We've always had round-seat, backless stools. We never sat at the bar long enough for back support to be a problem, and it was the kids who used them most. The first ones we had were wood, the last ones were from a restaurant supply and had vinyl seats and metal tube frames (with caps...no floor scratching). I thought the saddle stools looked cool, so was planning to get them for our new kitchen. I also thought they'd fit under the counter overhang better. Then I sat in some at Costco. The way they curved was uncomfortable on my legs and I realized that you'd have to sit straight forward in them all the time, limiting how you got in and out of them, as well as the direction in which you could sit. I'm sticking with the round backless wooden stools. Ours were never heavy, although I've seen some with backs that were very heavy.

We had big beautiful wood stools with upholstered bottoms that swiveled and carved wood backs w/ arms AND we now have the saddle stools.

The ones w/ a back swiveled and as much as I loved the look of them, we had some problems. First, any swiveling banged them into the counter (either when you were sitting in them or you were trying to get into them) which resulted in the gorgeous arms of the stools having dents and chips in them (metal ones would have chipped the island granite) - also, because of the back, kids were most likely to lean back in them....despite my warnings, my now 9 yr old leaned *too far* back which resulted in him and the stool going crashing to the floor, his head had a massive egg on it and the wonderful thick wood-carved back of the stool cracked and broke. Suffice it to say, I left those stools with the house when we moved.

This time around, I went with the saddle stools - I think rhome's right in that some of them can be uncomfortable but like any stool you buy, you have to sit in them first. I've tried saddle stools from Pier 1, Target, BB&B, etc and some were fine, others were not. We actually ended up getting ours online (a neighbor had the same ones) but I got them *unfinished* and shipped them to my cabinet people who then painted and glazed them to match some of the cabinet pieces in our kitchen. Both kids and adults sit in them and I always hear the same thing from a first-time user...."Oh, these are more comfortable then I expected!" -- what I like is that my kids don't lean back in them and neither the stools nor my counter are getting chipped. They're also great because they tuck completely under the overhang.

When my kids were little I felt strongly about getting stools with backs. I had very sturdy ones, and the kids couldn't really lean back enough to knock the chair backwards. Now that they are older (8), I'm okay with the backless ones, and I find them to be much easier to handle - they are unonbtrusive and can be tucked under the islands easily. I think the LNT saddle stools are very comfortable, and our visitors have agreed, including my elderly mother.

I don't think I would ever get swivel stools with kids in the house. :-)

We have both swivel and saddle stools, two of each in a dark cherry wood. I wanted the comfort of a padded chair with a back to lean against and the ease of maneuverability from a swivel. It's just the two of us now, and the island is our primary eating area. The stools were very pricey, even with good on-line deals, so I opted for two saddle stools on the ends for the occasional guests. Both types tuck nicely under the overhang. It looks good and works great for us.

I always thought I wanted swivel, but fell in love with a counter height table and chairs, and decided to get chairs to match the table (so I can use them at table for guests). Ours are solid wood with upholstered seats and SO comfortable. Turns out (according to sales people I've talked to), that most Canadian manufacturers don't build bar stools with swivels. (Assuming American may be the same). So, most swivel seats will be imports- not sure why that is?

If possible, try them out in person, have sat in more UNCOMFORTABLE ones than comfortable.

Thanks for your input. I was thinking of swivel because I wanted minimal movement of the stool itself. But now that some of you have mentioned kids...I do have a 2.5yr old toddler in the house and another baby coming so maybe swivel is not a good idea. I think I will try the saddle stools from LNT since many people seem happy with them and I can get it locally. The other swivel I have considered was from Hillsdale house called Midtown that is online only from LNT.

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2797389&cp&sr=1&origkw=stools&kw=stools&parentPage=search

Here is a link that might be useful: Midtown stool from Hillsdale house