Catnapper Owens Lay-Flat Recliner Review 2024

Have you recently had surgery that makes sleeping in your bed impractical? Do you suffer from sleep apnea or a similar condition that makes it hard for you to get a decent night’s sleep?

If you answered yes to either of those questions or if you’re just in the market for a great, comfy recliner to add to your living room, you’re going to like what you see in this, our review of the Catnapper Owens Lay-Flat Power Recliner.

Catnapper is one of the biggest names in the American furniture market. Specializing in recliners, loveseats, and sofas, their products are expertly crafted in the United States and built to last. The Owens is an excellent example of their work.

In the following sections, we’ll tell you everything this amazing recliner can do and discuss its (few) shortcomings so you’ll have all the information you need to decide if this is the one you’ve been looking for or should continue your search. If that sounds good to you, read on!

Key Features of the Catnapper Owens Lay-Flat Power Recliner

Comfortable and inviting—those are the words that are likely to spring to mind the first time you see the Owens. It is both of those things, but there is a catch or at least a potential snag. This model isn’t designed with Wall Hugger technology, which means you’ll need to place it about 20” from whatever wall you plan on setting it near to ensure it can recline fully.

Chair Specifications

Given that, if you live in a smaller home or apartment or space is at a premium for some other reason in your house, this chair probably isn’t for you. However, this would be a great time to list the core stats defining the model. Here they are:

As you can see, despite its bulk, this chair isn’t a good fit for a significant chunk of the market, owing mostly to its modest maximum supported weight. That’s a pity because it is an exceptional chair.

If the weight limit isn’t an issue and you have the space for it, you’ll find much to like about this model. If you decide to order one, you’ll have your choice of three different color options:

​That, combined with the eye-catching aesthetic of the design, will make it easy to blend in with your existing home décor scheme, whatever it might be.

Adjustability & Comfort

Let’s start with adjustability. As a power recliner, the Owens offers unlimited recline positions at the touch of a button. The motors that drive the recline function are powerful and quiet, resulting in a smooth action, but it improves.

In addition to reclining to any angle, the headrest can be independently adjusted, giving you options that most other recliners on the market today can’t match.

We should also note that this is a “lay flat” recliner, so it makes a perfect sleeper. Even if you have problems sleeping while perfectly flat, given that you’ve unlimited recline options, you can adjust it until you achieve the perfect angle.

The only potential shortcoming is that you cannot save your ideal recline settings. You’ll have to reproduce them every time you manually use the chair. It’s not a huge issue, but we’ve seen memory functions in massage chairs, so the technology exists. Hopefully, at some point, it will find its way into a few select recliner models. 

Where comfort is concerned, the Owens doesn’t disappoint. The upholstery is stretched over block foam padding and poly fiberfill, supported by a network of individually wrapped comfort coils like those found in many high-quality mattresses today. Even better, the comfort coils are gel-infused, providing a level of comfort comparable to, and perhaps even superior to, memory foam. Kudos to Catnapper for taking things to the next level!

In addition, Owens has a well-implemented lumbar support system. Although it is slowly becoming more common to see living room furniture sporting ergonomic features, it’s still a distinct minority in the market. We were beyond thrilled to see the Catnapper Owens joining that club!

Storage & Extras

Given their rareness, we have to count the adjustable headrest and the lumbar support system as extras, but the Owens has yet another surprise. It sports a USB charging port to keep your favorite device charged while sitting in the chair.

That’s outstanding and genuinely useful, given that the Owens doesn’t have a side storage pocket. Since there’s no place to stash your favorite magazines or whatever book you’re reading, the addition of the charging port is a good substitute that opens up your entertainment options.

We honestly don’t understand why so few recliners on the market today come with onboard storage, but if it’s something you feel like you’ve gotta have, your best bet is to spend a little extra and invest in a lift chair. The vast majority of those do feature side storage.

Minimal Assembly Required

The Owens doesn’t come assembled, but getting the chair ready for first use is as simple as attaching the seat back to the rest of the chair and plugging it in. Even so, if you’d prefer not to bother with this, the Owens is available for sale with White Glove service, making that part of the process totally hands-free. That’s a nice touch and exactly what we’d expect from a company like Catnapper.

If you can’t afford to pay extra for White Glove service or don’t want the added expense, we recommend ensuring you’ve got an assistant standing by to help you get the chair where you want it and ready it for first use. Not that the assembly process is complex; it’s very straightforward, but it’s a hefty piece of furniture, and an extra pair of hands will make the process smoother.

Pros & Cons of the Catnapper Owens Power Recliner

As you can see, there’s much to like about the Catnapper Owens. In our view, here’s what you’ll like best about this model:

As great as all that is, we’d love to see a few things on our wishlist in a future model upgrade. These include things like:

Even without our wishlist items, this is an unquestionably awesome chair.

Final Thoughts on Catnapper Owens Recliner

In our view, the Catnapper Owens Lay-Flat Power Recliner is one of the finest recliners on the market today. Of the shortcomings we listed, the biggest and most glaring is the chair’s disappointing weight limit, making it a non-starter for a portion of the market. As long as you weigh under 250 pounds, though, this comes close to being the perfect recliner, and we recommend it.

Recommended Reading

Simmons Osborn Rocker Recliner Review

Our assessment revolves around the Simmons Osborn Rocker Recliner, combining style and comfort for users.

Official Manufacturer Support

References & Resources:

• Jackson Catnapper, Official Brand Website.
• 5 Steps to Sleeping on Your Back Every Night,  Healthline.
• What’s the Best Position to Sleep In?, WebMD.
• Is Your Recliner Hurting You?,  Health Beat – Spectrum Health.