When I first heard about the Moon Pod, an improvement on the classic beanbag chair that’s zero gravity and claims to reduce stress, I was skeptical. As a child of the ‘80s, I was pretty much splayed out on beanbag chairs from the time I was little straight through college, and the idea of willingly bringing one of those saggy, drooping chairs back into my home was, well, cringe-inducing.
Taut and bean-shaped, the chair is encased in a soft, stretchy outer shell that’s sleek and modern-looking (and machine-washable!). While I’m not going to put it in my formal living room, it’s certainly an option for more casual spaces in your home, like family rooms, playrooms or kids’ bedrooms.
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But then I discovered that the Moon Pod is the latest brainchild of John Fiorentino, the creator of the Gravity Blanket, which is one of my all-time favorite products — like, ever. I’ve been using the Gravity Blanket for more than three years now, and to say it’s changed my life would be an understatement. Whereas I used to have perpetually erratic sleep and high anxiety, I’m now falling asleep easily and quickly, catching a minimum of eight, deep hours of REM sleep nightly. Point being: Given Fiorentino’s proven success with Gravity Blanket, I was more than willing (and ready!) to give his latest stress-reducing tool a spin.
This oversized Moon Pod is just as comfy, if not more, than the original. You can snag yours in gray, black or navy blue.
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The rundown
Enter: Moon Pod into my home. At first sight, I was happy to see that aesthetically, this iteration of the beanbag is a major upgrade to the one of yore. Taut and bean-shaped, the chair is encased in a soft, stretchy outer shell that’s sleek and modern-looking (and machine-washable!). While I’m not going to put it in my formal living room, it’s certainly an option for more casual spaces in your home, like family rooms, playrooms or kids’ bedrooms.
Available in five colors (navy, charcoal, light gray, light pink and light blue), Moon Pods’ size is actually pretty great too. Weighing in just under 12 pounds and taking up 4 square feet of space — specific measurements are 50 inches by 20 inches by 20 inches, give or take a few inches in every direction due to its amorphous shape — the beanbag is super portable. I’ve had my gray version parked in my sons’ room for the past few weeks, but my cousin who also bought one recently for her baby’s nursery admitted that she and her husband are always moving it around the house to wherever baby is playing on the floor, adding that they prefer the cozy, low-to-the-ground chair option chock-full of support over the hardwood floor that’s brutal on their backs. Pro tip: She also uses the Moon Pod as an impromptu baby gate at the bottom of the stairs!
If you want to give up a bit of portability for the ability to cozy up with someone else, opt for the Super Moon Pod, which is double the size of the original.
The lowdown
Aesthetics and portability aside, Moon Pod’s chief selling point is the cloudlike seating it provides. Designed to mimic the sensations of flotation therapy, the chair just does that — whether you’re sitting, reclining or lying on it, the Moon Pod is ultra supportive, conforming to your body and every readjustment you make. Whereas the old-school beanbags had you sinking to the floor and often left you with an aching lower back, Moon Pod seemingly cups your body, keeps you perpetually elevated and mimics the experience of floating, which is, not surprisingly, totally and utterly relaxing. Composed of high-friction microbeads, the chair is dense, downy and pretty dreamy too.
With nearly 1,200 positive reviews and a whopping 4.9-star rating on its website, the Moon Pod has a devoted following, and now my 6- and 7-year-old sons are part of that group. When they weren’t wrestling each other over whose turn it was to use the Moon Pod — which became the centerpiece of a mini reading nook I created in their bedroom — the boys would quietly sit and read books, ensconced in the chair’s cushiony seat. My emphasis here is on the word “quiet”; seriously, this chair chilled my gregarious sons out big time, which parents to little boys know is no easy feat. And fear not: It accommodates adults as well. My husband is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and would read the kids a story nightly in the chair, meaning it can easily host someone who’s taller with a child on their lap without a problem. And did I mention that my dog is also obsessed with it? Yep, it’s pet-friendly too.
Bottom line
In terms of downsides, my only complaint is that when not in use, the Moon Pod lies flat on the ground and isn’t the tidiest thing to look at (hence why it’s not going in my formal living room). But beyond that, both the Moon Pod and the Super Moon Pod achieve what they set out to do: Both are a supportive, comfy chair that delivers a super-relaxing experience.