Best Bean Bag Fill And How To Find It
1. Jade Active Bean Bag Filler – Editor's Choice
- Affordable
- Plenty of beans
- Decent quality
- Comfortable once in place
2. Big Joe Comfort Research Ultimax Refill
- CertiPUR-US Certified
- Well packaged
- Comfortable
- Easy to handle
- Good quality
3. LACrafts Micro Foam Beads
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Comfortable
- Soft
- Can be used for other projects
5. Gold Medal Bean Bags Virgin Polystyrene Refill
- Great value
- Comfortable in chair
- Affordable
- Easy to use
Table Of Contents
- The Top Bean Bag Fill Reviews
- 1. Jade Active Bean Bag Filler
- 2. Runner Up – Big Joe Comfort Research Ultimax Bean Bag Refill Pack
- 3. Best Value – LACrafts Micro Foam Beads
- 4. Best Durable – Darice Plastic Pellets
- 5. Best Comfortable – Gold Medal Virgin Polystyrene Refill
- Bean Bag Fill Buyers Guide
- Compressed Foam
- EPS Beads
- EPP Beads
- Micro-Beads
- Conclusion
Once a symbol of the swinging sixties, a bean bag chair can be both nostalgic and practical. They are extremely comfortable chairs and conform around your body to offer support. Comfier than some traditional hard-backed chairs, they offer an informal seating arrangement that everyone enjoys.
The key to having a solid bean bag chair that not only looks good but feels good is to use the proper filler inside. Over time, a bean bag chair can lose its support as the inner material flattens out. Once you decide which bean bag is best for you, the next step is to find its counterpart, and we’ve done the research to show you the best five fillers on the market.
The Top Bean Bag Fill Reviews
1. Jade Active Bean Bag Filler – Editor's Choice
Highlights
- 17 x 13 x 6.5” bag
- 10 pounds
- Memory foam
Pros
- 10lb bag of bean bag filler
- Can be used in other projects such as pillows or pet beds
- Premium memory foam
Cons
- Needs 48 hours to decompress and come into full volume so it’s not usable right away
If you fill your bean bag with the Jade Active Bean Bag Filler, you’ll have yourself a long-lasting bean bag chair that will offer you the comfort you’re looking for. This bean bag filler is also great if you plan to make your own DIY chair as it’s made from memory foam, one of the most long-lasting and comfortable filler you can get. Just like memory foam mattresses, the bag does require around 48 hours to decompress into its normal shape. If you’re looking to use the bean bag immediately, note that it won’t reach its maximum comfort level right away.
2. Runner Up – Big Joe Comfort Research Ultimax Bean Bag Refill Pack
Highlights
- 35 x 16 x 12” bag
- 5 pounds
- Polystyrene
Pros
- Affordable
- Plenty of beans
- Decent quality
- Comfortable once in place
Cons
- Flatten out easily
- Very small and flat
If you’re looking for some extra fill for your Big Joe bean bag chair, consider this UltimaX refill. When you purchase this, you’ll get two packs of 100 liter refill bags. They are made with 100% virgin polystyrene beans, which are approximately the size of a large pea.
Virgin polystyrene beans are the best option because they will last longer. This refill pack might be a necessary purchase because based on our Big Joe bean bag review, it was found that the bags might flatten out easily.
These beans or “beads” are longer-lasting, up to 20% more dense than other beads and are also lighter, making the bag itself easy to carry. For the price, you get quite a lot of beads that will easily fill up your bag.
3. Best Value – LACrafts Micro Foam Beads
Highlights
- 21 x 16 x 11 inch bag (2.0 cf.)
- 4 pounds
- Polystyrene micro-beads
Pros
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Comfortable
- Soft
- Can be used for other projects
Cons
- Not ideal to fill bigger chairs
These mini virgin polystyrene foam beads are another great option for stuffing bean bag chairs with. You can purchase a bag that’s .25 cf., .50 cf., 1.0 cf., and 2.0 cf. These particular beads are used for some of the most popular decorative pillows on the market right now.
This product works best in smaller chairs, so if you do have a bigger bean bag chair larger beads would be better suited. Similarly to our number 1 pick on this list, you can also use these for making stuffed animals, pet beds and other various craft projects.
These micro-beads also very soft and lightweight, making them a great filler for chairs that are going to be moved around frequently.
4. Best Durable – Darice Plastic Pellets
Highlights
- 3.8 x 8.3 x 12.8 inch bag
- 5 pounds
- Plastic pellets
Pros
- Durable
- Easy to handle
- Affordable
- Many uses
Cons
- Plastic beans noisily rub against each other
- Not the most comfortable option
If you’re looking for a more traditional feel to your chair, these plastic pellets are a sound choice. When bean bags were first created, beans and plastic pellets were the original filler materials. These particular pellets are best for smaller rather than larger chairs, and while the material itself is highly durable, it may not be the most comfortable choice.
The other issue with the Darice plastic pellets is that the bean bag itself might be noisy as the beans rub against each other. However, these are the more affordable option than other fillers on the market, so if your bean bag is used less often or is a decorative piece, these fillers would be a safe bet for you.
5. Best Comfortable – Gold Medal Virgin Polystyrene Refill
Highlights
- 19.2 x 16.5 x 19.2 inches
- 4 pounds
- Polystyrene Balls
Pros
- Great value
- Comfortable in chair
- Affordable
- Easy to use
Cons
- Lower quality than other materials on the market, e.g. memory foam beads
These small virgin polystyrene balls are made in the USA and meet the California fire code Cal 117. These are the ultimate fillers to fluff up your bean bag chair. Particularly for the price that you pay, you’re getting a great bargain with this product.
As we touched on earlier, virgin polystyrene beads are an ideal choice because they aren’t recycled and will likely last longer than beads or shreds that have been recycled. You can choose between 2 refill bags: a 4 lb. bag, or a small bag.
Bean Bag Fill Buyers Guide
Not only are bean bags fun and comfortable, but they’re also ergonomic. However, there’s much more to this awesome invention than meets the eye. It’s not all about the designs or the colorful covers you see. As the saying goes, “it’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts”, and that certainly applies to bean bag chairs.
Bean bag fillers are extremely important when it comes to comfort and durability. That’s why it’s important to choose the right fillers to suit your bean bag and comfort level. We came up with a guide on how to find the best bean bag fillers whether you’re replacing it or buying brand new.
You may be interested in: How To Refill A Bean Bag Chair
Compressed Foam
One of the latest and greatest kinds of fills today is compressed foam, also known as memory foam. Most people who buy these kinds of bean bags have given them great reviews. Compressed foam is a form of polyurethane that is made through a process to increase viscosity and density. This is why compressed foam has also been called viscoelastic and LRPu foam. This type of foam has been around since 1966 when it was specifically made for NASA, but it has since become popular in bean bags, pillows, mattresses and toppers.
The best thing about memory foam is that it’s generally lightweight when shredded and placed inside bean bags.You can find these in the form of offcuts, but since they are cut in different shapes and sizes, some users find it uncomfortable when used inside of bean bags in thin liners.
EPS Beads
A lot of the bean bags that you’ll find online are filled with expanded polystyrene or EPS. These are much like styrofoam, but more hard-celled. EPS is also used for disposable coffee cups and packaging cushions. These are ideal for bean bag chairs because they’re lightweight yet rigid enough to maintain their shape for many years.
EPS beads consist of 98% air, and when filled in bean bags are 3-5mm in diameter. They’re also resistant to heat and moisture. EPS isn’t biodegradable and can be recycled/reused in many ways. After they’ve been replaced, they can be used for other projects or as potted plant soil filler. When a replacement is needed, it’s best to go for virgin beads rather than beads that have been recycled because they will have a longer lifespan.
EPP Beads
EPP, or expanded polypropylene is another kind of polymer that’s thermoplastic and used for fill. It’s also more popular in Asia than anywhere else in the world. The main difference between EPP and EPS beads is that EPP foam is strong, durable and resilient. When crushed, the material will quickly revert back to its original size and shape, but the beads won’t lose their airy and cushioning properties.
EPP beads won’t decrease their volume as quickly as EPS beads do, and the don’t have quite the odor that EPS beads can. However, the one issue that EPP beads have is that they’re extremely flammable and will also decompose when introduced to oxygen.
Micro-Beads
Micro-beads are made from small pellets that come from polyethylene plastic. These aren’t ideal for large bean bags or furniture, however. Over the years, they’ve been used in a variety of different products such as liquid soaps and exfoliants. These are best for smaller bean bags, but may be tough to find since many cities have banned the sale of anything that may contain these beads.
You may want to read: Best Girls Bean Bag Chair
Conclusion
It can be extremely tough to pick a bean bag filler that rises above its competitors. Each of our top five options fulfil their own distinct purpose, however there’s one that clearly stood out to us. The Jade Active Bean Bag Filler is the product that we would recommend as it’s also received the most positive reception from users. It’s the only option made of memory foam, which will provide you with exceptional comfort for a long time. This filler is also extremely affordable for the high quality you’ll be getting, so it’s very difficult to look past this great pick to complete your bean bag chair.