Ashley Furniture Yandel Power Lift Recliner Review 2024

Has your get-up-and-go gotten up and left you? 

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to do day-to-day activities, including simple things like getting in and out of your favorite easy chair?

There are many different reasons you could be suffering from mobility issues. It could be a severe back injury, the onset of arthritis, or the simple fact that your age is beginning to catch up with you. Whatever the cause, though, there are some simple things you can do to work around the problem. Technology is your friend.

One option is to invest in a power lift recliner. If you’re interested, the Yandel, offered by Ashley Furniture, is an excellent model and well worth your consideration.

It is by no means perfect, and there are some potentially serious shortcomings you should be mindful of before making a final decision.

Not to worry, though. In the following sections, we’ll go over everything the Ashley Yandel Power Lift Recliner can and can’t do, so you’ll have all the information you need to know whether or not this is the chair you’ve been looking for. If that sounds good to you, let’s get right to it!

Key Features to Consider

This is a better-than-average-looking chair. The Ashley Yandel Power Lift Recliner is not gorgeous by any means. Still, it has a comfortable, understated aesthetic that many people will find appealing, and its natural saddle-colored (or black) leather will blend in well with many, if not most, home décor schemes.

Chair Specifications

Before we dive deeper into the chair’s capabilities, let’s start by taking a look at a few basic statistics:

All that’s well and good, but a decent lift chair needs to do more than look nice, so let’s take a more in-depth look at its core functionality.

Adjustability & Comfort

The Signature Design by Ashley Yandel Power Recliner has two motors, with one dedicated to controlling the recline motion of the seat back and footrest and the other assigned to the lift function. 

A simple wired remote attached to the chair enables you to control the recline functions independently. Thanks to the fact that the seat back and footrest can be controlled separately, you can enjoy an unlimited number of possible seating positions.

One shortcoming of the model, which it shares with its slightly more expensive cousin, the Ernestine, is that there are no preset seating positions accessible from the remote. 

That’s not a huge issue and certainly not a deal breaker, but if you want to maximize convenience, you’ll miss this feature.

The Yandel is upholstered with bonded leather, which is attractive but not very durable. Even if you’re exceptionally careful with it, it will start showing its age by fading and/or peeling much more quickly than you’d like. If you have pets, bonded leather upholstery is not recommended. They’ll destroy it in a matter of days.

The other drawback of bonded leather, and in truth, leather upholstery, is that it’s not very breathable. Spend any length of time in the chair, and you’ll sweat.

That’s not a big deal if you plan to use this chair lightly to moderately every day. Still, if you have a serious mobility issue that requires you to spend hours in your chair, this model will be frustrating because it won’t take long before you start getting uncomfortably hot.

If that describes your situation, you’d be better off getting a lift chair with fabric upholstery, like the Ernestine offered by Ashley Furniture.

Issues with the bonded leather upholstery aside, though, it’s a delightfully comfortable chair. 

True, the padding is conventional block foam, which is nothing special. Still, there’s a generous amount of it, and the seating experience itself is quite comfortable, again, provided you’re not spending all day in it.

In addition, the chair reclines almost but not quite fully. It certainly lays flat enough that you could nap in it, although sleeping in it overnight could be problematic due to the lack of breathability we discussed earlier. Comfort-wise, though, for two to three hours at a stretch, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Storage & Extras

This section of our Ashley Yandel Power Lift Recliner review covers only two things. The Yandel features roomy pockets, one on each side, and a battery backup system powered by nine-volt batteries.

The storage compartments are well-sized and can hold all your favorite books, magazines, snacks, electronic devices, and other goodies. Everything you’ll want or need while spending time in your new favorite chair can fit relatively easily into those two pockets.

The battery backup system is a nice touch and not something you find on every modestly priced lift chair. We regard it as an essential feature, though. After all, if the power goes out and you’re at home alone, without a battery backup system, getting yourself out of the chair could be a real challenge.

Fortunately, the backup system’s presence here means you have one less thing to worry about. You may never need it, but if you do, you’ll be very glad it’s there!

Some Assembly Required

The Yandel comes mostly assembled. You’ll have to figure out where you want it, hook up the backup battery system, plug it in, and decide which side to connect the wired remote to. 

Even better, Ashley Furniture’s setup instructions are clear and well-written, so you’ll have the chair ready for first use in minutes.

Pros & Cons of Ashley Yandel Power Lift Recliner

We really like the Yandel and love its aesthetic. Unfortunately, the bonded leather upholstery works against the chair’s core design. Most people with mobility issues will be spending extended periods sitting in their chairs, and that leather gets uncomfortably hot very quickly.

In addition, it starts showing signs of wear much more quickly than fabric. That’s true because although bonded leather is real leather, it’s made by fusing scrap pieces together, and it just doesn’t have the strength, durability, or suppleness of grain leather.

Feature-wise, though, it’s a gem, especially at the modest price point Ashley is offering the chair. You’re getting a good product for the money, no doubt.

If we could change one thing, we would love to see at least a few preset seating positions on the remote. If we could pick which one to add, it would be Zero-G seating, which reclines you to a point where your knees are elevated slightly above your heart, giving you a feeling of genuine weightlessness and helping improve circulation.

The cost of adding such a feature would be modest, and, in our view, it would enhance the value proposition without dramatically raising its price.

Ashley Yandel Power Lift Recliner Review Conclusion

Despite its limitations, we think the Ashley Yandel Power Lift Recliner would be a spectacular addition to just about any home. However, given the limitations imposed by the upholstery, we only provisionally recommend it. If you have a minor mobility issue, don’t need to spend endless hours in it, and don’t plan on sleeping overnight, this is a fabulous chair.

If you’re looking for something that will stand up well to the rigors of heavy daily use, this isn’t the model you’re looking for.

On that basis, we give it a provisional recommendation.

Recommended Reading

Ashley Furniture Ernestine Power Lift Recliner Review

Discover the Ernestine Power Lift Recliner in our review: an unobtrusive, budget-friendly chair for users up to 350 pounds.

Coaster Power Lift Recliner Reviews

Check out our review of the Coaster Power Lift and discover why it’s perfect for comfort-focused buyers on a budget.

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Official Manufacturer Support

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

• Ashley Homestore, Official Brand Website.
• Choosing the Right Recliner, Durian.
• The Average Life of a Recliner, SFGate.
• Power Recliner Gaining Popularity, Furniture Today.