Bean bag chairs are fun seating alternatives that can be used for lounging, gaming, virtual learning, or just relaxing. With seemingly endless options when it comes to sizes, shapes, and materials, the right chair can be stylish and useful. We tested out the Three Posts Teen Large Bean Bag Sofa to see if this was a good fit for children and families. With three kids at home—ages 10, 7, and 3—we are spending more time lounging, playing, and relaxing indoors. Adding in a bean bag sofa can take our average chill sessions to a new, supremely comfortable level. We put the Three Posts Bean Bag Sofa to the test to see if it was a comfy fit for our space.
Arrival and Set-Up
The Three Post chair arrived in an extra-large box that was fairly heavy, requiring quite a bit of effort to drag it inside. Despite the foam being contained in a large plastic bag, it was a hassle to wrangle it out of the cardboard box. After coaxing it out of the box, one of my sons said, “I’m already tired, and we haven’t even set it up,” while my other son shouted out that he was activating his “beast mode” to get the chair put together. The couch arrives in two pieces, the sealed bag of filling and a large microfiber/microsuede cover. As soon as we looked at the pieces unassembled, it was clear that this was far larger than just a typical bean bag chair and resembled more of a bean bag couch. The foam innards of the bean bag had to be broken apart before putting the cover on. This required quite a bit of physical effort and would take a long time for one person. My husband, our three mini-testers, and I worked for at least 20 minutes to expand the foam, and when the kids gave up, my husband and I still had to dig deep into the inner foam and break apart the pieces with our hands. Before we were even halfway done with breaking up the foam, our 3-year-old tester groaned, “I’m sooo tired,” and threw in the towel. After the foam seemed pretty well broken up and expanded, it was time to put the cover on, which turned out to be an intense task on its own. The bean bag zipper doesn’t have any pull tabs, so we had to use a small paperclip and bend one of the prongs into a tool. With a concerted joint effort, we were able to pull the cover onto the foam. The instruction sheet said to wait up to six hours for the foam to fully expand; however, we didn’t notice a big difference in size the next day. There was some odor emanating from the foam and the liner, but it wasn’t overwhelming and didn’t take that long to dissipate.
Comfort
There’s no doubt this bean bag chair is comfortable. It’s so big that my kids literally run and plop down on it. The seat absorbs the impact and cushions their whole body. Because it is so big, it’s actually rare that one of my kids (or me or my husband) sit up on the chair, but it has become a favorite lounging spot and is certainly big enough for two (or even three) kids to fit on at one time. There’s not much structure, so I find it hard to sit straight up comfortably in the seat. While the microsuede cover is soft, it’s not overly cozy or fluffy. Available in six colors, the fabric doesn’t pill but does have some color variations based on how you move the fabric or what angle you’re looking at it from. Since it has big chunks of foam as opposed to actual beans, the seat definitely gets flat. When anyone gets up from the sofa, it doesn’t bounce back to an inflated shape, but really needs to be hoisted up and moved around. Due to its weight, none of my kids can really move it or lift it, even if they work together.
Space
Weighing in at 58 pounds and measuring at 68.75 x 44.75 x 33 inches, this chair is huge. When my sister first laid eyes on this bean bag sofa as it sat in the middle of my living room floor, she immediately reacted with “What the heck is that?!” and then proceeded to jump on it. If you’re considering this bean bag, I suggest measuring the space it’s going into. Based on the specs, it can fit through an 11-inch door frame, but it will be a struggle to get into anything narrower. Due to its hefty weight and size, this bean bag is fairly difficult to move from room to room, and transporting it up and down the stairs is akin to trying to haul an oversized boulder up a hill.
Maintenance
For small spills, the brand recommends spot cleaning the microfiber/microsuede cover with a clean damp cloth or with an upholstery cleaner that has been spot-checked. For an all-over clean, the included instructions say that the cover can also be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle and tumbled dry on low heat in the dryer. I have yet to toss the cover in the wash and am reluctant to have to go through the process of getting the cover back onto the foam.
Price
This extra-large bean bag sofa is an investment. If you’re considering this seat as a replacement for a couch in a kid’s room or playroom, it may be worth the price tag; however, as just an additional seat for your house, it’s an expensive choice. The bean bag sofa does fit at least two or three kids, so if working on a cost-per-kid-per-seat calculation, it may be within your budget.
Usefulness
As the name implies, this bean bag is more of a sofa than it is a seat. While I may not love looking at this oversized chair in my living room, my kids sure do love using it. This soft sofa has become a lounge chair, pirate ship, climbing structure, obstacle course tool, crash pad, and pretend swimming pool. While lounging and watching Mandalorian with his brother, my 7-year-old quietly said to himself, “this is the life,” so it’s safe to say, the kids will get plenty of use out of it. Although my kids love using this bean bag sofa, it is heavy and quite cumbersome. If you’re looking for a lightweight option that can be moved from room to room or won’t take up a large amount of space, this is not the bean bag for you. For me and my home, the size and the weight are the main drawbacks. While my kids can lounge, watch tv, play, or read on this sofa, it’s not appropriate or conducive for sitting upright or beneficial for virtual learning.
Why Trust Trust Verywell Family
Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter. All three kids, plus Maya and her husband, tested the bean bag chairs for four weeks. It was a full family adventure to open all the bags, set them up, and move them around the house from the living room, kids’ bedrooms, and basement playroom to test them for usefulness, maneuverability, sturdiness, comfort, and more.
The foam gets smooshed up easily, and it takes some hefty muscles to wiggle it around and redistribute the foam. Other than my living room, I don’t really have the space for it in my home. If you have enough room to accommodate this oversized chair, it could be a fun seat for your kiddos.
