Hale AirComfort Zero Gravity Recliner Review

I once had a customer tell me, “you know you're getting older when you get excited about having a new garage door installed”. I couldn’t agree more, and the same could be said about furniture. As you mature in life, quality seems to be the first thing you look for when making a purchase. The problem today is, quality is usually overshadowed by zero percent financing and slick marketing deals.

No matter if you work in an office or inside garages all day like we do, everyone loves to come home to a nice chair. Kicking back in your favorite chair with a beverage and a good show is as timeless as good conversation. The chair I chose is the Hale AirComfort Zero Gravity Recliner.

Hale AirComfort Recliner Details

The Hale AirComfort Zero Gravity Recliner comes in a few different color combinations. Below are the details for the model we will be reviewing in this article.

• Model# AG-7100-R
• Saddle Cognac Leather
• Honeywood Base color
• Sticker price $4,299
• Purchase price $3,799

Hale AirComfort Recliner Features and Specs

These are the features and specs taken directly from the Relax The Back Store website.

• Proprietary Memory Foam: For the seat, backrest, and neck cushion.
• One Touch Zero Gravity: Easily adjust to a Zero Gravity position with one touch of a button.
• Proprietary Memory Foam: For the seat, backrest, and neck cushion.
• One Touch Zero Gravity: Easily adjust to a Zero Gravity position with one touch of a button.
• Adjustable Lumbar Support: With added heat to soothe aching muscles.
• Raised Seat: Making standing up from a seated position easier.
• Air Chamber Massage: Built into back and seat.
• Dual Motor: For the independent lift of the backrest and footrest. With added heat to soothe aching muscles.
• Upright: 43.3"L x 30.7"W x 47.5"H
• Reclined: 63"L x 30.7"W x 30"H
• Seat: 22"W
• Total Product Weight: 110 lbs.
• Maximum Load Weight: 400 lbs.
• Warranty: 3-Year Limited Warranty
• CA Residents: Prop 65 Warning

It Started with Home Theater Chairs

The hunt started many years ago, searching for home theater chairs. If you have ever shopped for theater chairs, you will know they can get pricey quickly once you start looking at quality furniture.

Yes, you can find mass-produced home theater chairs at your big box store or online, but everyone knows the motors and leather will wear out within three years. This is why there are so many sets of theater chairs sold used online.

Trust me, I know. I purchased a three seat row of used home theater chairs and the motors went out. After remodeling my office, which is also my home theater, I decided to look for a chair rather than a row of seats. Usually, it’s only me watching the projector in the home theater, so two seats are all that are needed to balance out the room.

I already had one nice leather recliner on the right, so I had my eyes set on a nice zero gravity recliner for the left side. This led me to the Relax The Back store.

Relax The Back Store

I went into the Relax The Back store to purchase a Human Touch Perfect Chair. My original goal was to purchase a chair that does not plug in, since the motors failed in my previous home theater chairs.

I tried the manual and powered versions of the Perfect Chair, but for some reason, the chair did not fit me like I had wanted. Everybody is different, and the Human Touch Perfect Chair was not for me.

I moved on to the Novus Zero Gravity Recliners, which are manufactured by the Andrew LeBlanc Company. One of the chairs they had on display feature a polyurethane fabric called Brisa, which is essentially a luxurious breathable performance fabric.

I was told it’s the same fabric used in many Lexus vehicles, but I can’t verify that. The Novus chair was nice, but the Hale chair takes the cake on looks. Plus, the Novus chair was about fifteen percent more with comparable features.

The salesman team in the Relax The Back store we visited were a husband and wife team. They purchased the Novus chairs for their home in the manual configuration, so they could exit the chair more quickly rather than waiting for it to lower.

The store we visited was recently sold and going through a remodel. What caught my attention is the previous owners purchased two zero gravity chairs before they sold the store. Out of all the chairs they could choose from, they chose the Hale AirComfort Zero Gravity Recliner.

Hale AirComfort Recliner Zero Gravity Position

The zero gravity position on the Hale AirComfort Recliner paired with the built-in memory foam provides a weightless experience that is second to none. There is instant feedback in the comfort department due to supple leather combined with the use of pressure relieving materials.

Laying back in the zero gravity position with the heat or massage activated will go a long way in alleviating stress. As you can see in the photo, your feet are elevated up above your torso, allowing for that floating experience to take place. Having the option to fully recline in the zero gravity position makes this chair truly unique.

Hale AirComfort Recliner Remote

As you can see on the lower part of the remote, you have independent motor adjustments for the backrest and leg rest recline. This allows you to get your body and legs positioned perfectly the way you like it before saving the position to one of the two memory savers. Right above the lower arrow buttons, you have a lumbar button that blows up an air bladder at your lower back to provide the right amount of support.

Remote Memory Settings

On the remote, there are two buttons titled M1 and M2. These are your memory settings, and they are extremely helpful. Once you find a couple of reclining positions you like for watching or reading, you can save them by holding down one of the buttons.

You will hear a beep that will confirm the setting has been saved. This convenient feature prevents you from having to search for that perfect position every time you sit down.

Hale AirComfort Recliner with Built-in Heat

There is one setting to turn on the heat, and it gets plenty hot for most people. It is located below the orange power button. The heat output on the Hale AirComfort Recliner is excellent and useful during the winter months when there is a chill in the home. The built-in heat has become one of my favorite features of this recliner.

Hale AirComfort Recliner with Air Massage

I am not a big massage person, so I don’t use this feature very frequently. But, if there are days when my back is tight, the Air Massage does a fantastic job with that. There are two settings to the left and right of the orange power button on the remote that control the massage.

The only difference is one is more aggressive than the other. And aggressive is how I would describe the Air Massage, as it can dig deep and many times push your body upwards during the process. The massage is timer-based and last around 20-30 minutes.

Built-In Timer

Finally, the Hale Aircomfort Recliner has a built-in timer feature on the remote that allows you to choose between 1hr, 2hr, and 3hr options. When I originally so this feature, I could not understand why you would need it. Fast-forward several months after using the recliner in depth, I find it to be extremely useful.

When you lay back in the Hale AirComfort Recliner in the zero gravity position with the heat on, you will most likely fall asleep. This has happened to me numerous times, and the built-in timer is the only thing that prevented me from wasting away my day. It is a great feature for anyone that likes to take a daily nap.

Stable Wood Platform

This chair is very heavy and does not move an inch. The base appears to be solid wood and the weight of the chair reflects that. The Hale AirComfort Recliner weighs 110 lbs and has a maximum load capacity of 400 lbs.

In use, you don’t question the stability when using the chair's motorized recliner to fully extend back to the zero gravity position. It is smooth and stable and never feels out of balance or at risk of tipping over.

Quilted Leather Headrest

The quilted leather headrest feels great. I don’t know if this is because it has memory foam or if the manufacturer got the thickness correct. When you recline in the chair, your head is propped up comfortably, so you can view your TV screen.

The hanger that wraps over the top of the chair is adjustable for different heights of people. When laying all the way back in the zero gravity position, you forget the headrest is there. The headrest was a standard option on the model I purchased, which was what they had on display in the store.

Built-in Memory Foam

The Hale AirComfort Zero Gravity Recliner just feels right once you sit down and relax in it for the first time. I don’t know whether it’s the soft, supple leather or the built-in memory foam, but the chair is inviting.

The chair features memory foam built-in to the seat, backrest, and headrest. Other brands of chairs we looked at in the stores offered memory foam, but they were pricier when compared with similar options.

Beautiful Quilted Leather Sides

The side panels on the Hale AirComfort Recliner feature double stitched leather in a quilted pattern. Pictures really don’t do justice to this design element. If you’re spending this kind of money on a recliner, you want it to look nice.

The Hale recliner stood out in the fit and finish department when compared to other brands. The quilted side panels and headrest take this recliner up a notch, which allows it to fit into a wider variety of decor styles.

Wide Arm Rest

One of the funniest things we heard from the salesman at the Relax The Back store was related to the width of the arm rest. The salesman went on to explain how many of their customers were more concerned with where they could set down their cell phone than many of the other important features on the recliners.

The Hale AirComfort Recliner came standard with wide arm rests, allowing customers with even the largest phones a stable place to rest their phone. The Novus chair we looked at came standard with a thin armrest, but could be upgraded to the wider option for a cost.

I have to admit, it is essential to have a wider armrest for your cell phone. I have a standard iPhone 13 Pro and the first place I go to set it down is on the front portion of the arm rest.

My phone not only fits perfectly, the texture of the leather does an impressive job holding it in place, preventing it from falling off the side. Who would have ever guessed this would be such a big deal when it comes to choosing a new recliner.

Using Hale AirComfort Recliner in a Home Theater

The Hale AirComfort Recliner makes a great home theater chair, as it can be adjusted to many position to suit just about any consumer. The two memory positions on the remote allow you to set positions that may be ideal for movie watching, which eliminates you having to find that perfect position you were in the last time you watched a movie.

Hale AirComfort Recliner vs. Stressless Recliner

If you are in the market for any type of stressless recliner, the Ekornes Stressless Recliner will pop up somewhere down the line in your search. I did not want a detached leg rest, so immediately I knew it was not the chair for me.

I did actually try one out before purchasing my Hale Recliner, but the Ekornes Stressless Recliner did not lean back as far as I would have liked. In my search, I was looking for something that either lays flat or goes into the full zero gravity position.

Best Zero Gravity Recliner?

I don’t know if the Hale AirComfort Recliner is the best zero gravity recliner, but I would be willing to bet it’s one of the best. The word “best” is abused on the internet today because that word is put before most online searches. All the zero gravity chairs I tried felt entirely unique.

The only way to determine what's best for you is to go into a store and spend some time in the chairs. Because of their high cost, most salesman understand when you want to take an extended test drive.

Would I Purchase the Hale AirComfort Recliner Again?

Buyers remorse is a funny thing. The first few days of owning this zero gravity recliner, I started questioning why I spent so much money. I also questioned pretty heavily whether I should have opted for the massage and heat, as originally, I wanted a chair that did not plug in. Fast-forward several months, and now it’s one of my favorite things I own.

The two most common things I enjoy are the full zero gravity position and the heated backrest. The full zero gravity position does make you feel weightless as you pass a certain point in the recline process.

Having the ability to have two memory settings for the electric motors is also great for watching movies. The heated backrest is essential for back pain and keeping warm in the winter months. At this point, I would definitely purchase the Hale AirComfort Recliner again.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a recliner, a zero gravity option should be on your list. You owe yourself to at least go try one out at a local furniture store. My search started with a need for home theater chairs that later ended with the Hale AirComfort Zero Gravity Recliner.

Once I started going down the road of looking at premium home theater furniture, prices shot up rapidly, making the Hale recliner a contender. I spent several hours in the store evaluating the zero gravity chair options before I made my purchase.

For some reason, I kept coming back around to the Hale AirComfort Recliner, as it just felt right every time I sat down. I have only owned this chair for a few months, so only time will tell how mechanically sound it is in the long term.