The Best Non-Toxic Recliners of 2026
14 of the 15 recliners PFAS Authority has graded reach its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 93.3% of the category, as of October 2026, and 1 scores below it. The highest graded is Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair at 75 out of 100.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Are recliners non-toxic?
14 of the 15 recliners we graded clear our screen and 1 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on recliners in this category are VOCs and off-gassing, microplastics, flame retardants, formaldehyde, artificial dyes. The highest graded here is Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair at 75 out of 100.
Quick picks
Best overall
Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining ChairHighest PFAS grade in the category
75 Excellent
A second brand to consider
Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker ReclinerThe best grade here from a brand other than the winner
75 Excellent
Why Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining wins, and what it beats
Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 1 product it beats, so you can see exactly where the 30 points between the top and the bottom of this recliners ranking come from.
The winner
Made of upholstered fabric, wooden frame.
- +20Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
25risk points in total, which is a grade of 75
What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 4 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.
What it beats, and why
What puts it behind. Stain-resistant finish, +20 points. Stain-resistant finishes are a common PFAS use. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of upholstered furniture with stain-resistant fabric treatment.
- +20Category baseline
- +20Stain-resistant finish
- +15No PFAS disclosure
55risk points, a grade of 45
No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.
What to watch for in recliners
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 15 recliners in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- VOCs and off-gassing
Volatile compounds that evaporate out of a material at room temperature, which is what a new product smell is.
Found on 6 of these recliners. Plausible but unconfirmed on 6 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Found on 4 of these recliners. Plausible but unconfirmed on 3 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Flame retardants
Chemicals added to foam, fabric and electronics to slow ignition.
Found on 3 of these recliners. Plausible but unconfirmed on 8 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NIEHS
- Formaldehyde
A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 11 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI
- Artificial dyes
Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 6 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
The safest recliners we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
- 1
Highest grade here
- upholstered fabric, wooden frame
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Flame retardants
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 2
- fabric upholstery, wood frame, foam cushioning
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Polyurethane foam off-gassing (VOCs)
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 3
- fabric upholstery, foam cushioning, wooden frame
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Flame retardants
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 4
- fabric upholstery, foam cushioning, wooden frame
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- VOC off-gassing from polyurethane foam
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 5
- upholstery fabric (composition unspecified); walnut wood legs/armrest
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Flame retardants
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 6
- fabric upholstery and foam cushioning
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Flame retardants
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 7
- upholstered fabric, foam, metal frame
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Flame retardants
5 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 8
- fabric upholstery, foam cushioning, wooden frame
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from polyurethane foam and adhesives
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What the evidence says about PFAS in recliners
Upholstered furniture is one of the eleven product categories covered by Minnesota’s ban on intentionally added PFAS, which took effect on January 1, 2025, and textile furnishings and fabric treatments are three more of them. Stain and water repellency is the function PFAS were used for in furniture textiles, so a recliner sold on being stain resistant is the shape of product the ban was written for. Minnesota’s environmental agency says PFAS-free alternatives are already widely available in these categories.
- Regulatory filingMinnesota’s Amara’s Law prohibits intentionally added PFAS in eleven product categories from January 1, 2025, and upholstered furniture, textile furnishings, fabric treatments and carpets or rugs are four of them. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ↗
- Regulatory filingThe prohibition is written into Minnesota Statutes section 116.943. Minnesota Revisor of Statutes ↗
- Regulatory filingMinnesota’s environmental agency says that while PFAS are often found in these product categories, PFAS-free alternatives are already widely available. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ↗
- Regulatory filingVermont’s attorney general has published guidance on the state’s PFAS product bans, which cover textiles among other categories. Vermont Office of the Attorney General ↗
Sources checked October 8, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.
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- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
All the recliners that pass, side by side
Sorted by score. A higher score means lower PFAS risk.
| # | Recliners | Score | Rating | Made of | Key concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair | 75 | Excellent | upholstered fabric, wooden frame | Flame retardants |
| 2 | Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker Recliner | 75 | Excellent | fabric upholstery, wood frame, foam cushioning | Polyurethane foam off-gassing (VOCs) |
| 3 | Ashley Furniture Ashley STONEMEADE ROCKER RECLINER | 75 | Excellent | fabric upholstery, foam cushioning, wooden frame | Flame retardants |
| 4 | Ashley Furniture Skillins Rocker Recliner | 75 | Excellent | fabric upholstery, foam cushioning, wooden frame | VOC off-gassing from polyurethane foam |
| 5 | Article Reclining Chair, Walnut Legs and Armrest | 75 | Excellent | upholstery fabric (composition unspecified); walnut wood legs/armrest | Flame retardants |
| 6 | Parker House Radius Power Swivel Glider Recliner | 75 | Excellent | fabric upholstery and foam cushioning | Flame retardants |
| 7 | Ashley Furniture Ashley Barnsana Power Recliner | 75 | Excellent | upholstered fabric, foam, metal frame | Flame retardants |
| 8 | Ashley Furniture Ashley Evereast Pass Manual Recliner | 75 | Excellent | fabric upholstery, foam cushioning, wooden frame | Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from polyurethane foam and adhesives |
The verdict on recliners
Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair grades 75 out of 100, the highest here. It is upholstered fabric, wooden frame. We found no PFAS statement from the brand, so the grade rests on materials alone.
Choose Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker Recliner instead if you want a second option at 75 out of 100, fabric upholstery, wood frame, foam cushioning.
We hold no price data, so nothing here is a budget recommendation. Grades are model-based assessments from published materials and disclosures, not laboratory tests.
The recliners we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 45Poor
- 75Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining ChairExcellent
Flame retardants
- 75Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker ReclinerExcellent
Polyurethane foam off-gassing (VOCs)
What we check on recliners
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The recliners brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 4 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Article, Ashley Furniture, Gracie Oaks, Parker House.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in recliners
Are recliners PFAS free?
14 of the 15 recliners PFAS Authority has graded reach its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 93.3% of the category, as of October 2026, and 1 scores below it. The highest graded is Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair at 75 out of 100. The lowest graded is Swansea Blue Power Recliner at 45 out of 100.
Are recliners non-toxic?
14 of the 15 recliners we graded clear our screen and 1 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on recliners in this category are VOCs and off-gassing, microplastics, flame retardants, formaldehyde, artificial dyes. The highest graded here is Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair at 75 out of 100.
Which are the safest recliners to buy?
On our grades, Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. Then Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker Recliner at 75. These are model-based assessments from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and disclosures, not laboratory tests, so treat them as the lowest risk we can evidence rather than a safety guarantee.
Which recliners grade best for PFAS?
Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair, at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is upholstered fabric, wooden frame. The runner up is Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker Recliner at 75.
Which recliners should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Swansea Blue Power Recliner at 45, Article Forrest Mid-century Design Reclining Chair at 75, Ashley Furniture Ashley Bristaview Manual Rocker Recliner at 75. The problem with the first is that skip until the brand discloses PFAS status of stain-resistant finish.
Which recliners brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 4 of the brands we scored in this category, including Article, Ashley Furniture, Gracie Oaks, Parker House. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test recliners?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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Does a particular brand of recliners have PFAS?
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Recliners, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 recliners.