Standing Egg Chairs vs Hanging Egg Chairs: How to Decide

If you've been looking at egg chairs for your garden, you've probably noticed they come in two quite different forms. There are hanging egg chairs, which dangle from a curved steel frame and swing freely. And there are standing egg chairs, which sit on their own base or legs without any suspension at all.

Both look similar at first glance. Both have that distinctive cocoon shape. But the way they feel, the space they need, and who they suit best are genuinely different. We sell both types, and we get asked about this distinction more than almost anything else. So here's an honest comparison from people who've sat in every chair we stock.

What's Actually Different Between Standing and Hanging Egg Chairs?

Let's start with the basics, because the terminology gets confusing online.

A hanging egg chair (sometimes called a swing egg chair) has a curved metal frame that arches over the seat. The egg-shaped basket hangs from this frame on a chain or rope. When you sit in it, you swing gently. The motion is the whole point. These are what most people picture when they think "egg chair." Our single egg chairs and double egg chairs are all hanging designs.

A standing egg chair has the same cocoon-shaped seat, but it sits on a fixed base. No swing. No chain. The chair stays put. Some have a round base, others an oval one, and some come with a separate footstool. You can see the full range in our standing egg chairs collection.

The shape of the seat is often nearly identical between the two types. It's everything below the seat that changes.

The Frame

Hanging egg chairs need a tall, arched frame to support the suspended basket. This frame typically rises to about 190-200cm at its highest point. It's engineered to bear a swinging load, which means it needs to be heavier and more robust than you might expect. The frame on something like our Hardwick egg chair weighs a fair bit on its own.

Standing egg chairs have a much simpler support structure. The base is usually a wide disc or oval platform, and the seat either sits directly on it or connects via a short pedestal. The Waddesdon oval standing egg chair is a good example of how compact this can be. Total height is usually around 140-160cm rather than 190-200cm.

The Motion

This is where it gets personal. Hanging chairs swing. Not wildly, but with a gentle pendulum motion that most people find deeply relaxing. You push off slightly with your foot, and you drift. It's the reason egg chairs became so popular in the first place.

Standing chairs don't move. They're stationary. Some people see this as a drawback. Others see it as the entire appeal. More on that in the comfort section below.

Space Requirements: The Numbers That Actually Matter

This is where a lot of people make their decision, and rightly so. The space difference between hanging and standing egg chairs is significant.

Hanging Egg Chair Footprint

A single hanging egg chair needs more room than the base alone suggests. The base might be roughly 100-110cm wide, but you need to account for the swing arc. When someone is sitting in a hanging egg chair and swinging gently, the basket moves perhaps 15-20cm in each direction. So your actual footprint becomes more like 140-150cm from front to back.

You also need clearance around the frame. Placing a hanging egg chair right against a wall or fence means the basket will bump into it every time it swings backwards. We recommend at least 30cm clearance on all sides. A single hanging egg chair like the Calke realistically needs a space of about 170cm x 170cm to be comfortable and usable.

Double hanging egg chairs are wider again. Something like the Petworth double egg chair needs roughly 200cm x 180cm of clear space once you factor in the swing arc and clearance.

Standing Egg Chair Footprint

Standing egg chairs are more compact because there's no swing arc to worry about. The Tyntesfield round standing egg chair sits on a base of about 80cm diameter. That's it. No extra clearance needed for movement. You can place it right up against a wall if you want to.

The Chartwell 2-seat standing egg chair is larger, naturally, but still takes up less total space than an equivalent double hanging chair because you're only accounting for the physical dimensions, not the motion envelope.

For anyone working with a smaller patio, a balcony, or a narrow garden, this space saving is often the deciding factor.

Stability: An Honest Comparison

Hanging egg chairs are stable. Let's be clear about that. The wide base and heavy frame are specifically designed to prevent tipping. We wouldn't sell them if they weren't safe. But they do rock and shift slightly as you get in and out. That's inherent to the design. If you've had a couple of glasses of wine on a summer evening, getting out of a hanging egg chair requires a small amount of coordination.

Standing egg chairs are, by their nature, more stable. They don't move. Getting in and out is straightforward. For anyone with mobility concerns, joint problems, or who simply prefers furniture that stays exactly where it is, standing egg chairs are the more practical choice.

We've had customers switch from hanging to standing specifically because of knee or hip issues. The lower seat height on some standing models also makes a difference. The Cragside standing egg chair with footstool has a seat that's easier to lower yourself into than a suspended basket that shifts as you sit.

Moving Them Around the Garden

Neither type is truly portable. Let's be realistic. These are substantial pieces of furniture.

But standing egg chairs have a clear advantage here. Because they're lighter overall (no heavy arch frame) and more compact, they can be repositioned by one person in most cases. Want to move from the sun to the shade after lunch? A standing egg chair can usually be dragged or carried across a patio without much drama.

Hanging egg chairs are a two-person job to move. The frame is heavy and awkward. The chain needs to be detached or at least secured so it doesn't swing and catch on things as you carry it. Most people find a spot for their hanging egg chair at the start of the season and leave it there until autumn.

If you like rearranging your garden layout, or you want to chase the sun around your patio through the day, a standing chair makes that possible. A hanging chair makes it a chore.

Assembly: What's Involved

Hanging egg chairs have more parts. The arch frame typically comes in sections that bolt together, plus the chain mechanism, plus the basket, plus the cushion. Assembly takes around 30-45 minutes with two people. The frame sections can be heavy, and you need someone to hold pieces while you tighten bolts. It's not difficult, but it's not a solo job.

Standing egg chairs are simpler. Some models, like the Waddesdon, are essentially the seat on a base. Assembly can be done alone in 15-20 minutes. Fewer bolts, fewer parts, less swearing.

Comfort: The Swing vs The Stability

Here's where we need to be genuinely honest, because this comes down to personal preference and there's no objectively correct answer.

The Case for Hanging

The gentle swinging motion of a hanging egg chair is, for many people, the most relaxing seating experience you can have in a garden. There's a reason hammocks and porch swings have existed for centuries. That rhythmic movement does something to your nervous system. It calms you down. Several customers have told us they fall asleep in their egg chairs within minutes, and we believe them because we've done it ourselves.

The suspension also means the seat gives slightly under your weight in a way that a fixed chair doesn't. There's a subtle bounce to it. The Lanhydrock egg chair with its thick cushion and chain suspension feels genuinely different from any conventional garden chair.

The Case for Standing

Standing egg chairs offer a different kind of comfort. They're firm. They're predictable. You sit down and the chair doesn't move. For reading, eating, using a laptop, or having a conversation, this stability is actually preferable. Try typing on a tablet in a swinging egg chair and you'll understand immediately.

Standing egg chairs also tend to sit lower to the ground, which some people find more comfortable for longer periods. Your feet rest flat on the ground naturally, rather than dangling or tucking underneath you.

The Cragside with its footstool is particularly good for extended sitting because you can stretch your legs out properly. It's closer to a conventional armchair experience but with that enclosed, cosy egg chair shape around you.

The Verdict on Comfort

If you want to zone out, nap, or simply exist in your garden without doing anything productive, a hanging egg chair wins. If you want to read, work, eat, or do anything that benefits from a stable platform, a standing egg chair wins. Both are comfortable. The question is what kind of comfortable you're after.

Which Garden Type Suits Which Chair?

Your garden itself should influence this decision. Here are the scenarios we see most often:

Large Lawn or Patio

If space isn't a concern, go with whichever type appeals to you more. A hanging Knole double egg chair looks spectacular on a large patio. It becomes a focal point. But so does a well-placed standing chair. Luxury of choice.

Small Patio or Courtyard

Standing egg chairs make more sense here. The smaller footprint means you can have an egg chair without sacrificing space for a bistro table or plant pots. The Tyntesfield at just under £220 is a popular choice for smaller spaces.

Covered Area or Pergola

If you have a pergola or covered terrace, a hanging egg chair works really well. The overhead structure provides context for the tall frame, and the shelter means you can use it in light rain. Some customers actually hang their egg basket from the pergola beam itself, though we'd recommend checking the structural integrity first.

Balcony

Standing egg chairs only. A hanging chair's frame is almost certainly too tall for a balcony with an overhang, and the swing arc needs too much clearance. A standing chair like the Waddesdon can work on a larger balcony.

Uneven Ground

Standing egg chairs cope better with slightly uneven surfaces. A hanging chair's frame needs to sit level, or the swing motion becomes lopsided and uncomfortable. If your garden has a bit of a slope to it, a standing chair is the safer bet.

Price Comparison Across the Range

Standing egg chairs are generally less expensive than hanging ones. This makes sense when you consider the engineering involved. A hanging chair needs a frame strong enough to bear a swinging load, which means more steel and more complex construction.

Standing Egg Chairs

So the range runs from about £200 to £390.

Single Hanging Egg Chairs

Single hanging chairs range from about £160 to £320.

Double Hanging Egg Chairs

Doubles range from £300 to £420.

Interestingly, the cheapest egg chair we sell is actually a hanging model, the Cotehele at £159.99. But on average, standing egg chairs cost less than hanging ones at equivalent quality levels. The mid-range standing chairs (£200-£300) compete with the entry to mid-range hanging chairs, but with less structural complexity to worry about.

Who Prefers What (and Why)

After selling thousands of these chairs, we've noticed some clear patterns in who gravitates towards each type. This isn't scientific, but it's consistent enough to be useful.

People Who Choose Hanging Egg Chairs

  • Couples buying together who want a statement piece for the garden. The double hanging chairs in particular are popular as a shared seat.
  • People who already have plenty of conventional seating and want something different. The swing motion is the novelty, and they lean into it.
  • Younger buyers (relatively speaking, within our customer base) who are drawn to the visual drama of the arched frame.
  • People who explicitly say they want to relax and do nothing. The swing is the point. They're not planning to read or eat in it. They want to zone out.

People Who Choose Standing Egg Chairs

  • People with smaller gardens or patios who want the egg chair shape without the spatial commitment.
  • Readers. Genuinely. A huge proportion of standing egg chair buyers mention reading as their primary intended use.
  • People with mobility concerns who want the enclosed, cosy feel but need a chair they can get in and out of easily.
  • Practical buyers who want to move the chair around, store it easily, and don't want to deal with a complex frame.
  • People adding a second egg chair who already have a hanging one and want something different for another spot in the garden.

Can You Have Both?

Absolutely. And more people do this than you'd expect. A hanging single egg chair as the main relaxation spot, and a Waddesdon or Tyntesfield standing chair tucked into a quieter corner for reading. The two types serve different enough purposes that having both makes sense if your garden has the room.

Our Recommendation

If you're buying your first egg chair and you have the space, start with a hanging one. The swing is what makes egg chairs special, and it's the experience most people are imagining when they decide they want one. The Belton at £229.99 is a great starting point. Good size, comfortable cushion, well-made frame.

If space is tight, if you want something more practical for daily use, or if the idea of swinging doesn't appeal, a standing egg chair is the right call. The Cragside with footstool at £299.99 is probably the best all-round standing egg chair we sell. Comfortable for hours, easy to move, and the footstool makes a genuine difference to how long you'll sit in it.

Either way, you're getting that distinctive enclosed shape that blocks wind, creates privacy, and makes you feel like you're in your own little world. That's the real magic of egg chairs, and it works whether you're swinging or sitting still.