The Best Outdoor Bean Bags for 2020

You’ll no doubt associate bean bags with being comfortable and fun. And yes they’re definitely comfortable and fun but choose the right one and you’ll transform your patio or another outdoor area into a stylish and contemporary outdoor space.

You’ll be surprised how beautiful they can look and that’s something you just wouldn’t expect from a big bag of beans.

They’re practical too. You see, unlike the indoor ones that are nowadays filled shredded foam or indeed, the outdoor cushioned seats that you find on traditional patio furniture, these outdoors bean bags are filled with virgin polystyrene beads.

So they’re light to pick up and move around. And you don’t have to worry that any moisture might get inside because they’ll dry out in no time.

That said, the ones we have featured here are specifically made for outdoor use and we’ve carefully chosen only those with the most durable, weatherproof and UV resistant fabric covers.

Our Top Picks for The Best Outdoor Bean Bags

Bean bags are so much more comfortable than standard patio furniture. Let’s dive straight in and take a look at the best ones out there.

Click below to jump to each topic:

• The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Traditional Style – Sunbrella*
• The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Large 2 Seat – Sunbrella*
• The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Ottoman Style – Sunbrella*
• The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Patio Set
• The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Pillow Style – Sunbrella*
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Our Top Alt Picks
• Fill Your Own Bean Bag Ideas

The Best Outdoor Bean Bag:
Jaxx Sunbrella Kiss Bean Bag Chair 

This bean bag is about as traditional in shape as you can get. But there’s nothing out-dated about its appearance. It’s got a retro/ultra-modern vibe to it, but it’s also very classy and that’s what makes this one stand out by a mile.

The design is very minimalist. But that doesn’t mean it’s not cuddly!

…It’s super comfortable and its no shape-shape is particularly moldable. You can basically sit in the most comfortable position for you and it’ll mold around you.

As we mentioned in the intro, unlike most indoor beanbags, which are these days more often filled with foam, the best outdoor ones are filled with beads.

Though you can buy foam-filled outdoor bean bags, they’re naturally much heavier and so difficult to move around. Which bean bag chair is the best? Though you can buy foam-filled outdoor bean bags, they’re naturally much heavier and so difficult to move around.

You’d have to be absolutely confident that no moisture could get in as they’d take forever to dry out or else, you’d have to bring them in when it rains.

That means having somewhere to store them. I wouldn’t recommend you get one of those unless you live in a particularly hot dry climate.

But even then, beans will feel much cooler to sit on because unlike the foam-filled ones, they won’t hold on to the heat.

Beans are more supportive than foam too. Once you’ve made yourself comfortable, you’ll find they’ll actually support you and hold you in place.

One of the best things about this bean bag is that it’s made from Sunbrella fabric. If you’ve read my outdoor chaise lounge guide you’ll know just how amazing this fabric is and you can just skip this next bit.

But if you haven’t, be prepared to be impressed:

What this means is, whichever of the six color options you go for – even if it’s the sunny, bright orange you see in the picture to the left – you won’t end up with a tired, faded, dirty looking bean bag after just one season.

It will keep its crisp, vibrant color, year after year.

Another design feature that makes this chair stand out from the rest is the handy carry-strap.

This makes it very easy to pick the bag up and move it around. It’s particularly handy for moving the bean bag in or out of the shade.

But the strap also has a charm of its own. You could say this a good example of form following function.

What We Like:

• Sophisticated High-End Design – It has a retro/ultra-modern look but it’s also so much more high-end looking than you’d expect from a bean bag.
• Portable – The carry-handle, which has been cleverly incorporated into the design, makes this bean bag super easy to pick up and throw around. This is handy because it makes it very easy to move it in or out of the shade.
• Sunbrella Fabric – It’s not just the best weather-resistant fabric you can get in terms of performance. It also looks good too. It’s not plastic looking in any way. It just looks like normal good quality upholstery fabric.
• 1-year Warranty – Jaxx is a US company and you get a one – warranty for peace of mind.

Things to Consider:

• Shape – There’s really no downside to the quality of this bean bag. It’s the best one out there and that’s why it’s our top choice, but depending on how you want to use it, you may like to consider some of our other picks below which have different shapes.

Weight: 12 lbs
Dimensions: 40 x 40 x 28 inches

Click below to view price and color options:
Jaxx Sunbrella Kiss Bean Bag Chair

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The Best Large Outdoor Bean Bag:
Jaxx Lavista Outdoor Bean Bag Loveseat

This pick would look just as good inside as it does around a pool, patio, or whatever outdoor space you want to put it. It’s more of a high-end looking piece of contemporary furniture than you’d expect to get from a bean bag.

Yet you still get all the comfort and cuddliness that a bean bag has to offer.

It’s basically a different version of our top pick. But it’s way bigger. It will easily seat two adults or just you if you’re selfish and don’t want to share.

The main difference between this one and the one we have just looked at is that this one has a definite sofa shape to it.

So, of course, it isn’t moldable but that doesn’t mean it won’t mold to you.

And that’s the best reason to go for a bean bag over regular patio furniture which often doesn’t seem to have been designed with comfort in mind.

Ridiculous when you think about it, considering when you sit in your garden, all you want is to sit somewhere comfortable so you can relax.

Like our top pick above, this one has a Sunbrella fabric cover. Skip this next bit if you already know how amazingly good this fabric is.

The thing that’s most impressive about Sumbrella fabric is that it’s not just the best weather-resistant fabric you can get. It also looks good too – just like normal good quality upholstery fabric.

As you can see in the swatch to the left, there’s nothing nylony or utility looking about it.

And that’s not all, you can also buy a separate matching ottoman for whatever color option you choose.

This means you can put your feet up or simply use it to put your book on or magazine or whatever.

You’ll get an idea of the size and how it would look from the top photo above.

If you go for an ottoman too, it will give you a matching set which will complement the overall look, …and it’ll make your life so much easier than trying to hunt down a side table to match in with the style.

And that’s the difference here. You will be buying a bean bag from a US company that just specializes in well-designed, high-quality bean bags.

That means you won’t just be getting a bean bag, you’ll be getting a stylish high-end piece of contemporary outdoor or indoor furniture.

What We Like:

• Sophisticated High-End Design – It will look just as good in your sunroom as it does outdoors. It’s more of a high-end looking piece of contemporary furniture than you’d expect to get from a bean bag.
• Sunbrella Fabric – It’s not just the best weather-resistant fabric you can get in terms of performance. It also looks good too. It’s not plastic looking in any way. It just looks like normal good quality upholstery fabric.
• Matching Ottomans Available – A matching ottoman will complete and complement the overall look and make your life so much easier than trying to hunt down a side table to go with it.
• 1-year Warranty – Jaxx is a US company and you get a one – warranty for peace of mind.

Things to Consider:

• Low Profile Design – There is really no downside to this bean bag in terms of quality. This chair is designed to be slouched on so neither the seat or the back are as high as a regular couch. But that doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable.

Dimensions of main chair: 51.2 x 36.5 x 27.5 inches
14” seat height.

Dimensions of ottoman: 17 x 21 x 21 inches
17″ seat height if you sit on it.

Click below to view price and color options:

• Jaxx Lavista Outdoor Bean Bag Loveseat
• Jaxx Spring Outdoor Ottoman

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The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Ottoman:
Fatboy Pupillow Outdoor Bean Bag

Our next choice has a more casual, laid-back vibe to it.

Its big, chunky, modern look will definitely transform any plain decking area into a bight and comfortable space to chill. But it’ll look equally good alongside your existing patio furniture too.

And that’s because it’s an ottoman style bean bag. So you can sit on it and maybe share it with a friend, use it as a table to put your stuff on, or simply put your feet up on it to relax.

There’s a good reason why the Fatboy has such an individual look to it, and that’s because Fatboy bean bags are a true piece of designer furniture:

The Original Fatboy was designed by Jukka Setälä – an award-winning Finnish interior architect who has been teaching furniture design at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki since 1999.

…And this shows in the extra attention to detail that other bean bags in this style just don’t have.

You see this ottoman style bean bag comes complete with a matching Fatboy Pupillow. You can see how it looks in the photo to the right.

It gives you something to lean against and adds to the overall comfort and charm of the ottoman.

But this bean bag isn’t just all about the look. You see it also has a Subrella fabric cover too.

Skip this next bit if you already know how amazingly good this fabric is.

And it’s the Sunbrella fabric cover on this bean bag that makes it suitable for outdoor use.

Because this bean bag is only part bean. The other part is beanless.

By this I mean it has an ESP bead and foam flakes filling. That’s great for your comfort but it also means you can’t really leave it out if it rains just in case any moisture gets through.

But you can easily just bring the cushion inside and continue chilling if you have space for it.

And that’s because, although foam weighs a lot more than the beads, this one isn’t as heavy as the regular indoor foam-filled ones out there.

If you compare it with a Cosy Sack 4 ft indoor one, for example, which weighs 42lbs, this one weighs only 27lbs for around the same size.

And that brings me to the last couple of details that make the design of this one so good.

It has an extra tough liner on the bottom to add to the bean bag’s durability and longevity. So you don’t need to worry about dragging it around by that handy strap. After all, that’s what it’s there for.

What We Like:

• Design – This large ottoman is very versatile in than you can sit on it and maybe share it with a friend, use it as a table to put your stuff on, or simply put your feet up on it to relax.
• Filling – Though there are downsides to the ESP bead and foam flakes mix filling, you do get the best of both worlds in that it’s super comfortable and soft but not so heavy as the all-foam filled indoor ones.
• Carry-Handle – This may seem like a small detail but can you imagine how awkward it would be moving it around without one? The handle makes it easy to just drag it to where you want it. The ottoman is pretty lightweight too.
• Sunbrella Fabric – It’s the best weather-resistant fabric you can get in terms of performance and it looks good too. It’s not plastic looking in any way. It just looks like normal good quality upholstery fabric. And it’s the cover on this bean bag that makes it suitable for outdoor use.
• Removable Washable Cover – The cover can be washed in 30ºC and it irons well too.

Things to Consider:

• Not Totally Weatherproof – The ESP bead and foam flakes filling is great for your comfort but it also means you can’t really leave it out if it rains – just in case any moisture gets through. You’ll need to have somewhere to store it when it’s not in use.

Dimensions: Diameter: 47.2″ Seat height 12″
weight: 27lbs

Click below to view price and color options:

• Fatboy Pupillow Outdoor Bean Bag

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The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Set:
Jaxx Ponce Outdoor Bean Bag Lounge Chair & Leon Ottoman Set

This chair and ottoman set is a fabulous alternative to traditional patio furniture.

What we love about this pick, is that it’s the easiest way to transform your patio into an attractive and informal seating area, for socializing or just to relax with family and friends.

And you can create your own look.

You see, you can choose whether to go for any number of the complete sets, which will consist of one chair and one ottoman, or you can choose to have more chairs and maybe just one or two ottomans.

And that’s because the chairs and ottomans can be bought separately.

But that’s the thing: though a set could save you a little money there’s really not much in it.

And that means you can afford to mix things up a bit if you want and add a different ottoman design like this one, shown to the right.

And of course, you can match or contrast your colors too – there are several color options to choose from.

Though the covers on this set aren’t in that trademark Sunbrella fabric they do have Sunfield covers.

Sunfield say their fabrics are made from 100% solution-dyed acrylic fibers so it’s a pretty close approximation to Sunbrella fabric. That means the covers are fade, mold, UV, and weather-resistant.

What We Like:

• Removable Washable Covers – The covers are fade, mold, UV, and weather-resistant but it’s good to know they’re also removable and washable too.
• Perfect Alternative to Uncomfortable Patio Funiture – This set is fantastic for mixing and matching. You can buy individual pieces to make up your own custom set. And don’t forget these bean bag chairs are also much more comfortable than a standard patio set you can buy.
• 1-year Warranty – Jaxx is a US company and you get a one – warranty for peace of mind.

Things to Consider:

• Low Seat – The important thing to remember here is that these chairs are designed to sit closer to the ground. They’re made for slouching on. This means it’ll take a little more effort to get up from one. But then again why would you want to anyway, when you could just doze off instead?
• Low Back – They are not going to come up past your shoulders unless you are little, so they won’t offer head support. But then again neither do most regular chairs.

Dimensions: Ponce Bean Bag 35″L x 26″W x 28″H

Click below to view price and color options:

• Jaxx Ponce Outdoor Bean Bag Lounge Chair & Leon Ottoman Set
• Jaxx Ponce Outdoor Bean Bag Chair
• Jaxx Leon Outdoor Bean Bag Ottoman
• Jaxx Luckie Outdoor Patio Bean Bag Ottoman

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The Best Outdoor Bean Bag Pillow:
The Fatboy Outdoor Original Bean Bag

This last pick is a perfect example of minimalist design. And it’s fabulous.

It’s our second pick from the Fatboy range.

As we’ve already mentioned:

The Original Fatboy was designed by Jukka Setälä – an award-winning Finnish interior architect.

…And you could say, that’s what gives it its distinctive look. This is a real designer piece of furniture, not a standard bean bag.

Like our ottoman Fatboy choice, the cover is made from Sunbrella fabric.

And here’s the bit you can skip, if you already know how fantastic this fabric is.

But that’s where the similarities between our two picks end.

Unlike the ottoman Fatboy we’ve already looked at, this bean bag is filled with just beans: virgin polystyrene beads to be precise.

That means a sudden downpour isn’t going to phase it. So it’s a more realistic, weather-resistant option than the ottoman featured above. This means you won’t have to rush out and bring it in if it rains.

The rectangular shape of the Original Fatboy outdoor bean bag is so different from a traditional bean bag shape.

But it’s just as moldable, and because you can position it in more ways than the traditional blob shape, you effectively get several different bean bags in one.

For example, you can see in the photos below, which shows the indoor version, of this bean bag, that you can place it flat on the floor to lie on, upright to make a chair, or even lay it on its side as pictured below.

You’re pretty much limited by your own imagination.

It’s such a simple design, but it’s completely ergonomic and it’s big!

It’s really big.

I’ve already posted a guide to indoor bean bag couches and this one could qualify as an outdoor couch.

At 5.8ft tall, that’s the same height as me!

But you should know that these bean bags are designed not to be filled to the top, or you wouldn’t be able to fold/mold them into so many different positions.

That means they won’t look too imposing as you can only really gauge their true size when they’re lying flat.

What We Like:

• Shape – This one is the ultimate in minimalist design. But it’s completely moldable, you can place it flat on the floor to lie on, upright to make a chair, or even lay it on its side as pictured above.
• Beans – Unlike the ottoman Fatboy we’ve looked at, this bean bag is filled with virgin polystyrene beads. So it’s a more realistic, weather-resistant option than the ottoman featured above. You won’t have to rush out and bring this one in if it rains.
• Sunbrella Fabric – Sunbrella is the best weather-resistant fabric you can get in terms of performance and it looks good. It just looks like a good quality upholstery fabric.
• Machine washable – The cover is machine washable at 40°C.

Things to Consider:

• Shape – This bean bag will give your outdoor space a fabulous minimalist look and there’s a good choice of natural or bright colors available. However, because it’s not first and foremost a chair shaped bean bag, you would need to consider whether this is the most suitable shape for you. If you want something a little more straight forward, you should choose from one of the other options we’ve looked at above.

Dimensions: 55″ x 70″

Click below to view price and color options:

• The Fatboy Outdoor Original Bean Bag

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are bean bags good for health?

Rather than sit as you would in a chair, bean bags encourage you to be more flexible. Think about it, kids love them because they’re fun allowing them to spread out how they naturally would. As we get older, we stiffen up and regular chairs encourage us to sit the same position each time we sit down. Bean bags a great way to loosen up.

They are surprisingly supportive too because they mold around you whichever way you sit.

Which bean bag chair is the best?

Until fairly recently bean bags chairs were most often filled with polystyrene beads. They were light to pick up and move around and firm but comfortable to sit on.

Indoor beanbag chairs are nowadays more often beanless – they’re filled with shredded foam. They feel very soft and comfortable to sit on but they’re very heavy and not so easy to move around.

For an outdoor bean bag chair, polystyrene bead filled bean bags are best. Although outdoor bean bag chairs do have water repellent fabric covers, it’s not advisable to leave a foam-filled one outside. If any moisture did get through they’d take forever to dry out.

You don’t have to worry about leaving a bean-filled outdoor one outside because if any moisture did get through, the chair would dry out in no time.

Do bean bag chairs go flat?

Getting the right amount of filling to start off with is key. If your bean bag chair doesn’t start off with enough filling there’ll be less surface area to support you and you’ll tend to flatten them more easily.

A well-filled one, however, should last several years. So if your bean bag chair comes with a less than generous amount of filling, and to be honest they quite often do, whichever one you choose, it’s advisable to add more.

Fortunately, this is pretty easy to do so. You can buy more beans or memory foam and add more filling yourself.

In order to keep your bean bag chair fluffed up, you should shake it and fluff it up regularly. This will help to keep it looking and feeling like new.

How do you clean an outside bean bag?

Most outdoor bean bag chairs have a removable, washable cover. So they are actually pretty easy to keep clean. In between washes, (because they are made of water-resistant fabric), they are easy to wipe down using warm soapy water and a damp cloth.

The best outdoor bean bag to choose is one that’s made with Sunbrella fabric. And that’s because it’s made from fabric that’s been dyed all the way through with mold-resistant and mildew-resistant dye pigments.

If mold does get onto the fabric it wouldn’t stay. You can just wipe it away. You can also machine wash covers made from this fabric and you can even use bleach on it.

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Our Top Alt Picks:

These are the products that didn’t quite make our top picks, but they’re still pretty good so you might like to take a look:

Fill Your Own Bean Bag Ideas

Below are some ideas for filling your own outdoor bean bags. If you fill your own, you can customize the amount of filling you want.

We also have a great idea for you. Why not fill water-resistant throw pillows of all shapes and sizes with beans to add a chic, decorative look to your outdoor space.

First, take some beans…

Best Choice

Outdoor Throw Pillows | Fill Your Own with Beans