Susanne Fox, founder of Susanne Fox Design, says the No. 1 feature to look for in an Adirondack chair is longevity. “These are classic pieces that will not go out of fashion, so make sure you select a style that compliments your home and a high quality material that will last for years to come,” she says. To find the best Adirondack chairs, we pummeled 20 different chairs with medicine balls, melted marshmallows, hose blasts, and more in our lab in Des Moines, Iowa, to determine which are the best chairs to add to your outdoor space. Our favorite is the Polywood Modern Adirondack Chair, which won the crown for being attractive and comfortable, along with feeling steady and being easy to clean. Here are the best Adirondack chairs, according to our testing. Keep in Mind: There isn’t a cup holder. Once seated, our tester said it was “quite comfortable,” with an angle that offered lumbar support and comfortable angling. There are no adjustability settings or cup holders, but the arms are “flat and wide enough that you can place a beverage on them without worrying about tipping.” The chair itself feels smooth even against bare skin, which is great if you’re lounging after a swim or are wearing shorts. The structure felt very steady and well-built throughout our tests, and the design is simple and stylish. Even better, the resin material is also easy to clean off and dry, and it seems like it will hold up against bad weather and stains. We tested the black version, but the chair is also available in 12 additional colors. This chair looks the same as the day I brought it home, despite it being in full sun for a portion of the day and it being black," our tester said after three months of use. “I’ve seen no fading, cracking, or damage from the elements. I’ve kept it in the same area of my deck and haven’t covered or otherwise protected it at all.” Price at time of publish: $249 Product Details: Material: Resin | Weight Capacity: Up to 300 pounds | Weight: 34 pounds | Dimensions: 32 x 29 x 34 inches Keep in Mind: The chair isn’t adjustable. The material is smooth, but it did have a few scratches when it arrived. The chair stayed mostly steady when testers tossed medicine balls on it, though it did rock slightly. When being sat in by testers, however, there was detected instability or tipping. This Adirondack chair doesn’t have any adjustability features, and since it’s one piece, it may be a bit tricky to store. But it’s light enough to move around easily, and our testers found it simple to clean off melted marshmallows and barbecue sauce, although the marshmallow took a bit of scrubbing. After three months of use, our tester still “wholeheartedly loves this chair,” saying that “the back seems to fit the curvature of my spine to a T.” She added, “I also really like how wide the arm rests are, big enough to hold mugs of coffee or my phone or a book. It’s comfy, looks nice, and hasn’t faded in the sun or warped in rain.” Price at time of publish: $30 Product Details: Material: Resin | Weight Capacity: 250 pounds | Weight: 7.25 pounds | Dimensions: 34 x 30 x 37.5 inches Keep in Mind: Tossing medicine balls on it during testing left some scuffs on the seat. The Adirondack chair scored high on comfort as well, with an adjustable recline and deep slant. That slant may be an issue for people with mobility issues who may struggle to get out of the chair, but our tester was able to keep their feet on the ground and their legs at a 90-degree angle. The surface of the chair is smooth, and since it’s plastic, there’s no need to worry about splinters when sitting on it with bare legs. The armrests were also wide enough to hold a drink or plate, so you don’t have to keep getting up for a refill. It feels sturdy, but it does creak a little when we rocked it side to side. It’s also fairly lightweight, which is great for rearranging your deck but may mean you have to bring it inside if it gets blustery. “Although it gets a lot of direct sun, and we have had some extremely hot temperatures, it has not faded or changed in any way,” our tester noted after using it for three months. “It is still sturdy and comfortable.” It seems durable as well, easily weathering melted marshmallow and barbecue sauce stains, but it did get some dark black marks on the seat from medicine balls being tossed on it. “It is unclear whether a specialty cleaner could remove the marks, but this could be an issue if you had children throwing balls or other objects around the chairs,” our tester noted. During cleaning, water did not seep into the chair, and it was easy to dry off quickly. Price at time of publish: From $160 Product Details: Material: Plastic | Weight Capacity: 350 pounds | Weight: 30 pounds | Dimensions: 34.6 x 20.3 x 36.6 inches Keep in Mind: Assembly requires two people. The seat is not as deep as some other Adirondack chairs and the back isn’t as slanted, so your feet can sit comfortably on the ground. The material has a smooth finish, so you don’t need to fret about splinters, and it feels “nice and sturdy when you sit in it,” according to our tester. Our tester was never worried about the chair tipping, breaking, or even creaking or folding up accidentally. The wood is more lightweight than it looks at first, and the chair folds up for easy transport and storage, though the lightness may become a concern in extreme weather. It doesn’t adjust in height or recline, but it is easy to collapse and reopen. The chair also aced the barbecue sauce and marshmallow cleanability tests, with nary a stain left behind. Its paint repelled water nicely and dried off quickly. “I was expecting this chair to be more expensive given the look and durability,” our tester noted. “I was pleasantly surprised with the under $150 price tag and think this is a good deal. The quality and design are worth the price tag.” Price at time of publish: From $123 Product Details: Material: Acacia wood | Weight Capacity: 400 pounds | Weight: 24.25 pounds | Dimensions: 35.75 x 30.25 x 34.25 inches Keep in Mind: Assembly took our testers 50 minutes. “This chair was easy for me to get out of, but I could have relaxed there all day,” our tester said. “This chair has no adjustments, but none were necessary. I am 5’ 9” and it was comfortable as is." It also has plentiful storage features, which is even nicer for a chair you already don’t want to get out of: There’s both a cup holder and a notched holder for stemmed wine glasses that pull out from under the armrest. During testing, melted marshmallow and barbecue sauce wiped off easily with just water and a paper towel. The material is water-repellent, so you can just wipe the chair off after a rainstorm and sit down without fearing your clothes will get soaked. The chair can be a bit heavy and awkward when folded for storage but not so much so that it’s unmanageable. And with more than 20 colors available, you’re sure to find your perfect shade. “I would recommend this chair to friends and family and would buy it myself,” our tester said. “It was durable, good-looking, had the wine and cup holders, folds for storage, and was very comfortable (the most important feature!). Great selection of colors at a reasonable price.” The Outer Banks chair did have one of the longest setup times of our best Adirondack chairs, coming in at almost 50 minutes of assembly. Our tester found one of the screws was defective and needed a pair of pliers, and the bolts needed additional tools to be secured as well, but the process was otherwise “very straightforward.” Keep in mind that you may need to set aside extra time for assembly. Price at time of publish: From $255 Product Details: Material: Stainless steel | Weight Capacity: Not listed | Weight: 39 pounds | Dimensions: 35.5 x 30.25 x 37.5 inches Keep in Mind: Shorter people may struggle to get a good rock going. This chair may be better for taller users; our 5’ 5" tester wasn’t able to fully get the chair to rock from a seated position. She had to scoot forward on the chair and stretch out her legs to reach the ground. Rocking stretch aside, the tester said the chair was otherwise comfortable and sturdy-feeling. When testers tossed medicine balls onto the seat to test for durability, they noticed the balls left a slight mark but that the chair remained stable. They also noted that the melted marshmallow left black residue stuck to the chair that was challenging to remove until soaking the chair with a hose, so you may need a little more elbow grease to clean this chair of sticky foods. “The texture of the chair was nice, and if you’re not rocking, you can set things on the arms of the chair,” our tester said. “This chair has good support and feels sturdy when you sit in it or carry it. The wood finish and rocking element of the chair is very nice for the price.” Price at time of publish: $108 Product Details: Material: Acacia wood | Weight Capacity: Not listed | Weight: 28.66 pounds | Dimensions: 27.25 x 36.5 x 41.12 inches
Our Testing Process
We tested 20 Adirondack chairs in our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa, to find the best Adirondack chairs on the market. First, we noted how easy they were to assemble, timing how long it took to put each of them together. Testers sat in the chairs to note comfort, felt the chair materials to see how comfortable they would feel against bare skin, and reviewed the chairs for any additional features, such as cup holders and adjustable seatbacks. To see how easy they were to clean, we got barbecue sauce and melted marshmallow goo on the chairs, then tried to wipe the messes off. For stability assessment, we threw weighted medicine balls at the chairs and noted how much the chairs moved, if at all, upon impact. We also soaked the chairs with water for two minutes and noted whether the water soaked into the chair or simply beaded up.
What to Know About Adirondack Chairs Before Shopping
Material
“Personally, I always stick with the classic wood Adirondack chair,” says Douglas Dedrick, a professional landscaper. “While they are rather heavy, they are nearly indestructible and last for many years with very little maintenance. However, if you want to go with a specific color, plastic and resin chairs may be a better option as they won’t need to be painted every few years.” Fox, however, offers a different perspective. “If you are someone who doesn’t have the energy to provide long-term care for an item, a resin [chair] might be best as it requires very little maintenance,” she says. “If you are someone who values using all-natural materials as they are the most timeless, wood might be the best way to go. But make sure you are prepared to provide the care needed for natural wood to keep it in tip-top shape in the winter, including a cover.”
Chair Size
No one likes to be squished in between two narrow armrests (if we wanted that, we’d get on an airplane). Make sure your chair’s dimensions are sufficient for you to sit comfortably as well as a good match for your available space.
Storage Needs
Adirondack chairs themselves don’t usually have built-in storage, other than the occasional cup holder. In terms of storing a chair, if you are going to need to bring it indoors in the winter, make sure you have adequate space and are capable of moving the chair. A folding chair may be a better fit for you since it will be easier to move and stash away.
Features
If you like to lounge, Dedrick recommends considering a chaise lounge extension, whether that’s collapsible or detachable. Cup holders are also a nice bonus, though many Adirondack chairs have wide enough arm rests to set your drink on without a dedicated cup holder. Some chairs are also adjustable, which can be helpful if you’re fussy about your back angle, though it’s not a super common feature.
Other Adirondack Chairs We Tested
The Serwall Folding Adirondack Chair was extremely tricky to put together, taking our tester almost two hours to build. Our tester said it had an “average comfort level for an Adirondack chair” and seemed both lightweight and durable. But the melted marshmallow “made quite a mess,” and the chair squeaked and wiggled a bit when we rocked it to check for stability. The Highwood Hamilton Rustic Red Folding and Reclining Plastic Adirondack Chair had a smooth assembly process but was knocked out of the running for best Adirondack chair due to its uncomfortability and instability. It was on the narrower side, seat-wise, and wobbled significantly during the medicine ball testing. Testers said it simply did not feel durable. The folding feature also makes the chair nearly impossible to carry or store. “I feel like the way it is designed my 4- and 5-year-old could break this chair in under a month,” our tester noted. The Duraweather Poly King-Size Folding Adirondack Chair was also somewhat challenging to assemble due to minimal instructions. Once assembled, it did seat our 6-foot-tall tester comfortably. They also noted that it folded up nicely and felt sturdy while in use. But it fell short in accessories and maintenance. The unusual build of the cup holder meant that smaller containers or phones would simply fall right to the ground at certain angles, and the melted marshmallow was nearly impossible to clean off of the chair’s armrest. Those flaws, combined with the high price tag, prevented it from becoming one of the best Adirondack chairs.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the difference between plastic and resin Adirondack chairs?
“Resin is technically a plastic, but it is made with different ingredients than many common plastics, so it has some distinctive qualities,” Fox says. “Resins are composites made from plant matter rather than synthetics, resulting in a generally higher-quality material than most plastics on the market. Resin feels thicker and sturdier while most plastics feel quite thin, flimsy, and brittle.”
Can you leave Adirondack chairs outside in winter?
“Adirondack chairs were invented to survive the extremes of the Adirondack mountains in northern New York,” Dedrick says. “So they can certainly handle winter weather. That is why they make such a tremendous outdoor chair.” Fox points out, however, that wood chairs may be negatively impacted by heavy snow over time and will need regular maintenance. Plastic chairs, on the other hand, will be fine in snow but may take damage from the sun.
Who We Are
Rena Behar has been researching and evaluating products for publications including Wirecutter, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Apartment Therapy, Reviewed.com, and more since 2014. Multiple members of the BHG staff used their combined years of editing experience to put these chairs through the paces during lab testing. We also interviewed Douglas Dedrick, a landscaper with over a decade of experience and Susanne Fox, an NCIDQ-certified interior designer.
What is BHG Recommends?
Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they’re worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn’t an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products and we let you know that we got it for free to remain as transparent as possible about our picks. Looking for more products that have earned our BHG Recommends seal of approval? Check out our picks for everything from picnic blankets to humidifiers.
