused option, you don’t get real leather – faux leather doesn’t always age as well, and isn’t quite as supple as the real thing, but if you’re vegan or otherwise ethically inclined that way, it would make a good choice!
3. More4Homes Oscar Bonded Leather Recliner
The affordable Oscar recliner from More4Homes offers comfort with a drinks holder!
- Includes cup holder
- made with soft leather
Another stellar option from More4Homes, similar to the Caesar but slightly more affordable, the Oscar is perhaps equally comfortable, just with fewer bells and whistles.
If you like the massage and heated features, then this might not quite be for you, but if you’re happy with ‘just’ an extremely comfortable and well made recliner, this’ll do you just fine.
It’s still made from leather, so will get softer as time goes on, and comes with a 12 month warranty, just in case you like to give your chairs a hard time!
4. Yaheetech Upholstered Recliner
Sturdy midrange faux leather recliner with modern design and easy maintenance.
- Low maintenance
- 90 degree angle
A sturdy midrange option, this faux leather recliner gives a slightly modern take on the classic plush chair. Not as plush as some, but still with ample cushioning, the faux leather may not be as soft as cows leather, but it sure is easier to clean, with spilt drinks just slipping straight off.
If you want a low maintenance chair, this could be great for you – it reclines pretty far back, for a solid nap time, and the leg rest stops at any angle between 90 and 0 degrees. If you want something that you can fall into and be hugged by, this might be a bit firm, but for some, it’ll be ideal!
5. HOMCOM Luxury Leather Recliner
This recliner stands out with 360-degree swiveling and intense massage capabilities.
- Best for features
This recliner offers something those reviewed already above don’t – 360 degree swivelling! For some, that will amount to little more than a useless gimmick, but if you have your speakers in one place, your TV in another, and a new view out the window in yet another side, it could transform your space!
It’s leather, and has 8 different vibrating motors for pretty intense massage capabilities. It’s not the cheapest chair on this review list, but you get a heck of a lot for your money. The only thing I can fault is the aesthetic of the remote, which is a pretty minor issue all things considered!
6. More4Homes Denver Bonded Leather
Classic recliner with mechanical operation and stylish design, without motors or mod cons.
- Modern Design
- classic recliner
A classic recliner with a modern design, if you’d prefer your chair not to have any motors in it and are after something with a more mechanical feel, this might be the one for you.
Operated with a simple latch, it’s nice and satisfying to use, a more involved operational feeling than electronically controlled models. The studding adds to the effect, and it looks quite the part, especially in grey. It doesn’t have any mod cons, but then that’s not really what this chair is about – if you want a massage, look elsewhere!
7. Panana Jump Cord Fabric Recliner
Unique cord fabric recliner offers a comfortable and distinct experience.
- Best leather alternative
Cord on a chair? You might have it in your mind that all recliners are leather, but this is here to prove you wrong! It’s certainly something a little different, and feels a little less serious somehow than leather recliners, in a good way.
The cord fabric feels lovely against the skin, and it offers one hell of a comfortable experience! There are two nice side pockets, which might sound simple, but really do aid with not losing the remote. It’s an acquired taste for sure, but if you like it, you’ll love it.
8. Intex Mega Lounge
Affordable inflatable chair offers fun and durable seating experience.
- Best budget recliner
For those on a slightly tighter budget, this might just be perfect. It’s inflatable, made from a thick puncture resistant 2 ply reinforced vinyl, and can take occupants up to a weight of 100kg.
Of course, it doesn’t change positions, it won’t massage you, but what do you really expect from something for under £60? It’s a lot of fun, and pretty durable for what it is, but this isn’t a chair that you should expect to last you through the ages – it’s unlikely you’ll be passing it on to your children. If you want a cheap and comfortable experience though, go for it!
9. D Pro T 10 in 1 Winged Leather Recliner
Luxurious leather recliner that hugs you in pure comfort and style.
- Heated seat
- Luxury comfort
Speaking of chairs which literally hug you in a big cloud of pure comfort, this might fit that description pretty perfectly.
You can rock it gently back and forth, and it also swivels, with the heated seat offering optimum comfort in those cold winter months. Just imagine, blanket on your lap, drink in one hand, book in the other, rain splattering on the window, comfortable as can be in the safety of your man cave. It’s not cheap, but this leather recliner is pure luxury – seriously worth the dollar!
10. Loxley Bonded Leather Recliner
Classic, compact, and comfortable recliner with timeless design and premium leather.
- Almost flat angle
- Comfortable recliner
Last but not least, we’ve got this absolutely classic design from Loxley. It reclines to almost a flat position, making it ideal for day time weekend naps, and the beautifully padded leather just sucks you in, making it pretty hard to leave its embrace.
It’s also surprisingly compact, making it an excellent fit for any smaller man caves, where space is at a premium! It’s on the high end of mid-range pricing, and doesn’t have a heater back or massagers, but does what it says on the tin – a classic, comfortable recliner!
Buying advice for beginners
Thoughts on depth, length, width and average sizing of single recliner chairs
The perfect size of a recliner is totally dependent on the length of your femur; you want the back of your knees to be at the edge of the chair when your lower back is snug and supported by the base of the back support. Really, you need to sit in a chair to see if it fits, or at least in a chair of similar dimensions.
Check the returns policy, it might be the case that you can order a chair and test it for a day then send it back, but as they’re pretty heavy and cumbersome items, it’s likely that the returns policy will be on the strict side.
Bean Bag, Gaming or Recliner - Making your choice
Bean bags and gaming chairs without doubt have their place, that place just isn’t in a man cave. Bean bags are great for sprawling on in youth hostels, drinking and chilling with new people, or on the beach in the sun and sand.
Gaming chairs are excellent for channeling your concentration at whatever campaign you’re focused on, allowing you complete control of your character. But only recliners offer complete and utter relaxation, enabling you to truly unwind and engross yourself in a book or piece of music like nothing else.
Massage Chairs - Is it worth it?
The massage chairs on this list are certainly a little more pricey than the standard recliners, but if you’re able to make that little extra financial commitment, I have to say, it’s worth it.
There’s nothing like sitting in a massage chair at the end of a long hard day, your back crying out for help, and feeling it work its magic. For the extra £50-100, you’ll absolutely find it worth it after a few uses, and the thing is, these chairs are for life, not just a year or two! Think long term, bite the bullet, and go for it, if you can.
Cleaning & Maintenance
While leather is undoubtedly more luxurious, as well as aging better and feeling more supple with time, if you think you’re going to spill a lot of drinks on your recliner, I’m inclined to say you should go with vinyl or another synthetic material. They make cleaning and maintenance an absolute doddle, sticky drinks just can’t get a purchase and will wipe off the first time. Choosing between the two really depends on how well you think you can look after your stuff, and what kind of environment your man cave is!
Conclusion
A good recliner can really complete your man cave, but they’re quite the investment so it definitely merits some thought. Figure out your priorities in terms of leather vs vinyl, techie vs traditional, then go ahead and get one.
You won’t want to leave it once you’ve bought the right one, and will wonder how you survived all these years without a recliner. Once you’ve got it right, comfortable should be an understatement, and the only place that you should feel closer to absolute solace will be your bed.
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