lease refresh the page or go to another page of the site for automatic login. Refresh your browser to login
Journalism The Independent enjoys the support of our readers. We may earn commissions when you buy from links on our site.
The warmer months are rapidly approaching and we look forward to making the most of our spring gardening efforts. The finishing touch is the sofa.
Here we are very focused on the trend of creating a true outdoor living area. This means you have a whole new “room” to use in the summer, and you also feel more relaxed outdoors.
Along with waterproof rugs, outdoor candles and of course many other outdoor furniture items, these all-weather sofas are an important part of this trend. Designed for outdoor recreation, they are a much more comfortable place to spend time outdoors than wooden benches.
Almost all garden sofas are upholstered. Some were asked to sit outside in the rain, while others needed to hide in a barn or similar place. So when you are choosing a sofa, pay special attention to how much storage space you have for your pillows. Spoiler alert: they are huge.
To help you narrow down your search, we’ve spent the last few weeks and months testing the best garden sofas on the market.
It was a really tough show, that’s one thing. He needs hours of lounging in the sun. We know that our efforts are truly heroic. The weather in the UK throughout the entire testing period meant they faced everything, including heavy rain.
We seek their comfort – are we sinking, are the pillows thin, is our back supported? We also wanted to see how good the pads are. Of course, we need a sofa that looks good in our garden. Here are some of them that impressed us the most.
It’s hard to find fault with this gorgeous corner sofa. We love how the armrests are upholstered, which gives it a modern vibe indoors and out. Don’t worry, it’s covered in a waterproof, all-weather fabric – we watched the action and it dried instantly after wiping off the water. The seat cushion is durable enough to sit for hours while eating or lounging around all day. The pillows provide nice soft support and look very luxurious.
The set also includes a height-adjustable table that can be lowered to a coffee table or raised to the height of a dining table. We love that this means that no matter what kind of event we’re hosting – whether it’s a dinner party or afternoon tea – the sofa set is perfect for the event. The set also includes two benches with soft upholstery. You can remove the pads, but they are secured with Velcro to keep them from slipping off. Even they are comfortable to sit on and are very light so we can easily tuck them under the table when not in use.
We love this corner sofa. It fits perfectly into our corner of the garden and offers plenty of comfortable seating. There is room for at least five people, but it doesn’t feel like it takes up too much space. The pillows are really comfortable and well stuffed without losing their elasticity even after several hours of sitting on them. The seats are deep – even tall people can stretch out a bit, which we found wasn’t always the case with outdoor sofas. We also found that the mats performed well in light rain because the fabric was waterproof, but if it was raining you’d be better off laying a cover or gluing the mats in the shed as they get wet.
This sofa has a modern aesthetic – without a hint of rattan insight. Instead, the sides are made of plastic “strings” that wrap around the frame to provide ample support. We are just blown away by the quality of this set, especially considering the lower price. In addition, this set of sofas comes with a large square table with a glass top, the perfect place to enjoy your coffee al fresco, or better yet, have a sunset drink.
This sofa is a vertical three-seat sofa that strikes with its simplicity. We found that two people put it together in about 30 minutes (and very little swearing) and once assembled it was a very solid seat with back and seat cushion.
While these aren’t the plumpest pillows we’ve tested, the sofa itself does the hard work here, so they don’t have to be huge. It also helps keep them away. Since they are white, we put these pillows in the sofa when we are not using it.
The sofa isn’t very sleek – it has a good length and boxy design – but we found it worked well on our lawn because it didn’t sink like some of the other sofas we’ve tried.
We love to lie on the armchair of this sofa. Although the dark gray pillows are not very thick, they are comfortable enough for long rests. However, they get a little warm in direct sunlight, but you can always flip them to the cooler side. Smaller people will appreciate this sofa sitting on the shallower side, but taller people might feel like giants.
But this sofa is solid. So it’s pretty good to assemble, it requires two people and a drill (you are only provided with a hex wrench), it will take about 40 minutes to assemble. It will take longer if you don’t have a drill. But yes, the Alexandria sofa is sturdy when assembled yet light enough to be moved around if you can’t decide where to put it (it comes in two pieces).
This is the garden sofa maker. The set is huge and takes up most of the very large terrace. It includes eight seats, an armchair, a footstool and an L-shaped sofa. It also comes with a height-adjustable table – you can put it at coffee table height or raise it to dinner table height – an ingenious move that makes it a very flexible combination that fits perfectly into our lives.
The whole set is clearly well made, with thick rattan temples that will stand up to any British weather. The pillows are very comfortable – firm and slightly soft. We love the dark gray fabric that looks like new even after two toddlers love it. Admittedly, it’s a bust for most people, but if you’ve got the space and are looking for something that really impresses, we’re giving this set two thumbs up.
Read More We were impressed with the quality of this contemporary sofa. It was really easy to put together – it took us less than 20 minutes without drilling – and looks pretty smart. It offers a very spacious seat for this bench thanks in part to the unique seat cushion which means no one will fall between its cushions. It’s really handy if you want to stretch your legs.
The three pads on the back also compress well and are rain resistant, but it’s a good idea to take them with you during extended downpours. We tried this sofa on grass and it sunk a bit into soft ground – even with wider leg mounts – so it might be better for firmer ground.
If you need flexible customization, consider this budget option. It includes two armchairs, a double sofa and two coffee tables. We decided to group them together to create an outdoor living room, but you can of course arrange them throughout the garden. And they’re so lightweight that they’re easy to move around when you’re chasing the sun outdoors.
Astute observers will notice that this set of sofas comes without cushions, which is great if you don’t have room to store your cushions in the winter. However, they fit comfortably thanks to the rattan cover. They really freshen up our garden space and make us smile every time we sit on them.
We were immediately struck by the high quality of this sofa, a first impression that is not in vain. This is one of the most comfortable sofas we have ever laid on. The L-shaped sofa is made of aluminum and looks like it will last for years. It can withstand even the harshest weather and still look as fresh as a daisy.
The seat cushion is firm and bouncy, while the back cushions are softer—the perfect balance if you ask us. They also look great and are made from recycled plastic bottles. Even though they are soft to the touch, they are durable and will last you season after season. The seats are nice and deep, meaning even our long-legged testers were comfortable – and there’s plenty of room to stretch out.
Most of the couches we tested in this review have darker cushions and frames, but this one is a great lightweight option. Its cushions are cleverly cinched at the back, which means they won’t slide over the very durable wicker base. The cushions are designed to fit neatly into corners, creating more usable space.
The rug itself is best kept indoors in bad weather, which is admittedly a bit of a hassle, but on the other hand, the light colors really brightened up our garden. And if the worst happens and you can’t save them from a downpour, or pets step on muddy footprints, the covers come off so you can clean them.
The frame of this sofa is made of woven resin fiber, which is very wear-resistant and can make your sofa durable. While sturdy – and the high back provides plenty of support – the corner unit doesn’t really take up that much space. This is a very smart choice for those who want a more neutral outdoor look.
If you love an outdoor sofa but have trouble with pillow storage, this sofa comes with built-in pillow storage. The corner table is raised to provide ample storage space. We raise our hands and say that this sofa was the hardest to assemble, but once assembled it looked absolutely gorgeous on our patio.
The plump back cushions support the thinner seat cushions, providing an overall comfortable seat. The seats are shallower, which disappointed our long-legged tester, but they are very spacious and offer plenty of room to sit.
Look, Maze’s couch is hard to beat. It is very comfortable, easy to care for and offers plenty of seating space. And it looks beautiful. But we admit it’s expensive and big, so it won’t appeal to everyone (or the budget). We also give a high rating to the Dunelm sofa – it looks modern, very comfortable and has a reasonable price.
By registering, you also get limited access to premium articles, exclusive newsletters, reviews and virtual events with our top journalists.
By clicking “Create My Account” you confirm that your details have been entered correctly and that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, Cookie Policy and Privacy Statement.
By clicking “Register”, you confirm that your details have been entered correctly and that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, Cookie Policy and Privacy Statement.
By registering, you also get limited access to premium articles, exclusive newsletters, reviews and virtual events with our top journalists.
By clicking “Create My Account” you confirm that your details have been entered correctly and that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, Cookie Policy and Privacy Statement.
By clicking “Register”, you confirm that your details have been entered correctly and that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, Cookie Policy and Privacy Statement.
Want to bookmark your favorite articles and stories for later reading or links? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Please refresh the page or go to another page of the site for automatic login. Refresh your browser to login
Post time: Nov-18-2022
