Outdoor Patio Recliners
Buy the best outdoor patio recliners selected and recommended by interior designers. By Tara Gosselin.
If you spend a lot of time outside in the Summer, a comfortable outdoor recliner will make the time you spend outdoors even more enjoyable. Unlike upright garden chairs and benches, a patio recliner chair will allow you to lay back in comfort at an angle that suits you, taking the pressure off your joints and allowing you to truly relax. Our team of experts has found recliners in every style and budget, from luxury outdoor recliners to use by the pool to something a little more simple for your balcony.
Outdoor Patio Recliners
Buying Guide
Tara Gosselin
Interior Design Expert
Tara is a San Antonio-based award-winning landscape architect, writer and educator, passionate about eco-friendly solutions and growing her own food. She knows all it takes to help you create a sustainable backyard retreat that combines blissful charm with a modern take on landscaping.
You've got a beautiful patio in your home and now it's time to start thinking about the best ways you could relax in the outdoors. Patio recliners are some of the most comfortable and relaxing pieces of garden furniture available, so if you want something that provides maximum comfort, take a look at some of these styles which are available.
Traditional lounger
A traditional outdoor lounger might instantly come to mind, so while there are other designs available, this is a good one to initially consider. It is made to adjust into a complete horizontal position, allow the user to lie down fully in total relaxation. A traditional recliner for your outdoor patio can be adjusted at the back using various levers, so you can adjust the angle of the chair depending on your preference. You can recline the seat so it is fully horizontally in a 'lying down' position, or you can have it at a different angle such as 45 degrees or around 70 degrees if you intend to sit up and read.
Reclining armchair
This style is more robust than the traditional patio lounger which can be challenging for older people or those with back problems and other health issues. A reclining armchair style of recliner will enable you to adjust the chair in a couple of different ways.
- Firstly, you may be able to adjust the chair using levers which are in place around the back of the chair. This mechanism will normally be included on the cheaper models of reclining outdoor armchairs.
- The other type of option which may be available for adjusting the armchair is an electrical mechanism which is controlled from the front of the chair. This allows you to adjust the seat angle exactly as you like it, without having to get up out of your seat.
Aside from the two types of reclining mechanisms which are available, there are various materials available for an outdoor patio recliner. The most common material is rattan, since it is light and fairly durable to any bad weather. Armchairs with electrical mechanisms will need to be stored indoors during poor weather, regardless of what the material is. Other materials you may see are plastic, solid wood or metal.
Patio recliner and footstool
A further option to consider when buying patio recliners is the two-piece option which allows you to be as flexible and as versatile as necessary with your garden furniture. This design consists of a reclining chair followed by a footstool. The padded chair can have a frame made from wood or metal, providing a sturdy base for your comfortable recliner. The chair can be adjusted, hence the reclining feature, so you can turn both pieces into a bed by reclining the chair fully and aligning the footstool as necessary. This is a simpler alternative for smaller gardens where you may not necessarily have the space to position and maneuver a large reclining chair.
Both of these pieces of furniture are made for the same thing – sitting outdoors. This, however, is where their similarities end.
Lawn chairs generally stay in one spot or, if they do move, they’re not moving too far. They also can tie into the rest of the décor in your house in a way that beach chairs don’t. If you’re creating an extension of your living space, you want your décor to create a flow, and that’s including outdoor space.
To buy the best-fitting lawn chair, in both the literal and figurative sense, you have to consider its use. Yes, you’ll be sitting in the lawn chair, but is it a space you’ll use for outdoor dining? Or is it for reading underneath your favorite tree?
What you determine can help you decide which kind of lawn chair you need most. Once you’ve figured out if you will frequent the space for evening cocktails or sit by a fire pit, then you can move on to what material to choose.
- Plastic
By far the easiest to take care of and the cheapest, plastic lawn chairs are superb in a pinch when you have a kid’s birthday party coming up but not enough chairs. They are easy to clean and are weather-resistant.
A lot of people assume that a plastic chair is a plastic chair, but the more modern offerings prove that all plastic lawn chairs are not created equally. The newer lawn chairs can be rugged, sturdy, and come in a range of colors that blend in with the natural surroundings or make a statement in garish aqua or pink.
If you’re looking for chairs to use in a dining set-up, you may want to look at options other than plastic as, to maintain a balanced décor, you would have to opt for a plastic table as well.
- Wood
Wooden lawn chairs present a level of class and antiquity that plastic chairs do not. They give off an old-world feel and, since they are wooden, they blend in seamlessly with most outdoor spaces.
Wooden lawn chairs are a great idea for outside dining areas as you can usually find a handsome wooden dining table to go along with it.
Check to make sure the wood you choose is weather-resistant and can deal with moisture. Teak is an excellent choice for furniture that will live outside as it won’t swell or rot in wet weather.
- Metal
The main strength of a lawn chair made of metal is its durability. If you opt for a lawn chair made of aluminum or wrought iron, you can be confident in your investment. These types of metal won’t rust in the weather, and it will take a lot to twist them out of shape. The dowside is they can get hot when left in the sun.
Metal lawn chairs also blend well with modern styles or, if you find some Warmack chairs from the latter half of the 20th century, you can outfit your yard with a retro theme.
- Wicker
This material is fast approaching peak popularity on patios. It has a pleasing neutral aesthetic that is easy to tailor with the right set of outdoor throw pillows. It has more give than other materials on this list, like plastic or metal, making wicker an excellent choice for a lounging area or poolside.
You should be careful about what kind of wicker you buy. Some wicker is relatively flimsy, and the weave can be punctured easily. Look for thickly woven furniture as they are usually made for durability.
How to select the best beach chairs?
One of the significant benefits of beach chairs is that they are transportable. Lightweight beach chairs are the easiest option if you don’t use a cart to transport the chair from your car to the beach.
Although the material of your beach chair is essential, most of them are made of light metal, plastic, or, rarely, wood, with breathable cloth backing. The real consideration is what shape is the most comfortable for you.
- Classic Beach Sand Chair
A classic beach chair has a seat that keeps you a few inches off the ground but still lets you stretch out your legs in the sand and even put your toes in the ocean. These chairs are often made of very lightweight and breathable material so you can take full advantage of the beach breeze.
- Lounger
Beach lounge chairs look a lot like foldable chaise lounges. They are constructed of three different sections that you unfold to set up. Many come with pillows as headrests. This type of chair is for someone who wants to lie in the sun or take a seaside nap.
- Canopy Chair
This chair resembles a classic beach chair but includes struts that hold a canopy over your head to block out the sun. A canopy lessens the amount of gear you have to lug down to the beach, and you’ll always have sun protection, as long as you have your chair.
- Backpack Chair
These beach chairs are the epitome of transportable convenience. They have two arm straps attached to the seat of the chair so you can sling them onto your back. These chairs are especially useful for kids as they can transport their chairs down to the beach.
- Make sure lawn chairs you purchase are easily cleaned and won’t degrade by being out-of-doors.
- Weather-resistant accent pillows are a great way to jazz up neutral tones of patio furniture.
- For beach chairs, decide on the height you’d like to sit at, whether it’s close to the ground or at standard chair height.
- As with furniture you purchase for the inside of your home, make sure your outdoor seats are a comfortable fit.