The best garden furniture for lounging and dining outdoors

The best garden furniture makes outdoor eating more enjoyable, just imagine a lazy breakfast on your outdoor coffee table. This new crop of lightweight and weatherproof sofa, table and chair sets gives you somewhere comfy to lounge outside this summer. From recliners and family-size dining tables, equipping your outdoors with tables and chairs makes the garden an extension of your home.

It's a great time to buy new garden furniture as the market is flooded with innovative new designs. Upgrade your lounging and outdoor dining sets to UV-resistant options that are long-lasting. From adjustable tables and clever small-space dining sets made from the latest weather-resistant materials, this outdoor leisure furniture makes spending time in your garden pleasurable, as well as being robust enough to withstand the Great British climate.

Black Friday deals on garden furniture

We interrupt the regularly scheduled content to let you know that although Black Friday is over, there's still time to grab some last chance Black Friday deals on garden furniture. These are the retailers that still have deals available or keep scrolling to continue reading our buyer’s guide.

Shop Black Friday garden furniture deals on: Amazon | Argos | B&Q | Rattan Direct | Very | Debenhams | Garden Trends | Maze Living

23% off: Pistache Oval 6-Person 160cm Dining Set WAS £609.99, NOW £489.99
Save £884: Signature Weave Garden Furniture Grey Corner Dining Sofa with Fire Pit WAS £3,832.39, NOW £2,947.99
70% off: 8-Person Round Wood Picnic Table and Bench Set WAS £633.33, NOW £190
Save £260: Industrial Acacia Wood Outdoor Furniture Set WAS £1,299, NOW £1,039.20
Save £900: Barcelona 6 Seater Cube Set WAS £2,549, NOW £1,649

Choose aluminium and poly rattan furniture if lightweight and weatherproof is a priority for you. Sofas, tables and chairs with stainless steel frames are also a good option for robust and durable outdoor furniture that's not too heavy to move. Metal garden furniture has come a long way since wrought iron, however, if you prefer a natural aesthetic, opt for rattan garden furniture, which combines a sturdy metal frame with a wicker-style surface.

If you're on a budget, there are fantastic affordable outdoor sofas and dining sets. Look out for amazing offers on Amazon and B&Q. We've compiled a list of retailers who we recommend for garden furniture in the FAQs below. And if you're looking for a little more guidance on how to maintain your outdoor furniture, Modern Gardens expert Jill Morgan has got you covered.

Best garden furniture at a glance

• Best compact garden furniture set: Nordic Spring Compact 4 Seater Patio Set – View offer on Argos
• Best garden furniture dining set: Pistache Oval 6-Person 160cm Dining Set – View offer on Wayfair
• Best corner garden furniture set: Habitat Malta 6 Seater Steel Corner Dining Set – View offer on Argos

Best garden furniture sets

FAQs

Jill Morgan writes for Modern Gardens magazine and answers your frequently asked questions on garden furniture.

Where can I buy garden furniture?

Jill writes: "Thankfully, there are a lot of places where you can hunt for your ideal garden furniture, from online sites to department stores. Make sure to bookmark these pages and visit them over the course of the year if you want to refresh your outdoor space. Always remember that the summer months are a busy time for buying garden furniture, and the shops will have low or no stock at all. Sales are a great chance to bag a bargain, including Black Friday sales and Summer sales."

Amazon

John Lewis

Dunelm

B&Q

Wickes

Crocus

Habitat

Wayfair

Argos

Aldi

How do I maintain my garden furniture?

Jill advises: "The best way to make your furniture set last is to observe the changing weather and seasons carefully. All garden furniture sets will benefit from being covered up overnight in winter and even spring and summer when humidity is high, and rain is common in the UK. Depending on the brand, you can buy furniture covers for your furniture when you first decide to buy or longer down the line. Furniture covers are sold in sizes and brands, so make sure you have the dimensions handy.

"When it comes to cleaning your garden furniture, keeping things simple is the best way to keep it looking great year after year. If you have wooden or plastic furniture, the easiest, most effective, and cheapest way to clean your furniture is by using soapy water, using a mild detergent or washing up liquid, and then using a brush or sponge to scrub it down. Simply rinse with a garden hose if you have one, and leave it to dry in direct sunlight.

"If you have stubborn stains, using a pressure washer will do the job if soapy water isn't doing the trick."

Best furniture covers

Always check the dimensions of your garden furniture before buying a cover for it. You can find the best covers here to protect furniture of all shapes and sizes, but here's a few of our favourites:

Why should I keep a fire safety certificate on my garden furniture?

When you buy an upholstered sofa or chair for indoors or outside, by UK law, a fire safety label must be on the item. Do not remove this label otherwise, it cannot be rehomed, given to charity or sold on in the future. It will end up in landfill. Reuse Network gives more guidance on this, but the key takeaway is that the padding is cigarette and match resistant and meets British Fire Safety Regulations. Whatever you do, never remove the fire safety label from your furniture.

What to read next:

Best garden benches to admire your outdoor space

Curved garden sofas perfect for a modern patio

Buyers' guide: best hanging cocoon and egg chairs

Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, specialising in garden trends. When she's not flexing her mow-how, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.