From Ikea to Herman Miller, this is your survey of the best outdoor and patio furniture at every price point.
Though often regarded as a summertime activity, enjoying the outdoor air in all its forms is not really all that seasonal; in most parts of the country, a patio, balcony or backyard is perfectly usable three seasons of the year. Which makes its status as patron furniture buying afterthought all the more confusing — why sit on tailgate chairs and use coolers for tables?
Of course, outdoor furniture is no doubt secondary to indoor furniture — don’t buy a weather-proof set of tables and chairs before getting a couch to sit on in your living room. But the level at which it’s disregarded isn’t equal to the amount of use a proper backyard can, and perhaps should receive.
In our survey of the best outdoor and patio furniture, we explore the high and low of a market that doesn’t get the respect it deserves — these 16 sets and collections run the complete price, prestige and style spectrum.
Ikea Applaro
As it does in virtually every corner of the good-looking, supremely affordable furniture market, Ikea rules. All pre-treated for weather resistance, there are over 100 products in this collection — high chairs, low chairs, bar stools, rolling storage, folding tables, folding chairs, multiple grills and more. Will you need to earmark an hour or two to put them all together? Sure, but the Applaro collection is the only one you could argue looks great and would cost you under $1,000 to fully outfit a deck in.
