Quick answer: Macramé hammock chairs are the most comfortable and visually light option, best for bedrooms, reading nooks, and small balconies. Rattan hanging chairs are more structured and durable outdoors, best for patios and sunrooms. Hanging egg chairs are the boldest and most enclosed, best for large rooms and statement pieces. If you're short on space or want something that feels soft and warm, go macramé. If you want something sturdy for daily outdoor use, go rattan. If you want a dramatic centerpiece and have the room, go egg chair.
All three fall under the same broad category, a single-person hanging seat, but they differ enough in material, comfort, weight, and price that picking the wrong one is a common and avoidable mistake. Here's the real comparison.
Quick comparison table
| Feature | Macramé | Rattan | Hanging egg chair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Knotted cotton rope | Natural or synthetic rattan weave | Resin wicker or rope shell with cushion |
| Visual weight | Light, airy, open weave | Structured, substantial | Heavy, bold, dominant |
| Best setting | Bedroom, reading nook, small balcony | Patio, sunroom, larger balcony | Large living room, sunroom, covered lounge |
| Comfort without cushions | Moderate | Low | Low to moderate |
| Comfort with cushions | High | High | High |
| Indoor or outdoor | Best indoors or covered | Handles outdoor well | Both, check material |
| Typical price range | $120 to $250 | $150 to $350 | $250 to $600 |
| Footprint | Small to medium | Medium to large | Large |
| Renter friendly | Yes, with a stand | Yes, with a stand | Usually, stands are large though |
Macramé hammock chairs
Hand-woven from knotted cotton rope, usually finished with a decorative fringe. This is the warmest and softest-looking option of the three, and it's the one that suits small spaces best because the open weave lets light through instead of blocking it.
Strengths
- Lightest visual footprint, doesn't crowd a small room
- Soft, warm material that suits bedrooms and reading nooks
- Usually the most affordable of the three styles
- Pairs naturally with neutral, Scandinavian, or boho interiors
Weaknesses
- Natural cotton isn't fully weatherproof, needs a covered space outdoors
- Uncomfortable without a proper cushion set
- Less structured feel than rattan or egg chairs
Best for: bedrooms, reading nooks, covered balconies, anyone prioritizing comfort and a soft aesthetic over a bold statement piece. This is the style we make at Hammora, built with a thick dual-cushion set specifically to solve the comfort weakness most macramé chairs have.
Rattan hanging chairs
Made from woven natural or synthetic rattan, usually with a rounded or teardrop frame. This is the most structured of the three, and it tends to read as more classic or established, closer to traditional outdoor wicker furniture.
Strengths
- Handles outdoor exposure better, especially synthetic PE rattan
- More structured shape holds its form over years
- Suits boho, tropical, and traditional outdoor styling
Weaknesses
- Heavier and bulkier, harder to move once set up
- Less comfortable than cushioned macramé without significant padding
- Takes up more visual and physical space in a small room
Best for: covered patios, sunrooms, larger balconies, anyone who wants a more substantial, traditional outdoor look and needs the chair to survive real weather exposure. For more detail on telling natural rattan from synthetic and how each holds up outdoors, Lowe's has a useful breakdown.
Hanging egg chairs
An enclosed, egg-shaped pod that partly wraps around the sitter, almost always on a large dedicated stand. This is the boldest option, the one that functions as a centerpiece rather than a quiet addition to a room.
Strengths
- Most enclosed, cocoon-like feeling of the three
- Strong visual statement, works as a room's focal point
- Usually comes with built-in cushions
Weaknesses
- Large footprint, needs real space to avoid feeling cramped
- Heaviest and most expensive of the three categories
- Hardest to move once assembled
- Can visually overwhelm small or minimalist rooms
Best for: large living rooms, sunrooms, covered outdoor lounges, anyone with the space who wants a dramatic centerpiece rather than a quiet corner addition.
How to decide between the three
If your space is small
Go macramé. It's the only one of the three that doesn't visually crowd a small room, since the open weave reads as light rather than heavy.
If it lives outdoors full time
Go rattan, specifically synthetic PE rattan. It survives sun and rain far better than natural cotton macramé and holds its shape under weather exposure better than most egg chair shells.
If you want a dramatic centerpiece and have the room
Go with a hanging egg chair. Just make sure you genuinely have 6 to 7 feet of clearance around it, since these are the easiest of the three to make a room feel cramped.
If comfort is the priority over everything
Any of the three can be comfortable with the right cushions, but macramé and egg chairs tend to win here since they're typically sold with thicker cushioning built in or included, where rattan more often ships as a bare frame.
If budget matters most
Macramé is usually the most affordable starting point, with rattan in the middle and egg chairs at the top of the price range, mainly due to the size and materials involved.
A quick note on durability
Material quality matters more than style when it comes to how long any of these chairs lasts. A well-made macramé chair with reinforced hardware will outlast a poorly made rattan or egg chair, and the reverse is just as true. Always check the rated weight capacity (250 to 350 lbs for quality pieces) and the hanging hardware before buying, regardless of which style you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Is macramé or rattan more durable?
Rattan, especially synthetic PE rattan, generally holds up better to consistent outdoor exposure. Natural cotton macramé lasts just as long but needs a covered space and occasional care to avoid weather damage.
Which is the most comfortable, macramé, rattan, or egg chair?
With proper cushions, all three can be equally comfortable. Without cushions, macramé is usually the most tolerable of the three short term, while bare rattan is the least comfortable.
Can a hanging egg chair fit in a small apartment?
It can, but it will dominate the room. Egg chairs typically need a 5 to 6 foot diameter of clear floor space. In most small apartments, a macramé chair is the better fit.
Which style is best for renters?
All three work for renters when paired with a freestanding stand instead of a ceiling mount. Macramé chairs on a stand are usually the lightest and easiest to move between apartments.
Do rattan chairs need to be covered in winter?
Natural rattan benefits from winter cover or storage. Synthetic PE rattan handles cold and wet conditions better but still lasts longer with occasional covering during severe weather.
Which option is best for a bedroom?
Macramé, almost always. It's the softest visually and physically, and it suits the calmer, warmer tone most bedrooms are styled around.
The bottom line
There's no universally best option among the three. The right choice depends entirely on your space and how you plan to use it. Small space and comfort focused, macramé wins. Outdoor durability focused, rattan wins. Statement piece with room to spare, the egg chair wins.
For most apartment dwellers reading this, macramé ends up being the right call simply because it works in more places without overwhelming the room. If that's the direction you're leaning, the Hammora Cocoon Chair is a cream macramé hammock chair built with a thick dual-cushion set specifically to solve the comfort gap that bare macramé chairs usually have.
For a deeper look at every type and how to choose, see our complete guide to hammock chairs.