Budget to bougie: 11 best places to buy outdoor patio furniture

Spring is almost here, which means it’s time to clean up and revamp our backyards.

Naturally, when the latter is concerned, we have furniture on the brain, which is why we’re searching for the best places to buy patio furniture online.

You too? You’re in luck, because we’ve done all the heavy lifting for you — metaphorically speaking. From shoppers’ favorites to some of our personal faves, we’ve lined up the retailers that have the best outdoor sectionals, dining sets, chaise lounges, outdoor rugs, fire pits…you get the picture.

From affordable and trendy pieces from Amazon to the durable and modular designs of Outer, there’s something for every space, budget and taste.

To ensure you’re receiving the crème de la crème of patio furniture, we turned to a team of design experts to share some considerations to keep in mind when shopping for outdoor patio furniture — including a breakdown of commonly used materials and how to maintain and care for your set — in our in-depth FAQ section following our top retailers.

“I prefer a patio aesthetic that lets the garden and nature be the focal point,” Meg Lonergan, Houston-based interior designer, told the New York Post. “But bright colors can remind you of the beach, [while] wickers and rattans can remind you of Europe. I think people lean towards a certain style of exterior furniture to remind them of good memories spent outdoors.”

Take a look at the best places to buy outdoor patio furniture this year, from Wayfair to Amazon. There’s nothing quite like being prepared before the new season emerges, either.

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• Expert-Backed FAQ Section

Best Places to Buy Outdoor Patio Furniture

Best Overall: Wayfair

Wayfair is one of the most-shopped-at online home furniture destinations. Here, you’ll find sets for every budget and at a great value — from small patio furniture and umbrellas to outdoor bar furniture and fully-assembled conversation sets. Even better, the retailer often hosts sales year-round to get the biggest bang for your buck.

Price range: $$-$$$ | Free shipping: On select items

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Best Wicker: Frontgate

Frontgate

Known for its southern-inspired sets and seaters, Frontgate is a brand our audience particularly loves. It has divine poolside chaises to lounge on, including the Balencia Bronze Chaise Lounges ($1,549) and the matching Balencia Lounge Chair Set ($1,237).

Price range: $$$-$$$$ | Free shipping: Yes

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Best Budget: Walmart

Walmart

Walmart is universally known to carry budget-friendly finds, yet its selection of outdoor patio furniture doesn’t compromise quality. In fact, it’s one of our readers’ most-loved destinations to pick up a multi-person seating group for their backyard. You’ll love its bundles and traditional styles, as well as the affordable takes on trendier pieces.

Price range: $$-$$$ | Free shipping: Available with Walmart +

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Best Shipping: Amazon

This set by Wisteria Lane on Amazon is only one of a seemingly endless outdoor furniture offering. Amazon

Amazon is a retailer (as we all know) that has a little bit of everything in store for various home aesthetics — in a wide price point range. The Garden & Outdoor department in the furniture section is quite extensive, featuring fire pits, outdoor heaters and seating for your backyard space. From patio chairs to outdoor tables, you can filter picks by price point, shape, material and more, making it a cinch to find exactly what you’re looking for. Some items are eligible for free shipping or Prime 2-day delivery, and there are usually some amazing deals attached.

Price range: $$-$$$ | Free shipping: On select items

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Best for Small Spaces: Terrain

Terrain

Terrain is a phenomenal destination for chic, bohemian-inspired patio furniture, mostly for à la carte options like sectional sofas and standalone ottomans. What’s more, the brand taps into luxury without costing more than $3,000 per item. It’s a great place to find outdoor sofas, benches, and lots of garden accessories to dress up your backyard with.

Price range: $$-$$$$ | Free shipping: No

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Best Outdoor Dining Sets: The Home Depot

The Home Depot isn’t just known for its appliances and tool sets. At this retailer, you’ll find a bunch of outdoor patio furniture that’s traditional, timeless and easy to assemble — mostly in the traditional to contemporary. It may not be for you if you like more modern or edgier furniture. However, many of the pieces, such as its outdoor tables and sets, offered are made with durable materials like premium-grade steel and have weather-protectant features.

Price range: $$-$$$ | Free shipping: Over select items over $45

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Best Fire Pits: BBQGuys

BBQGuys

Although the name may sound confined to BBQ grills and accessories, BBQGuys is one of the best places to buy outdoor patio furniture. This is especially true if you’re big into hosting large gatherings. Besides the typical dining sets and seating arrangements, they have fire pits, fire pit sets, outdoor TVs, and everything else you could think of to throw epic get-togethers. Don’t be surprised if every neighbor wants to “drop by” once you’ve set up your new outdoor space.

Price range: $$$-$$$$ | Free shipping: Over orders of $49 or more

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Best Sofas and Sectionals: Outer

Outer

Outer is a premier outdoor patio furniture online destination that’s apt for those looking for sustainably crafted, modular designs. Best of all, every Outer product comes fully backed with a warranty to weather years of use. It’s particularly great for its all-weather wicker furniture, namely. They have loads of aluminum-framed pieces, which are as durable as they come. Many of the seat options have fade-resistant materials and are designed to maintain their structural integrity. More importantly, there are lots of stylish options!

Price range: $$$-$$$$ | Free shipping: No

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Best Quality: Article

Article

We’ve come to depend on Article for its trendy but classic furniture, and we’re absolutely crazy about the idea of adorning our patios with its options. The retailer has a huge selection and, refreshingly, many of them can be scored for $1,000 or less.

Members of Post Wanted who own a piece of Article furniture are always gushing about its exceptional quality and the compliments they receive on it from friends. We’re sure you’ll experience the same once you invite one of its tables or sofas into your backyard.

Price range: $$$-$$$ | Free shipping: Article offers free shipping on items $999 or more

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Best Aluminum: Yardbird

Yardbird

Yardbird is a brand that takes the great outdoors seriously. Quite seriously in fact. The Minneapolis-based brand used primarily recycled plastic to construct its elegant, environmentally-friendly furniture. The furniture arrives in less packaging than many of its luxury competitors and is primarily recyclable when you’re ready to phase it out (not anytime soon, we’re sure). In addition to the better-for-the-planet appeal, Yardbird’s outdoor furniture sets just look really, really good. They have a massive collection of pieces, ranging from dining sets to sectionals, and they’re all in a variety of styles and materials. Whether you like furniture with lots of texture or prefer something in the simpler side, we’re sure you’ll find something up your alley at Yardbird. If you like teak options, you’ll love the Winnie Collection. However, if you like the look of the material but dislike its upkeep, you’ll want to consider the Eden Collection. It’s designed to look like teak but is actually — get this — painted aluminum! Amazing.

Price range: $$$-$$$$ | Free shipping: Free shipping on orders $2,500 or more

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Best Variety: Lowe’s

Lowe's

Lowe’s is known for its wide selection of practically everything! When it comes to outdoor patio furniture, the retailer doesn’t disappoint with its comfortable options and contemporary meets traditional designs. It’s a budget-friendly as they come, and we’ve found many options are made with durable, weather-proof materials that customers can count on.

Price range: $$-$$$$ | Free shipping:

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Our Top Brands Compared, At a Glance

Meet the Experts

• Meridith Baer: Founder of renowned home staging companies with 25+ years of experience
• Meg Lonergan: Houston-based interior designer
• Sarah Vaile: Firm principal of Sarah Vaile Design and Chicago-based residential design expert

An FAQ on Outdoor Patio Furniture

Ahead, our team of design experts gave us the 411 on what to look for in quality outdoor patio furniture to match your aesthetic and suit your budget.

“Buy the best and cry once! Replacing outdoor furniture isn’t fun.”

Meg Lonergan, Houston-based interior designer

What to keep in mind when shopping for outdoor patio furniture, according to experts

According to Sarah Vaile, firm principal of Sarah Vaile Design and Chicago-based residential design expert, “the most important questions to ask are functionality, seasonality and, of course, aesthetics.”

Regarding functionality, you may ask, ‘how do you plan to use the space, primarily for entertaining or every night for the family dinner? As far as seasonality is concerned, ‘when do you plan to use the space?‘

“There are so many great heating options available now, whether a ceiling heater or fire source; spaces that might have been strictly summer can now be used for three or even four seasons,” Vaile adds. “For aesthetics, there are many different furniture styles depending on the home’s architectural style and location whether iron, wicker or teak to name a few.”

Of course, you’ll also want to keep comfort in mind. “Your outdoor patio area wants to be inviting,” Lonergan adds. “Think deep seats, thick cushions, and quality; materials that are made to last, covers, durable fabrics.”

RELATED: Best online furniture stores

How to design an outdoor patio furniture when working with a blank slate, per experts

Picasso had a blank canvas at some point, and he now has decades-renowned masterpieces. So is the case with your backyard oasis as you build out your furniture landscape step-by-step.

“I design outdoor spaces the same way I do their indoor counterparts,” Vaille explains. “Will it serve as the outdoor family room or dining room? Then I start with a sofa and coffee table — or dining table and chairs — and style from there.”

Vaille loves incorporating fire sources too, whether through a traditional fireplace, fire table or fire pit. “They create a gathering place and further extend the seasonality of the space,” she adds.

Don’t forget a patio umbrella, either. “You gotta protect that skin care regime!” Lonergan notes. “If all you have is a single chair and an umbrella, it works.”

How to design your space based on your backyard, according to experts

Whether you’re working with a smaller yard or acres of land, ensuring you’re optimizing your space to the best of your ability is key. Ahead, Lonergan and Vaille share what to prioritize buying for your particular space:

Small Backyard

“Small spaces are some of my favorite to design,” Vaille says. “I love to dive into the intimacy of a small space and create sort of a secret enclosed garden.”

Particularly, you’ll want to shop for an umbrella and lightweight, petite chairs to accentuate your small square footage, per Lonergan.

Large Backyard

For larger spaces, chaise lounges, sofas and long dining tables are the way to go, according to Lonergan.

“The key in large backyards is to create separate zones that are still cozy and inviting,” Vaille shares. “Pergolas, fire sources, low-branching trees and potted plants are our favorite ways to create separate zones within a large yard.”

Poolside

Who doesn’t love a poolside chaise? “My dermatologist would equally want umbrellas between every other chair,” Vaille suggests. “I like to channel boutique resorts in our poolside decorating.”

Aside from a good patio umbrella, Lonergan also recommends a top-tier pool float — both for soaking up the sun’s rays and serving as an Instagram-worthy decor element.

Porch / Balcony

“A bistro table and chairs are always the first pieces I start with on a balcony,” Vaille shares. “If space allows, I love a sectional that can be sized to exactly fit a corner to create a lounging nook. You would surprised how little space you need to squeeze one in.”

More, look for plants and a garden stool, per Lonergan. “A pair of garden stools can act as a chair and a table to hold an ash tray, if desired.”

What materials are outdoor patio furniture pieces typically made from?

You may spot a wicker-style set that you can’t stop glossing over. Or, you have practicality at top of mind and are concerned about purchasing a weather-resistant or storm-grade set.

To help you best understand the differences among the thousands of outdoor patio pieces on the market, we turned to Meridith Baer, founder of one of the nation’s most premier home staging companies with more than 25 years of experience, to describe some of the most popular materials:

• Wood: Wood is beautiful and gives a comfortable feeling to outdoor spaces, but needs to be refinished every few years.
• Teak: Teak is long-lasting, naturally weather-resistant and easy to maintain. In time, it becomes a beautiful silvery color. However, it’s expensive and can warp and require maintenance.
• Acacia: Acacia is long-lasting, weathers nicely, is sustainable and typically more affordable than teak.
• Wicker & Rattan: These materials are lightweight and durable, easy to move around but expensive, difficult to clean and can blow away and fall during extreme weather.
• Wrought Iron: Wrought iron is sturdy and long-lasting but needs protection from rust. It can be expensive and because it’s heavy, it’s hard to move around and cushions are required. 
• Aluminum & Powder-Coated Steel: These materials are modern-looking and more affordable than wood and iron but blow away, fade and may be hard to clean.

“Most styles are derived from great outdoor and coastal destinations,” Vaille adds. “Whether it’s Mediterranean iron, lakeside wicker, East Coast fretwork or mountain Adirondack, there are plenty of different aesthetics to choose from that are traditionally a bit territorial in nature.”

When is the best time to buy outdoor patio furniture?

While investing in a new outdoor patio furniture set is a personal decision based on when you’re going to make the most use of it, it’s important to take full advantage of sales. New York Post Shopping consistently sees deals on Amazon and elsewhere for patio sets year-round, but we decided to consult our team of design experts to source their timing recommendations.

Baer recommends buying some new pieces “at the end of the warm season when it is on sale.” Similarly, Lonergan advises adding outdoor patio furniture “six months before you’re going to want to use it.”

As for Vaille’s design firm, they typically start thinking about outdoor spaces right after the New Year. “That first great weather weekend in the spring always pops up sooner than you’d think!” she adds.

What’s the best fabric for outdoor patio furniture?

“Coated polyester, acrylic and olefin [are the best fabrics] because they wear better than natural fibers and are naturally resistant to moisture, mold and mildew,” Baer explains.”Sunbrella-type fabrics, like polypropylene, which dries faster and is UV and stain-resistant, is also good.”

It’s important to note that durable outdoor fabric should be easy to clean with soap and water. “The color should be baked into the yarn to ensure that it stays vibrant,” she adds.

Vaille’s design firm collectively enjoys the Perennials outdoor textile line. “They have really mastered solution-dyed acrylics that feel like indoor linens and cottons yet are resistant to sun-fading, mildew and mold — and the best part: bleach-cleanable,” she says.

How to care for outdoor patio furniture, per experts

When buying outdoor patio furniture, you want to ensure you properly maintain it. According to Vaille, you should always use a furniture cover to help your furniture stay good-as-new for longer. “In the winter, of course, bring your cushions inside,” she adds.

Wonderfully, the brand Outer offers patio furniture covers that are thoughtfully made (and, made to last). Additionally, if you’re looking for covers that won’t break your budget, Amazon has lots of affordable options.

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