Buying guide for best bean bag loungers
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Did the bean bag go out with the ’70s? No way, man. Granted, bean bags remain fixed to visions of groovy crash pads with woven rugs and a lava lamp or three, Zeppelin or Joplin on the turntable. But here’s the thing: Bean bags never went out. One way or another, they’ve always been in.
A bean bag chair or lounger is essentially an unstructured or semi-structured sack filled with loose beads, foam or some other kind of fill. Stemming from Italian design, they entered the popular consciousness in the late 1960s and became almost ubiquitous in the 1970s. Those past bean bags became notorious for a few things, including losing their loft, being hard to get out of and making annoying noises.
Today’s bean bag loungers take a different approach. While some chair models retain the classic shape and Styrofoam fill, many others have branched out, with seams and tailoring for structure, removable machine-washable covers, and, most importantly, contemporary loose fill ranging from polyfoam to memory foam to the latest high-tech beads. Bean bags have come a long way, baby.
The BestReviews Testing Lab has put in time testing bean bag chairs and loungers. The Lovesac SuperSac Bean Bag Lounger, with its impressive size and soft, deep memory-foam fill, scored highly in our testing program and wins our pick for the best bean bag lounger on the market.
Editors’ picks
Lovesac SuperSac
Editors’ Favorite
Dimensions: 3.10’ x 5’ x 5’ | Weight: 75 lb | Cover Material: Polyester | Filling: Shredded memory foam
With a price tag the equivalent of a serious piece of furniture, the Lovesac SuperSac better be a great bean bag. The good news is, we tested it, and it’s awesome, with a dense, sink-into fill and a huge selection of washable covers.
The Lovesac SuperSac is a premium-level bean bag lounger designed to support multiple adults. It has a fill made of dense, shredded Durafoam memory foam, allowing you to sink into it while still feeling cradled, which we verified in our testing. Its cover is removable and washable, with a wide selection of options; our test model was faux fur and luxurious to the touch. We managed to fit two grown adults and a large dog onto the test model, proving the SuperSac’s size and sturdiness.
One drawback we did notice was ergonomics. Awesome as it is, the Lovesac SuperSac isn’t a chair. We found our backs and necks craving movement after a while. Another issue is obvious: A SuperSac costs over $1,300, as much as a good couch. Is it worth it? That’s up to you, but its inner sac comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Big Joe Classic Bean Bag Chair for Kids
Great Value
Dimensions: 27.5” x 27.5” x 16” | Weight: 3.1 lb | Cover Material: Nylon/polyester | Filling: Polystyrene beads
If there's a demographic that’s always liked bean bags, regardless of decade, it’s kids. The Big Joe Classic is a kids-size bean bag chair that’s perfect for a bedroom or play room. It’s comfortable, lightweight and easy to clean.
The Big Joe Classic bean bag chair is roughly 2 feet across and 16 inches high, sized right for kids between the ages of 4 and 10. It weighs just over 3 pounds, so kids can move it themselves if they need to, and it has a built-in carrying handle for that purpose. Its double-stitched seams and dual zippers help prevent curious kids from getting at, or into, the fill.
The fill itself is polystyrene beads for the classic beanbag feel. Its cover is nonremovable, so it’s spot-clean only, but its nylon/polyester blend fabric is designed to be stain resistant. It comes in eight colors and patterns.
Big Joe Fuf Giant Foam Bean Bag Chair
Best Oversized Bean Bag
Dimensions: 71" x 58" x 39" | Weight: 73 lb | Cover Material: Polyester | Filling: Shredded foam
Big Joe’s American-made bean bags have more options that just those for kids. The Big Joe Fuf Giant Bean Bag Chair is exactly what it says it is: An 8-foot long bean bag lounger filled with shredded foam that’s perfect for sprawling, or snuggling.
The Big Joe Fuf is available in several sizes, but the 8-foot model is the biggest and the one we’re highlighting here. It’s got essentially the same footprint as a full-sized mattress, 8 foot diagonally, but much thicker, filled with shredded foam for enhanced sinkability. It can be chosen with a selection of removable, washable covers, in comfy textures including faux leather.
Big as it is, the 8-foot Fuf can be heavy; at 73 pounds, it can be an effort to move. Attached handles help with lifting. The foam fill is intended to never flatten, but fluffing and repositioning on the user’s part is required.
CordaRoy's Chenille Bean Bag
The One that Transforms into a Bed
Dimensions: 42” x 42” x 32” | Weight: 21 lb | Cover Material: Microfiber | Filling: Shredded polyfoam
An asset to guest rooms and places that aren’t strictly guest rooms, the CordaRoy’s Chenille Bean Bag turns into a bed. That’s right: You can use it as a beanbag chair and lounger by day, and at night, it becomes a full-sized (or queen-sized, or king-sized) bed.
As a beanbag lounger, the CordaRoy’s Chenille Bean Bag measures about 42 inches across and 32 inches tall. Reach inside, though, and turn it inside out, and you’ll find a 75-by-54-inch bed that’s some 8 inches thick. Is it supportive enough to sleep on? The shredded polyfoam should provide comfortable support, and extra polyfoam can be purchased for a firmer feel.
Aside from chenille, there are other options for covers, all of which are removable and machine-washable. The cover’s zipper pull is oversized, making it easier to find and grip, a thoughtful touch. The full-size model weighs about 21 pounds.
The Moon Pod Bean Bag Chair
Best for Small Spaces
Dimensions: 53" x 22" x 22" | Weight: 12 lbs | Cover Material: Polyester | Filling: Microbeads
The Moon Pod has been a standout design in the beanbag lounger world for a while now. It’s easy to see why: With its contoured design, light weight and body-conforming microbeads, it’s an advanced form of bean bag, the kind that fits right into stylish, contemporary spaces.
The key to the Moon Pod is its specialized custom microbead fill. They’re designed to both conform to the user’s body, and support it at the same time, making it stand out against other adult beanbag loungers that emphasize sink-into-it comfort. With the Moon Pod, you can sit up, lean back, or even recline all the way, and still have your body and back supported.
The Moon Pod has a slim design with a narrower cross-section than other beanbag loungers. At about 12 pounds, it’s easy to pick up and move around, It has a removable, washable polyester cover, and there are other cover options including ones for outdoors as well.
How we tested
We tested bean bag loungers in real-world settings and normal use, evaluating them on factors including comfort and support; size and fill quality; cover material and cleaning ease; and durability and longevity. We sat for long periods and noted any discomfort, flattening, noises or other issues. We noted size, weight and portability. We removed, laundered and replaced the cover when possible. We even tested the maximum comfortable load with one or more persons and the occasional pet. Finally, we noted price points and determined value.
Key considerations
Bean bag chairs vs. bean bag loungers
You might be wondering what the difference is between a bean bag chair and a bean bag lounger. To some degree, it’s just semantics and individual manufacturer’s definitions, but there are some key differences to note.
As the name suggests, bean bag loungers are for lounging on, so they must be large enough for a person to sprawl out in a reclined position. Bean bag chairs are often smaller and can be more structured to give you extra support when sitting upright. Bean bag loungers are often large enough to fit multiple people, while bean bag chairs are usually made for just one.
Size
Most people want a bean bag lounger that will completely support them when reclining.
If your chosen lounger is circular, the diameter is the same in both directions. But if your chosen lounger is longer than it is wide, you’ll need to check the width measurement, too. When you want to seat two or three people on the lounger, you’ll need to orient yourselves width-wise rather than length-wise, so the width will make a difference in how much you can recline.
You might also want to check how tall your chosen bean bag lounger is. The taller the lounger, the less you’ll need to lower yourself down to get onto it.
Filling
Bean bags got their name because they were originally filled with dried beans. As you can imagine, a bag full of dried beans isn’t exceptionally comfortable to sit on, so filling options have progressed.
Inexpensive bean bag loungers are usually filled with polystyrene beads, also known as EPS beads. They have enough give in them to feel comfortable to sit on and mold to your shape without digging in. They aren’t biodegradable, however, and these loungers break down and compress over time, so you’ll eventually need to replace them.
Expanded polypropylene (EPP) beads are slightly more costly than EPS beads, but they bounce back to their original shape better and don’t become compressed over time. A bean bag lounger with EPP beads will stay as comfortable as it was on the day you bought it.
Compressed foam, including shredded memory foam, is an alternative filling for bean bag loungers. You get a slightly different feeling than you do from conventional bean bag fillings, but foam is objectively more comfortable. Shredded memory foam molds to your shape easily for hours of comfort. On the other hand, shredded foam fill can be substantially heavier than polystyrene, a factor we discovered firsthand in testing.
More advanced fill options include special beads that use friction to both mold to the body and maintain more upright configurations rather than just spilling willy-nilly inside the bag.
Safety
Bean bag chairs and loungers in the past developed a reputation for risk, especially to small kids. Basically, older bean bags could be opened too easily, allowing kids to access the loose beads or fill. They could eat these beads, or inhale them, or all sorts of other mishaps. Some kids could even get inside the bean bags themselves. When buying a bean bag chair or lounger today, it helps to look for models with double or triple layers, double zippers, and fortified seams. This minimizes the chance of fill getting out, or kids getting in. Nontoxic fill helps too.
Features
Adjustable filling level
Some bean bag loungers have a zipper on both the cover and the inner bag that holds the filling. This allows you to add or remove the filling for optimal comfort. We prefer bean bag loungers that allow you to adjust the filling level, as this also means you can replace the filling if it gets compressed and uncomfortable over the years.
Removable cover
Unless your bean bag lounger is made from a wipe-clean material, it should ideally have a removable cover that is suitable for machine washing. Without this, you’ll find your bean bag lounger getting dirty over time. Removable covers are a boon if you have kids or pets: any problems, and you just take the cover off and toss it in the laundry. We specifically looked for this feature during our testing.
Double-stitching
Quality bean bag loungers should have double-stitching to make them more durable. Since they take the weight of one or more humans, they must be durable enough to last through years of use.
Bean bag lounger prices
Inexpensive
You can find bean bag chairs as low as $40, with loungers starting at around $100 to $150. These tend to be on the smaller side with basic polystyrene EPP bead fill and are best for occasional use.
Mid-range
Between $100 and $250, you’ll find mid-range bean bag loungers. These loungers are usually between five and six feet long. Some extremely durable options can be found at this price point.
Expensive
The biggest, most durable bean bag loungers generally cost between $250 and $400, but you can occasionally find giant loungers that cost as much as $1,000 and up.
Tips
- Check whether your chosen bean bag lounger is fire retardant or meets other relevant fire safety regulations.
- Quality bean bag loungers often come with a warranty that covers manufacturing faults (rather than accidental damage). These range anywhere from year-long to lifetime warranties.
- You can find some waterproof outdoor bean bag loungers, which are perfect for relaxing in your backyard or by the pool.
- Look for bean bag loungers with a double- or triple-layer design to help keep the filling inside even if there’s a tear to the outer layer.
FAQ
Q. Why choose a bean bag lounger over more conventional soft furnishings?
A. Bean bag loungers are ideal for use in bedrooms, game rooms, dens, reading nooks, and other spots where you might want to relax but don’t necessarily want a couch. You can stash a bean bag lounger in the corner of a living room, then move it into the main seating area when you need more seating for guests or you simply want to lounge in front of the TV. It doesn’t need to be an either/or situation with couches and bean bag loungers — many buyers have both in their living rooms.
Q. Can pets lounge on a bean bag lounger, too?
A. While there are specific bean bag pet beds available, you might want to think carefully about letting your pets on any bean bag as they could tear the fabric and let loose an avalanche of “beans.” That said, dogs and cats are lighter than adult humans, so if you’re convinced that your chosen bean bag is durable enough and your pet’s claws are neatly trimmed, it should be fine to snuggle up with your furry friend on your lounger.
Q. How long do bean bag loungers tend to last?
A. That really depends on the overall quality of the bean bag lounger, how often you use it, and how roughly it’s treated. For instance, a bean bag lounger that kids routinely launch themselves onto and bounce around on will last significantly less time than one treated less playfully. It might seem sensible to look for the cheapest bean bag lounger available, but these loungers are often significantly less durable than more expensive models. A basic bean bag lounger might last three to five years, while a high-end option could last you upward of a decade.
