Bean Bag Chair Buying Guide

è    Why do people like bean bag chairs so much?

Bean bag chairs are probably the number one requested chair from kids and teenagers. They love their bright colors and “flop-ability”. Light and soft, kids love to throw themselves down into them. The color choices and logo bags fit into any child or teens bedroom/ playroom décor.

With the advent of the “modern” foam bean bag chair, adults are now in the market for these wonderful soft chairs. College students, young singles even young married couples are furnishing rooms with our bean bag chairs. Grandparents have become heroes by filling rooms with bean bag chairs for when their grand children come over.

è    What is the difference between traditional and modern bean bags?

Traditional bean bag chairs are filled with polystyrene beads. Polystyrene beads are made from the same material as a Styrofoam cup or the Styrofoam packing material used to protect electronic equipment in shipping.  You typically have the choice of “virgin” or “recycled fill.

Modern bean bag chairs are typically filled with polyurethane foam. This is the foam found in foam pillows and mattresses. The modern bean bag manufacturers buy this foam either pre-shredded or shred their own.  This foam is shredded into 2”-4” size bits.

è    Can you explain the different shapes of bean bag chairs?

The traditional bean bag comes in 3 basic shapes:

·          Round – The round bean bag shape is similar to a ball shape. Examples of this type are the Classic bean bags, Pro-sports bean bags and the modern Foof Chair.

·          Teardrop – The teardrop shape is as it is called, shaped like a teardrop. Round at the base and tapering to almost a point at the top. Teardrop shaped bean bag chairs are the Elite bean bags.

·          Pear Shaped – These are similar to the Teardrop. The difference is in the taper. A pear shaped bean bag chair has a wider taper toward the top. King Beany makes a great pear shaped bean bag chair.

Modern foam bean bag chairs come in 3 basic shapes:

·          Round – As the round traditional bean bag, this is a “ball” shape. The fabulous Foof Chair is made in this shape

·          Oval – This is more of an oval rather than round shape. The great King Beany Giant Ovals have this shape

·          Cylindrical – As both the Foof Chair and the King Beany Oval get larger they form a cylindrical shape. Foof Chair, King Bean Oval and the Comfort Sac have these shapes

è    Please help me with the different sizes?

The various sizing number can be confusing. Each manufacturer seems to have their preference for what is important in size measurement. It is difficult for the consumer to compare sizes. Hopefully this will help. Insert table here comparing our bean bag chair offerings.

è    What size is best for me?

It is difficult to state the proper size for you we each like a bean bag chair for different reasons. This table hopefully will help you with approximate sizing.

Modern Foam Chair Sizing Chart

The above chart provides you with the approximate sizing we have found our customers most happy with. There are some individual variations depending on the size of the person using the chair. For example a large 8 year old will be happier with a “large” foam chair and a small 14 year-old may be happier with a “medium” chair. Also think about the space in your room.  We hope this has been helpful to you.

è    What is with the various fillings for bean bag chairs?

Traditional Bean Bag Chairs come in the following fill types:

·             Recycled Beads - Supporting the recycling of polystyrene products we offer reground bean bag "beads". This is recycled polystyrene foam ground up into beads for filling traditional polystyrene bean bag chairs. Recycled or Regrind beads come in assorted shapes and sizes; it is less expensive than Virgin Bead and not as comfortable. If your bean bag will have low to medium usage this is an economical choice for filling.

·             Virgin Bead - is top quality polystyrene bead filling for traditional bean bag chairs. Small round, first run beads form easily to your body and hold up longer than recycled beads. If your bean bag chair will have medium to high usage this is a good choice due to its greater durability. Also this is more comfortable than the recycle beads.

·             The King Beany Royal Mix^TM is a special blend of Virgin Beads and Shredded Foam. This combines the best of both worlds; virgin bead for support and shredded foam for cloud like comfort. This is the one we are recommending for overall comfort and fullness in your chair. The normal pack down of a bean bag chair is kept to a minimum when using the Royal Mix due to the addition of the shredded pillow foam. King Beany^TM is the first manufacturer to mix virgin bead filler and shredded foam together. What do you get when you take the best of the classic bean bag chair and the new age feel of the foam chair?

Modern Foam Bean Bag Chairs come in the following fill types:

·             Shredded Pillow Foam is a polyurethane foam filling. This is the foam found in foam pillows and mattresses. The modern bean bag manufacturers buy this foam either pre-shredded or shred their own with big machines.  The foam is typically from new, end cuts after manufacturing pillows or mattresses. They have this foam shredded into 2”-4” size bits.

è    How do I choose the right filling?

The choice of filling is really a matter of what you want the chair for. Here are our findings over the years:

·             Traditional Bead Bag Filling – This filling provides you with a sturdy support chair. Once you get the chair to the shape you want it, the polystyrene doesn’t squish down more. These chairs tend to be a little cheaper and make great chairs for kids rooms. When you sit in a traditional bean bag chair you sit closer to the floor.

·             Modern Foam Bean Bag Filling – This filling provides you with a floaty, cushiony chair. When you sit on it the foam squishes a little and you sink into the chair. These chairs are loved by children because they are cushiony when they jump into them. Adults prefer this filling because of the “off the ground” support they provide. They are easier to get into and out of.

è    What do I look for in bean bag chair construction?

The better quality modern and traditional bean bag chairs will share the following construction characteristics:

·             Quality furniture grade fabrics

·             Double stitched seams

·             Quality zipper with the zipper “child proofed”. This is typically done by removing the zipper tab or by a “double zipper” construction so that a child cannot get into the filling.

·             At least a 1 year warranty. Most bean bag chairs have no manufacturers’ defects, however with more and more being made in China; fabric choice is a little suspect. If they use non-furniture grade fabric, this fabric can split after repeated use. If it is a quality manufacturer they’ll give a 1 year warranty, this is plenty of time to see if the fabric will fail.

·             The ability to open the bean bag chair to add filling. Cheaper bags either don’t have zippers or use nylon zippers that are glued closed. If you buy a polystyrene bead bean bag chair you will need to “refresh” the bag every year or so depending on use.

è    What do I look for in a Bean Bag Chair Retailer?

·             Professional website with telephone numbers, contact information and help easily accessible. It is easy to set up a website. The professional retailers want you to be able to contact them if there is a problem, the non-professional doesn’t want you to.

·             Fair and clear return policy; most transactions are problem free yet when you purchase over the Internet you want to be sure your retailer supports your ability to return a product if it just doesn’t meet your expectations.

·             Honest and clear security and privacy policy; online shopping is as safe and secure as the website you are shopping with, check that they handle your information securely. Do they encrypt your information?

·             Clear shipping costs; it is easy to appear lowest price yet when you add in the shipping costs they may not be the cheapest.

·              Do they have a system to notify you when your order is placed? Shipped? Do they send you tracking information?

·             Do they allow customer feedback? No one is perfect and mistakes do happen yet if the retailer doesn’t allow open feedback they may not be concerned with your positive shopping experience. It is far too easy to “make up” only positive customer testimonials.