Today I went to the Lazy Boy store and ordered a new lift recliner.
It's similar to the one in the attached photo, but brown. The bottom line including taxes and delivery was $2,175,
almost four times as much as the cheapie lift recliner I got off of Amazon last summer. The latter served its function but is now falling apart so I am replacing it with a better one. Still, I learned from the cheapie that I actually do like recliners, and what features I particularly value, so it was a good "starter recliner".
F says the Lazy Boy that I selected is much, much more sturdy than the Amazon cheapie and should last a long time. It has all the features that I wanted! Electronic controls, two motors, battery backup, and lots of variety in position (feet go way up, back goes way down, etc), heat, massage, and so many features. It does everything imaginable. Although I would have preferred leather, that was not an option so I will just have to learn to live with cloth.
I got the lift function too, since I still don't know if I will have knee replacement surgery on my other knee or not. The lift function on my cheapie recliner was a life saver right after my first knee surgery last August. Right now I would subjectively guess less than a 25% chance that I will need the other knee done, but my surgeon says the x-rays of that knee look terrible so we'll see. If I need to have it done, I'll be fine with this recliner for recovery. And if the recliner lasts until I am very old, I'll like having the lift function then, too.
BLOW THAT DOUGH!!!
This is something that I really wanted and will enjoy for years, so I didn't even try to bargain and I don't have the slightest remorse. As far as "experiences, not things", I should point out that even though a recliner is a thing, still, napping blissfully in a good recliner is a great experience.