What Do DutchCrafters Chair Seats Really Feel Like?

Beth Rice 20/09/2018

It’s a question our Furniture Specialists are often asked. What do DutchCrafters chair seats really feel like?

If there’s one thing we wish we could do as the #1 online Amish furniture company offering the most high-end solid wood products available, it would be this:

We wish we could connect you with the feel of our furniture. The photos and the features on our website tell part of the story, but how does our furniture really feel?

Today we’re focusing on chair seat types in an attempt to share with you how Amish dining chairs and recliners feel.  From the DutchCrafters showroom in Sarasota, Florida we present:

DutchCrafters Chair Seat Testing

THE CHAIRS

Chair 1:  The Amish Genesis Dining Chair

  • Rustic look
  • Benton scoop seat

Amish Genesis Dining Chair

The Amish Genesis Dining Chair

Chair 2:  The Amish Reclaimed Wood Mission Chair

  • Contoured slats
  • Saddle shaped scoop seat

Amish Reclaimed Wood Mission Chair

The Amish Reclaimed Wood Mission Chair

Chair 3: The Manchester Dining Side Chair

The Manchester Dining Chair by Keystone

The Manchester Dining Chair

Chair 4:  The Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool

  • 24” counter height
  • Cherry wood with distressed navy paint
  • Scooped saddle seat

Amish Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool

Amish Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool

Chair 5: The Mission McCoy Power Recliner

Mission McCoy Power Recliner

The Mission McCoy Power Recliner

Amish made chairs in the DutchCrafters showroom.

Genesis, Reclaimed, Manchester and Windsor ready for testing in the DutchCrafters showroom.

Mission McCoy Recliner

The Mission McCoy Recliner is also ready to go.

THE SEAT TESTERS

Kari Jo:  Height: 5′ 7”  Kari Jo Koshes from the DutchCrafters Sales Team.

Ross:  Height 5′ 11”  Ross Wiemken, Business and Finance Manager at DutchCrafters.

Sara:  Height 5′ 8” Sara Linquist, Furniture Specialist

Kaili: Height 5′ 1” Kaili Gould, Furniture Specialist at DutchCrafters.

Jennifer : Height 5′ 7” Jennifer Ferdico, Customer Service Specialist t DutchCrafters

SEAT TYPES FOR REFERENCE

Scoop Seat:  center area is carved out to cradle the bottom; adds contouring.

Deep Scoop Seat:  center area is carved out more deeply to cradle the bottom.

Deep scoop seat.

A deep scoop seat with beveled edge.

Saddle Seat:  removes extra seat material for comfort, seat shape separates the legs, offering a comfy fit as a person rests in the chair. Has curved sides and a ridge in the middle at the front of the seat.

Saddle scoop seat with rounded edge.

A saddle scoop seat with rounded edge.

Benton Scoop Seat:  dips toward the back of the chair.

Seat with a Benton scoop.

A Benton scoop seat.

Upholstered Seat:  Cushioning covered in fabric or leather.

THE RESULTS

Kari Jo, Ross, Sara, Kaili and Jennifer were asked to sit in each chair and to talk about three things:

  • Describe how the seat feels.
  • Explain what they like or dislike.
  • Rate the chair from 1-5 with 5 being the most comfortable and 1 being the least comfortable.

Chair #1

The Amish Genesis Dining Chair

The Amish Genesis Dining Chair at the DutchCrafters showroom in Sarasota, Florida.

Amish Genesis Dining Chair

KARI JO:  It feels like it’s lower in the back and the front feels higher. It’s very comfortable and makes my posture a little better. I also like how there’s a scoop to the chair back as well and that feels very comfortable. I generally prefer an upholstered seat, but the way the scoop seat is I feel like I could sit for a while without aggravating my back. It’s a good height for me too.  4

Amish Genesis Dining Chair

ROSS: I like that you sink back into it. Good support. I’m content with it. 4

SARA:  Quite comfortable but I don’t feel as much support for my lower back. 2

Sara testing the Genesis Dining Chair with a Benton scoop.

Sara on the Genesis Dining Chair with Benton scoop seat.

KAILI:  Being short, I have a hard time with the Benton scoop. It dips in the back and raises in the front. This chair lifts my knees up and my feet don’t touch the ground. Our seats are great seats, just some are best for different people depending on their height, their back, and their legs. 1

Kaili's feet on the Benton scoop seat.

At 5 1″ Kaili’s feet dangle on the Genesis since the Benton scoop dips low in the back.

JENNIFER:  I like the scoop in it. Very comfy. 4

Overall Comfort Score: 3

Chair #2

The Amish Reclaimed Wood Mission Chair

Amish Reclaimed Mission Chair

The Amish Reclaimed Wood Mission Chair.

KARI JO:  The height is good. There is a curve to the back that goes up and down instead of side to side which isn’t as comfortable on my back as the Genesis chair. 3

ROSS:  It feels flat and I feel like I’m reclining. The first one (Genesis Dining Chair) felt like it sat you up more. This I feel like I’m leaning back in it. 3

Ross testing the seat of the Reclaimed Mission Dining Chair.

Ross on the Amish Reclaimed Wood Mission Chair.

SARA:  I feel lumbar support. I feel like I’m sitting back a bit and would want to sit up a bit straighter for dining.  4

KAILI:  I like the lumbar support and my feet touch the floor. I like the edge of the seat, it doesn’t push into my thighs. It’s a comfortable chair to sit in for longer periods of time. 5

The saddle shaped scoop seat close up.

The saddle shaped scoop of the Reclaimed Mission Dining Chair.

JENNIFER:  The scoop in this seat is nice. I feel like I lean back more but it is comfortable. I like this better than the Benton scoop. 4

Jennifer testing the Reclaimed Mission Dining Chair.

Jennifer testing the Reclaimed Mission Dining Chair.

Overall Comfort Score: 3.8

Chair # 3

The Manchester Side Dining Chair

The Manchester Dining Chair by Keystone.

The Manchester Dining Chair

KARI JO:  I like this one. I like upholstered chairs, I feel like you can sit in them longer and feel comfortable. I feel like I can sit in this one the longest. 5

Kari Jo testing the Manchester Dining Chair by Keystone.

Kari Jo testing the Manchester.

ROSS:  I like the seat. I feel like I sit up higher. I like the cushioned seat. I feel good back support and it holds me up pretty straight. 5

SARA:  Good lumbar support and I’m sitting up the way I’d want to sit at the dinner table. I feel like my back is supported. It’s a good feeling and I don’t feel like the chair is pushing me forward. 5

KAILI:  I sink in a little bit. The back is nice, it’s a straight back. My feet touch the floor. It’s comfy. 4

Kaili testing the upholstered seat of the Manchester Dining Chair by Keystone.

Kaili testing the upholstered seat of the Manchester Dining Chair by Keystone.

JENNIFER: Very springy, super comfy. I like the height. It’s nice on your back and doesn’t hit your spine like some chairs do. The way it curves is very nice. I like how tall it is too. 5

Seat of the Manchester Dining Chair by Keystone.

The springy, supportive seat of the Manchester.

Overall Comfort Score: 4.8

Chair #4

The Amish Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool

Amish Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool

The Amish Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool

KARI JO:  This seat is comfortable, I like it a little more than the reclaimed. I see it has the scoop, it’s comfy. I thought the height would bother me but I can put my feet on the bar so it doesn’t feel like they’re hanging. It’s more comfy than I thought. 3.5

Overhead view of the saddle seat of the Windsor bar stool.

Overhead shot of the saddle seat of the stool.

ROSS:  I like the scooped seat. I like the height. I grew up with a counter height table so this feels like I’m at home.  4

Ross testing the Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool.

Ross testing the Reproduction Windsor Bar Stool.

SARA:  It’s too small for me. I feel like I’m overwhelming the chair. The chair is comfy but I feel like I’m falling forward. The footrest bar is a little high for me because I have longer legs. 3

KAILI:  My feet do not touch the footrest bar. The bar is also far back, but I can tuck my feet behind it. I love the feel of the seat, but I wish my feet would touch the bar so I wouldn’t feel like I was going to slide off it.  3

JENNIFER:  This one is not comfortable on my back. The seat is really nice though. It’s comfortable. 3

Overall Comfort Score: 3.3

Chair # 5

The Mission McCoy Power Recliner

The Mission McCoy Power Recliner

The Mission McCoy Power Recliner.

KARI JO:  I like the upholstered back and seat. It feels like a big chair, like I could fit someone else with me. The leather doesn’t feel slippery. I feel like I sink into it rather than sitting on top of it. I like how you can get a lot of positions with this chair and it goes really far back. I like how the footrest comes out so my feet aren’t hanging. Very, very comfortable. 5

Kari Jo in the McCoy Recliner.

Kari Jo tests the McCoy Recliner.

ROSS:  It sinks in. It’s comfy and inviting. I feel like the back is tall and I can lean my head back without going over the edge. It lays pretty flat and it’s still long enough that I’m not hanging over. 5

Ross testing the McCoy Mission Recliner.

Ross in the McCoy with power recline.

SARA:  I like that the cushions have enough give, yet they’re firm enough. I don’t feel like I’ve fallen into a giant pillow. I like the nice wide arms they’re very comfy. I feel like this chair is deep enough. I do not feel too big for this chair. I like that it has infinite settings and I’m not in my grandpa’s chair where it’s one, two, three and you’re flat down. It’s long enough and there’s room at the end for my feet. I like the nice angle in the break from the seat cushion to the foot rest. I like that it doesn’t feel too high or too low. 5

Sara testing the McCoy Mission Recliner.

Sara leans back in the McCoy Recliner.

KAILI:  Very comfy. I could take a nap in it. The cushions are soft and squishy. I like that the recliner gives you different options, it’s not just up or down. When I recline it’s just right, my feet and hands don’t dangle over the edge. 5

JENNIFER:  This is nice. Can I give this a 6? This is like laying on a cloud, it’s super comfortable. I like the leather cause it’s very cooling. Really relaxing. Even the arms sit at a very comfy level. Everything about it is nice. It’s long too, it goes all the way down to my feet. I feel like I could take a nap. For a tall man this would be perfect because you don’t feel like you’re hanging off it. 5

Jenn trying the McCoy Mission Recliner at the DutchCrafers showroom.

Jenn ready for rest.

Overall Comfort Score: 5

We hope our little experiment gives you an idea of how our seats feel for different people’s heights and preferences. We’d love for you to try them out yourself, so please stop in at the DutchCrafters showroom if you are visiting Sarasota, Florida. If there are other furniture items you’d like us to test, please leave us a comment below. Thanks for spending time with us.

Here are some photos from customers who’ve purchased chairs from us.

The Vista Dining Room Chair

Amish Vista Dining Chairs.

We got our Vista dining chairs yesterday and we love them! They’re well made, very comfortable and match our dining room splendidly.  Barb G. from KS 7/16/18

 

California Mission Dining Chairs.

My husband and I absolutely LOVE our new dining room table and chairs. The chairs are solid and quite comfortable with the leather seats.  Cheryl T from WA 6/27/18

 

Madison Avenue Dining Chairs.

Here is the table and the two super comfy chairs that I purchased through your company. I can’t say enough good things about the furniture’s beauty and comfort.  Bonnie D. from CA 4/26/18

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