Which home theater seating is best?

There’s never been a better time for desiring to stay at home while still enjoying the highest- quality entertainment. Streaming services use the highest possible resolutions, audio equipment is superb but affordable and TVs continue to get cheaper. To complete your setup, you just need the most comfortable seats. Home theater seats can be extra-plush, recline, have built-in cupholders and even offer extra storage.

The best home theater seats are the Seatcraft Republic Home Theater Seating. It’s plush and comfortable, plus it’s packed with the best technologies and features.

What to know before you buy home theater seating

Number of seats

Choosing the right number of seats is less about fitting as many people as you want into your home theater and more about appropriately filling the space. For example, buying a three-seater in a small room will make your home theater feel claustrophobic while buying a two-seater for a large room will make it seem empty and hollow. Home theater seating typically comes with one to four seats.

Food and drink holders

Just like a trip to the movies, a home theater experience isn’t complete without some snacks. As such, home theater seating typically includes food and drink management systems. Most include one cup holder per seat at a minimum, but others can have small folding side trays or even midsized hidden tables.

Storage

Some home theater seating has storage areas hidden underneath the armrests. These don’t offer huge amounts of storage, but there should be plenty of space for all your remotes and controllers.

What to look for in quality home theater seating

Material

Home theater seating is usually made of leather or faux leather, though budget options may use fabric or vinyl.

• Leather is the most expensive and hardest to maintain, but it’s also the most durable and the most comfortable.
• Faux leather is a good choice for keeping costs down while still maintaining the same looks at the cost of some durability. 
• Fabric or vinyl are the cheapest and the easiest to maintain, but they don’t have any of the visual impact that leather and faux leather have.

Recline

Some home theater seats can’t recline, but that doesn’t mean recline is created equally. The worst recliners move back directly and require several feet of extra space behind the seating. Better recliners don’t need any extra space. The best recliners are fully automatic and can be minutely adjusted with a control panel.

Technological extras

High-end home theater seating packs in all kinds of extra technology. Some of the most common inclusions are massage modes, dim lighting and USB ports and power outlets.

How much you can expect to spend on home theater seating

Home theater seating typically costs $200-$3,000 or more. Basic one-seaters usually cost up to $500, while basic two and three-seaters usually cost up to $1,200 and $2,000 respectively. The more technological features packed in, the higher the cost gets — no matter the number of seats.

Home theater seating FAQ

What’s the difference between a standard recliner and a single-seat home theater chair?

A. The differences between the two are minor but still noticeable. Namely, home theater seats are usually leather or faux leather while standard recliners tend to use fabrics. Home theater seats also tend to have more features packed in, such as cup holders, swivel trays and even massaging elements. Both types of seats work in either setup. All that really matters is that you’re happy with your decision.

What’s the difference between a living room and a home theater setup?

A. The difference is usually a matter of degrees. Most living rooms are set up with TVs and the standard bells and whistles for enjoying a quality experience as it is. Home theaters just go the extra mile — bigger and better TVs, better audio equipment, better chairs, etc. Some homes will go the furthest mile and place all of their screening equipment into a sequestered room for a true theater-type setup while leaving their living room space open and uncluttered.

What’s the best home theater seating to buy?

Top home theater seating 

Seatcraft Republic Home Theater Seating

What you need to know: It’s plush and packed with technology.

What you’ll love: It can seat three or be used as a couch. It can also seat two while folding the middle seat down to reveal a table with two cupholders, multiple charging ports and a dim light. The seats have a powered headrest and recline.

What you should consider: The cost is high for the number of seats you get in return. Some consumers found the seats to be too big for comfort. 

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top home theater seating for the money

Flash Furniture Eclipse Series Theater Seating

What you need to know: It’s a great choice for those on a budget.

What you’ll love: It comes in black and brown as well as three-seat or two-seat models. The faux-leather material is soft and looks great, plus the chairs have plenty of padding underneath. The chairs are attached, so they won’t shimmy out of place.

What you should consider: The seats need several feet of empty space behind them in order to fully recline. Some consumers reported needing to push back hard to get the chairs to recline.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot

Worth checking out

Bowery Hill Home Theater Recliner

What you need to know: It’s perfect for those with extra-large screening rooms.

What you’ll love: It seats four and uses real leather for comfort and durability. It has plush back cushions and integrated headrests for maximum comfort. It has two storage consoles for your remotes and one cupholder for each seat. It can sit flush against the wall and still recline.

What you should consider: The recline isn’t automated and can take a little effort to activate. It’s a little pricey and you can’t adjust the arms to use it as a couch.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
 

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