Today’s bean bag chairs come in all sizes and styles, including kid-friendly picks and luxury 6-foot loungers. Their array of cover materials, fillings, and shapes can fit right into a playful basement or a posh living room. There are even outdoor-friendly bean bag chairs that stand up to the elements as a cushy hangout on a patio or poolside. “The questions I am most often asked about our bean bag chairs are what they’re filled with, what fabrics do you use, and is there a warranty,” says Tina Hofer, owner and designer of Luxe Loungers and Modern Bean Bag. From a quality standpoint, Hofer says the best bean bag chairs have seams that are double stitched, can be spot-cleaned or laundered, come with a liner, and are tested to meet child and safety regulations. Many of Hofer’s customers gravitate to bean bag chairs for their more laid back touch and supportive feel, and she says bean bag chairs lend personality and texture to a room. From a supportive seating perspective, Karen Jacobs, a Boston University professor, occupational therapist, and board-certified ergonomist says that bean bag chairs are an alternative place to sit—but haven’t been tested ergonomically. “If someone is going to select a bean bag chair, it should be something more for relaxing than for improving a sitting posture,” she says. “You should try it out, and if you’re going to order one online, be sure that you can return it if it doesn’t fit your needs.” Our top overall pick for the best bean bag chair is Fatboy Original Bean Bag because it’s attractive, durable, and handles lots of love from kids and pets. It comes in a variety of looks that can go from playroom to living room, with the option of adding an ottoman to extend the lounging time. Keep reading to learn about the best bean bag chairs for indoor and outdoor use with tips on picking the right one for you. Keep in Mind: More of an investment than less-expensive options, this version of the Fatboy Bean Bag takes up almost 5 feet of floor space, so make sure you have room for it. (Smaller versions available.) The bean bag chair comes in nine colors, eight stonewash looks, and outdoor-safe fabrics. Want to lounge outside? Go for the outdoor-friendly version. Add a matching pouf or a rocking stand if you want to put your feet up or sit a little higher and set your bean bag chair in motion. Keep in mind that this bean bag chair is on the large side, although smaller versions are available. You’ll also want to plan on refilling the bag with beans you can buy separately when your chair needs a plump up. Price at time of publish: $199 Cover Material: Nylon | Fill: Virgin EPS beads | Care: Spot clean | Product Weight: 15 pounds | Dimensions: 55 x 8 x 71 inches Keep in Mind: You’ll have to purchase additional beans when the filling compresses over time. You can choose from five fabric options, including plush or shag for soft-to-the-touch comfort, and the bean bag will ship to you in packaging that can be repurposed into a cardboard castle following the design printed on the box. The company sells a bean refill kit to revitalize your bean bag once the original beans begin to flatten from extended use. Price at time of publish: From $55 Cover Material: Stain-resistant, water-resistant fabric | Fill: Recyclable polystyrene beans | Care: Spot clean | Product Weight: 4.75 pounds | Dimensions: 30.5 x 28 x 28 inches Keep in Mind: It weighs 75 pounds, so it’s not as easy to move around your space as other picks. The SuperSac has a machine washable cover that comes in over 160 fabric and color options so you’re sure to find one that matches your decor. You can switch the covers out if you want to try phur (faux fur) or velvet, or go more custom with denim, tweed, or linen options. At 75 pounds, the SuperSace will take some muscle to move around, so it’s best if two people remove or swap its cover. If the 5-foot option doesn’t suit your space, Lovesac offers bean bags in six sizes, including a Gamesac option for smaller spaces and TheBig One for extra-large family rooms. You can also add a footrest to your order. Your Lovesac chair will come with a 60-day home trial to test the bean bag out in your space; if you don’t like it, you can send it back. The insert is also covered with a lifetime guarantee, so you won’t have to replace compressed filler like you do with other bean bag chairs—one of the reasons we named this pick the best bean bag chair to splurge on. Price at time of publish: From $1,060 Cover Material: 13 options, including linen, slub linen, weave, crossweave, velvet, twill, tweed, polylinen, faux fur, microsuede, jacquard, denim and chenille | Fill: Three-density Durafoam | Care: Machine-washable cover | Product Weight: 75 pounds | Dimensions: 60 x 60 x 46 inches Keep in Mind: These are designed to fit kids and teens (depending on the size selected); adults will want more substantial seating. A sewn-in ergonomic handle lets kids port their bean bag from one room to another on their own, and the bag’s foam filling contours to a child’s body to support them as they kick back or game with friends. Bonus: The teen bean bag size comes with a matching pillow. Price at time of publish: From $125 Cover Material: Performance fabric made from recycled plastic bottles | Kids Size Fill: Blend of upcycled, CertiPUR-US-certified foam and recycled polyester gel fiber fill | Teens Size Fill: Global Recycled Standard Certified (GRS) recycled polyester fiber fill | Care: Removable, machine-washable cover | Product Weight: 19.6 pounds (kids size), 21.9 pounds (teens size) | Dimensions: 27 x 27 inches (kids), 42 x 42 inches (teens) Keep in Mind: Plan on breaking up some of the foam filling with your hands to fluff the chair up. It may require additional filling for the ultimate in plumpness. You can choose from three different fabrics: microsuede (14 color options), pebble (five color options) and ultrafur (a faux fur fabric that comes in five color options). Chill Sacs can work in living rooms as well as family spaces. The covers are machine washable and feature double-stitched seams and premium zippers that up their durability. This chair arrives compressed and requires 24 hours to decompress, along with you manually massaging the foam, before it’s ready to go. Price at time of publish: From $155 Cover Material: Microfiber | Fill: Shredded memory foam blend | Care: Machine washable cover | Product Weight: 55 pounds | Dimensions: 60 x 60 x 34 inches Keep in Mind: It can be tricky to get out of this seat, and the beans may make a rustling sound when you reposition yourself. The machine washable cover is double layered for softness and stretch and is designed to hold up to use by humans and pets alike. Plus, you can pick from 12 vibrant colors that can be changed out when you want a new look. Pull on the sewn-in handle to easily transport the PodX where you want it. Price at time of publish: $219 Cover Material: Cotton-spandex blend | Fill: EPS beads | Care: Machine washable cover | Product Weight: 16 lbs | Dimensions: 32 x 32 x 32 inches Keep in Mind: Leather will naturally vary in grain, texture, and color. The bean bag’s cover can be spot cleaned, and it comes with a child-safe zipper. The genuine leather Pear bean bag chair is available in four colors—tobacco, tan, black, and chocolate—and the vegan leather Pear bean bag lounger comes in black or white. Keep in mind that the leather version may vary in grain and texture since it’s a natural material. Price at time of publish: $1,299 Cover Material: Genuine leather | Fill: Foam blend | Care: Spot clean | Product Weight: 25 pounds | Dimensions: 42 x 38 x 42 inches Keep in Mind: Putting the cover on is easier for two people. At 12 pounds, the Mood Pod is easy to move around and can be stored vertically. It comes in five calming colors, including a soft pink, navy, gray, light blue, and charcoal, and you can also accessorize your chair with a matching Lunar Lift ottoman or Crescent pillow for additional comfort. The outer shell is washable, but you may need a second person to help you get it back on the chair. Price at time of publish: $299 Cover Material: Spandex and polyester | Fill: High-density, high-friction EPS beads | Care: Machine washable cover | Product Weight: 12 pounds | Dimensions: Amorphous shape, around 4 square feet Keep in Mind: You may find your darling fur friend has moved in and taken your spot. Its round, scrunchy shape is fun for teens—but taller adults may find it too cozy. It’s easier to put the cover over the insert with two people. The ivory color may require a bit more spot cleaning than darker covers. While we love the soothing color of ivory, it is prone to showing staines. Thankfully, the extra-soft removable cover can be spot cleaned with a damp cloth or taken off and washed on cold using your washing machine’s gentle cycle. You may want to grab a buddy to put the cover back on, though, since it can be a difficult task for one person. Both the cover and the insert are made with recycled materials and are GreenGuard Gold certified to meet low-VOC emission standards. Price at time of publish: $259 Cover Material: Recycled polyester | Fill: Polystyrene beads, which include up to 50% recycled polystyrene material | Care: Machine washable cover | Dimensions: 36 inches diameter (also available in a larger 41-inch diameter size) Keep in Mind: This seat can feel too compact for taller gamers. Five of the seven two-tone cover colors are vibrant—and a better fit for family or kid-oriented spaces—although there are two neutral colors as well. The soft vinyl seat and denim sides can be wiped clean using soap and water if you spill your snacks, and the cover is removable for spot cleaning or swapping out for a new hue. Price at time of publish: $225 Cover Material: Vinyl and denim | Fill: Virgin polystyrene beads | Care: Spot clean | Product Weight: 12 pounds | Dimensions: 36 x 28 x 30 inches Keep In Mind: The cover is not removable and is spot-clean only. The bean bag’s fill is made from 65% recycled material and is GreenGuard Gold Certified to meet lower VOC emissions and healthier indoor air standards. The vegan leather cover looks and feels like genuine leather—without the high cost. Keep in mind that the cover isn’t removable and is spot-clean only, so you’ll want to be careful when eating and drinking. This bean bag arrives ready for lounging right out of the box, so you won’t need to wait for it to decompress. Price at time of publish: $299 Cover Material: Vegan leather (polyester and polyurethane) | Fill: Polystyrene beads | Care: Spot clean | Product Weight: Not listed | Dimensions: 28 x 28 x 22 inches (small), 33 x 30 x 23 inches (large) Keep in Mind: These chairs are more compact, so you will want to check the dimensions to ensure it will be a comfortable fit. Consider pairing the beanbag chair with the matching Jaxx Leon ottoman for more reclining options. This curvy bean bag chair’s cover is machine washable, and its EPS bead filling conforms to your body while reclining. The chair is available in a playful stripe as well as solid colors. Price at time of publish: $199 Cover Material: Sunfield woven acrylic fabric | Fill: Polystyrene beads | Care: Machine washable cover | Product Weight: 15 pounds | Dimensions: 26 x 28 x 35 inches Keep in Mind: At 41 pounds, it takes some effort to move this bean bag chair around. Keep in mind that this bean bag chair is heavier than some at 41 pounds, so it will take a bit of muscle to move it from room to room. Price at time of publish: $259 Cover Material: Faux fur | Fill: Shredded memory foam | Care: Machine washable cover | Product Weight: 41 pounds | Dimensions: 60 x 60 x 36 inches

What to Know About Bean Bag Chairs Before Shopping

Size

Bean bag chairs come in all sizes—some are much larger than expected while others may feel smaller. When choosing the best bean bag chair for your home, it is key to confirm the bean bag chair’s measurements will fit your body comfortably as well as your space since returning one can be a hassle. Bean bags featuring foam filler will usually arrive compressed in a compact shape and will typically expand to their full size in three to five days. Open the compressed bean bag chair’s box in the room you want it in since bean bags can be tricky to move through doorways or up or down stairs once they expand to their full size.

Weight

Because bean bag chairs feature different types of filling and covers, the products’ weight varies greatly. Chairs filled with lighter beans tend to be more portable than foam-filled versions. If you want to easily move a chair from room to room, check its weight and for a sewn-in handle for portability. A handle also makes it easier to flip some chairs over to refluff. If you’re concerned about a chair flipping over easily or losing its shape faster, look for a heavier bean bag chair. The bean bag chair’s weight may also impact shipping costs. Check into any potential shipping costs before hitting buy. Some companies offer free shipping if you can pick the bean bag chair up at a local retailer.

Fill Type

There are two widely used fillers for bean bag chairs: Expanded polystyrene beads (EPS): This is the most common option because these beads are lightweight and retain their shape to provide support—but they are non-biodegradable. Some manufacturers include beads that are made from recyclable materials like plastic water bottles for a more sustainable filler. Virgin beads tend to have more bounce and support. Beans or beads are more readily available and offer a more traditional bean bag sitting experience. All beads will compress over time, creating a sinking-to-the-bottom feeling—verify you can refill the insert when more support is needed. If you can, determine where you can buy refill material, what it costs (refills can get pricey), and how easy and how often you need to refill. Compressed foam: This memory foam-type material is typically shredded and conforms to the shape of your body for extra support. Foam can be quieter and more supportive than beads, but it’s usually a pricier insert and can feel too firm and not snuggly enough to some. Foam-filled bean bag chairs are compressed when mailed and will require two to five days to fully open. Plan to roll them around to help break up the filling. Keep in mind that they can give off a plastic-like smell as they decompress. Verify that a beanbag is safe for pets and small children. Some beads are poisonous if ingested, and bean bag chairs can be a suffocation hazard for small children if they’re too deep or if the bag can roll over on top of them.

Cover Material

Bean bag chair covers come in a variety of materials, including outdoor-friendly and performance fabrics, cotton and polyester blends, and faux leather and genuine leather options. When selecting a cover, request a fabric sample beforehand to see how the fabric feels and its true coloration before ordering. Genuine leathers, as a natural product, will vary in coloration and texture. Most quality bean bags feature an insert that a separate cover slips over and zips closed around like a shell. For a longer-lasting cover, check for reinforced seams and sturdy zippers. You don’t want the filling to spill out through a broken seam or have a broken zipper that gets caught in the cover or snags hair. Hofer says some bean bag chairs come with a safety zipper, which doesn’t come with a tab and requires a paperclip to unzip it. “That keeps kids from crawling inside the bag,” she says.

Cleaning and Care

Care will vary by what material the bean bag chair’s cover is made out of. It’s key to read about the cover’s washability and read reviews about how easy it was to care for the material based on past customers’ experiences. Most bean bag chairs’ covers can be spot cleaned with a damp cloth, warm water, and a gentle soap. Some covers can be removed and put into the washing machine. Others can be taken off and then spot or dry cleaned. Also check into the warranty and the return policy since improper care can void the warranty.

Your Questions, Answered

How should you sit in a bean bag chair?

For bean bag chairs filled with beads, use your hands to push into the center of the bean bag chair to create a nest of support, like making a well in a batter mixture, then quickly sit down before too many beads move. Look for a refillable bean bag chair so you can add beans when the chair sinks too much. For foam filling, regularly roll and knead the bean bag chair to ensure a broken-in feel that’s easier to sink into.

How do you clean a bean bag chair?

Most bean bag covers can be spot cleaned following the manufacturer’s instructions. If your bean bag will see lots of use, especially as a place to snack or as a pet’s favorite place to curl up, look for one that comes with a machine washable cover.

Can I sleep on a bean bag?

Taking a snooze in a bean bag chair can feel great since your weight is distributed more evenly than a traditional chair. But it’s important to take precautions: Toddlers and small children shouldn’t nap or sleep on a bean bag chair to avoid potential suffocation. (Babies should never be placed on a bean bag chair for the same reason.) Adults with balance or joint issues and pregnant women may find it too difficult to get in and out of a bean bag chair that sits low to the ground.

Who We Are

Samantha S. Thorpe is a freelance home and garden editor writing about home design, decorating and organizing tips, gardening how-to, and entertaining know-how. To find the best bean bag chairs, she researched how bean bag chairs are made, what buymanship factors people should weigh when purchasing a bean bag chair, and how to select from the wide array of material and size options to make the best purchase. She also talked with Tina Hofer, owner and designer of Luxe Loungers and Modern Bean Bag, and Karen Jacobs, a Boston University professor, occupational therapist, and board-certified ergonomist.