By Debbie Schlussel

Occasionally, I post reviews of products I like.  They are products which I wasn’t paid to endorse, but just things I enjoy and think you might like also. I’ve reviewed many products by Sumo, a maker of very cool, high-style bean bag chairs.  The chairs are made from 100% shredded furniture grade urethane foam, which never decompresses or loses its shape (it’s only compressed to save money on shipping and regains its actual size within 24 hours).  And I love them.  They are the most comfortable pieces of furniture I own, even if their list price makes them among the least expensive.  And while I’ve never been paid for reviews, I have been sent the items for free.  Readers who’ve bought Sumo chairs on my recommendation say they and/or their wives love them.  And for good reason.

I’ve had the Sumo Couples Sway Couple bean bag chair for over three months.  It is so extremely comfortable that I sit in it when I watch movie DVDs that studios send me to screen for review.

While the chair is designed for a couple, I am very petite and found that this size is far more appropriate than the “single” size, which you’ll likely find too small. You can order it with a microsuede cover for $279 or a corduroy cover for $299, both in a variety of colors. (Shipping is free.) That might seem pricey, but when you see the size of it, it’s pretty big.  The Sumo Sway Couple is 50 lbs and measures 51″ W X 44″ L X 33″ H.  So make sure you have the room.  It’s not only a great gift for a college student for a dorm room or apartment, but also someone who has contemporary furniture or a man cave and wants a cool relaxing chair to go with it.  It’s a great holiday gift.  Soooo comfortable, you won’t want to get up.  You could fall asleep in it, it’s that cushy and comfy.

I recommend the microsuede, which is what I own in black. Not only does the foam filling never decompress or go flat, but the chair is sewn in a way that it will never lose its chair shape, unlike other Sumo products which can be shaped to conform to various positions. Its curved indentation supports and conforms to your back (although I’m not sure I’d recommend it for someone with a bad back, who might have problems getting up). It goes well with a Sumo Otto, which is like an ottoman, made of the same soft filling and ultrasuede cover and comes in matching colors.

The chair was designed by entrepreneur and designer Andrew Milligan, who owns the company. He’s got all kinds of cool pieces of comfortable furniture, which are great for college dorm rooms, apartments, and even the most chic homes. As I’ve noted before, I’ve seen dumbed down, less luxe versions of his stuff by imitators at contemporary furniture stores, and those are always more than twice his prices, with puny amounts of stuffing. My other chairs and items from Sumo stay in great shape and look like I got them yesterday. They last a long time, so it is well worth the price, in my opinion.