What is the Total Weight? The overall weight of a home theater chair can provide many clues as to its construction and quality. Entry level and mid-range seating typically weigh only 75 to 100 lbs per seat. Many times, this can mean the chair has been constructed poorly using “thin wall” wood construction and a lightweight, rickety recliner mechanism. Elite home theater seats are the heaviest in the industry weighing in at an average weight of 170lbs (77KG) per chair. This weight is accounted for by our 3/4” thick, fortress wall framing construction, and our heavy duty, “thick and chunky” industrial grade recliner mechanism which comes with a 20 Year Warranty.

What Type of Foam is Used? Low quality foam can start to lose form and support in as little as 3 months. It is very important for any type of home theater furniture to use premium quality cushion foam that is high in density and supportive yet still soft and comfortable. Elite HTS offers soft, medium and firm foam options. More than 80% of clients choose our standard medium foam.

Is it Designed with Ergonomic Lumbar Support? Many of us have had to endure an uncomfortable experience at our local Cineplex while constantly shifting and adjusting to relieve the build up of pressure in the lower back and neck. This negative experience prevents you from escaping into the world that you are watching on the screen. A true theater seat provides excellent ergonomic support and is specifically designed and engineered for hours of home theater viewing. A true theater seat provides ESCAPISM. We collaborated with renowned Chiropractor Dr. Grant O’Neill to create a theater recliner that provides optimal ergonomic support and comfort while still staying soft and “cushy”.After a lot of precise tweaking and adjustments of various foam types,placement and angles, the final creation is what we feel is the most comfortable theater chair available.

What Type of Recliner Mechanism Is Used? A good quality recliner mechanism can be spotted by having thick steel brackets, reinforced steel bracing, and a smooth, silky reclining motion. A poorly designed mechanism on the other hand will have thin, weak brackets and a rickety reclining motion. Also, a manually operated mechanism such as a lever design for example, will only have limited recline positions. A motorized home theater recliner however, allows the user to recline the seat to a fraction of a degree thus offering much more freedom and control. Motorized power recline comes standard with all Elite HTS seating.

How Are the Arms Attached to the Base? One of the most common flaws of any type of home theater recliner is a poorly designed frame. This can be the difference between a recliner lasting 2 years or 50 years. The main problems associated with a poor frame design are shaky/flimsy arms, excessive squeakiness and accelerated breakdown. Usually the main cause of this is the use of low quality cheap materials such as rejected plywood or the use of wood that is simply not strong enough or thick enough. Also, if just simple nails are used to build the frame,over time they can become loose from the constant shifting and bending of the wood frame. It is highly recommended to use a combination of fitted joints, screws and glue to construct a strong frame. Lastly the arms of a recliner should be reinforced at the highest point possible. This prevents the arms from shaking and moving. If an arm is reinforced near its base, then it will most probably be prone to cracking and breaking at the joint which in turn will cause shaky/flimsy arms over time.