2026 BUYING GUIDE
How to Choose a Lift Chair
Advice from our South Surrey showroom
A lift chair rises to help you to your feet and reclines so you can rest. The right one fits the person who will use it every day, so start with fit.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Start with fit: feet flat on the floor, back and head supported.
Decide how it should recline: three set positions, or any angle you like.
Ask about a backup battery, so the chair still works in a power cut.
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STEP 1 OF 6
Start with the right fit
Sit back the way you would at home. Your feet should rest flat on the floor, and your back and head should feel supported without slouching. If the seat is too deep or too high, no feature will make up for it.
Most chairs come in more than one size, so try the size above and below too. Some chairs have a powered headrest and lower back support, so you can move the support to where you need it.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Feet flat on the floor when you sit back.
Head and lower back supported without slouching.
Try the next size up or down of the same chair.
STEP 2 OF 6
Choose how the chair reclines
A three-position chair moves the back and footrest together, so there is less to learn. The Genesis LC-150 moves through sitting, reading and napping.
On other chairs the back and footrest move on their own, so you can stop at any angle. The VivaLift! Radiance reclines anywhere from upright to flat, so you can settle into zero gravity or lie back completely.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Three-position: the back and footrest move together.
Independent back and footrest: stop at any angle.
Ask which chairs lift your feet above your heart.
STEP 3 OF 6
Decide on heat and massage
Some chairs have heat or massage built in, on some it is an upgrade, and some have neither. Think about whether you would use it every day.
The VivaLift! Radiance has heat in the shoulders, lower back and seat. The VivaLift! Ultra has heat and massage, worked from buttons under your hand. The VivaLift! Tranquil 2 has neither.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Heat only, or heat and massage?
Standard on the chair, or an upgrade?
Can you reach and press the buttons easily?
STEP 4 OF 6
Plan for power cuts
A lift chair needs power to move. A backup battery keeps it moving in a power cut, so you are not left stuck reclined. The VivaLift! Radiance and VivaLift! Ultra both have one.
Hold the hand control before you choose. The Radiance remote holds your two favourite positions. The Genesis LC-150 hand control docks on either arm, so it works whichever hand you favour.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Ask whether a backup battery is built in.
Hold the hand control and press every button.
Try the control with the hand you favour.
STEP 5 OF 6
Know how the chair lifts you
Most lift chairs tilt forward as they rise, easing you toward your feet. Golden's Straight Lift works differently: it lifts you straight up instead of tilting you forward. Golden designed it to help you keep your balance as you stand up or sit down.
Straight Lift is available on every Golden lift chair, and we can set up a Golden chair to lift this way for you. Ask us about it if being tipped forward makes you feel unsteady.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Stand up from the chair a few times.
Notice how steady you feel as it rises.
Ask about Straight Lift on any Golden chair.
STEP 6 OF 6
Try the lift, then check the room
Come with the person the chair is for, and give each chair a few minutes. Recline all the way, then ride the lift up to standing. The wide armrests on the Cloud PR510 give you something solid to push against on the way up.
Check the weight rating for the size you choose. The Cloud PR510 is rated to 400 lb in Medium/Large, and Golden also makes a Medium/Wide rated to 600 lb. Then measure the spot at home, because a chair needs more room as it reclines.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Sit, recline and stand up at least twice.
Know the user's weight before you compare.
Measure the spot, with room to recline.
BEFORE YOU BUY
Four common mistakes
01
Choosing by colour or looks alone. A chair that does not fit the person will not feel right.
02
Assuming every chair has heat and massage. The VivaLift! Radiance has heat, the VivaLift! Ultra has both, and the VivaLift! Tranquil 2 has neither.
03
Forgetting the room it needs. A lift chair takes up more floor space as it reclines.
04
Skipping the backup battery. Without one, a power cut can leave the chair stuck where it is.
TRY LIFT CHAIRS IN SOUTH SURREY
Sit, recline and stand before you buy
Our showroom is in South Surrey, minutes from White Rock. Take your time in each chair: recline all the way, raise the footrest, then let the lift bring you up to standing. Bring the user's weight and your room measurements.
We can deliver a lift chair and set it up in your home. If getting here is hard, call us about a consultation at home. Financing is available, and we can help with funding and insurance paperwork.
Unit 930, 15057 32 Ave
Surrey, BC V4P 0A2
MATCH A CHAIR TO YOUR HABITS
Which one is right for you?
Start with the card that sounds most like you.
You want it simple to use
Three-position chairs keep things simple. The Genesis LC-150 has battery backup and a compact split back. The Austin UC342 has heat and massage as standard.
TRY FIRST
You often nap or sleep in it
Look for a back and footrest that move on their own. The Radiance and Ultra recline anywhere from upright to flat, and the Tranquil 2 lays all the way flat.
TRY FIRST
You would like warmth for your back
The Radiance heats the shoulders, lower back and seat. The Ultra has heat and massage, worked from buttons under your hand.
TRY FIRST
You want many ways to adjust
The Ultra has a tilt position that lifts your legs above your heart. The Golden Dione PL446 is a four-zone chair with a PowerPillow headrest and adjustable lumbar support.
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You worry about power cuts
The Radiance and Ultra each have a battery that keeps the chair moving in a power cut. The Dione PL446 has lithium-ion backup.
TRY FIRST
Tipping forward feels unsteady
Golden's Straight Lift lifts you straight up instead of tilting you forward, and it is available on every Golden chair. Ask us to set one up.
TRY FIRST
Lift chair questions
What happens to a lift chair in a power cut?
A chair with a backup battery keeps moving when the power goes out, so you are not left stuck. The Radiance, Ultra and Tranquil 2 each have one, and the Dione PL446 has lithium-ion backup. The Genesis LC-150 still brings you upright in a power cut. For any other model, ask us before you buy.
What is a straight lift chair?
A straight lift chair lifts you straight up instead of tilting you forward as it rises. Golden designed its Straight Lift for safer transfers and a steadier stand. It is available on every Golden lift chair, and we can set up a Golden chair to lift this way. Ask us about it when you visit.
Which lift chairs have heat or massage?
Several do, and some do not. The Radiance has heat in the shoulders, lower back and seat. The Ultra and the Austin UC342 have heat and massage built in. On the Cloud PR510, heat and massage are an upgrade. The Tranquil 2 has neither.
How much room does a lift chair need?
It varies by model, so measure before you choose. With someone sitting in it, the Austin UC342 takes up 35.5 inches front to back, and any chair needs more room as it reclines. The Genesis LC-150 has a split back that keeps it compact enough for a smaller living room.
Can the chair remember my favourite position?
Some can. The Radiance remote holds your two favourite positions, and the Tranquil 2 remote holds two positions you can return to with one button. The Dione PL446 has a programmable AutoDrive hand control. Ask us to show you how each one works.
Can you help if we can't get to the showroom?
Yes. If travel is hard, phone 778-545-0102 about an in-home consultation. Whether we can come to you depends on the chair and your address. Once you have chosen, we can deliver the chair and set it up for you.
Where can I sit in a lift chair near White Rock?
Visit our showroom at Unit 930, 15057 32 Ave, in South Surrey. Sit back, recline all the way, then let the chair lift you to your feet. Please call 778-545-0102 before you come to find out which chairs are ready to try.
Ready to sit in a lift chair?
Come and try a few chairs in our South Surrey showroom, or look through every lift chair online.