Has anyone used the furniture brand 'Stressless'?

[Carol in Cal.]

We ran across this line this last weekend.

 

We were looking for rugs, and I sat down for a minute on an ugly upholstered chair to gather my thoughts, and was absolutely enthralled by how comfortable it was.  It was like it was made to fit my back, exactly.

 

The line has reclining chairs and recliner couches.  The couches look like rows of theater seats, LOL.  

 

There is some kind of adjustment in the chairs that makes them support your lower back continuously as you change position.  It's quite remarkable.  But I wondered whether this feature holds up.  These chairs are quite expensive, especially the ones with the electric reclining/leg support feature rather than a cassock.  So do they hold up?

 

I'm seriously considering getting one for my business.  There is an attachment for a laptop desk and it seems like a dream come true to be able to sit in any position, be utterly pampered, and work on the computer at the same time.

 

 

[gardenmom5]

don't have one - but am familiar with them. . .

it's a european/scandinavian style.  the actual brand is fairly well made, and they can be quite comfortable.

[Carol in Cal.]

don't have one - but am familiar with them. . .

it's a european/scandinavian style.  the actual brand is fairly well made, and they can be quite comfortable.

We were told that they are made in Norway.

 

To me they look like a cross between mid-century and Danish Modern design.

[gardenmom5]

We were told that they are made in Norway.

 

To me they look like a cross between mid-century and Danish Modern design.

 

norway is part of scandinavia.  and denmark does have more "visual" recognition.  they're similar.

[MysteryJen]

My mom has had a pair of the reclining chairs for the last 9 or 10 years. They have held up beautifully.

[Carol in Cal.]

norway is part of scandinavia.  and denmark does have more "visual" recognition.  they're similar.

Yeah, I was agreeing with you.

[Carol in Cal.]

My mom has had a pair of the reclining chairs for the last 9 or 10 years. They have held up beautifully.

Nice to hear!

[Carol in Cal.]

Sigh.  

I never thought I would ever ever ever buy a chair with a circular bottom.  I hate the esthetic, but can't argue with the comfort.  Dang it.

[pink&bluemommy]

My parents have hair a set for at least 13 years I think. We just bought a used one (cause they're $3000 at retail depending on options) on Craigslist and it's in great shape. The model we got (same as my parents the Reno cause it has an adjustable headrest) will allow you to replace a foam layer inside if needed. All of our chairs are about at that point. We plan on having the chair forever. We paid $600 for ours used. It's especially great since they come in sizes (perfect actually for my very tall husband).

[Guest]

Yes, ma'am, I have.  I have a Stressless chair, my dh has a Stressless chair, and we just got a Stressless sofa.  

 

They are expensive.  But the chairs saved my back.  Two years ago, I had a terrible back problem, and for awhile was chair bound.  The only seats I could sit in comfortably were my car's and my dh's Stressless.  He wanted it back, so we got one for me.  I hardly ever sit anywhere else.  We got the sofa about a month ago.  It is brilliant.  All three of them are leather, different colors.  We don't match.   

 

NOW, let me put you onto something:  we did not pay full price for any of them.  But we had to be patient and look around.

 

DH's chair:  lightly used, off Craigslist.   I don't remember the price, because this was several years ago.  But new, the chair is $2800.

My chair:  brand new out of the box off Craigslist.  New, the exact chair was $2800.  Dh drove across the state because he found a store going out of business and got it for $800.  I would chosen a different color, but for $2000 I can live with it.  :0)

The Sofa:  we have wanted this exact sofa for many years, but we were NOT going to spring $3500 for it new.  Got it used for $850 at a consignment store.  That consignment store just had a similar three-piece set for sale, all one color, for $2500.  Well, the color was RED, like BRIGHT RED.  A good deal, if a bit bright.  :0)

 

I guess we spent the cost of one chair on all three pieces.  Not bad.  And when we downsize, these will be the three pieces of furniture that are worth moving, even across the country, if that's where we end up.  

 

(Oh, and my back is better, thanks to chiropractic treatment and having a decent supportive seat.  Yay!)  

 

ETA:  the maker is Ekornes, if that helps you when you are searching.  There are many knock-offs that match appearance but not structure.

 

ETA2:  the chairs come in different sizes; you want to get the one that suits your body.  I think I have a small and my dh has a large.  I could probably have used a medium, and so could have he.  :0)  When I was learning about this, I read that one way to test the chair for size is that you should be able to relax your shoulders with your arms on the armrest...so you aren't hunching your shoulders up.  Maybe that will be helpful to you.  I just looked on Craigslist and there were at least 12 chairs for sale in our area (like an hour's drive or less) for a really decent price.  I would have been willing to take a look at 2 of them.  I hate stuff that looks used because I take good care of my things and so want them to start out looking good.

 

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

PJ, thank you!

 

I did know about the sizes.  As it happens the furniture store where we stumbled onto this brand has a large selection.  It seems like I'm a small in some chairs and a medium in others.  It's interesting how different the different sizes feel.

 

I did check Craig's list, but there is very little on it, and it's still pretty expensive.

 

I realized earlier this year that I have literally never bought new upholstered furniture in my life, except for an Ikea couch for my office.  (I'm pushing 60, so this is a long habit.)  What I do over and over is say, hmmm, I really need a new couch, and then juuust as I was about to start looking, something will pop up on the garage sale type market.  We used a couch and loveseat from a friend who went bankrupt and sold off most of his furniture to downsize into a very small place for years--it was old when we got it, and unbelievably old when we finally let it go.  Then we bought a couch and loveseat from our nextdoor neighbors, who were moving out of town, about 20 years ago.  I have never liked them, but they look reasonable in the space, and I don't hate them. 

 

So whenever I look at upholstered furniture I go into shock at the idea of buying something so transitory for SO MUCH MONEY, and I just don't do it.  I imagine that this will be all the more true of Stressless, but dang, it is so comfortable. 

 

I am the kind of person who keeps things for a long time, so if I bought a chair for myself, I'd probably use it for the rest of my life, but DH is not that way.  So.  It would probably get pen marks or key scrapes on it.  Unless I also got a woman cave.  Hmmm. 

[Guest]

Carol, keep your eyes peeled.  We looked for my chair for a few months.  I am super picky, and I seriously did NOT like a lot of the models they had.  There was ONE model I loved, and so we looked and looked.  And found it.  As I said, not my favorite color.  

 

So you are pushing 60.  I just got there.  My mom and dad lived past 90.  I'm thinking, thirty years is not chopped liver, and if I don't make it to 90, at least I was sitting in a decent chair.  :0)

 

The sofa was a total bluebird.  Some people had looked at it but rejected it because there was a scar on the wood trim.  I'm so glad.  I got out my wood-colored magic marker, and it's just fine.  And for $2000, I'm in.  

 

Just keep your eyes open.  When we were looking, there would be one or two on Craigslist.  But when I looked yesterday, there were at least 10.  Go figure.