In a Nutshell:
Top marks for comfort! Stellar Comfort UC556 Lift Chair is recommended for people between 5’ 4” and 6’ 2,” weigh 375 pounds or less, and are looking for an American made chair that maximizes comfort, this is the model you want.
Value for the Money
Comfort
Brand Reliability*
Aesthetic Flexibility**
Overall Rating
4.1/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Recommended For: People between 5’ 4” and 6’ 2,” weigh 375 pounds or less, and are looking for an American-made chair that maximizes comfort, this is the model you want.
Are you struggling to get in and out of your favorite chair lately? The specific reason why doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, though, it will happen to many of us. If it’s happening to you, there’s a surprisingly simple solution that doesn’t involve sending a flare to a friend or family member whenever you want to get up and move around.
Lift chairs come in all shapes and sizes today, and some have surprising features that may not be readily apparent. The Stellar Comfort UC556 lift chair recliner is one such model.
There’s a lot to like about this chair, and if you’re in the market for one, this one probably belongs on your shortlist. In the sections below, we’ll go over everything it can do. We think you’ll agree even if you ultimately decide that another model fits better. This is a superb chair, sold by a company with much to offer.
Let’s check it out!
Key Features of the Stellar Comfort UC556 Lift Chair Recliner
Weighing in at 153 pounds, the Stellar Comfort UC556 Lift Chair is a substantial piece of furniture. It’s pretty good looking too, although the quilted seatback design won’t appeal to everyone. Even so, it is offered in a modest selection of colors that, paired with its traditional design aesthetic, makes it easy for the chair to blend into your existing home décor scheme, whatever it might be.
The colors offered by the manufacturer are:
Also of interest, this chair is proudly made in the US of A, in the town of Old Gorge, PA, so if you’re looking for an American-made piece of furniture, this one should quickly move up the roster and become even more interesting to you.
In terms of overall dimensions, the chair measures 38.5” x 38” x 45, with a maximum supported weight of 375 pounds. The seat is 20” wide and 21.5” deep, with a height of 20”. Taken together, these things make the chair a good fit for anyone ranging from 5’4” to 6’2” in height. Although the company makes that claim, we would hesitate to call this a chair designed for taller folk.
Whether you agree or disagree with that last bit, a chair is more than just the first impression it gives, so let’s dig a bit deeper and see what makes it tick.
Adjustability & Comfort
There’s a lot to talk about here and a lot to like. First, the Ultracomfort Stellar Comfort Lift Recliner is powered by two motors, which enables you to recline the leg rest and seatback independently, giving you a virtually unlimited number of recline positions.
Second, the remote that accompanies the chair has four different preset recline positions. These are:
We’ll talk about each of these in more detail next.
The TV-watching position is about what you’d expect. The seatback is kept upright, while the seat box and footrest are elevated, allowing you to relax your legs and enjoy whatever show you plan on watching. Although it’s not labeled as such on the remote, this is also a perfectly comfortable position for reading!
Zero-Gravity Seating
The Zero-G seating position is one of the surprising features this chair offers. While Zero-G seating isn’t unheard of in a recliner, it isn’t exactly common either. You’re much more likely to find it on offer in the world of massage chairs, so we were quite pleased to see it make an appearance here.
When you select this option from the remote, your legs will be elevated slightly above your heart, which gives you a feeling of weightlessness. It’s gloriously comfortable and a great position to try out if you want to take a short nap.
The sleep position reclines your back so the chair is mostly flat, allowing you to rest honestly. Suppose you suffer from serious mobility issues and sometimes need to sleep in your chair. In that case, this one is an excellent option because it not only fully reclines to accommodate you, but it’s also exquisitely comfortable.
While it’s still not as good as sleeping in a proper bed, you’ll get a decent night’s rest in this chair in a pinch, and that’s a very good thing.
Trendelenburg Position
The Trendelenburg position is similar to Zero-G seating, elevating your knees (and feet!) above your heart. Honestly, if we could control the chair’s design, we’d offer either Zero-G or Trendelenburg, but not both, because in practice, people tend to use one or the other, with Zero-G being the more popular of the two.
The tradeoff is that Trendelenburg reclines you further back to a less comfortable position than Zero-G, but it is slightly better at helping to improve your circulation.
It feels a little over-engineered, but we didn’t deduct points from the chair. If you’re one of the rare people who wants to use both, you’ll be happy to see them included here.
Generous Padding
In addition to being an incredibly adjustable chair, the Stellar also wins high marks for comfort. It offers generous padding, supported by pocketed coil springs in the seat, like those found in mattresses, making it such a great napping chair.
Upholstery
One final thing to mention here is the upholstery. We love it, preferring soft, durable fabrics over faux leather any day. Fabric tends to wear more evenly and doesn’t show its age nearly as quickly; in our view, it presents a better value when compared to the two. True, grain leather looks more elegant, but you’ll pay a steep premium for genuine leather chairs, which is why bonded leather is so commonly offered in its place.
Storage & Extras
In terms of storage, the Stellar offers a pair of generously sized side pockets, perfect for storing your favorite books, magazines, and other goodies.
The only extra to speak of is the battery backup, which is incredibly handy, especially if you suffer from serious mobility issues. Should the power fail, the battery backup will ensure you can get out of the chair without assistance, which is a nice touch!
The other item worth mentioning in our Ultra Comfort UC556 review is the warranty. While the chair’s warranty isn’t as impressive as some we’ve seen, it’s nothing to sneeze at.
Stellar offers a lifetime warranty on the frame, lift, and recline mechanism. A three-year warranty on the electrical parts and covering mechanical labor, and a 1-year warranty on the upholstery, foam, and pocketed coil springs.
No Assembly Required
The great thing about the Stellar is that you can do nothing. The chair arrives ready to use, so figure out where you want it to go, plug it in, and have a seat! Nice touch, Stellar!
Pros & Cons of Stellar Comfort UC556 Lift Recliner
There’s a lot to like about the Stellar. We honestly can’t say anything about this chair we regard as outright negative. Our only gripe in this Stellar Comfort Lift Chair review was that offering Zero-G and Trendelenburg seating options makes the chair feel over-engineered. Even then, though, there are undoubtedly a few people who will be glad for the presence of both.
This is a fairly pricey chair, but that’s to be expected. American-made products are a little more expensive than those of their Chinese-made counterparts.
The bottom line is that it’s a comfortable, amazingly capable chair. It’s not the best in class, but it deserves to be on your short list of chairs to consider.
Stellar Comfort UC556 Review Conclusion
We like the Stellar Comfort UC556 Lift Chair. While it’s true that there are better chairs on the market today, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable seating experience. It’s good for long-duration stints in the chair, napping, and sleeping an entire night if you want or have to. Ultimately, though, the thing that will convince at least some people to try this chair over its competitors is that it’s American-made.
If you’re in the market for a lift chair and are looking for ways to support an American company, this is the one you want. Its exceptional comfort will be a great bonus.
We recommend it.
Recommended Reading
Mega Motion Easy Comfort Superior Lift Chair Review
Our review of the Mega Motion Easy Comfort highlights its sturdy build and high weight limit, which is perfect for heavier users.
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.
Official Manufacturer Support
References & Resources
- UltraComfort America, Official Brand Site.
- StellarComfort UC566 Specifications Sheet.
- Why Choose an Infinite Position Lift Chair, Articles Center.
- What Does a Lift Chair Do?, HPFY Stores.
- Pros and Cons of Lift Chairs, Lift Chairs.
- Finding Your Perfect Lift Chairs, Moving Around