In early March 2021, Aldi’s budget-friendly hanging egg chair sold out within a matter of minutes, with shoppers describing the online scramble as akin to the battle to bag Glastonbury tickets.
Luckily, we’ve come to the rescue with some show-stopping alternatives for anyone keen to invest in some spectacular seating for their garden.
There’s never been a wider range of options when it comes to the best garden chairs, which is why we suggest taking the time to consider various factors – all of which were a big focus during our testing process.
Seating that was easy to assemble got a big tick, as did items of garden furniture that could be easily stowed away when not in use. Durability was another priority, given the UK’s notorious weather.
For this reason, we’ve also awarded bonus points for colourful, striking designs. A colourful garden furniture is a brilliant mood booster, after all.
Shop our favourites now
Bramblecrest Tetbury Nutmeg Single Hanging Cocoon
Didn’t manage to bag the Aldi egg chair? This is a fantastic (dare we say better) alternative. It’s incredibly easy to assemble, with a pre-welded base made up of one piece of metal (most other chairs came in multiple sections), and we simply needed to insert the main support into the base – we didn’t even need a screwdriver. It’s incredibly comfortable, with just the right amount of springiness and the option to attach a tether to keep the chair facing in the right direction. The sense of roominess is aided by elbow-height holes on either side, and the ultra-comfortable cushioning – made up of a head rest and a larger cushion with built-in armrests – was fantastic.
Buy now £432.00, Bramblecrest
John Lewis & Partners Canopy Garden Single Chair Pod, Natural
Exude main character energy in your garden space this summer with a little help from this statement wicker chair pod from John Lewis. The synthetic weave is wrapped around a lightweight aluminimum frame which can hold a maximum weight of 17st. It also comes with washable cushions to dial up the comfort levels.
Buy now £599.00, John Lewis
Venice 100 per cent Rattan Garden Day Bed in Grey
Say what you like about the British weather, but when it’s good, there’s nowhere nicer to relax than in your own backyard. A full fridge on tap, snacks when you like it, and plenty of entertainment to hand - is it any wonder we’re all so obsessed with our gardens?
Make it a much more inviting place to be with a rattan day bed set, ideal for gathering friends and family over for. The design comes with a retractable canopy and can split in half to create additional seating for your whole squad. This purchase also includes a glass-topped coffee table so you can pick at those aforementioned snacks with ease. Free scatter cushions are also included to make this perch the most comfortable in your whole house.
Cover also included.
Buy now £1199.00, Rattan Direct
Charles Bentley FSC Eucalyptus Wooden Double Deck Chair
Want some wiggle room or just more space to lounge? This double deckchair as ample space and designed for two seaters - although we wouldn’t blame you for hogging it all to yourself.
The polyester teal-coloured fabric set on a wooden acacia frame promises to add a splash of colour to your oasis without being overbearing. Choose from three reclining positions, and if the weather turns, it will store flat in your shed, barely taking up any room.
Buy now £89.99, Amazon
Armadillo Sun Indoor Outdoor Bean Bag Chair
All too often, bean bag chairs look great on the website but are a huge disappointment when they arrive. Not the case here with this version that is made of rugged, waterproof material and provides just the right amount of support. The generous amount of stuffing (in the form of polystyrene beads) ensures it keeps its shape well, and allowed us to stand up without the limb-flailing extravaganza we’ve performed with similar products. Bonus points for the thick carry handle and the extra reassurance provided by having both a zip and a thick Velcro strip to ensure the stuffing stays put. In a nutshell? One of the best bean bag chairs we’ve come across, and one which will keep its looks. The thick material is wonderfully soft, but also easy to clean (a tea stain disappeared with a quick wipe) and is UV resistant, too.
Buy now £249.00, Armadillo Sun
DuraOcean Recycled Plastic Chair
A garden chair made from marine debris might not sound particularly appealing, but bear with us. The bodies of these beautiful chairs are made from floating plastic waste such as fishing nets and ropes, while the elegant wooden legs are made from FSC approved Eucalyptus timber. It’s a rock-solid chair which has an armchair-like comfort. We’ve never come across a plastic chair that feels this comfortable, and its bucket seat-style provides fantastic support for both the back and the arms. We also love how every chair has a slightly different shade (ranging from deep green to dark blue), which is a reminder of the wide range of ocean debris used in their manufacture.
Buy now £179.99, Robert Dyas
Argos Home Zero Gravity Sun Lounger - Teal
Argos’s cheap and cheerful sun loungers sell like hot cakes in the run-up to summer. This one is a slightly updated version of the original and is packed with new features. We could lock the lounger in place with a single flick of a lever, and this extends to the headrest – a pillow on a strap which can simply be raised or lowered into place. It’s refreshingly easy to change the lounger’s angle, with an ultra-smooth reclining motion and a shape which provides great support for the back and legs. Finally, we loved not only the eye-popping bright colour, but the way the entire lounger has the same shade, right down to the stitching.
Buy now £40.00, Argos
IKEA Sollerön Modular Corner Sofa
IKEA’s introduced a splash of colour to the often-monotone world of rattan furniture by adding cushions with funky turquoise covers. This is one of our favourite items from the Sollerön range, which includes everything from tables and additional armrests to foot stools and sofas.
It’s described as a four-seater sofa although there’s room for at least one other person, and the foot stool turns one of the seats into a chaise longue. The handy under-seat storage is genius, providing a handy place to stash smaller items, and rearranging the individual units is easy – simply use the sturdy metal clips.
Buy now £1225.00, IKEA
Magis Proust Armchair
What better way to welcome visitors to your garden than by offering them a seat in a brightly coloured plastic throne? Before you balk at the price tag, it’s worth noting that this chair, designed by Alessandro Mendini, is an exact replica of Mendini’s famous Poltrona di Proust chair, which could once be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
This version, however, has been made from weather-resistant polyethylene, and has two small holes to allow water to drain away should the weather take a turn for the worse. The best bit? This gorgeous example of baroque brilliance is surprisingly comfortable, and the combination of extra-wide armrests and the high back provides wonderful support.
Buy now £782.00, Made in Design
Briq Furniture Hanging Egg Chair
This beautiful egg chair requires minimal assembly and the spanner and allen key needed were provided. Unlike other egg chairs we tried, the seat itself comes in two parts. The upside of this was more room with plenty of space to stretch out. Attaching the two halves was a breeze. The galvanised steel base provided unbeatable sturdiness, and the armchair-like cushion provided support in all the right places. We also appreciated the wider gaps in the woven exterior, which meant minimal shady spots and made it easy to add some finishing touches – we threaded some fairy lights through ours.
Buy now £269.00, Briq
Moda Furnishings Bistro Stacking Set
Another great option for those short on space, this stacking set comprises two chairs and a low table, all of which can be stacked together to form a rather beautiful vase shape, allowing it to double as a bar table. We loved the ease of the whole process and brilliant design – we’ve lost count of the times we’ve almost sliced off a finger tidying away folding deckchairs and loungers. The different components lock into place incredibly sturdily, and the chairs’ dual-density foam provided a much greater level of comfort than we’d expected.
Buy now £895.00, Moda Furnishings
Dunelm Padded Foldable Striped Lounger
We challenge you to spend more than a couple of minutes on this slice of monochrome marvellousness and not start drifting towards the land of nod. A thick, mattress-like cushion transforms it into one of the most comfortable loungers we’ve come across, and its sturdy steel frame strikes the perfect balance between lightness and rigidity. There are six positions to choose from, and its lightning-fast folding mechanism allows it to be quickly stashed into the smallest of spaces.
Buy now £35.00, Dunelm
Verdict
Bramblecrest’s Tetbury Nutmeg Single Hanging Cocoon is a worthy rival to Aldi’s hanging egg chair, with various features (such as the tether) which similar chairs don’t have.
