The Best Adirondack Chairs to Give Your Backyard that Cottage Feel

If there were patio chairs that activated relaxation mode, the classic Adirondack chair would be it. Its wide armrests, slanted back, and sloped seat make it the ideal chair for rest and relaxation. If you’re looking to give your backyard a true cottage feel and want to purchase new patio furniture, then you should choose one of these Adirondack chairs on our list.

The Best Adirondack Chairs

1. All Things Cedar Adirondack Chair

The All Things Cedar Adirondack chair is made of untreated, rot-resistant Western Red Cedar. It comes unfinished, so you can choose to paint or stain it the color of your choice, or you can leave it unfinished.

This real wood chair measures 32” wide x 36” deep x 36” high and weighs 17 pounds once built. It comes disassembled, so you’ll have to assemble it upon delivery. The seat portion of the chair measures 20” wide x 19” deep x 15” high. You will also notice it has wide armrests for even more comfort.

Included with the wood Adirondack chair are handcrafted, snug-fitting parts with a sanded finish. You will need a screwdriver or drill to securely fit the chair pieces together. It comes with a 30-day manufacturer’s warranty should you have any issue with the chair within the first 30 days.

Pros:

• Comfortable
• Lightweight
• Rot-resistant
• 30-day warranty

Cons:

• Difficult to assemble alone

2. Wood Country Adirondack Chair

A little pricier than the All Things Cedar Adirondack chair is this Wood Country Adirondack chair. It is made of kiln-dried Western Red Cedar, making it perfect for finishing or painting. If left unfinished, you will be able to see the color variations in the wood that occur naturally. This means the wood color you see in the picture above may not be the same wood color you receive, so keep that in mind if you’re considering leaving the wood unfinished.

This solid wood chair measures 33" long x 31" wide x 38" tall with a seat width of 23 ¼” and 17 ½” deep. It has a 15” tall seat, making it easy to slide into and relax. The manufacturer includes a 30-day warranty if something should happen to the Adirondack chair within the first 30 days.

Pros:

• Weight capacity up to 400 pounds
• Easy to assemble
• Comfortable
• Weather-resistant

Cons:

• Pricey
• Heavy

3. Creekvine Designs Folding Adirondack Chair

If you’ve always looked over Adirondack chairs because they’re large and bulky, then stop right here. This Adirondack chair by Creekvine Designs can be folded in half. That means you don’t have to leave it at one place in your backyard. You can take it virtually anywhere or even bring it indoors for easy storage if you don’t want to leave it outside all year long.

This folding Adirondack chair is made of treated pine, and you can choose between unfinished or stained wood. When assembling the chair, it comes with the hardware and chair piece that make it foldable.

The overall dimensions of the chair are 31.5" wide x 37" deep x 39.25” high, and when folded, the dimensions of the chair are 50.75" tall x 9.5" deep. The seat and back of the chair are 22.5" wide x 19" deep x 32" tall.

Pros:

• Foldable
• Unstained and finished options
• 450-pound weight capacity
• Easy to assemble

Cons:

• Pricey

4. Anderson Teak Adirondack Chair with Ottoman

This Adirondack chair by Anderson Teak has a built-in ottoman attached to it and contoured seat, making it one of the best Adirondack chairs you can add to your outdoor space. The built-in ottoman gives your feet a place to rest as you sit back and relax in your backyard. Best of all, you can choose no cushion for the chair or choose one of the many cushion color options available.

The chair and ottoman together measure 27” wide x 48” deep x 40” high. The built-in ottoman makes it heavier than most other teak Adirondack chairs. It weighs 55 pounds, which is 3x as heavy as the first option on our list, so keep that in mind if the chair's weight is something you need to consider.

Most of the weight of this outdoor chair comes from the solid wood that Anderson Teak uses to make each piece of this wooden Adirondack chair. It is made of A-grade teak solid wood, which ensures it can last all year long when being left in the elements in your outdoor space.

Pros:

• Durable
• Many cushion colors and patterns to choose from
• Comfortable
• Easy to assemble

Cons:

• Heavy

5. Deluxe Adirondack Chair by LuxCraft

The LuxCraft Deluxe Adirondack chair is one of the best options on the list if you’re looking to purchase a virtually indestructible Adirondack chair that is painted the color you need it to be. There are 32 different paint or stain combinations to choose from. Instead of being made of wood, these Adirondack chairs by LuxCraft are made of recycled plastic and have stainless steel hardware for secure assembly.

The best part about this Adirondack chair being made of recycled plastic is that you don’t have to worry about the wood becoming splintered or chipping. You can easily clean these Adirondack chairs by pressure washing or wiping them down.

The dimensions of the plastic Adirondack chair are 31” wide x 36.5” deep x 38” high. The seat dimensions are 23” wide x 19.5” deep.

Pros:

• Many color combinations to choose from
• Will not grow bacteria or mildew
• Comfortable

Cons:

• Heavy (approximately 59 pounds)

How Did the Adirondack Chair Get Its Name?

Chairs are typically named after how they’re used. Rocking chairs are used for rocking, sitting chairs are used for sitting, and gliders are used for gliding. So, what are Adirondack chairs used for, and how did they get their name?

We’ll start with the latter first.

Adirondack chairs got their name from the Adirondack Mountains that are located in upstate New York. Thomas Lee, a local carpenter and inventor, lived in Massachusetts and frequently visited a home he owned in Westport, New York, to enjoy the Adirondacks. He wanted to create a chair that could sustain the terrain of the Adirondacks while also providing a comfortable and peaceful experience when resting in the chair.

Thus, the Adirondack chair was invented, but it didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took Lee three years to finally perfect the Adirondack chair. This chair had wide arms, a high back, and a low, slanted seat. Lee didn’t invent the chair as a business idea. Instead, he wanted to create a chair that people could enjoy outside while watching nature without worrying about the chair becoming damaged from the rough terrain.

Like most inventions, the design changed over time into what we know today as the modern Adirondack chair. What began as a chair made solely for the Adirondack Mountain region has now turned into a universal chair that can be enjoyed anywhere from beaches to backyards.

So, what does an Adirondack chair do? Well, nothing. Its main purpose is to provide people with a comfortable place to sit and enjoy nature and surrounding scenery. Its sloped seat and tall back are designed solely for resting and even napping, which is what can give your backyard the coziest, restful cottage feel.

How to Choose the Best Adirondack Chair

Now that you’ve seen five of the best Adirondack chairs on our list, it’s time to take some factors into consideration when making your decision. That way, you can decide if an Adirondack chair is right for you if you come across a chair on our website that we didn’t include on our list (and there are plenty!).

Material

What the Adirondack chair is made of will help you determine just how weather-resistant it will be and how it will last throughout the years.

Traditional Adirondack chairs are made of hardwood like cedar, redwood, or teak. These types of hardwoods are resistant to sun and insect damage. Unfortunately, wooden Adirondack chairs can still run the risk of splitting or chipping when exposed to the elements for long periods.

Make sure the Adirondack chair is made of durable hardwood resistant to both weather and bugs so that it doesn’t prematurely deteriorate.

Many Adirondack chairs are now made of plastic or recycled materials. This helps with the resistance to weather, the sun, and bugs. They are also durable and can withstand a heavy weight capacity, making them a great choice for Adirondack chair material if you want to avoid wood.

Dimensions

Another important feature to consider when choosing an Adirondack chair is the dimensions. The dimensions will tell you how tall the back of the chair is and how wide the seat is. It will also tell you how deep the seat is from the front to the back.

Weight

The weight of the Adirondack chair is another feature you should consider, especially if you will be moving the Adirondack chairs from one location to another in your backyard.

Some Adirondack chairs are extremely lightweight, like the first option on our list that weighs just 17 pounds, while others are heavier and more difficult to move, weighing more than 50 pounds each.

Conclusion

Choosing one of the Adirondack chairs on our list will give your backyard that cottage feel that you’re looking for. Now, which one will you choose to add to your outdoor furniture collection?