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Although rocking chairs are traditionally built with wood and U-shaped legs, modern rockers come in a variety of models that are suited for both indoor and outdoor settings. To help you find comfortable seating for your home, the This Old House Reviews Team looked into the best rocking chairs on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations.
Top 5 Rocking Chairs
- Best For Outdoor Use: GCI Outdoor RoadTrip Rocker
- Best For Nurseries: Angel Line Windsor Glider and Ottoman
- Best Decorative Rocker: HouseInBox Velvet Upholstered Modern Rocking Chair
- Best Weight Capacity: BELLEZE Modern Rocking Chair
- Best Wooden Rocker: Shine Company Vermont Porch Rocker
Best For Outdoor Use: GCI Outdoor RoadTrip Rocker
Built for road trips, camping, and other adventures, this rocker from GCI contains outdoor seating necessities, such as a breathable mesh seat and a beverage holder. It also comes with a carrying bag, a lifetime warranty, and a 250-pound weight capacity.
Key Features
- 250-pound weight capacity
- Aluminum and steel frame
- Mesh seat
- Drink holder
- Carrying bag
- Lifetime warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers liked how supportive and comfortable this chair was. Several of them even purchased one or two more of these chairs to have a complete set for camping. Though there weren’t many negative reviews, unsatisfied customers cited issues with bent legs, torn seams, and poor customer support.
Best For Nurseries: Angel Line Windsor Glider and Ottoman
This cushioned glider and its matching ottoman provide a comfortable and spacious seating area that’s perfect for rocking your baby to sleep. Additionally, this product features a solid wood frame and enclosed metal bearings for added stability.
Key Features
- Chair and ottoman set
- Wood frame
- Polyester padding
- Storage pocket
- Available in 16 colors
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers said that they were pleased with the set’s easy assembly, sturdy construction, complete back support, and smooth rocking motion. However, it’s worth considering that several of the negative reviews mention the rocking chair cracking during use.
Best Decorative Rocker: HouseInBox Velvet Upholstered Modern Rocking Chair
This rocking chair has a sleek, modern design with its velvet seat that’s supported by sturdy, U-shaped wooden legs. The velvet is both functional and beautiful, as it is soft to the touch and features a button-tufted, wing-backed design.
Key Features
- Metal frame
- Wood legs
- Velvet seat
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied reviewers said that this chair was easy to assemble, comfortable to sit in, and a solid addition to a nursery or living room. However, a few customers said that the HouseInBox chair didn’t rock very far.
Best Weight Capacity: BELLEZE Modern Rocking Chair
This rocking chair has soft fabric upholstery and high-density sponge filling that are secured to durable wooden legs. The included ottoman completes the set for maximum rest and relaxation. The chair can hold up to 300 pounds, while the ottoman can hold up to 240 pounds. This gives the set a maximum weight capacity of 540 pounds for a child and a parent to sit together.
Key Features
- Chair and ottoman set
- 300-pound chair weight capacity
- 240-pound ottoman weight capacity
- Wood legs
- Fabric seat
- Available in five colors
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers said that the BELLEZE Modern Rocking Chair was comfortable, with several reviews praising the rocker for its back support. Though most of the reviews mentioned how quiet this chair was, a couple of unsatisfied customers said that it made a creaking sound while rocking.
Best Wooden Rocker: Shine Company Vermont Porch Rocker
This traditional wooden rocking chair is coated in your choice of a wide variety of polyurethane paint colors that protect the rocker from the elements. Though this porch rocker is a great option for outdoor use, it’s a solid choice for baby nurseries and living rooms as well.
Key Features
- 250-pound weight capacity
- Wood frame and seat
- Available in eight colors
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Most customers placed this chair on their porch or patio and said that it held up well against the elements. Satisfied customers also liked the chair’s color options and easy assembly. Shoppers who were less satisfied said that this product became chipped and cracked after long-term use.
Buyer’s Guide
When purchasing a rocker, it’s important to understand how each model’s construction affects its performance. Here are three factors to consider before buying a rocking chair.
Material
Your rocking chair’s material can be separated into its seat and its frame. Wooden frames provide a classic and durable look. Aluminum frames, while more affordable, are typically reserved for outdoor rocking chairs.
Some of the most common materials used for rocking chair seats are wood, mesh, and upholstery. Wooden seats are commonly found on basic porch rockers. They’re durable, but they provide little comfort. Mesh seats are susceptible to wear and tear, but they’re more comfortable and breathable than wooden seats. Upholstery is usually found on the seats of indoor rockers, such as the BELLEZE Modern Rocking Chair. This material is the least durable of the three. However, it offers the best look and the most comfort.
Rocking Technology
The most common ways rocking chairs move are with U-shaped legs, spring-action technology, and gliding tracks. Most rocking chairs use U-shaped legs, which cause the frame to naturally sway front to back. U-shaped legs are often found on wooden porch rockers, such as the Shine Company Vermont Porch Rocker, but they can also be found on indoor models. Gliders are similar to traditional rockers except they move back and forth using a track instead of U-shaped legs.
Outdoor rockers use spring-action technology, which causes the back legs to sink into a piston using a flexible spring. Many outdoor models use this technology because it allows the main frame to rest firmly on an uneven surface while the back rocks.
Intended Use
Before purchasing a rocking chair, think about the room or area it’s going to be in. If you want a rocker for the outdoors, consider an all-wooden model that has a weather-resistant coating or a spring-action rocker that sits firmly on the ground. If you’re looking for an indoor rocker, you can prioritize comfort over weather resistance and choose a model with padded cushions or upholstery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I prevent my rocking chair from scratching my hardwood floors?
If you have a rocking chair that you want to keep from damaging your hardwood floors, install anti-scratch strips to your rocking chair’s legs. These customizable strips cover the hard, U-shaped legs.
How do I stop my rocking chair from rocking?
If you have a U-shaped rocker that you want to keep from rocking, you can install a wooden wedge between the legs and the floor. The wedge can be cut out of a wooden 2×4 and painted to match your rocker.
Are there rocking chairs that recline?
Yes. However, they’re less common than standard rocking chairs that sit upright.
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We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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