[Mr.6]

I love my Pallisers.

Mr.6

 

[JCuster]

I love my Pallisers.

Mr.6

 

[Suntan]

Your writeup suggests that good seats offer "far more room." Keep in mind that for a lot of people a really wide seat is not desired as we don't have space for them. While few people want packed-in, flip-up, ballpark bleacher seats in their home theater; I would argue that few people want really wide seats that force them to fit fewer seats in their theater space.

 

[JCuster]

Up until 3 months ago my wife and I had a set of six Berkline black leather manual recliners. Three nested together, and three were standalone. We selected these for two reasons: 1 Affordability, all six for less than $3,500 and two (most important the footrest included a full leg rest that allowed room for our dog to curl up.) About three months ago we sold the nesting section and purchased a nice love seat with chaise for the front row. This allows my wife and I to cuddle up together so I can rub her legs and feet, which I find very relaxing. We're very happy with the change.

 

[jerryez]

There are many different items that go into putting together a top-notch home theater, but aside from the projector and screen, one of the defining elements is dedicated home theater seating. Home theater furniture is specifically adapted to this application, and typically offers far more room, and comfort, than the seats you find in commercial cinemas, while offering similar functionality with drink holders, arm rests, reclining, and a design that's conducive to creating rows.

But, choosing home theater seating is not as easy as going to your local IKEA and trying it out. It's a specialty product, and even if you go to and AV retailer, you are likely to only encounter one or two brands... not a showroom full of different home theater seating options.

That is how you, AVS forum members, can help. We're looking for your suggestions for some of the best options in home theater seating. After all, this is the world's leading site for the AV hobby and as a result, you are the subject matter experts!

Of course, the word "best" is a relative concept. Because people have different preferences for seating, whether it's cloth versus leather, soft versus firm cushions, And the overall size and shape of the seat, there is no one actual "best" option. But, with your help, at least we can highlight a number of options that together qualify as best! Top results from suggestions will be compiled into a “Best Home Theater Seating” list that’s informed by your nominations, and if you leave a snappy description of what you like the most about the seating you suggested, that too will be included in the list.

We're looking forward to your suggestions! Thanks.

Cover image from Shutterstock.com

I have two Lazy Boy power recliners. These have feet and headrest button controls and each has a USB port on the control panel for charging your phone or laptop. They are not too wide and super comfortable.

 

[imagic]

Your writeup suggests that good seats offer "far more room." Keep in mind that for a lot of people a really wide seat is not desired as we don't have space for them. While few people want packed-in, flip-up, ballpark bleacher seats in their home theater; I would argue that few people want really wide seats that force them to fit fewer seats in their theater space.

No need to take that too seriously, I just want your recommendation, and if you can make a comment about why you feel your recommendation offers some sort of advantage due to size, great.

More room can also mean leg room, it doesn't necessarily mean width. Aside from Dolby cinemas, every movie theater I've been to has had cramped seating, as compared to any home theater I've been to.

 

[Mashie Saldana]

I wish the 2-seater electrical recliner sofa we use had slightly lower back rests to not block the path between ears and rear speakers. I have yet to see any electrical recliners with low backs.

 

[TheoN]

There are many great options out there. For dedicated seating I’m a big fan Salamander Designs. Quality and comfort are fabulous. Premium materials and leather. And you’ll pay for it. On the more economical front I like Palliser. I personally prefer a more slender theater seating style than plush.

 

[blazar]

seats and height are a critical issue to keep in mind if you and your family are bit shorter. Many of the seats are built for bigger folks and the butt to inside-knee length is critical to a proper seats. jaymar and salamander might be some considerations. measure your legs and the seat size and height off the floor.

 

[blazar]

I wish the 2-seater electrical recliner sofa we use had slightly lower back rests to not block the path between ears and rear speakers. I have yet to see any electrical recliners with low backs.

jaymar has some options in this regard

 

[smile]

I have two Lazy Boy power recliners. These have feet and headrest button controls and each has a USB port on the control panel for charging your phone or laptop. They are not too wide and super comfortable.

What differentiates a "theater seat" from the recliner in my living room- a cup holder?
Multiple seats that are attached?

 

[Silly Rabbit]

I am looking at new seating. I don't have a "home theater", more of a room dedicated to movies and TV. 2 years ago, we bought 2 Ashley leather manual recliners. Seemed nice at the time. Well, they are horrible. Now the cushioning is flat, the color has worn off, they make all kinds of noise, one of the handles broke and they are just unpleasant to sit in for more than 20 mins. So, we are looking at replacing with quality recliners.

I really like the adjustable head support, but don't think I will like power recline. It seems like that would be a hassle when getting out of the chair. I think I can get used to it. It is just the wife and myself, so we are looking at loveseat styles. Something like the Valencia Tuscany consul. What are people opinion of Tuscany after a yr or so of use?

The closest place to sit it anything like this is in Chicago 3 hrs away. Not the end of the world, but it does make it difficult. Any what does that really tell you? They won't feel like a new chair or give a true idea of how they hold up after daily use. The Ashley recliners felt comfy in the store, but declined in comfort real fast. I try watching video reviews, but 90% seem to be unboxing and set up. No real world reviews after a year or 2 of use. When these chair average $1000+ each, it makes deciding difficult.

 

[fire9746]

I am looking at new seating. I don't have a "home theater", more of a room dedicated to movies and TV. 2 years ago, we bought 2 Ashley leather manual recliners. Seemed nice at the time. Well, they are horrible. Now the cushioning is flat, the color has worn off, they make all kinds of noise, one of the handles broke and they are just unpleasant to sit in for more than 20 mins. So, we are looking at replacing with quality recliners.

I really like the adjustable head support, but don't think I will like power recline. It seems like that would be a hassle when getting out of the chair. I think I can get used to it. It is just the wife and myself, so we are looking at loveseat styles. Something like the Valencia Tuscany consul. What are people opinion of Tuscany after a yr or so of use?

View attachment 3139009

The closest place to sit it anything like this is in Chicago 3 hrs away. Not the end of the world, but it does make it difficult. Any what does that really tell you? They won't feel like a new chair or give a true idea of how they hold up after daily use. The Ashley recliners felt comfy in the store, but declined in comfort real fast. I try watching video reviews, but 90% seem to be unboxing and set up. No real world reviews after a year or 2 of use. When these chair average $1000+ each, it makes deciding difficult.

We have 5 of these pictured, that I would sell. After a couple years they still look brand new which is great. They are high quality and look awesome, however they do not recline far enough. No BS I wish I had my old $750 microfiber/suede loveseats back instead. They were the most comfortable seats I have ever been in no matter what position you want to relax in. Microfiber/suede can't be beat to me for overall comfort, and are very cleanable and durable too. I do not understand why it is not much more widely used for furniture.

 

[HTmarket]

The closest place to sit it anything like this is in Chicago 3 hrs away. Not the end of the world, but it does make it difficult. Any what does that really tell you? They won't feel like a new chair or give a true idea of how they hold up after daily use. The Ashley recliners felt comfy in the store, but declined in comfort real fast. I try watching video reviews, but 90% seem to be unboxing and set up. No real world reviews after a year or 2 of use. When these chair average $1000+ each, it makes deciding difficult.

We have showroom in chicago and great reviews from AVS guys, just check the thread HT Design Seating on this forum.

PM me if you want to test drive some seats, we have 13 styles here in our showroom. I actually have some folks from Toledo OH coming in tomorrow they about 4 hours away.

 

[redstang]

I got a set of 5 Octane seats from the theaterseatstore.com 4 or 5 years ago. They don't sell the exact model/style I got anymore, but it's similar to the Flash HR w/o the arm rest storage. I'm not very happy with them. My biggest issue is that I (supposedly) got the upgraded leather - and they squeak every time you recline any of them, louder than Ross's leather pants. Secondly, they are framed with horribly thin plywood/osb. I put my elbow through one of the arm rests by simply leaning on it to get up. The holes for the tray pegs - they come loose so the trays start to sag so I have to turn them over and try to tighten the nuts from the back side. The blue LED lights are mounted pointing straight forward, so if someone turns them on and reclines they shine right on the screen washing the image out. Guests think it is cool to turn them on and then I have to tell them to turn them off after they recline.

The reason I got them was they were reasonably priced and the configurations were so flexible. I got a set of 5 seats in a curved config. They look really nice, and although the curve gives the seats on the end a better viewing angle, it was probably a mistake as they do take up more room that way. The other HUGE mistake was not getting storage in the arm rest. I figured I could make do, as at the time they didn't have a model that had the seat style I wanted that also had storage in the arm rest, but now I still have a couple remotes flopping around on the arm rests or on the seats. They have USB ports for charging your phone, which is cool, but then I've also got a cable or two that end up laying around as well.

Anyone have a suggestion on how to get the leather to stop squeaking? I've tried a couple cleaners/conditioners with little success.

 

[VooBass]

Anyone have a suggestion on how to get the leather to stop squeaking? I've tried a couple cleaners/conditioners with little success.

My Tuscany seating is also extremely noisy. The best fix I have found is paraffin wax. Get a block, rub it between the seat and the sides, and it eliminates all leather-on-leather noise for about 3-4 months.

 

[VooBass]

I've had four different sets of seating, most recently the Valencia Tuscany seats for about a year and a half. They are okay, mid-quality seats. Yes, the lighting is ridiculous, the bottom of the cup holders is not convenient, the electric lumbar support is effectively useless at least for anyone I know who has tried it, and the leather is crazy noisy unless you occasionally rub the surfaces down with paraffin wax. The inconsistencies in sewing are very glaring and the metal rings for the accessories get loose and the tables feel very sloppy.
My biggest concern is that these chairs are essentially import quality and when they break, and they will, I suspect it's going to be difficult to get support/repairs.
Regarding how the firmness stands up, not bad. I can feel a bit of sag starting in the seat I typically use but the others feel almost new (and almost too firm). Actually, I see that Valencia has a variety of firmness levels available. I didn't specify at order time and I sort of suspect my seating is a mix of firmnesses. Maybe not.
The electric headrest is the most comfortable of any I have used.
And, they look nice.

 

[EdgarQ]

I went through this thought process two months ago for upgrading the home theater in the house I just bought. Full context in this Cinema 77 post here. Relevant here, I was looking for 4 home theater powered recliner seats. "Best" for me was a combination of factors: function, comfort, style, quality, delivery timing, and value. Seating options that I actually looked up seemed to fall into 7 price categories with various tradeoffs:

Free: Existing couch, or various mix and match old manual recliners on Buy Nothing groups. I had the previous home's existing couch there as a placeholder, but it failed on function and style, so I gave it away. I didn't bother trying out other people's free furniture. Timing was instant to 24 hours.

$200-$400: Used HT recliners on Craigslist. I found 4 HT Market seats, but they looked pretty banged up, and not to my style, which is roughly mid-century modern or 2001: A Space Odyssey. So, not a fit in terms of style and quality. Timing was 24 hours.

$1200-$3500: Furniture store powered recliner sectionals. I looked at a few of these online, and made an appointment to sit in one at Dania Furniture. It was nice, but didn't have dedicated controls for each seat. So, not a fit in terms of function. Timing was 3 months.

$4000. HT Market, Valencia, and Octane. The reviews for HT Market are very strong, and Alan the owner (hello, nice to meet you!) obviously cares about his trade and customers. I like their end-to-end customer care and satisfaction. This is probably the right choice for most people. For me, I couldn't find a style I liked from their selection. Everything appears to be in the more puffy style, likely for good reason, as that's probably the most comfortable style to sit in long term. Valencia has more modern selections, although still not exactly to my taste. However, Octane has a sectioned horizontally cushioned look that I was targeting in their Dream line, and the arms were also squared off. But Octane seems to have mixed reviews here. I read a few of the threads, and found that delivery and follow-through were where the issues cropped up. But it fit all criteria, so I bought the set. And lo and behold, the product itself was good, but I had problems with delivery. The white glove provider was rude, resistant to delivering since the tray tables weren't in the shipment, and rough with the seats. But they're good, they work, and it all ended well. More drama than I need in my life though. Timing for all options was 2 weeks.

$10,000. Palliser Catalina. Priced out a set with equivalent features and style to the Octane Dream. Likely high quality build. But $6K more is the cost of an NX-5 projector (a reference point among my recent purchases). Not a good value. Timing was 3-4 months.

$28,000. Fortress Solo. Priced out a set with equivalent features and style to the Octane Dream. Likely highest quality build. But $14K more is the cost of a used late model Subaru Outback (a reference point among my recent purchases). Not a good value. Timing was 4-4.5 months.

$138,000. HR Giger Harkonnen Chairs. I had the pleasure of having a drink in a Harkonnen Chair at the Giger Bar in Roppongi, Tokyo, in the early 90s before it closed. It was the most awesome seating moment in my life. Giger sells them on his website. This seating option utterly crushes the style factor, and utterly fails the value factor. Timing was 3-4 months.

Someday.

Anyway, I hope that's useful feedback. Glad to get this all off my chest!

 

[redstang]

I went through this thought process two months ago for upgrading the home theater in the house I just bought. Full context in this Cinema 77 post here. Relevant here, I was looking for 4 home theater powered recliner seats. "Best" for me was a combination of factors: function, comfort, style, quality, delivery timing, and value. Seating options that I actually looked up seemed to fall into 7 price categories with various tradeoffs:

Free: Existing couch, or various mix and match old manual recliners on Buy Nothing groups. I had the previous home's existing couch there as a placeholder, but it failed on function and style, so I gave it away. I didn't bother trying out other people's free furniture. Timing was instant to 24 hours.

$200-$400: Used HT recliners on Craigslist. I found 4 HT Market seats, but they looked pretty banged up, and not to my style, which is roughly mid-century modern or 2001: A Space Odyssey. So, not a fit in terms of style and quality. Timing was 24 hours.

$1200-$3500: Furniture store powered recliner sectionals. I looked at a few of these online, and made an appointment to sit in one at Dania Furniture. It was nice, but didn't have dedicated controls for each seat. So, not a fit in terms of function. Timing was 3 months.

$4000. HT Market, Valencia, and Octane. The reviews for HT Market are very strong, and Alan the owner (hello, nice to meet you!) obviously cares about his trade and customers. I like their end-to-end customer care and satisfaction. This is probably the right choice for most people. For me, I couldn't find a style I liked from their selection. Everything appears to be in the more puffy style, likely for good reason, as that's probably the most comfortable style to sit in long term. Valencia has more modern selections, although still not exactly to my taste. However, Octane has a sectioned horizontally cushioned look that I was targeting in their Dream line, and the arms were also squared off. But Octane seems to have mixed reviews here. I read a few of the threads, and found that delivery and follow-through were where the issues cropped up. But it fit all criteria, so I bought the set. And lo and behold, the product itself was good, but I had problems with delivery. The white glove provider was rude, resistant to delivering since the tray tables weren't in the shipment, and rough with the seats. But they're good, they work, and it all ended well. More drama than I need in my life though. Timing for both options was 2 weeks.

$10,000. Palliser Catalina. Priced out a set with equivalent features and style to the Octane Dream. Likely high quality build. But $6K more is the cost of an NX-5 projector (a reference point among my recent purchases). Not a good value. Timing was 3-4 months.

$28,000. Fortress Solo. Priced out a set with equivalent features and style to the Octane Dream. Likely highest quality build. But $14K more is the cost of a used late model Subaru Outback (a reference point among my recent purchases). Not a good value. Timing was 4-4.5 months.

$138,000. HR Giger Harkonnen Chairs. I had the pleasure of having a drink in a Harkonnen Chair at the Giger Bar in Roppongi, Tokyo, in the early 90s before it closed. It was the most awesome seating moment in my life. Giger sells them on his website. This seating option utterly crushes the style factor, and utterly fails the value factor. Timing was 3-4 months.

Someday.

Anyway, I hope that's useful feedback. Glad to get this all off my chest!

Re: the Octane delivery - can confirm. Two of my 5 chairs - the boxes looked like they got dragged behind the truck for a while, and one chair's frame was bent. I should have refused delivery, but I didn't. Luckily the leather was all ok, and I was able to bend the bent piece on the back of the chair back into place, so all ended up ok.