Comparison – Bean Bag vs. Chair
From time to time, some people introduce innovative things. Some are refused by society while some others are accepted. The Bean bag is a concept that was introduced in the 70’s century. It has acquired a significant market share worldwide from that day to now.
However, researching the facts about why bean bags have become the favorite furniture of people is an exciting thing. It gives a good understanding of how the market and people’s living status change.
As a blogger, I did hundreds of researches about bean bags and other furniture. This learning is based on ergonomics, fashion, modernization, and more facts about typical chairs and bean bags.
So, here I decided to share my findings with you. It will answer most of your questions, including why people move for bean bags and the pros and cons of both bean bags and chairs. Read and grab knowledge. Good knowledge will direct you to make better decisions!
Table of Contents
What Are The Chairs?
Here, the chair is any piece of furniture that people used to sit on. So, check the list mentioned below.
- Wooden chairs
- Plastic chairs
- Steel chairs
- Sofas
- Dining table chairs & etc
Thus, in this comparison, I compare the properties of these typical chairs with the bean bag. Let’s move to it!
Comparison Of Bean Bags With Chairs
Fabric Vs. Wooden, Steel, or Plastic Chairs
As you already know, the bean bag is a sac made with soft fabric such as velvet, fur faux, cotton, linen, or leather.
The other standard chairs are made with different materials, such as wood, plastic, and steel. Among them, most people use wooden chairs as their typical chairs. However, its properties will change according to the material used to make the chair.
For example, think one chair is made with plastic while others are made with a wooded finish. So, it is easy to move and use plastic chairs due to their lightweight.
But if you have wooden chairs, it isn’t easy to handle and move them. However, these factors are unique for each piece of furniture, which is beneficial for some purposes.
Soft Fillers Vs. Cushion and Wooden Seats
The bean bags are filled with soft fillers such as shredded memory foam, cotton, dura foam, beans, or expanded polystyrene beads.
But, ordinary chairs are a mix of cushions, wood, and threads. However, the thickness of cushion seats varies from 2-to 6 inches. Also, thread weaving does not give a super comfortable feel. Anyhow, you can spend a particular time there.
If you have foam-filled couches, it will give a similar feel to a bean bag. However, do not expect this comfy from armchairs.
Flexible Structure Vs. Fix Structure
Flexibility is a word that is highly associated with bean bags. That’s why most people love to sit there. It confirms the user’s body shape and gives them a fantastic sitting experience.
On the other hand, due to the flexibility of the bean bag, it reduces the pressure spots. So, you can sit there for a long time without any uncomfortable feeling.
However, typical chairs have confirmed structure. Thus, they do not change with the user’s body shape. It means the user should adjust their postures according to them.
Because of these features, you may feel uncomfortable sitting there for an extended period. The pressure spot will do a significant part here.
Softness Vs. Consistent
A Bean bag is a sac that is filled with super soft fillers such as dura foam, shredded memory foam, or EPS beads. Thus, people can experience a super smooth experience when sitting there. Plus, it will give warmly experience in the winter season.
However, sitting on a plastic, steel, or wooded chair will give a more consistent feel.
Ergonomics
These days both chairs and bean bags are made by following ergonomics standards. So, it will give good back, foot, head, and armrest. Especially the bean bags provide a good sitting experience for the user. Also, it can adjust to people’s body shapes.
But foram-filled chairs, such as sofas, have a more consistent shape. So, it will give some pressure on the user’s body. However, sitting on the same surface for a long time can make a pain. But, you can minimize this pain by using a bean bag.
Soft Edges Vs. Sharp Edges
Bean bags come in different sizes and shapes. Also, they are prepared to satisfy the needs of varying age groups.
Safety is the main thing you consider when you purchase any furniture. Here, we cannot give a standard message for both these furniture types because the safety of the furniture depends on the design, material, and quality standards the manufacturer follows.
However, when choosing furniture for your kids, especially toddlers, you must consider some facts. Here, as you already know, the bean bag has soft edges. So, if your kid’s head hits there, it will not cause severe damage.
But if your child hits on the rigid wooden or steel chair, it will damage your kid. Some cases can be severe due to their sharp edges. So, at this point, bean bags are safer for kids than other chairs
Durability
Here also, I will say a general idea, the steel, plastic, or wooden furniture has much more durability than bean bags. That’s why these types of furniture are inherited from one generation to another. Generally, these typical chairs have good resistance to pest attack, dirt, and broken down.
Rather than that, each wooden piece of furniture is covered by protective varnish and water-base cover. So, they work great in different climates.
Moreover, these typical chairs are less reactive to environmental factors such as sunlight, mist, and heat. So, they will remain for several decades without any issue.
However, you can use bean bags for a few years as their original form. After a specific period, you should remove the flattened fillers and refill them.
Also, it is essential to remove and replace the discolored outer cover. Here, the bean bag’s durability varies with the material’s use, maintenance, and quality. So, if you purchased a quality bean bag, you can surely use it for at least 5- 10 years without any modification.
Indoor Vs. Outdoor
You can use both bean bags and other chairs indoor and outdoor areas. However, here you should keep in mind one thing. Bean bags are highly reactive to environmental factors such as mist, heat, sunlight, and rain.
Hence, if you want to use a bean bag for outside, buy a bean bag specially designed for outside usage. They are prepared with waterproof and UV-resistant materials. Do not use indoor bean bags for an outdoor environment under these types of weather conditions.
As I mentioned above, steel, wood, and plastic chairs have good resistance to environmental factors.
However, if your wooden chairs are not covered with a water base and are directly exposed to the rain and mist for a long time, they may decay. Also, steel is sensitive to salty weather and starts to deteriorate within a short time.
Fire Retardant Properties
Fire-retardant property is a manufacturer’s primary concern when preparing a bean bag. They need to equip themselves with relevant standards to get a quality certification. So, if you buy a quality bean bag, they will have a fire-redundant property.
Here, we cannot say the exact fire redundant properties of typical furniture because they are made with different types of materials.
However, considering the general facts, the steel chairs have good fire redundant properties than others. The plastic chairs can melt if they expose to direct fire. The wooden chairs also have good resistance to heat. But if it exposes to fire, it can burn.
Final Thoughts
This comparison is based on the most common features of the bean bags and chairs. Here, we discussed how the sitting experience varies with the furniture type. I hope now you all have a good idea about the different traits of bean bags and chairs. So, we end this article here until we meet with another valuable topic!
