Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner

When I shopped for a motorized recliner, I rejected models with their own Internet Protocol address and built-in speakers. No need. I had already placed a smart speaker on an étagère beside the space where I had planned to put the chair. I'd have a smartphone in my hand and the room would be bathed in Wi-Fi.

- MICHAEL ANTONOFF

After doing research online, I realized I must visit an actual showroom. Being able to kick the tires takes on added import when your butt and back are on the line for hours at a time. As I eased my body into the cushy firmness of one chair after another, I rejected models that were heated or came with massage settings. My goal wasn't to be pampered as much as to acquire a comfortable piece of furniture on which to lean back and raise my feet. Once situated, I'd be able to read newspapers and magazines, listen to music, and watch TV. I might doze off, too, but that wasn't my intent.

The model I chose came with a tail-like power cord and three pairs of buttons atop an armrest that raised or lowered the footrest and headrest and adjusted the lumbar support. The left armrest contained a three-position cupholder. When unoccupied by a beverage, it could accommodate a remote for my TV and another for the ceiling fan/light directly overhead. The chair contained two-way charging: wirelessly when the phone was inserted in the narrow charging well or by wire using the USB port. The latter might be used to charge earbuds. Raising the armrests revealed deep storage compartments. One side could be used to queue print sections; the other to save them for recycling.