How Much Power Does an Electric Recliner Use? Let’s Find Out

A recliner offers more comfort and support than a traditional chair because it has additional capabilities such as adjustable features that accommodate a broad range of seating positions. Electric recliners are also known as motorized recliners or power recliners and they are available in various sizes, styles and weight capacity. They also vary in cost to cater for diverse budgets so you can pick the right one for your needs.

How much power does an electric recliner use? We will teach you how to calculate the power consumption rate of a recliner and assess the factors that determine energy consumption to help you answer this question.

What Affects Recliner Power Consumption

To better understand how much power an electric recliner uses, you need to know what determines the energy consumption of a specific chair.

Outlet type

Power recliners come with motors that allow you to incline or recline at the touch of a button. You can power a recliner such as Best Choice Products Electric Power Lift Recliner Massage Chair by plugging it in an electrical outlet. That is the case for majority of electric recliners and it makes it easier to calculate the power usage and energy cost of your recliner.

Do power recliners have to be plugged in? You can also power a recliner with a lithium-ion battery pack that offers about five days of wireless operation on full charge. However, the duration that the battery pack will power a recliner before running out of charge will depend on the model, user weight and the usage frequency.

The Department of Energy Trusted Source Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use | Department of Energy Learn how to estimate what it costs to operate your appliances and how much energy they consume. www.energy.gov recommends reviewing the Energy Guide label or getting electricity usage monitors to measure power consumption so you can buy energy-efficient products. Plug the electricity usage monitor in the power outlet that you use for the recliner and then plug the recliner into the monitor to find out the power consumption of your recliner in watts since many power recliners have to be plugged in.

Time of use

As we have already pointed out, the amount of electricity that a recliner consumes is influenced by many factors and usage is among them.
If you only use your recliner for about 2 hours daily, you will have minimal energy bills unlike when you use the recliner for at least 6 hours daily.
You can lower your energy bill by turning off and unplugging your recliner when it is not in use since it still uses power, albeit negligible, when it is on standby. Majority of power recliners have to be plugged in an outlet. Typically, a recliner uses around 14 watts when on standby and 58 watts when making regular motions.
Another way you can reduce power consumption is by investing in recliners with an energy efficient motor. We have the best recliners for back pain and some of them feature dual motor system that is powered by electricity or by a battery that comes in handy during power outages.

Chair condition

The wiring of a power recliner may wear out over time and result in spikes of energy consumption. Apart from consuming more energy than usual, a power recliner with faulty wiring may later start having serious damage that may give you a shock. Also, electrical failures are among the leading cause of electrical home fires especially in colder seasons, according to the National Fire Prevention Association Trusted Source NFPA report - Home Electrical Fires This NFPA report includes statistics on home structure fires involving electrical failure or malfunction and a section on home structure fires involving electrical distribution or lighting equipment. Suggested safety tips are also included. www.nfpa.org .

Chair type

Check the type of chair you have since older recliners tend to use more power than newer ones. You can limit the amount of power that a recliner uses by servicing the motor if you suspect it is the one increasing energy consumption.

The best power lift recliners with heat and massage functions may also consume more power because of the add-on features. You should confirm that these features and modes are energy-efficient before buying an electric recliner because power recliners typically have to be plugged in to power them. Fortunately, many manufacturers have come up with ways to minimize the power consumption of the recliners with such features.

We also have the best recliners for the elderly with mobility issues. These chairs are designed in a way that seniors can easily sit, adjust their position and move out of the chair.

How to Calculate Recliner Chair Power Consumption Rate

Kilowatt (kW) measures power and Kilowatt Hour (kWh) measures energy. Because power recliners have to be plugged in, you calculate the energy consumption of a recliner by multiplying its wattage by the number of its operational hours.

However, the easiest way to know how much power your recliner uses is to use an energy usage monitor that you plug into an outlet and then plug the recliner into the monitor to get an exact reading of how many kWh a recliner like Mcombo Electric Power Lift Recliner uses. Most of us use kWh to calculate our energy costs, and a kWh typically costs us a few cents.

FAQ

Here are some common questions about power recliners and how they operate.

Do power recliners have to be plugged in?

Many power recliners have to be plugged in to operate, but there are models that can be powered by battery or by both electricity and battery packs. Battery-powered recliners are convenient when there is power outage but most electric recliners require a power outlet to function.

Can power recliner malfunction result in fire?

Recliners powered by lithium-ion batteries could cause a fire if the battery overheats. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Trusted Source Power Reclining Furniture Recalled by Franklin This recall involves power reclining furniture with rectangular power switches. The black plastic switches measure 1 3/8 inches by 3 inches and are installed either on the arm, console or side of various styles of reclining chairs, sofas and sectionals. www.cpsc.gov , Franklin Corporation has recalled some of their products in the past after receiving reports of the switches smoking or igniting.

Final Thoughts

Technology has made it possible to have electronic appliances and furniture that have made our lives easier. However, this means that we now have more devices that consume electricity in our homes.

Power recliners are becoming increasingly popular because they have multiple customizable options you can adjust to your preference. They include a push button that allows you to recline, incline and activate the footrest effortlessly and they may have heated sets and massage functions that add comfort.

Considering these advanced features, how much does an electric recliner use? Our detailed article explains what determines the energy consumption, how to calculate it and the measures you can take to reduce it.

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