Best Indoor and Outdoor Lounge Chairs – Buyer’s Guide

For outdoor lounge chairs, they must constantly contend with the elements, rain or shine both of which can damage in equal measure. As such, these lounge chairs should be durable and treated to withstand different elements. On the other hand, for indoor lounge chairs, your primary consideration should be the comfort so long as it meets the minimum physical requirements that you may have. You may also wish to consider the design of the lounge chair.

Best Lounge Chairs 2021

Still, figuring out which lounge chairs are the best indoor and outdoor lounge chairs can be a difficult and confusing task. That is why we have put together a list of the 5 best lounge chairs both indoor and outdoor highlighting what each one does best. Then we provide a helpful buyer’s guide, so you can find the right lounge chair to suit your needs.

1. Keter Pacific 2-Pack – Editor’s Choice Outdoor Lounge Chair

Keter is definitely a unique brand on our list in that it does not even remotely specialize in lounge chairs specifically or furniture in general. Instead, Keter is known for its plastics and uses those plastics to make a multitude of products. While the product may not always necessarily be the most optimally ergonomically designed product, it is at the same time usually one of the most durable and well-made within its market. That said, Keter actually manages to succeed with the “less is more philosophy” by producing an outdoor lounge chair that is not only functional but designed with you in mind.

Convenient Design

Durable Materials

Still, while the convenience of the Keter outdoor lounge chairs may give you the nudge in a tight race, that only matters if the Keter can check off the necessary boxes as a great product all-around. Thankfully, this is where Keter shines the most. These chairs are actually solid pieces of molded polypropylene which makes them waterproof though you will need to supply your own cushions if desired. Regardless, this material has been treated for UV protection and can support a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds which is fairly impressive for an outdoor lounge chair and is the general standard for larger, sturdier indoor lounge chairs.

2. MAGIC UNION Patio – Best Budget Outdoor Lounge Chair

To say that Magic Union is a young company would be an understatement. Having been registered sometime last year, Magic Union is an incredibly ambitious company that utilizes an only online format to save on overhead costs, so they can pass those savings on to their customers. As such, this is easily the best budget outdoor lounge chair on our list, but this lounge chair is not too terribly off from being the editor’s choice as well with a number of desirable features.

Build Quality

While the Magic Union may find some frustrations in specific situations, it is still generally a well-made product. For instance, not only is this one of the less expensive lounge chairs on our list, it is even better since you get 2 chairs.
Also, while the maximum weight capacity is not known, it has been reportedly safe for over 250 pounds. This is likely due to the fact that the polyethylene frame is actually reinforced with metal to provide a fairly sturdy and durable set of outdoor lounge chairs. On top of that, the Magic Union outdoor lounge chair also comes with waterproof cushions that are over 2”.

Smart and Convenient

While the Magic Union may not necessarily be able to truly compete with outdoor lounge chairs that are made out of single pieces rather than multiple layers in the cleanliness department, this is still a fairly light chair that can be easily moved depending on your needs. Also, while this outdoor lounge chair may require a bit more assembly than those made out of single pieces, the assembly for the Magic Union lounge chairs is notedly straightforward. In terms of cleaning, while this is a bit more time-consuming, it should not require significantly more effort since all of the material is able to resist water.

3. Coaster Home Furnishings – Most Styled Indoor Lounge Chair

Coaster Home Furnishings is a company that does not specialize in seating furniture let alone lounge furniture, but they do at least specialize in furniture and have a long history of producing excellent quality products. That said, when you are choosing an indoor lounge chair, part of the purpose of doing so almost has to be style. With space always at a premium, the choice of a larger piece of furniture that seat fewer but does so more comfortably simply does not allow for genuine efficiency which leaves style.

Luxurious Design

The Coaster Home Furnishings not only features a number of different design qualities to increase its aesthetic appeal, it also features the widest selection of different designs on our list to choose from with 5. These 5 designs also feature different choices of upholstery with polyurethane faux leather or padded velvet. Still, the aesthetic touches also present plenty of value to fit in your home. For instance, this chair features metal feet which are not only durable but neutral. Finally, this indoor lounge chair utilizes double row contrast stitching to give a textured, contemporary look to the design.

Outstanding Comfort

4. Emerald Home Hutton II – Editor’s Choice Indoor Lounge Chair

Emerald Home may not be the most well-known brand in furniture, but they actually have a long history in the market and put forth many well-made products. This is another company that makes and sells furniture wholesale occasionally to companies that merely rebrand it. Though the company does not specialize in seating specifically, they do specialize in manufacturing furniture for all rooms of a residential home. Beyond simply ensuring that their customers receive products of exceptional quality, they go the extra mile to make sure they get one with style as well.

Stylish and Detailed

Though this product will not go down as the most styled on our list, it very well could have. The attention to detail is apparent as the Emerald Home Hutton II has numerous features that are all designed to serve a purely aesthetic purpose. For instance, whether you opt for the light or dark lounge chair, both come with appropriately finished metal accents that run the full length of the lounge chair.

Similarly, the cushion of this lounge chair is button-tufted to complement the metal accents that provide a bridge between the antiquated and the contemporary hybrid this lounge chair presents. On top of that, this lounge chair features a scroll-style curl for the ends at the head and feet that are held aloft by solid hardwood tapered legs.

Quality with Attention to Details

5. Merax Fabric Chaise – Best Budget Indoor Lounge Chair

Merax is another company that has eschewed the traditional approach by stocking their merchandise in old-school brick-and-mortar storefronts. Instead, Merax uses an only online approach that to ensure that they can offer top-quality products at prices their competitors simply cannot match. Not only does that make the Merax the best budget indoor lounge chair, but this is actually the least expensive lounge chair on our list. That said, this lounge chair still presents with plenty of benefits that either rival their competitors or are not far from that point.

Clever and Durable

Comfort

When it comes to the comfort of the Merax, this is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, this it comes with sinuous springs so you do not have to worry either about the tension and support lessening nor do you have to worry about them being too terribly stiff either. On top of that, this lounge chair comes with a lumbar support pillow and features an ergonomic design.

That said, this indoor lounge chair is one of the more upright, so you will likely need the lumbar support pillow and more if you want to sit in any kind of position the resembles reclining. To make matters worse, while the polyurethane is durable and incredibly resistant to different liquids, it does not offer much in the way of ventilation should it be in a warmer location.

Best Lounge Chairs – Buyer’s Guide

It is important to remember that when judging lounge chairs, the materials are not only vitally important to the overall quality of the product but will differ depending on the intended settings of the lounge chair. For instance, a lounge chair that is designed to be placed and used outdoors will require a very different mix of materials in order to ensure that it can withstand the elements than would an indoor lounge chair.

Materials

Beyond the setting, the materials will often also provide plenty of insight towards how well the lounge chair can hold up to extended use. Finally, the materials can serve as a status symbol, providing both prestige as well as aesthetic touches to go with or clash with the rest of your interior or patio design.

Polypropylene – The first of our plastics, polypropylene has some qualities that distinguish from the others though none of the plastics are too terribly different from one another when compared to a non-plastic. Still, polypropylene can be turned into a resin, which means that this type of plastic is moldable as opposed to merely being cast or spun into fibers. This allows polypropylene to be shaped in a number of arrangements that other types of plastic may not be able to replicate. As such, polypropylene is one of the preferred plastics for outdoor lounge furniture specifically because it can be styled far more than the other plastics while still retaining their other integral benefits.

Polyethylene – The next plastic on our list, polyethylene is definitely the middle child in terms of both its features and the specific value that plastic can provide outdoor lounge furniture. First, polyethylene is stronger the polypropylene but not quite as strong as certain types of polyurethane. Still, for a plastic that is incredibly resilient as well as flexible as polyethylene can be, it is no wonder that it is one of the most commonly used plastics for outdoor lounge furniture.

In fact, polyethylene even has other benefits beyond the ones that are simply part of being a polymer plastic. For example, the low conductivity the polyethylene transmits means that you will not have to worry quite as much about outdoor lounge furniture seeming to attract dust like other materials may.

Polyester – In terms of synthetic fabrics, this one is the most common to find on indoor lounge furniture. In fairness, polyester can actually be pre-treated and spun in a myriad of fashions, so there genuinely is a good chance that one of its perturbations will strike you as just what you are looking for.

That said, arguably the best reason to use polyester for indoor lounge furniture is due to its durability. If you were to spill something on a cotton or other natural fiber lounge chair, you would very likely need to have it professionally cleaned. However, polyester is naturally stain resistant as well as water resistant in general. On top of that, this material is actually stronger than plenty of other natural fibers.

Composite Wood – This is the first material that can be said to be organic, though some people beg to differ considering how it is processed. Essentially, composite wood, of which there are numerous different types, is the pulp and dust left over from either recycled wood or wood during a manufacturing process.

That leftover wood is then treated and mixed with an adhesive, and the result is surprisingly strong while still retaining many of the more desirable qualities that people appreciate in solid wood. That said, composite woods are by far an inferior material to virtually all hardwoods and most softwoods assuming the wood is of good quality. Moreover, composite wood should likely not be used for outdoor lounge furniture as it does respond well to moisture.

Softwood – Surprisingly enough, there is not more softwood used for lounge furniture. This may be because lounge furniture is a bit of a niche market on its own, but it is likely due to the fact that there is no real target consumer who wants to pay more for a modest boost in performance. This is largely due to the fact that composite woods can be made to be nearly every bit as durable as softwoods, and when placed in a controlled environment, can serve every bit as well for a far more reasonable cost. That said, softwood is not without its own merit. Whereas the highest grades of composite wood can be nearly as hard as any softwood, there are still high-end qualities of softwood which can bridge the gap between softwood and hardwood.

Hardwood – This is by far one of the most durable and sought after materials used in lounge furniture though it is used far more often for indoor lounge furniture than outdoor. In terms of its qualities, it is stronger than all the other materials except for metal but is far more easy to treat than metal. Of course, hardwood is a bit of a prestige material at this point in a large part because it has a number of negative qualities as well.

For instance, this is likely the heaviest material on our list. For a product that is designed to be used and, more importantly, moved as a single piece, weight can make that either difficult or expensive. Also, while hardwood is incredibly durable, it too will show signs of wear if used for outdoor lounge furniture. And of course, as with all prestige purchases, you can expect to pay significantly more for a piece of hardwood lounge furniture than furniture made out of any other material.

Metal – This is a material that is not used for lounge furniture as much as you might think. Though, when actually do think about it, it makes sense: metal is not that forgiving. As such, it should surprise no one that metal is primarily used as a frame material almost explicitly for outdoor lounge furniture. This is a bit of a shame as it is an incredibly versatile material that satisfies the majority of needs with lounge furniture. For outdoor use, you need to make sure that the metal used is either treated to resist rust and corrosion or is a metal that naturally has those properties like aluminum. Still, the fact that this material is technically the strongest on our list and is also lighter than many different types of wood, it would be nice to see its integration into indoor lounge furniture frames.

Conclusion

As we can see, both the setting and your personal taste will ensure that no lounge chair whether indoor or outdoor will satisfy everyone to be the best lounge chair. Instead, it is a better idea to figure out what specifically speaks to you while also weighing the differences in construction and build quality. On top of that, the differences between what makes a great indoor lounge chair compared to a great outdoor lounge chair are like night and day. That said, there are two clear winners on our list.

If you are looking for an indoor lounge chair, then we recommend the Emerald Home Hutton II. The attention to detail paid to the style of this chair alone is enough to purchase it, but the fact that it is also made out of incredibly durable materials and provides a weight capacity of 300 pounds simply pushes it over the top not to mention the accent pillow included with the chair.

On the other hand, if you are looking for outdoor lounge chairs, then your two main priorities should be durability and ease of maintenance. Most outdoor lounge chairs provide a reasonable level of comfort, but few are comfortable for all people. That said, the Keter does feature a scoop back design with a neutral rattan finish which comes close that any other outdoor lounge that we saw. When you consider that these outdoor lounge chairs can be folded and stacked for storage while still having a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds, the choice is fairly straightforward.