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8 best hanging egg chairs that are the perfect addition to your patio

Whatever your budget, hang out in the cosiest cocoons for every outdoor space

Ali Howard
Friday 21 April 2023 17:28 BST
<p>Hype around these trendy oeufs has made the once unattainable piece increasingly affordable  </p>

Hype around these trendy oeufs has made the once unattainable piece increasingly affordable

Our Top Picks

With self-care at the forefront of our minds these days, and with summer just around the corner, a hanging egg chair is one outdoor furniture investment we won’t regret. Naturally bohemian with design roots in the swinging Sixties (pun fully intended), this is a playful patio piece that adds instant retro charm. It also gives us an idyllic spot in which to curl up and relax, cocooning us as we drift softly in the breeze.

Given that very few of us can boast a mature oak tree to swing from in the back garden, most contemporary designs come with a sturdy metal cantilever stand, typically made from a powder-coated steel or a lightweight aluminium.

The basket can then be suspended via a strong chain and usually a hefty spring, which gives a little bounce, making us feel both comfy and supported. Most designs allow you to adjust the height of the basket, too, which is handy if you prefer your feet touching the ground, or if you tend to struggle to get in and out of particularly deep seats – especially ones on the move.

When it comes to materials, most modern egg chairs are reliably weather-resistant, with polyethylene rattan or wicker weaves. While we often associate faux materials that ape their natural counterparts with cheaper products, this is decidedly not the case here.

Some of the most expensive and luxurious swing seats are crafted from a man-made material that not only looks indecipherable from the real thing, but is no match for heavy showers.

How we tested

We tried out a range of egg chairs – including some stationary styles – in our back garden, looking for great design and top craftsmanship. With most requiring minimal assembly, we considered how easy each was to put together. We also looked at how well they stood up to the elements, and most importantly, the comfort factor.

One of the best egg chairs that we tested for this review

The best hanging egg chair for 2023 are:

  • Best overall – Barker and Stonehouse Castello hanging garden chair with base, grey: £299.99, Barkerandstonehouse.co.uk
  • Best egg chair for design lovers – John Lewis Dante garden hanging pod chair: £625, Johnlewis.com
  • Best affordable egg chair – Aldi Gardenline hanging egg chair and cover: £199.99, Aldi.co.uk
  • Best egg chair for couples – Harbour Lifestyle St Kitts double hanging chair in stone grey: £599.99, Harbourlifestyle.co.uk

Barker and Stonehouse Castello hanging garden chair with base, grey

barker .jpg
  • Best: Overall hanging egg chair
  • Dimensions : H 186cm x W 105cm x D 129cm

The Castello may be made with polyethylene wicker, but the man-made material looks every bit natural thanks to its detailed mottled effect. Wrapped around a sturdy anti-rust iron frame, and with UV- and shower-proof cushioning, this is one robust and durable swing seat. It boasts a light and airy design with generous openings at either side that prove handy for getting yourself in and out of the basket, which is satisfyingly deep.

Thanks to its round shaping, this one’s ideal for curling up in. We found the plush cushions dry up in a jiffy, even after a heavy shower, meaning rain won’t stop play for long, and we loved the thoughtful addition of the hairpin legged base for the option of a stationary set-up.

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Atkin and Thyme Amelie weave egg chair

atkin .jpg
  • Best: Egg chair with open design
  • Dimensions: H 210cm x W 105cm x D 105cm

Forming part of the brand’s wider Amelie range, the Weave egg chair boasts a lovely craft-driven aesthetic, thanks to its loosely woven criss-cross design. There’s no mistaking the distinctive ovum shaping of this one, which offers us a truly inviting and relaxing spot in the garden. Boasting all-weather properties, the egg chair is made from a man-made but impressively realistic rattan, while the frame is crafted from a hardwearing steel. This one features particularly plush cushioning on all sides, ensuring you’re kept perfectly snug as you swing.

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John Lewis Dante garden hanging pod chair

john lewis .jpg
  • Best: Egg chair for design lovers
  • Dimensions : H 196.5cm x W 94.5cm x D 94.5cm

With a knowing nod to the iconic mid-century egg chair designed by Nanna Ditzel, John Lewis’s take is a beautifully crafted and tightly woven number that offers relaxation just by looking at it. The Dante is made with a handwoven synthetic wicker that, just like the real thing, boasts a rich texture with tonal variations, whether you choose the natural or grey colourway.

But where this one differs to the original design is its generous side voids that give the piece more of an open feel – and a place to rest your elbows, beverage in hand. In keeping with the basket’s clean lines and slim silhouette, the powder-coated steel frame is also pleasingly minimal and fuss-free.

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Habitat Kora rattan effect garden egg chair, black

habitat kova .jpg
  • Best: Stationary egg chair
  • Dimensions: H 147cm x W 77cm x D 82cm

Stationary egg chairs feel a little bit excessive – why not simply buy a standard garden chair if you’re not going to swing? But this is precisely why we loved Habitat’s Kora. Featuring a sturdy steel frame in a hardwearing rattan-effect weave, and with plush, extra high cushioning, this is a statement seat that demands pride of place on the patio.

In black, it offers dark drama and a chic, contemporary feel, while its stately, enveloping form gives it a throne-like quality: you’ll be fighting off housemates or family members for this coveted seat. Reliably stable, weather-proof and perfectly comfy.

  1. £250 from Argos.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Aldi gardenline hanging egg chair

Gardenline hanging egg chair indybest.jpg
  • Best: Affordable egg chair
  • Dimensions : H 195cm x W 100cm x D 95cm

Gardenline’s hanging egg chair has become quite the cult favourite in recent years, and as such it’s been known to go out of stock before we can even say summer’s here. This is because the swing chair from Aldi proves consistently good value for money compared to other similar products on the market.

At just under £200, this year it’s still a steal, and it comes with a protective draw-string cover, to boot. Looking and feeling much more expensive than it is, the egg chair boasts a synthetic polyethylene wicker in an imperfect criss-cross weave, which gives it an artisanal quality, while shower-proof cushioning and a weather-resistant powder-coated steel frame add to its long list of reasons to buy.

  1. £199 from Aldi.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Anthropologie peacock indoor/outdoor hanging chair

barker stonehouse .jpg
  • Best: Hanging egg chair
  • Dimensions: H 121cm x W 89cm x D 75cm

While any egg chair has a naturally bohemian feel to it, Anthropologie’s design epitomises boho chic. Suited for both indoor and outdoor use, the egg chair is crafted from 100 per cent natural rattan and boasts a shabby white painted finish with a lacquer coating for extra protection. We love its intricate swirls and cut-outs, which mimic peacock feathers, while the rest of the hanging basket is reliably sturdy and tightly woven.

This one comes with a plush seat pad that sits at the bottom of the piece without detracting from the decorative weave. Without a frame, it does rely on a sturdy structure to hang from, ideally a mature tree with plenty of shade. Due to its natural makeup, it won’t thank you for leaving it out in the elements.

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Habitat Dove rattan effect hanging egg chair

habitat .jpg
  • Best: Retro egg chair
  • Dimensions: H 196cm x W 105cm x D 105cm

Perfectly round, Habitat’s Dove chair is an aesthetically pleasing addition to any patio, conservatory, or indeed contemporary living space. The basket’s shaping is of course echoed in the base of the frame, while the materials offer an arresting contrast in both texture and colour. This one’s not cheap but its quality is palpable. The synthetic honey blond rattan is tightly woven around the basket’s metal bones, while the plush white back and seat pads offer a finer finish than on some outdoor furniture pieces. Inside or out, the Dove offers retro charm by the bucket-load.

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Harbour Lifestyle St Kitts double hanging chair in stone grey

harbour .jpg
  • Best: Egg chair for couples
  • Dimensions: H 200cm x W 131cm x D 108cm

Satisfyingly chunky in design and boasting a geometric pattern in a tight weave, the St Kitts double hanging chair is as easy on the eye as it is wholly relaxing. Made for two, it is sufficiently roomy, yet thanks to its cocooning shape overhead, it proves perfectly cosy, too. Its sturdy frame is fashioned from aluminium, while the basket boasts a high-quality polyethylene rattan, both of which prove reliably weather resistant. Add to that deep and plush fitted cushioning and you have the ideal spot to cosy up with your bestie – or else swing your legs around and drift off.

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The verdict: Hanging egg chairs

Barker and Stonehouse’s Castello hanging garden chair proved an excellent, mid-priced all-rounder. We loved its generous round shaping and its natural looking material. This one comes top on versatility, too thanks to its additional base for a stationary option. We also loved John Lewis’s Dante egg chair for its homage to the iconic original: one for design lovers.

For more fabulous furniture, we’ve rounded up the best sofa beds that are both trendy and practical

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