Gliders and rockers are worth considering if you're shopping for accent seating that invites comfort and motion to your porch or patio.
To help streamline your shopping experience, we've done the research and compiled the essential information to help you choose a chair that meets your needs. Keep reading to discover the differences between gliders and rocking chairs, from preferred range of motion to space considerations and safety features.
What’s the Difference Between a Glider Chair and a Rocking Chair?
Knowing the difference between a rocking chair and a glider is essential to making informed buying decisions. While they serve the same purpose, you’ll want to know the pros and cons of each to choose the chair that best suits your space and needs.
What Is a Rocking Chair?
A rocking chair, or rocker, is a seat mounted on two identical sloped runners that allow a smooth, arced back-and-forth motion.
Rocking Chair History
Rocking chairs first appeared in England in 1725 as garden furniture and soon made their way to North America. As years passed, homeowners began bringing them indoors, where they rocked their babies to sleep in nurseries or read the newspaper by the hearth.
What Is a Glider Rocking Chair?
Gliders are chairs that move back and forth on a fixed track. Their gentle, swing-like motion offers a more controlled movement than rocking chairs, making them ideal for relaxing on porches, patios, or gardens.
Glider Chair History
A New Yorker named George F. Hall is the credited patentor of the glider rocker—or as he labeled it in his patent, the "Boozing chair." The original patent was granted in May 1888, and it was only for the glider mechanism, not the chair’s design. Hall assigned the patent to Peter Lowentraut, a New Jersey toolmaker, before the chair went into production. To this day, these chairs are often referred to as “Lowentraut gliders.” Like rockers, gliding chairs found their way into homes, becoming a preferred nursery seating option for new parents everywhere.
Glider vs. Rocker Highlights
Glider vs. Rocker Benefits Explained
Gliders
1. Works on Any Surface
Thanks to its fixed base, you can situate a glider rocker on just about any floor in your outdoor space. The base is stationary with the moving parts suspended above it. While rocking chairs can't smoothly sway on sand, grass, brick, pea gravel, and other soft or uneven ground, gliders can move on these surfaces without issue.
2. Safer for Pets and Children
Gliders have fewer accessible pinch points than rocking chairs. Most glider chair designs feature seats with extended sides that flank the fixed base and its swinging mechanism, and swivel options are typically covered on all sides. This blocks tiny fingers, feet, and tails from the moving parts, reducing the risk of ouchies.
3. Swivel Options
Swivel glider rocker recliners give you the freedom to move back and forth and side to side. Maneuvering is less physically taxing—instead of standing up and pushing or pulling the chair to your preferred position, you can use your feet to gently guide the seat in either direction.
New parents often use swivel gliders as nursery chairs for comfort and convenience. The soothing motion calms newborn babies, and caretakers can easily turn and grab nearby bottles, wipes, and blankets without having to stand up.
4. Glider Ottomans
Want to kick up your feet on a matching ottoman that moves with you? An ottoman gives your legs and feet extra support, translating into a full-body comfort experience.
NOTE: Glider ottomans are typically designed to pair with specific gliding chairs. Their mechanisms, dimensions, and looks will be almost identical to ensure both pieces match and move in tandem.
5. Needs Less Room to Move
Even though gliders are generally larger than rocking chairs, they don't need as much space to move freely. The fixed bases only allow the attached seat to move back and forth a few inches. The smaller, less intense range of motion appeals to those who prefer a more subtle sensation.
Whether you're shopping for patio glider furniture or a gliding rocking chair and ottoman set, these designs deliver smooth, quiet comfort that’s built to last.
Rocking Chairs
1. Proven Medical Benefits
Doctors have recommended rocking chairs to their patients for decades to help soothe stress and ease pain. One of the most famous rocking chair enthusiasts was the thirty-fifth U.S. president, John F. Kennedy.
After enduring chronic back pain for most of his life and many unsuccessful surgeries, Kennedy turned to Dr. Janet Travell, a Cornell University pharmacologist and internal medicine specialist. She suggested adding a rocking chair to his rehabilitation regimen. It worked so well that Kennedy had rocking chairs added to almost every room of the White House and even used a rocker on Air Force One.
2. Lighter Than Gliders
A rocking chair has a simple design with fewer components—it's just two parallel sloped runners that connect to the seat’s legs. Stretchers often connect the runners or legs to increase durability. Less material means a lighter, less expensive, and more maneuverable seat.
Gliders, on the other hand, have several interconnected pieces in the base and gliding mechanism. Those extra components make gliders heavier, harder to move, and more expensive.
3. Smaller in Scale
Traditional rocking chairs are smaller than gliders, so you can line multiples on your porch or group more together in the backyard. Various styles like deep seating and Adirondack rockers are larger, but traditional rockers are the most popular options.
4. More Available Styles
A quick online search will show you that there’s a rocking chair to meet just about everyone's needs. This makes sense because rocking chairs appeared over a century before gliders came into the picture. We've had more time to play with the design and create new and interesting twists on the original.
5. Greater Range of Motion
Rocking chairs have more freedom to move compared to their gliding counterparts. The curved runners make this possible; the longer they are, the more you can move.
FAQs
What's the difference between a rocking chair and a glider?
The main difference between a rocker and a glider is movement. Both sway smoothly, but a rocking chair moves in an arc pattern, whereas a glider's back-and-forth motion is straighter.
How does a glider rocker move?
The glider’s seat is attached to a fixed base by two sets of arms that swing like a clock pendulum. Because the arms are different lengths and angles, they move in arcs of varying speeds and sizes. These movements work together to create a coordinated back-and-forth motion that causes the seat to glide in a straighter path instead of swinging in a wide arc.
Which is better, a rocker chair or a glider?
Rockers and gliders both have notable features that make them stand out in different situations. Rocking chairs are better for those who want more intense movement, a lighter weight, and a smaller price tag. However, gliders can move on any surface, have a more subtle swaying motion, and come in swivel options. Designed for hours of rest and relaxation, either one would make a great addition to your home. The best choice for you is one that suits your comfort level, budget, and sitting area.
Some may prefer a vintage glider rocker for nostalgic charm, while others might want a swivel glider rocker recliner for modern comfort.
Are rocking chairs or gliders better for nurseries?
New parents often use rockers or nursery gliders because both offer gentle movements that soothe babies. A mother or father may lean toward a glider for their baby's room because the moving parts are covered—which is safer for little ones—and the available swivel options. With a swivel glider, the transition from chair to crib is quick and seamless once the child has finally fallen asleep for the night.
