The chair arrived last week, very quickly. My husband put it together as he’s a lot handier than I am, but I assisted and he seemed to have no problem putting it together. The box does provide an IKEA-type screw driver, so you shouldn’t need a tool kit, however we found that you’ll get a much better/stronger chair if you do use a decent screw driver to tighten the screws in properly. The chair’s cushions surprised me. I read other reviews that claimed they were ‘cheap’. I equate cheap to mean flimsy, but I didn’t find that to be the case. The fabric is corduroy, a fabric that I’ve always found to be hard-wearing, and although it’s not the softest corduroy I’ve ever felt, the back cushion is comfortable. I’m 5’7″ and my head rests easily on the top of the cushion, so I think it’s a good height for me. Whilst in the reclining position, I don’t find that I need a pillow for my lower back, however when it’s upright, I do need a little extra support. Overall, the mechanics of the chair are excellent. The gliding motion is silent and easy to keep going for long periods of time. The chair reclines by lifting the arm rests, pushing against the back of the chair, and then once you’re in whatever position you want, you push the arm rests back down and they lock into place. I suppose this would be my only niggle. I find that lifting the arm rests up and down can be a bit stiff and require some muscle due to the design and type of metal used. Or perhaps it might just be down to it being brand new, I don’t know. It might be easier if I spray on some WD40, however I’m afraid that might slicken the locking mechanism too much. I suppose I will have to wait and see how I get on in the months to come.
