RELAX in the summer sun in style.
As the weather starts to heat up, and lazy days in the garden become more enticing, you need to be sure you have the perfect furniture to relax on.
There’s nothing worse than being uncomfortable when all you want to do is chill out.
Worry not, we’re here with some of the best (and most comfortable) sun loungers on the market. Whether you’re after cheap, cheerful, bright, bold, or muted chic, we’ve tested them all.
Look no further if you’re after a cushioned number, a foldaway for easy storage, or a posh rattan-style sun lounger.
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Read on for our review of the best sun loungers available in 2024.
Best sun loungers at a glance
- Best overall: VonHaus Grey Sun Lounger Chair
- Best value: Curacao Still water blue cabana striped metal sun lounger
- Best mid-range: Dunelm Amsterdam Grey Lounger
- Best premium: Keter Jaipur Anthracite Rattan effect sun lounger
Grey Sun Lounger Chair With Cushion from VonHaus
Grey Sun Lounger Chair With Cushion, £129.99
Pros: Super easy to adjust the recline, comfortable, fold away, good price
Cons: Takes up a fair bit of storage space
Rating: 5/5
This sun lounger has a lot going for it but the most attractive thing is how easy it is to adjust the backrest, which can be done without having to leave the seat like some of the other designs.
Simply hold onto the front of the two armrests at the same time and pull them forward to bring them back up or push them back to get more of a recline.
There are seven settings in total, some of which adjust the footrest to lower it up or down. In terms of comfort, the 100% polyester cushion looks thin but is comfortable, especially when you’re in full recline – do make sure to do up the ties that keep the cushion in place, and the loops that go over the edges of the body of the acacia hardwood sun lounger, as the cushion did move around when getting up from the lounger if they weren’t used.
The cushion is also quick to dry, as I discovered when I accidentally left the lounger out in the drizzle, the rest of the time I had it folded up and in the garage.
it folds up pretty flat but and because the footrest it is quite tall when folded up, you could remove the footrest but that involves undoing screws every time (note: there is a few screws to pop in when putting the sun lounger and footrest together the first time).
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Overall it’s a really nice looking lounger, super comfortable and a great price for the quality.
Dimensions: 140 x 55 x 90cm (D,WH) Weight: 11kg
Curacao Still water blue cabana striped metal sun lounger
Curacao Still water blue cabana striped metal sun lounger, £30
Pros: cheap, sturdy and nice colours
Cons: none other than it’s basic
Rating: 5/5
If you’re after a cheap, basic sun lounger that doesn’t have a cushion or any fancy nuts and bolts but is still pretty comfy, then this is the one.
It’s almost identical to one from Habitat in terms of specs, assembly and folding away nicely for storage, but is £10 cheaper and the colour scheme is a bit nicer, although the white and light blue could fade and get mucky.
Despite the similarities, it did feel a bit more chic than the Habitat sun lounger, and I did get some nice compliments from friends when I took both versions of this style of sun lounger on a camping trip.
As a bonus, you can also buy a really stylish, matching parasol for just £22. Big tick for this bargain sun lounger.
Dimensions: 79 x 183 x 57.5cm (H,L,W) Weight: 4.6kg
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Amsterdam Grey Lounger
Amsterdam Grey Lounger, £79
Pros: Comfortable, good value for money, stylish, easy to assemble
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
This was one of my favourite sun loungers to trial as it seemed to tick all the boxes in terms of having the best bits of all the other loungers.
It’s super quick to open and close into position, as it comes fully assembled and just folds down once you’re done with it.
The real highlight though, is that it comes with the cushion as part of the sun lounger, so once unfolded the cushion is already in place. It starts at chair height, which makes sitting down and getting up easy and from the seating position it is easily adjusted into recline from a bar across the feet, which is a nice touch.
Once in the new position, there are knobs to lock into place on either side of the arms of the lounger - make sure to lock them completely. The lounger cushion has a headrest pillow already attached too, which is adjustable so if you prefer it behind your back you can move it down the back of the lounger.
The whole thing looks stylish and modern and on top of that, it’s incredibly comfortable. It’s also very good value for this mid-price range.
Dimensions: 60 x 65 x 110cm (H,W,L) Weight: 7.5kg
Ambel Eucalyptus Sun Lounger
Ambel Eucalyptus Sun Lounger, £200 £159.50
Pros: Looks great, comfortable, like the separate footstool
Cons: Expensive, takes a while to assemble, can’t adjust the backrest
Rating: 5/5
This is a nice-looking sun lounger and that is reflected in the price, but since I've tested it, the price has dropped by half! This pretty much pushes it into my favourite loungers overall.
It’s very good quality hardwood and very sturdy once assembled. Talking of which, it does arrive in 16 separate pieces with a bag of screws, so expect to put in a bit of work before you get to relax – it took two of us 30 minutes to put the chair and footrest together.
Once it is ready to sit in, you’ll think the effort was worth it. The sun lounger is a chic addition to the garden and also very comfortable considering it doesn’t come with a cushion, although I would say it’s better used to sit up and enjoy a drink or read, rather than just laying around.
The footrest is completely separate from the chair, which is handy if you have people of different heights using the same sun lounger, it’s also handy for resting your feet on the closer edge when you want your knees bent.
The lounger is a good alternative to rattan sun loungers and garden furniture as it has that similar ‘natural’ look but is a bit different and less bulky in filling of your outdoor space.
Its smaller size means it’s easier to store - and while the chair doesn’t fold, the separate footrest means storage is a bit more flexible, or like me, you can use it as an indoor chair during the evening!
Dimensions: 60 x 20 x 90cm (W,H,L) Weight: 16kg
Padded Foldable Charcoal Lounger
Padded Foldable Charcoal Lounger, £45
Pros: quick assembly, cheap, comfy
Cons: Bit ugly
Rating: 4/5
This chair-into-lounger is another one where the metal frame comes already assembled and you just need to fold out and tie on the cushion, in total it took about two minutes to put together and just as quick to take down and store.
The fact that it sits at chair height is appealing, compared with most of the others which are closer to the ground.
This factor was ideal when my elderly parents came around as they didn’t need to struggle to get up from a low height, which can be an issue if you’re a bit older or less agile.
The sun lounger itself is very comfortable due to the thick cushion, and easily adjusts from the arms into a variety of reclining positions, including almost fully flat which is so comfy that I almost fell asleep on it.
The look, design and colour are a bit old fashioned, frumpy, and feel a bit cheap, but it definitely does the job, and to be fair, it does come with other colour cushions.
Dimensions: 100 x 75 x 60cm (H,L,W) Weight: 7.5kg
Haversham Classic Multi Position Sun Lounger from George at Asda
Haversham Classic Multi Position Sun Lounger, £149
Pros: Really comfortable, looks good, very spacious seating.
Cons: Bit fidgety to put together, expensive
Rating: 4/5
This was probably the most comfortable of all the sun loungers because of the thick cushion bed that comes with the base, and it was really easy to fall asleep on while sunbathing.
Like some of the others, this lounger also needs assembling before it can be used, and comes with the base in separate pieces, and also needs the arms added.
Expect about 25 minutes of assembly time using the spanner and screws included, at times the steel fit needs some coaxing into place. Once the base is fitted - the cushion sits on its leather straps and can be velcroed into place.
This is one of the more relaxing of the sun loungers I tested, the back rest is adjustable meaning you can lay flat, sit upright and everything in-between, although it’s not possible to adjust properly while on the lounger, you do have to get up to change the height.
The arms rests are great for leaning on and the lounger itself is wide enough to sit cross-legged on which is great for reading.
Dimensions: 163 x 64.5x 101.5 cm (L,W,H) Weight: 13.5kg
Avellino Garden Lounger Swing Seat
Avellino Garden Lounger Swing Seat, £199
Pros: Very spacious for two people, swings, looks good
Cons: Takes a while to assemble, takes up a lot of space
Rating: 4/5
For something a bit different, I tested this swinging sun lounger that can comfortably seat two people, and I even had a dog on it with us at one point.
The size of the box when it arrived was a bit overwhelming, and it’s also VERY heavy. Assembling the lounger, is just as cumbersome as getting the box itself into the garden.
Once all the steel frame bits are in the right place and the textilene seat has been stretched and attached, and the roof cover added, this is a fun lounger to have. It took up most of the lawn in the garden, so it really was too big for my space, so that’s definitely something to think about before purchasing – but I did enjoy using it.
The sun lounger probably isn’t the most comfortable over a long period, but then with the swinging, you probably won’t be on it for hours to be honest. The other thing to think about is storage if you don’t want it out all the time - it’s not a small one to store.
Overall, it’s fun, a good piece, but a bit of a hassle if you’re not going to keep it outside longterm.
Dimensions: 178 x 174 x 190cm (H,W,D)
Folding Textoline Sunlounger
Folding Textoline Sun lounger VonHaus, £124.99
Pros: super light, easy to store, little to no assembly time, comfortable
Cons: expensive
Rating: 4/5
This really is a no-fuss sun lounger that looks and feels luxurious and stylish. It arrived, folded up in a large box, in one piece, ready to go (apart from the head rest which takes seconds to velcro on).
Once lifted out of the box, which is easy because the lounger is so lightweight, it’s simply case of unfolding the bottom portion of the lounger first and the rest pings into place.
Once the head rest is on, you’re ready to go - no screws or fixtures to mess around with. The sun lounger is also really comfortable, which was a pleasant surprise considering it doesn’t have a cushion on it, but the curved design and the soft material means you melt into the structure.
The mesh-like material also means it’s really airy and breathable, and there’s no sweaty patches on a hot day. There’s a real ease around this sun lounger, and storage is no problem because it folds back into a tight fit, and can be kept in a fairy small space.
I actually left it outside overnight as there’s no cushion to get wet or damaged, and the lounger is made of tough material.
Dimensions: 178 x 64 x 78 cm Weight: 7.3kg
Habitat Folding Metal Sun Lounger
Habitat Folding Metal Sun Lounger (Pink and Red), £40
Pros: Quick and easy to assemble, cheap, folds away easily
Cons: A bit rough and ready in appearance, not as cheap as the B&Q one
Rating: 3/5
If you’re after cheap, cheerful and convenient, then look no further than this Habitat sun lounger. It arrives fully assembled and folded in a plastic bag, rather than big bulky boxes like the others, and takes about 30 seconds to unfold and lock into place.
The backrest can adjust into three different settings, but make sure to to click hard into place, so there’s no movement. The sun lounger is nice to look at and comes in a variety of colours, and this red and pink version is probably the boldest – good if you want to make a big impact.
It did come with a few a few threads hanging off, which kind of makes you feel like you’ve got what you’ve paid for considering it’s one of the cheapest options on the market, but I cut the long threads off and it looked fine.
Considering there is no cushion but just a polyester material on a metal frame, it’s actually super comfy in all the different positions, with the most upright just perfect for reading. One of the best things is how flat it folds down, taking up very little space in storage, so much so we even took it camping with us.
Dimensions: 24 x 53 x 186cm (H,W,D) Weight: 3.85kg
Keter Jaipur Anthracite Rattan effect sun lounger
Keter Jaipur Anthracite Rattan effect sun lounger, £120
Pros: Rattan effect is attractive, quick to assemble. Easy to store
Cons: Not the most comfortable, expensive
Rating: 3/5
I had high hopes for this sun lounger as I was keen to try a rattan version, and for many people this is a good option to match rattan garden furniture they may already have.
This is a good looking lounger, but on closer look you can tell it’s not actual rattan but a ‘rattan effect’ as advertised – so it depends how much that will bother you.
Plus points are, it takes minutes to assemble, and when taking apart, all the legs and other bits fit inside the body of the lounger which folds in half into a box shape for storage (the cushion is separate).
Despite having a cushion, this lounger still felt quite hard to sit on – it’s not the most comfortable, but was a bit better with the knees up. It has three different reclining angles, and is a really good length when totally flat and could suit taller people.
Dimensions: 29 x 18.7 x 58 cm (H,L,W) Weight: 8.8kg
How much do sun loungers cost?
The prices can really vary and it all depends on what type and quality of sun lounger you want.
But they can be as cheap as £20 - £30, and they go up into the hundreds.
The cheapest sun lounger we tested was the Curacao Still water blue sun lounger from B&Q at only £30 and we rated it five out of five stars.
The most expensive sun lounger tested was the Avellino Garden Swing Set at £199, but it fits two people and we rated it four out of five stars.
Where to buy sun loungers in the UK?
Sun loungers are readily available at most big supermarkets and retailers. If you’re keen to buy now, we’d recommend the following places:
- Amazon
- ASDA
- Argos
- B&Q
- Cherry Lane
- Dunelm
- La Redoute
- QD Stores
How we tested
The different sun loungers were tested over six weeks by one tester, in the same outdoor space, and sometimes additional spaces such as on a camping trip.
