You know, there’s a reason my relaxation is synonymous with putting your feet up. Your body’s positioning directly impacts your mood and state of mind.
You don’t necessarily want to come home at the end of a hard day to be anxious and on the edge of your seat. The goal is to kick back and relax. So what you need is reclining furniture.
But it’s pretty hard to relax if you’re concerned about getting coffee or wine spills on the sofa.
And that is why we recommend getting leather furniture wherever possible - much easier to keep clean, it can usually just be wiped down.
So the solution to both of these issues is to get yourself a nice leather reclining sofa. And boy, have you come to the right place for that!
We’ve been checking out some of the best leather reclining sofas on the market right now, and after much deliberation we were able to hand-pick our top 5 favorites to show you, and our reviews are coming up very shortly.
Just a quick heads-up, our line-up features both real leather and faux leather options.
If you’re in a hurry, why not head straight over to our number one pick, the Signature Design by Ashley Party Time Reclining Faux Leather Sofa? Not only does it tick all the boxes, but it also comes with an array of special features.
Following on from that, we also have a buying guide for you that walks you through some key things to think about before you buy.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
OUR TOP PICK
Now, this is a reclining sofa with a difference - complete with features you never knew you wanted until now. It really brings sofas right to modern times.
Not only does it allow you to put your feet up, and lean the backrest, but it also features USB ports to charge up your gadgets as you scroll through, 2 LED lighted cup holders for when you’re watching movies in the dark, and even a drop down table for your popcorn, complete with flip-up overhead lights.
Certainly not your average reclining sofa!
And for the party lovers, there’s also underneath blue lighting to really get you in the mood for partying.
It’s dimensions are 85.5” Length x 37.63” Depth x 43.63” Height.
But you don’t have to panic about getting it through your door, since the main body arrives separate from the chair backs. But don’t worry - it’s easy to put together!
It’s available in black, chocolate or dark grey, and features some nice decorative jumbo diamond stitching.
It’s made of faux leather, or more specifically 82% polyester and 18% polyurethane. And this faux leather has several advantages over real leather.
Not only can it withstand scratches and scrapes that would mar real leather, but it’s also not prone to crack or peel like genuine leather.
And with this sofa, not only do you get a foot rest that rises up for you, but the back of the seat also reclines back for you for the ultimate in comfort.
Better yet, this is done by way of simply pushing a button, with no stiff levers to worry about.
We also love the adjustable padded headrests and the padded armrests, which flip up to reveal hidden storage where you can stash your favorite DVDs.
It’s a bestseller with the online retailers and comes backed by a full 12 month warranty.
With all these features, it’s excellent value for money.
Pros
- Lights, table, cup holders
- Has a USB charging port
- Hidden storage areas
- Made of durable faux leather
- Push-button reclining function
Cons
- Requires some assembly
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, this is a furniture set that has gone down really well with customers, with three quarters of those who bought through amazon rating it at a full 5 stars out of 5.
And that’s after over 400 individual ratings.
This review is for a set of a sofa plus a love seat, but the furniture is also available in other combinations. Please click on “Check price” to be taken to the product page for more details.
It’s made with bonded leather, which contains some real leather but is not only more affordable than 100% real leather, but also has less imperfections in appearance and has a smoother, more consistent feel to it.
And it’s easy to clean
It’s available in 4 different color options, namely black, dark grey, a pale beige, and a chocolate brown. So you’re sure to find something that would suit your living room.
The dimensions of the 3 seater sofa are 85” width x 40” depth x 39” height, while the dimensions of the 2 seater loveseat are 75” width x 40” depth x 39” height.
The three seater sofa has two seats where the back can recline back from 90 degrees to 160 degrees, while the two seater loveseat has one.
Moreover these seats also feature an elevating footrest. So you get full body relaxation, perfect for a quiet afternoon nap.
They’re easy to use too, you simply lean back for the reclining function and pull a lever for the footrests.
But even if it didn’t have these features it would still be really comfortable, thanks to the pillow top backrest and armrests, and the premium foam and pocket coil spring seat cushions.
It’s a bestseller with online retailers, and customers have rated it very highly for comfort, ease of assembly, and value for money.
It’s easy to assemble when it arrives, and you simply slide the backs into the sofa base, with no tools required at all.
Sure it’s a lot of money to spend, but you can pay in installments if you buy via Amazon Rewards Visa. Moreover, buying through Amazon gets you free shipping too!
Pros
- Available in different combinations
- Available in a nice range of colors
- Bonded leather is easy to clean
- Provides full body relaxation
- Comes with free shipping!
Cons
- Some assembly required
- Only available as a set of at least two pieces
- Made with bonded leather rather than real leather or faux leather
BEST VALUE
Now, if genuine leather is your thing, then this could be THE sofa for you.
It’s cushions are upholstered in a genuine leather interior, combined with a durable and easy to clean polyester and vinyl exterior.
It comes in a nice soft vanilla shade that would compliment just about any living room decor.
The dimensions are 86” width x 40” depth x 39” height, more than adequate to comfortably sit three people at a time or several small children.
But don’t worry - it arrives in sections, so you can easily get it through both your front door and your living room door.
And while there is some assembly when the sofa arrives, this is minimal, and it comes with everything you need to get it set up and running smoothly.
Two of the three seats are able to recline back by the mere touch of a button, and better yet these seats also feature elevated footrests, so you can really kick back and relax on an evening.
It’s very comfortable, with plenty of padding where you need it - and even on the armrests.
When this article was written, this sofa had an average amazon customer rating of a full 5 stars out of 5 - and trust me, this is a rare find.
Customers find the leather soft yet strong, comfortable to relax on, affordable, and easy to assemble. One customer went so far as to say it was the best sofa they had ever owned!
And it’s good value for money too.
Pros
- Nice soft vanilla shade
- Two reclining end seats
- Two elevating footrests
- Very easy to put together
- Excellent customer ratings
Cons
- Only available in one color, cream
- There don’t seem to be many customer reviews around for this sofa just yet
RUNNER UP
Now this particular sofa is the winner of the title of Amazon’s Choice for the category of power recliner sofas.
Such a title is only given to products that are both of excellent quality, and also available at a good, fair and reasonable price.
It’s available in classic black, dark gray, or a very dark beige.
Simply choose the one which best suits your living room decor. All with smart bustle back tailoring.
It’s large enough to sit at least three people at a time, and more specifically, the dimensions are 88” length, 40” depth, and 40” height.
But don’t worry, it comes in sections, so you should easily get it through your front door.
It’s made of faux leather, with 31% polyester, which means that not only can it withstand scratches and scrapes that would mar real leather, but it’s also not prone to crack or peel like genuine leather. Yet it remains just as easy to clean.
With two end seats that recline together with their elevated footrests, you get ultimate comfort. There’s also plush cushioning, padded headrests, and padded armrests.
But it also comes with a neat special feature, namely a handy USB part to charge up your gadgets!
Assembling it is easy, all you have to do is attach the cables, plug it into the wall and you're ready to go.
It has excellent customer ratings and reviews, having earned an average Amazon customer rating of 4 and a half stars out of 5.
Customers rated it highly for comfort, sturdiness and value for money.
Pros
- Winner of Amazon’s Choice
- Made of durable faux leather
- Two reclining seats with footrests
- Handy USB charging port
- Excellent customer reviews
Cons
- A few customers have said that they’d have preferred if it was a little softer
RUNNER UP
Now, this is a very spacious faux leather sofa, and it comes in a gorgeous light brown, fossil color with a rather shabby chic aesthetic that at once feels homely and cozy - an excellent place to simply sit down, put your feet up and relax.
The neutral shading will compliment most living room decor and will make you feel right at home.
It’s so spacious in fact, it’s classed as home theater seating. It can seat at least 3 people, or several small children, and it measures 93 inches in length, 42 inches in height, and is 42 inches deep.
But don’t worry - we know it’ll fit through your door easily enough because it comes in parts.
It’s made of faux leather, and this faux leather gives it several advantages over real leather.
Not only can it withstand scratches and scrapes that would mar real leather, but it’s also not prone to crack or peel like genuine leather.
And it cleans up just as easily as real leather too.
And although it’s designed to look like real leather, you get the same cozy warmth that you’d get from a fabric sofa.
Both of the two end seats have both manual and power reclining options, and these two seats also feature elevated foot rests.
The assembly it needs is minimal, and the only tool you’ll need for it is a standard screwdriver.
You can also buy a matching two-seater love seat, or a matching rocking chair (but not on the same product page, you’ll have to go looking for it).
Pros
- Incredibly spacious & roomy
- Gorgeous shabby chic aesthetic
- Made of durable faux leather
- 2 reclining seats with footrests
Cons
- Only available in one color, a light brown fossil-like shade
Best Leather Reclining Sofa Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. Here are some of the key things you might want to think about before you buy.
Leather vs Faux Leather vs Bonded Leather
Nowadays, it can be really hard to tell faux leather and bonded leather apart from real leather.
Truth be told, all three have a combination of advantages and disadvantages, and it’s really hard to say which type is “best”. It comes down to what exactly it is you’re looking for.
But what we will say is that genuine leather is much more expensive than it’s bonded leather or faux leather counterparts, which is why these alternatives are taking the market like a storm.
They’re also just as easy to clean too.
Number of Seats
If you’ve got the room for it, we would recommend that you go for a 3 or more seater sofa rather than a two seater one.
You never know when you’re going to get an unexpected guest.
The Dimensions
It’s important that you know the dimensions of your sofa before you buy.
That way you can ascertain (1) whether you have enough room for it where you want it kept, and (2) whether you have enough room to move around it when you need to.
You might also be concerned about whether your sofa will fit through your front door or living room door.
We made a point of including the sofa dimensions in each of the sofa reviews that made our shortlist.
The Aesthetic
While black still remains the main color option when it comes to real leather and faux leather furniture, you have to consider whether this color is in keeping with the room’s overall decor, or would a softer color be more appropriate.
We made a point of mentioning the color options available in each of the sofa reviews that made our shortlist.
Reclining Function
You may be interested to learn to what angle each sofa will recline back. Unfortunately very few will recline horizontally, but many will recline significantly.
Elevated Footrests
For the ultimate in comfort, why not go for a recliner that also features elevated footrests? What a way to kick back and relax.
Other Features
If you’re into your special features, then we would strongly recommend our number one pick, the Signature Design by Ashley Party Time.
It features lights, cup holders, hidden storage, and even a USB charging port!
Or you may like simpler features, such as padded armrests and padded headrests for real comfort.
How Easy It Is To Assemble
Reclining sofas are typically delivered in at least 2 separate parts, which means that you will have to put it together yourself at home.
Luckily this usually isn’t too complicated or hard, and can usually be done without the need for any special tools or hardware.
The Brand
Some brands not only make more sales than other brands, but they also receive better customer ratings and reviews.
This is why we included so many Signature Design by Ashley brand sofas in our shortlist.
Value for Money
Let’s be real. Furniture is expensive to buy, so you don’t want to have to pay any more than you really need to.
So we strongly advise that you check prices as you go along.
We would argue that all of the sofas that made our shortlist are really good value for money.
