In a Nutshell:
A surprisingly good, inexpensive rocker recliner with a few surprises you’ll enjoy. Dorel Living Padded Dual Massage Recliner is recommended for users between 5’ and 6’ tall, weighing less than 250 pounds.
Value for the Money
Comfort
Brand Reliability*
Aesthetic Flexibility**
Overall Rating
3.6/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Recommended For: Users between 5’ and 6’ tall, weighing less than 250 pounds.
Are you on a budget? Looking for a versatile rocker and recliner that will give you a comfortable perch for lounging, napping, or even sleeping through the night?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you will be intrigued by our review of the Dorel Living Padded Dual Massage Recliner.
This is an interesting design for several reasons, but we’ll be quick to admit that it’s not a perfect chair and that it’s not going to be for everyone. It’s such an interesting design that we couldn’t resist the opportunity to review it. For the right person, it could be perfect!
In the following sections, we’ll tell you about this chair, giving you full details on everything it gets right and its various shortcomings. That way, you’ll have all the information you need to determine if this is the seating solution you’ve been looking for. If that sounds good to you, let’s jump right in and take a closer look!
Key Features of the Dorel Living Padded Massage Rocker Recliner
This handsome rocker and recliner are offered by a well-established Canadian brand that sells a variety of home furnishings. However, they source their wares from China, so the first thing to be aware of is that their products may not be of the same quality as those offered by the bigger, mainstream brands in the American furniture industry.
Lower-quality materials mean lower prices, but of course, that comes with a tradeoff. While Dorel’s furniture looks good and has many features you’ll love, its products aren’t built to last. After a couple of years of moderate to heavy use, they will start showing their age, and this chair is no exception.
If you’re looking for a long-term solution, this isn’t the chair you want, but if you only need a chair for a couple of years and plan on buying something more robust and long-lasting later on, this is a great option.
Chair Specifications
Before we get into the specific features this chair offers, let’s begin by taking a quick look at the stats that define the Dorel Living Padded Massage Recliner. Here they are:
As you can see, this chair is somewhat limited in its appeal. With a relatively narrow seat width and a modest maximum supported weight limit, it’s simply too lightly constructed to appeal to the upper end of the market.
Still, if you weigh less than 250 pounds and are 6’ tall or shorter, this option will probably fit you well.
Color Variation
If you decide to order one, you can select either tan or chocolate, which gives you some flexibility in ensuring that the chair will blend seamlessly with your home décor scheme.
Adjustability
There’s not much to say about the chair’s adjustability because that’s not its strong suit. It’s a manual recliner. Grab the lever, pull up to bring the footrest up, and push back on the seatback to recline. That’s it.
When the chair isn’t reclined, you can use it as a rocker, which makes it a wonderfully versatile piece of furniture and an especially good fit for inclusion in a nursery if you’re expecting or already have a newborn baby.
Comfort
Comfort-wise, the Dorel Living Padded Massage Rocker Recliner relies on conventional block foam for padding, but there’s a generous amount of it. While not the most comfortable chair we’ve ever seen or sat in, it still provides a comfortable seating experience, even after several hours.
The only problem is that block foam starts to break down over time and struggles to retain its shape. Exactly when that starts happening is due, in large part, to how many hours a day you use the chair. Again, though, given that this model is built with lower-cost materials, it’s unlikely to last more than a couple of years in any case.
No Storage
Unfortunately, the Dorel Living Padded Dual Massage Recliner doesn’t have a side storage pocket. We’re not really sure why. They’re easy to add and wouldn’t increase the cost of the chair in any meaningful way. However, they would make the model even more valuable to new mothers or anyone who spends several hours a day in the chair.
Vibration Massage
However, it does have one compelling extra you may enjoy. This chair has stationary massage heads that deliver a basic, vibration-style massage.
Vibration-style massage isn’t great. It can’t compare to the kind of massage you get from a proper massage chair. But then, proper massage chairs cost significantly more than this little model. If all you need is something to help massage away the stress of the day for a few minutes while you’re relaxing, this isn’t bad and does provide some genuine relief.
Even better, massage heads are in both the seatback and the seat. These are independently activated, and best of all, you can select from two different massage modes. Again, we’re talking about a simple vibration-style massage here, so it’s nothing fancy. Still, any massage capability is better than none, and we were impressed, especially given the modest price of the chair!
Minimal Assembly Required
If you buy this model, it will arrive in a pair of medium-sized boxes. You’ll need to attach the seat back to the seat and plug it in, so the process is not complicated. However, if you suffer from a mobility issue, you’ll want to be sure you’ve got a trusty assistant close at hand when the chair arrives. Overall, the assembly time will take no more than fifteen or twenty minutes, and the chair will be ready for first use!
Pros and Cons of the Dorel Living Padded Dual Massage Recliner
We like this model and consider it a pleasant surprise in its price range, but as we said at the beginning, it won’t be for everyone. Here are the things you’ll like best and least about the chair.
PROS
CONS
In our view, the pros far outweigh the cons here. For what it is and the price the chair is being offered at.
Final Thoughts on the Dorel Padded Massage Dual Recliner
It’s important to set expectations when looking at furniture like this. If you buy, thinking that this chair will serve you well for years, it will disappoint you. If, on the other hand, you buy knowing that this is a comfortable, decent piece of furniture designed to last for a couple of years, you’ll be impressed by its capabilities. While it lasts, you’ll enjoy the occasional massage to boot. What’s not to like about that?
On that basis, we provisionally recommend the Dorel Living Padded Dual Massage Recliner.
Recommended Reading
Flash Furniture Microfiber Kids Recliner Review
Our review of the Flash Furniture Microfiber Kids Recliner shows that it is a fun, basic recliner for young children under 90 pounds.
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- Dorel Living, Official Brand Website.
- Dorel Living Padded Dual Massage Recliner User Manual.
- Rocking like a Baby Promotes Better Sleep in Adults, BBC News.
- Rocking Puts Adults to Sleep Faster and Makes Slumber Deeper, Science News.
- Rocking Motion Improves Sleep and Memory, Studies in Mice and People Show, ScienceDaily.