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In 2007 I purchased a $900 Lane Comfort King "Big Man's" recliner, built for (and even advertised by) a football player sized man. Supposedly the frame is heavier gauge and all the other parts are beefed up - but truth be known, it's just a wider and slightly taller piece of junk.

Since I purchased this recliner:

1) it has had the mechanism replaced three times, about once every 2-3 years2) the leather on the arms has ripped because it was not stapled properly (not to mention the cardboard holding up the cushioning on the arms, which buckled after a few years3) the nylon rollers have broken and fallen over several times, putting metal on metal and trashing my carpeting under the chair4) the leather (dark brown) has changed from brown to a reddish tint over the past several years5) the cushioning material (foam) has deteriorated so badly that the material is now falling out of the chair6) the bolts that hold the reclining arm to the bar that operates the recliner have sheered off three times

Fortunately, I purchased one of those furniture warranties from the dealer that afforded me free labor once Lane's 1 year warranty expired - since the mechanisms are lifetime, that came in handy the first two times I had to have it replaced; but the third time I was outside my extended warranty and was on my own... AND THIS IS WHERE IT GOT INTERESTING.

I called the dealer and they gave me Lane's number at "Furniture Brands" - the same toll free number listed on this forum by so many others. I spoke with a nice lady who took my serial number and said she would send me a replacement mechanism. And a few days later it arrived - but this time it was different - instead of sending the entire mechanism for the base, which bolts on and off with maybe 8-10 bolts, they instead sent the scissor mechanisms and all the internal components that makeup the mechanism (except the base) - so basically the first two times they sent the entire mechanism and a tech from the warranty company was here maybe an hour and replaced it with ease.

BUT, now that I'm out of all warranties, they sent me only the scissor mechanisms and some bolts - no bar, no brace, none of the other components. Of course I had no idea what they sent was incomplete so I hired a recommend tech that works for the furniture company, $125. He arrives, expresses great hatred for Lane and even moreso when we saw they sent pieces and not the assembled mechanism.

An hour and a half later, after a lot of complaining and a few curse words, the finally got the entire mechanism disassembled and there was rumblings of his fee not being enough to cover "this much later" - little did I know it was about to get worse - much worse. LANE HAD CHANGED THE DIAMETER OF THE CROSS BAR AND THE OLD ONE NO LONGER WOULD WORK with the new parts. After trying to modify the bushings and make them work, it became evident that it would not work well and I called Lane at the toll free number. After much runaround and finally having the tech speak to them directly, they figured out that they had not sent "all of the parts" - due to the design change.

So, here we are, my beloved recliner in about a dozen or more pieces scattered about the floor and we cannot put it back together. Lane agreed to send the correct parts but of course that meant another service call and another $125. Lane said they could cover that, to send them the invoice and they would take care of it. When they received the copy of the tech's invoice they called up the tech and somehow got it in their head (the tech denies saying what they claimed he said) that the $125 was for TWO service calls, which is ludicrous. No, insane.

What ensued is even worse - those two got into a war of words and then an email exchange, with me acting as referee. Finally, after about a dozen emails and several phone calls, the supervisor for that department basically told me to "shut up so I can talk" - yes, she really said that to me. I very nearly hung up but decided to not allow them to get away with this and insisted that they honor their promise to reimburse me. After another email exchange with the tech who wrote her an extremely detailed email citing every step of the process and confirming he would have to charge me again for a 2nd service call, they told him (but never called me back) that they would process the reimbursement. When he forwarded a copy of that email to me, I waited a day and then called them - and she said to me "like I told you in my last email, I have already processed the ticket for your reimbursement (she sent that email to the tech but did not cc me or sent me a separate email.)

Then the icing on the cake - it will take 6-8 weeks for the check to be processed and sent out. "Happy Holidays" she said.

Yeah, right... - Lane, if you are listening, I want you to know that your personnel are not helping your reputation at all - not to mention the way you are constructing "heavy duty" recliners for big and tall men.

What would I want at this point? I think Lane should offer to replace my piece of junk recliner with another piece of junk recliner so that I get at least ten years out of my nearly $1000 investment in a piece of furniture. It seems the least they could do, given the multiple break downs and miscues and ultimately insulting tone of their staff about my chair. I actually loved that chair in many ways, but alas, it lays crumbled up in my Sunroom now and I am faced with a decision to spend another $125 to get it back together OR just throw it in the trash, which is probably where it belongs at this point.

So, Lane, if you wish to contact me, feel free - at least offer me a substantial discount (you can even keep the $125 your are supposedly sending back by sometime in February) - that way I at least get a ten year life expectancy out of my now departed recliner.

Monetary Loss: $900.

Location: Manassas, Virginia

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Savannah Lmo

Mine didn't even make it 15 months. What sounds like the same bolts sheared off on the mechanism, causing springs to come loose.

Also the nylon rollers are an absolute joke - And cant be replaced without drilling out specialty rivets! It sounds like you have had better luck with the extended warranty than I have had... 75 days, 38 phone calls between GBS (Protect-All), the dealer, and two repair contractors. The first contractor said they would order the mechanism and have it delivered then schedule an appointment for repair tech to swap parts.

A month later I get a random email from another contractor asking to schedule a zoom call (they were in Florida (Im in Kansas)! Apparently that month was wasted, the contractor never ordered the parts, and I was passed off to another contractor. After their video chat inspection they offered to replace the whole chair (not surprisingly it has supposedly been discontinued). Well....

it's NEVER that simple... the original retail location closed 6 months after I bought the chair. They have another location 120 miles away... one way...

times 2 (one to shop for the chair and order it, the second to go pick it up). This experience has cost 3 companies a customer... Lane Furnishings, Slumberland Furniture, and Protect-All (GBS)... fyi, If you buy an extended warranty read the fine print - their reads that if they are unable to repair or replace (such as the retailer closes) that they will issue a refund...

NOT FOR THE CHAIR, mind you... but for the original price of the protection plan (minus tax of course).

Guest

I have purchased 5 lane recliners. All broke after just a few months of use.

All have had the supporting screws break. In my opinion, Lane make a very poor quality product.

I would not purchase them again. I bought ,what I thought were heavy duty models...The leather at the foot rest wears out quickly...Pure Junk!

Guest

I agree with you on these chairs being a POS. I bought mine after my back surgery because the showroom model had excellent lumbar support.

We were told that the all metal construction was built to last so we made the purchase. Because our newly ordered couch would be delivered in three weeks I decided to wait and have everything delivered at once. They wanted to charge me $100( there about) to deliver the chair separately, I thought this was BS since I just shelled out $800 for the chair. I finally get the chair and it has no lumbar support at all, several springs have broken and the kicker is itโ€™s a wood frame( plywood and cardboard) on a metal base.

So when I called about this fact(almost a year later) was told that they changed the design. This is absolutely one of the worst purchases I ever made and will never buy from them again.

Guest

maybe quit plopping in a piece of firniture and quit complaining about a $300 recliner. go to leveins and spend $1500 and have same thing happen

Guest

You have a recliner which you obviously used for 7 yrs. Lane provided replacement parts.

The damage to recliner occurred from use by a big man.. After 7 yrs I would opine you got your moneys worth. You essentially paid $0.35 daily for recliner you used.

You overlook all of this when you plead for a new recliner to replace the old recliner. Whoever calculated your loss at $900.00 obviously went to same home economics class you did

Bill Ymf

I purchased my Lane recliner March of 2017 my recliner broke in May of 2017 the manufacturer when I called them instructed me that they were not able to help me that I had to go back to the original seller which was a company called Jones decorating. I contacted the owner of Jones decorating and he knew exactly what the issue was with the recliner and he told me that it was a manufacturer's defect and that's why the springs and the bolts broke and there's nothing that he could do because he could not get the parts.

Recently Lane Furniture has been going through some restructuring corporate wise. I have been contacting warranty department for Lane Furniture and Jones decorating and they still even though it is July of now 2018 refused to come out and fix my recliner. I am disabled and I am not able to take on this task myself. I spent to a close to $1,000 for this recliner and I should be able to use it more than one month.

I would be glad to file a class action suit against Lane Furniture and Jones decorating. Thank you Bill

Guest

I had a carpet cleaning company and despite the fact that I told my phone receptionists that if anyone should ever call in with a complaint they were to say, "Oh no, that's terrible, what can we do to make it right?" and then immediately give the client whatever they want, plus something more. On top of that I put "I'm So Sorry" gift bags on every truck to give to clients if there was ever a problem in addition to our fixes, which included in addition to other things a $50 gift certificate to Nordstrom's.

We handed them out generously.Despite my repeated instructions and even warnings, one phone receptionist kept being stingy with clients who had complaints and I had to fire her. Her viewpoint was that I was letting people take advantage of me, but the fact was, with my approach people were so taken aback they asked for the minimum fix to the situation. We could usually afford to be generous with them. With her attitude of trying to save me money by being stingy with my clientele, she was not only ruining my reputation, but she was costing me money because invariably the complainant asks for more, and that puts me in a spot where I can only give them what they ultimately ask for instead of being generous with them like I would like to have been.

The point is, one faulty employee with the wrong outlook can really make the whole company look bad, just like one lemon of a chair can make the whole company look bad.

I've just read hundreds of 5-star reviews, most of them from people who've owned their chairs for a period of time. Just the same I really appreciate this review, it is full of excellent info.

Guest

Your experience does not at all match what I have experienced with these Comfor King recliners, as they have held up wonderfully for me for 16 years. I slept in mine every night as I weigh 400 pounds at 6'3" for about 13 years.

Then I moved and got a new one because the fabric was ruined by my dogs and cats and I didn't feel like being without the chair while it was being reupholstered. My new one is identical and it's been fantastic for another three years. It really is constructed quite sturdily and is extremely comfortable. I owned a couple "normal" recliners previously and they fell apart from my weight after about a year.

But the Comfort King (the Stallion) surprised me with its strength. The rolled steel really holds up without squeaking or groaning or flexing. I did have a small spring break after ten years of constant daily use, but I got a replacement easily and attached it myself. The way the leg part operates independently from the back part makes it really easy to find a comfortable position regardless of how my back is feeling that day.

I feel bad if that guy is frustrated but I can't say I agree with his assessment of the quality. Mine have been really fantastic and sturdy against my enormous weight for over a decade.

Guest

If they were a reputable company, lane would hand deliver a brand new chair, no questions asked

Guest

it sounds like you are just a grumpy person

Guest

Sounds like your a big fat welfare parasite that wants something for nothing. Your probably over it's weight limit rating.

Guest

I have had mine over 20 years. No problems yet. I am 6' 6" @ 280 lbs

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1272039

You must not have used it much. I have slept 365 days out of the year in my two Lane comfort Kings chairs.

There is no way the foam in the seat and arms will last more than 6 years. so I have gotten 6 years each out of two chairs. I weigh 290. The chair frame and mechanisms are great.

But the foam will NOT last more than 6 years. Really not 6 years as I have been feeling the frame boards hurting my arms and had to add a pillow in the seat area for the last 6 months of each.

About to buy a new one. Upholstery shop charges almost the price of a new one to refoam one of these.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1309273

I am commenting while sitting on my comfort king recliner, purchased in the summer of 1999. It has been moved from NJ, to IL, to FL.

I sit on it daily for between 4 to 8 hours, and often more. The recliner mechanism is still solid. The lower back cushion has faded and the back of the seat cushion has too. The fabric has held up extremely well, but back then they still gave you removable covers for the arms (which I use), and they are still in excellent shape too.

I am 6'3" and currently weigh 350 lbs. I hit a max of 410 lbs and hovered around 400 for years. I did buy the chair when I was around 300 lbs. I was so happy when I found a chair that My heels did not hang off of and I felt comfortable in.

I still feel comfortable in it today.

I have had to put a pillow down in the lower back and on the seat. The back cushion appears replaceable (zipper to get in to remove the cushion). I have thought about getting prices for a new seat cushion.

I have also thought about getting a new chair, but fear that the mechanisms are not what they once were. I have read that they get the mechanisms from China now. I am not sure how true that is, or where they came from in 1999. Assembled in the USA is a lot different than made in the USA.

I am very happy with my chair. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Guest

Next time (if there is a next time) please add the name of the rude service people you dealt with. Thanks for the intel.

Guest

Same problem with the hardware holding up and waiting for new parts. Broken 2 times and chair is only 14 mo's old

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1240466

Ours, too. We are currently waiting for the 2 gentlemen who just replaced the broken bolt (the 2nd one) a few hours ago.

Joe just got home 15 minutes ago, and now it won't just rock without the footrest coming out.

We will be coming up to being out of the one year warranty here in a few months, and we've had 2 service calls and fixes of this seared bolt. It was mentioned, if it breaks again they would be looking into calling Lane for a whole new mechanism.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1400526

I have had the same problem.

Guest

My husband's big man recliner is 19 years old and definitely well used. In this time a spring has broken in the seat and Lane sent a replacement which my husband replaced.

There is a bolt in the foot mechanism that he replaces occasionally. He loves his chair and is thinking of replacing it but won't have any other chair. I suppose all products will have some good and some bad.

We got the very good. I think any chair that lasts 10 years or more is doing pretty darn good

Guest

I have this chair that I bought in 2004 and the only problem I have ever had is with the spring that raises and lowers the foot rest! I called Lane and they sent the replacement springs at no charge.

When I bought this chair, I was 350 pounds and 5' 5". I am also female and shared this chair many times with grandchildren on my lap!!!

I am now looking for a new chair as the seat is beginning to sag. But, for 11 plus years, I would buy it again!!!

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