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9 best sun loungers for summer relaxation in your garden

From stylish recliners to portable solutions, soak up the British summer on one of these

Ali Howard
Saturday 08 July 2023 07:39 EDT
We looked for comfort, practicality, style and price to find the best seat in the house
We looked for comfort, practicality, style and price to find the best seat in the house (The Independent)
Our Top Picks

With heatwaves back on the agenda, and overseas holidays increasingly out of reach while we’re all feeling the pinch, it follows that we want to turn our back gardens into a sun-filled oasis. If we can’t get to Mallorca this summer, Mallorca can come to us. Enter, the sun lounger – an unapologetically indulgent furniture piece designed for one thing and one thing only: relaxation.

While outdoor furniture continues to up the ante on the luxury front, from hanging egg chairs to garden sofas, sun loungers are getting in on the action, too. Styles once the preserve of high-end hotels are finding their way into our modest patio spaces and are slowly becoming a staple in our garden furniture setup.

But that doesn’t mean to say they’re not affordable. We’ve found some great pieces for less than £200, which can give more expensive models a run for their money on both design and comfort.

Some sun loungers are luxuriously low-lying, which is great if you’re young and fit and can jump out of one in seconds to go and grab your next Aperol spritz. Others offer some much-needed elevation for a more dignified snooze in the sun.

It may seem counterintuitive but if you’re after a sun lounger with back support, wooden styles without cushioning or those with ergonomic shaping can be a godsend. Think, too, about whether you want your sun lounger to be adjustable, with various reclining positions available.

How we tested

We power-napped our way through a wide range of sun loungers on our patio, looking for a good combination of style and comfort, great design and quality of craftsmanship. We tested each one for how easy it was to move around the garden, ease of self-assembly, where appropriate, and, of course, value for money.

The best sun loungers for 2023 are:

  • Best sun lounger overall – La Redoute interieurs ambel eucalyptus sun lounger: £299, Laredoute.co.uk
  • Best budget sun lounger – Outsunny rattan sun lounger, cream: £148.99, Onbuy.com
  • Best wooden sun lounder – Barlow Tyrie Capri standard garden lounger, natural teak: £998, Barkerandstonehouse.co.uk
  • Best affordable sun lounger set – Argos Home set of two folding metal sun loungers, yellow: £53, Argos.co.uk

La Redoute interieurs ambel eucalyptus sun lounger

best sun loungers
  • Best: Overall
  • Dimensions: 60cm x 23cm x 90cm
  • Colour: Black/wood

Comprising an armchair and separate footrest, this stylish sun lounger scores high on versatility ­– pull the chair up to your outdoor lounge setup for casual extra seating. But, of course, the set works best when it’s put together and you’ve got your feet up. Angled for relaxation, the lounger is made from a sustainable eucalyptus wood with an attractive oiled finish, while the seat, backrest and footrest boast a contrasting black rope weave, which proves perfectly comfy as it gently takes your body weight. We love this one for its chic angular silhouette and its dramatic, jet-black colourway.

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Argos Home set of two folding metal sun loungers, yellow

Best sun loungers
  • Best: Affordable sun lounger set
  • Dimensions: 30cm x 60cm x 190cm
  • Colourways: Yellow or teal

Proving that affordable garden furniture does not need to skimp on style is this purse-friendly pair of loungers in bright canary yellow. Adding a fun, contemporary colour pop to the patio space, this cheery duo stands out for all the right reasons. The loungers are made from a manmade textilene mesh with a matching metal frame – we love the full modern monochrome look. Head pillows are adjustable and removable, while the loungers boast three reclining positions. What’s more, these sunny sun beds are fully collapsible – they fold up completely, and neatly, allowing for easy storage, which in turn will prolong their life. Sturdy, stylish and penny-saving.

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Miah Brasilia set of two premium string-steel-frame sun loungers, orange

best sun loungers
  • Best: Low-maintenance loungers
  • Dimensions: 61.5cm x 77cm x 172cm
  • Colour: Orange, black, pink, blue or gray

This contemporary sun lounger set offers big impact on the design front – crafted from a powder-coated steel, and with a flexible orange weave, the loungers are as brilliantly low-maintenance and weatherproof as they are stylish. Unlike most adjustable sun loungers, these remain in a fixed position, with the manmade weave gently holding your body as you relax, with just the right amount of give. The Brasilia loungers might not look as comfy as others but don’t be fooled, they feel perfectly supportive and ergonomic – and they boast adjustable and removable head cushions.

  1.  £299 from Furn.com
Prices may vary
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Suns Lifestyle tutti lounger

best sun loungers
  • Best: Design-led sun lounger
  • Dimensions: 208cm x 76cm x 55cm
  • Colours: Matte grey or matte white aluminium with clear, grey or light anthracite cushioning

For those who appreciate a clean line on the patio, the Tutti lounger is particularly striking. What sets it apart from most is its high, curved armrests with teak detailing, not only giving you a handy place to rest your elbows when you’re sipping that Pimm’s, but an eye-catching contrast, too. Boasting a slimline silhouette, the adjustable frame is crafted from a lightweight aluminium, making this one super easy to move around the garden to find your perfect sunny spot. The light, weatherproof mesh proves the ideal mix of firm and supportive, but if you’re looking for something a little more plush, soft grey anthracite cushioning is available as an add-on.

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Maze Living marina rope weave double sun lounger set, sandstone

Maze Living marina rope weave double sun lounger set, sandstone.png
  • Best: Double lounger
  • Dimensions: 68cm x 156cm x 170cm
  • Colourways: Sandstone or grey

This luxury lounger is made for two but, thanks to its clever design, it can also be split into separate sunbeds. What marks this one apart from conventional rattan garden furniture is its attractive, chunky rope weave exterior. Also unusual, the lounger is supported with a lightweight aluminium frame, which makes it easy to move around the patio space (and catch those all-important sun rays). While the lounger isn’t adjustable in terms of reclining positions, the back cushion can be moved around for comfort. Talking of comfort, the shower-resistant and stainproof pad is wonderfully plush and deep. 

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Outsunny rattan sun lounger, cream

Outsunny rattan sun lounger, cream.png
  • Best: Budget buy
  • Dimensions: 159cm x 156cm x 78cm
  • Colourways: Cream/black

If you’re after a dupe of a much more expensive rattan lounger, you can’t go wrong with this curvy number from Outsunny. Full disclaimer: it is made of a plastic (or polyurethane) rattan but in chic black, there’s not much to tell it apart from higher-end synthetic models. We loved the shaping of this one with its upright back support and its long, curved leg rest. The removable pad is comfy enough and in a tough polyester it promises to be both weather- and stain-resistant. For a product on the affordable end, this one is particularly attractive in its contrasting black and white colourway.

  1.  £148 from Onbuy.com
Prices may vary
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Barlow Tyrie Capri standard garden lounger, natural teak

Barlow Tyrie Capri standard garden lounger, natural teak.png
  • Best: Wooden lounger
  • Dimensions: 70cm x 91cm x 197cm
  • Colouways: Natural teak

For those who appreciate natural wood and considered design, Barlow Tyrie’s Capri lounger is a beauty. Made to order from solid teak, the piece boasts a slatted leg and backrest, which feels wonderfully supportive and can be adjusted to find your perfect reclining position. This one also comes with a set of rubber shod teak wheels, making moveability a doddle. The teak has a natural finish, which celebrates the wood’s organic grain, while the quality of craftsmanship is palpable. It might not be cheap but it is timeless in design and, if looked after well, will last a lifetime.

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Danetti Sorrento grey garden sun lounger

Danetti sorrento grey garden sun lounger.png
  • Best: Thoughtful design
  • Dimensions: 35cm x 93cm x 200cm
  • Colourways: Mid grey

This is a conventional rattan sun lounger but with thoughtful add-ons. Namely, industrial-chic metal legs that give the piece a cool contemporary twist, and a handy wooden shelf that runs the full length of the bed – ideal for keeping your drink and magazine close to hand as you laze. The addition of the side shelf makes the lounger extra wide, which only adds to its luxurious feel. As with a conventional lounger, the top section can be angled to suit your wants. This one also boasts a plusher-than-usual, extra deep pad for added comfort, making it nigh on impossible to get out of.

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Blomus stay sun lounger, cloud

Blomus stay sun lounger, cloud.png
  • Best: Bean bag style
  • Dimensions: 75cm x 60cm x 120cm
  • Colourways: Cloud

If you’re after something a little more malleable to dive into on the patio, Blomus’s bean-bag-like lounger is a treat. But unlike conventionally round bean bags, this one boasts ergonomic shaping with its gently curved form that supports the lower back. In the aptly named “cloud” colourway, the lounger is an attractive light grey, while the material itself is highly durable with water-repellent and UV-protective properties. Relatively lightweight, this one is filled with polystyrene beads (we’re told the environmentally friendly kind) and arrives half-filled for easy delivery. All we had to do was fill the rest of it up and jump on.

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The verdict: Sun loungers

La Redoute’s Ambel eucalyptus sun lounger not only proved incredibly stylish on our patio space but, crafted from FSC-sourced eucalyptus, it scored major points on sustainability – we can sit back and relax in the knowledge we’re doing our bit to counter deforestation. We also loved Suns Lifestyle’s tutti lounger for its stylish design and its high, curved armrests, while Argos Home’s set of two folding metal sun loungers brought instant sunshine to our back garden.

For more luxurious garden furniture, we’ve rounded up the best egg chairs to hang out in

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