Ekornes furniture began producing the Stressless chair in 1971. The goal was to create a comfortable recliner that was durable, long-lasting and able to fully support the body when both reclined and in the upright position. Today, the company produces over 1200 seats a day, including its sofa line.

You may have seen the infomercials or heard the hype but are still wondering if the Ekornes Stressless recliner is actually worth its $1299 and up price tag? Does the leather hold up? Is it made from high quality construction? Do they guarantee their product? For the answers to these questions and more, keep reading.

Glide System

The Stressless chair uses gliding wheels to take the chair from an upright to reclined position and back again. Rather than springing you back and forth with a traditional lever mechanism, the chair simply relies on your body weight and cues to tell it when to sit up and to recline.

The glide wheels are great, move smoothly and make for a much easier transition than springs. However, the wheels make a small noise as you recline the chair, leading this reviewer to believe that the sound could turn into an annoyance after years of use.

Head and Lumbar Support

The lumbar and head support on the Ekornes recliner are designed to work in parallel, moving with you as you recline the chair. The headrest can both lay flat or stay up, depending on a simple, manual adjustment.

That said, though the headrest is designed to lean back as you lean back your head, the springs are fairly strong and for those with weak neck muscles, it can often feel like it is forcing your head forward. The best solution is to keep the headrest reclined.

Customized Sizes

A great feature of the Ekornes Stressless is that many models come in both small and large sizes. Whether you need to accommodate a smaller living space or a larger body, there's a Stressless chair that will likely meet your comfort need.

Warranty

All Ekornes Stressless recliner chairs come with a 10-year warranty that covers all the metal mechanisms inside the chair. These include the head and lumbar springs, the chair frame and the gliding system.

The long 10-year warranty may seem very appealing, but customers should be forewarned that the warranty on the Stressless chair won't cover damage to the leather or wood components. Instead, owners will need to see a reupholstering or carpentry professional.