The best garden chair doesn't exist, but the best garden chair for you does. Someone who eats at the garden table every evening needs something quite different from someone who wants to sink into a book on a Sunday afternoon. Whether a chair is comfortable depends on a few measurable things: the seat height, the seat depth, the backrest, the cushion and the fabric. In this article you'll read what each factor does, see the real seat dimensions of available garden chairs side by side, and discover with a short test which type of chair suits your way of sitting.
In brief: at the table you'll sit most comfortably in a dining armchair with armrests and a seat height of around 45 to 48 cm. If you want to switch between upright and reclined, choose an adjustable chair with a gas spring. To really sink back, take a lounge armchair with a thick cushion, and with a footstool you'll be almost lying down. Compare the seat dimensions and take the seating test.
The five comfort factors
In a product photo, many garden chairs look comfortable. Whether you're still comfortable after an hour is something you can read from the specifications. These are the five things that make the difference.
- Seat height: the distance from the ground to the top of the seat. At a good height your feet rest flat on the ground and your knees are roughly at a right angle. A higher seat sits more upright and is easier to get out of, a lower seat is more relaxed.
- Seat depth: the distance from the front edge of the seat to the backrest. When you sit upright against the back, there should be a few fingers' width of space between the back of your knees and the front edge. If the seat is deeper, you slouch or need a cushion behind your back.
- Backrest: a straight back supports you at the table, a more sloping or lower back invites lounging. A high back also supports your shoulders, and an adjustable back lets you choose for yourself.
- Cushion: the thickness of the seat cushion determines how soft you sit and how far you sink in. A thin cushion keeps you at table height, a thick cushion feels like a sofa.
- Fabric: Textilene gives slightly and dries quickly, rope feels soft and airy, and with wicker you mainly sit on the cushions. The fabric also determines how the chair feels when the cushion is indoors.
This is what those factors look like for chairs for the table and chairs for lounging. The dimensions come from the product information for the chairs later in this article.
| Factor | At the table | Lounging |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 45 to 48 cm | 33 to 42 cm |
| Seat depth | 41 to 60 cm | 49 to 61 cm |
| Backrest | Straight, supports back | Low or sloping |
| Seat cushion | 5 cm | 9 to 25 cm |
| Fabric | Rope, wicker, Textilene | Mainly cushions |
You can read more about which material suits you best in what is the best material for garden chairs.
Seat dimensions of garden chairs compared
Below are available Garden Impressions garden chairs with their seat height, seat depth and seat cushion thickness. You'll see straight away that chairs for the table sit higher and have thinner cushions, and that lounge chairs are lower and deeper.
| Chair | Seat height / seat depth | Seat cushion |
|---|---|---|
| Toledo (dining) | 47 / 41 cm | 5 cm |
| Osborne (dining) | 48 / 47 cm | 5 cm |
| Triton (dining) | 47 / 60 cm | 2 cushions |
| Osaka (adjustable) | 43 / 43 cm | Textilene |
| Monaco (footstool) | 46 / 53 cm | 9 cm |
| Colorado (lounge) | 42 / 49 cm | 9 cm |
| Geneva (lounge) | 41,5 / 53 cm | 14 cm |
| Levanto (lounge) | 42 / 61 cm | 25 cm |
| Realdo (lounge) | 33 / 61 cm | 17 cm |
Measure the chair you most like sitting in at home. Seat height, seat depth and armrest height say more about outdoor comfort than any product photo. Then look for a garden chair that comes close.
At the table: the dining armchair
If you often eat, work or play at the garden table, you'll sit most comfortably in a dining armchair: a chair with armrests, a straight back and a seat cushion. The seat height is around 45 to 48 cm, so you sit at a good height at an ordinary garden table. Armrests help when you stand up and give your arms support during a long dinner. Do check that they fit under the tabletop if you want to push the chair in.
Triton dining fauteuil carbon black / rope dark sand
For a dining chair, the Triton has a remarkably deep seat of 60 cm and a seat width of 58 cm. You sit comfortably in it, with rope on an aluminium frame and two cushions. If you're smaller, place an extra cushion behind your back so you don't slide too far down.
Osborne dining fauteuil vintage willow / desert sand
The Osborne dining armchair combines a wide seat of 62 cm with an overall height of 95 cm, so the backrest also supports your upper back. The half-round wicker sits on an aluminium frame, and the seat and back have cushions 5 cm thick. If you're looking for a more compact chair, the Toledo has a seat depth of 41 cm and a seat height of 47 cm. You'll find more models under dining garden chairs.
Switching positions: the adjustable chair
If you sit outside for long periods, you often change position: upright for coffee, a bit reclined with a book, further back for a nap. An adjustable chair allows this without you having to move to a sun lounger. The best option is a stepless adjustment with a gas spring: you pull a lever, lean back and let go wherever it feels right.
Osborne verstelbare tuinstoel
The Osborne adjustable garden chair has the same seat dimensions as the dining version, but with a backrest that you adjust steplessly using a gas spring at the side. The seat and back have sand-coloured cushions 5 cm thick. Thanks to its seat height of 48 cm, it also works well at the table. Prefer a sleek chair without thick cushions? The Osaka has a Textilene fabric, a seat height of 43 cm and an overall height of 110 cm, so a high back.
You can read more about the adjusting mechanism in what makes a good adjustable garden chair. All models are listed under adjustable garden chairs. If you want to recline even further, have a look at the relax chairs, such as the RSX Clip from Lafuma with an adjustable headrest.
Sinking back: the lounge armchair
If you mainly want to relax, a lounge armchair is the most comfortable choice. It sits lower and deeper than a dining chair, with thick cushions and often wide armrests. You don't sit in it to eat, but to get through the evening with a drink or a book. With a lounge armchair, focus mainly on the seat depth and the cushion thickness: together they determine how far you sink back.
Levanto lounge stoel carbon black / valley sand
The Levanto lounge chair is the softest chair in this overview: with cushions 25 cm thick and a seat depth of 61 cm, you really sink into it. The armrests are 12 cm wide and 65 cm high. The cushion covers are made of water-repellent polyester.
Geneva lounge tuinstoel carbon black / valley sand
The Geneva has a seat cushion of 14 cm and a slightly less deep seat of 53 cm. As a result, you sit a little more upright than in the Levanto, which is pleasant if you're smaller or want to get up easily. If you want to sit as low as possible, the Realdo puts you at a seat height of 33 cm with a seat cushion of 17 cm and four cushions in total.
Looking for a chair that sits low but isn't a full lounge chair? Then also have a look at low garden chairs.
Almost lying down: chair with footstool
With your legs up, you distribute your weight better and almost lie down as on a sun lounger, while the chair takes up less space. A chair with a footstool is therefore the most comfortable choice for reading and an afternoon nap.
Monaco loungestoel inclusief voetenbank
The Monaco comes with a matching footstool measuring 61.5 x 50 cm with a height of 46.5 cm, so roughly the same height as the 46 cm seat. The back and armrests are finished in taupe rope on an aluminium frame, and you get three cushions, with a seat cushion of 9 cm. If you also want to be able to recline, the Veracruz has a stepless adjustable back with a gas spring, a seat 59 cm wide and 65 cm deep, and a footstool in the same wicker.
Veracruz with footstool
View chair →
Separate footstools
View range →
Would you rather have a sun lounger?
View sun loungers →Torn between a chair with a footstool and a sun lounger? Then read buying a sun lounger: what to look out for.
And hanging chairs or swing chairs?
A hanging chair or swing chair can be wonderfully comfortable, but in a different way. You sit off the ground or move with it, which is relaxing. For long evenings they're less suitable than an armchair: your sitting position is more fixed, and eating at the table isn't really an option. Think of it as an extra spot to drift off for a while, not as your everyday chair. You can read what to look for in a hanging chair in buying a hanging chair: what to look out for.
Seating test: which type suits you?
Answer four short questions and see which type of garden chair is the most comfortable for you.
Which type of garden chair is the most comfortable for you?
How do you sit most comfortably after an hour outside?
- Upright, with my elbows on the table
- Alternating between upright and reclined
- Sunk deep back, legs pulled up
- Legs stretched out, almost lying down
What is directly in front of your chair?
- The dining table
- A table, but sometimes I scoot back
- A low lounge table
- Nothing, that's where my feet go
How much cushioning do you want beneath you?
- A thin cushion, so I sit well at the table
- A thin cushion and one behind my back
- As thick as possible, like a sofa
- Enough for an afternoon nap
How do you prefer to get up out of your chair?
- Quickly, I often walk back and forth to the kitchen
- Easily, with armrests to push off from
- Slowly, only once the evening is over
- I'd rather not, I fall asleep in it
Dining armchair with cushion You mainly sit at the table. Choose a seat height around 45 to 48 cm, with armrests and a seat cushion, such as the Osborne or the Triton.
Adjustable garden chair You change position often. A stepless adjustment with a gas spring, such as the Osborne adjustable garden chair, lets you eat upright and then lean back.
Lounge armchair You want to sink back. Choose a low, deep chair with thick cushions, such as the Levanto with 25 cm cushions or the Geneva.
Want to coordinate your whole terrace, not just choose a chair? Then use our selection tool.
How to test seating comfort online
You can't just try out a garden chair online, but with a tape measure you can get a long way.
At home, measure the seat height, seat depth and armrest height of the chair you sit in most comfortably. If a cushion normally sits on it, measure the seat height with the cushion on.
If the chair is going to be used at the table, measure the height of the tabletop and the clearance underneath. Ideally there is about 30 cm between the seat and the tabletop, and the armrests should fit under the top if you want to push the chair in.
Hold your own measurements up against the seat height, seat depth and armrest height in the product information. A difference of a few centimetres is noticeable when you sit for long periods.
Check how thick the seat cushion is and whether a back cushion is included. With Textilene you can sit without a cushion; with rope and wicker you usually sit on cushions.
An extra cushion makes a big difference
If a chair is slightly too deep or too firm, a loose back cushion or a thicker seat cushion can help. Have a look at seat cushions and garden cushions with high back, and read buying garden cushions: what to look out for.
Checklist for your purchase
- I know whether I'll use the chair at the table, for lounging or for napping
- The seat height suits my table or how low I want to sit
- The seat depth suits the length of my thighs
- I know how thick the seat cushion is and whether a back cushion is included
- The armrests fit under my tabletop, if I want to push the chair in
- I know whether I want an adjustable back or a footstool
- I have a dry place for the cushions, see tips for storing garden cushions
How to choose quickly
- If you eat in the chair, choose a seat height of around 45 to 48 cm with armrests
- If you change position often, choose a stepless adjustment with a gas spring
- If you want to sink back, look for a seat depth of 53 cm or more and a thick cushion
- If you want to almost lie down, choose a chair with a footstool
Common mistakes
Choosing by the photo
A chair with thick cushions looks soft, but says nothing about seat height or seat depth. Always check the dimensions in the product information.
A lounge chair at the dining table
A lounge armchair that is 33 to 42 cm high is lovely to sit in, but at an ordinary garden table you'll be too low and too far from your plate. Also read buying a garden table: what to look out for.
A seat that is too deep
If you're smaller, a seat depth of 60 cm or more means your legs hang over the edge or you slide down. In that case, choose a less deep chair or place a back cushion in the chair.
Forgetting the armrests
Armrests around 64 to 65 cm high don't fit under every tabletop. Measure the clearance under your table if you want to push the chairs in completely.
Leaving cushions outside
Water-repellent is not waterproof. Cushions that stay wet go flat and can develop mould. Bring them in and store them somewhere dry when it rains.
Frequently asked questions
Which garden chair is the most comfortable?
That depends on what you use it for. At the dining table, a dining armchair with armrests and a cushion is most comfortable, with a seat height of around 45 to 48 cm. If you want to lounge, choose a low, deep lounge armchair with a thick seat cushion. If you often change position, a reclining chair with a gas spring is the most comfortable choice.
What seat height is most comfortable for a garden chair?
For a chair at the dining table, a seat height of around 45 to 48 cm works well: your feet rest flat on the ground and your knees are roughly at right angles. Lounge chairs sit lower, usually between 33 and 42 cm. This is more relaxed, but getting up takes more effort.
How thick should a garden chair cushion be?
On a dining chair, a seat cushion of around 4 to 6 cm is standard. It keeps you comfortable while still sitting at a good height for the table. Lounge chairs have much thicker cushions, from 9 to 25 cm in this overview. The thicker the cushion, the deeper you sink into it.
Is a Textilene or rope garden chair comfortable without a cushion?
Textilene is a tensioned fabric that gives slightly, so a Textilene chair is comfortable even without a cushion, although it feels firmer than a thick cushion. Rope and wicker chairs usually need a seat cushion; the weave mainly provides support for your back. For long evenings, a chair with cushions is the most comfortable option.
Which is more comfortable: a lounge chair or a reclining garden chair?
A lounge chair sits low and deep, with thick cushions, and is designed for sinking into for a long time. A reclining garden chair usually has a standard seat height and lets you choose between upright and fully reclined. If you also eat in the chair, a reclining chair is more practical; if you only want to relax, a lounge chair is often softer.
How can I tell online whether a garden chair is comfortable?
Measure a chair you already find comfortable at home: seat height, seat depth and the height of the armrests. Then compare those measurements with the garden chair's specifications. Also check the thickness of the seat cushion and whether the backrest is adjustable. This way you can tell in advance whether the chair is close to your favourite sitting position.
