9 Patio Sets to Liven Up Your Outdoor Space

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Nothing compares with the pure joy of an outdoor space. In the depths of winter or the middle of sweltering summer, all we ever want to do is sit outside. Once it's properly furnished with lounge chairs, sofas, sectionals, fire pits, and the like, there is nowhere else we'd rather spend a day basking in the sun than a porch, deck, or rooftop. When it comes to furnishing an outdoor space, getting a set is always better. It's easier, it matches, and you're just done. In our Esquire Home Awards, we've awarded the best home brands several times over. But recently, we got to thinking about a much more specific question: Who makes the best patio furniture sets out there? To give you some help, we tested a bunch of brands to find the true bests.

Now of course the category has to be broken up into two categories, dining sets and lounge sets. But within those categories, we're basically looking for the same stuff. We want the quality, weatherproof materials found in teak lounge sets from CB2, steel dining sets from Amazon, and marine-grade polyethylene seating from Tupelo. We want beautiful design, like that found in Neighbor's Haven set. And, we want to save a few bucks when we can. But like I said, there's so much out there, we decided to do the tough work for you. Our editors tested and found the nine best patio sets worth buying on the internet.

Haven Dining Set

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We featured just the dining set back in our 2023 Home Design Awards, but Neighbor makes a full patio furniture set in its Haven design. It's as incredible now as it was then. It still sits on our Editor in Chief's backyard, as we speak.

Durable and low-maintenance teak wood is used throughout the collection, and a variety of swatches are available on the lounge stuff. Beyond all its practical functions, Neighbor just makes great, modern outdoor furniture. And the ability to purchase a full dining plus lounging set makes it look that much more put together.

Loop Lounge Chair

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For design-forward outdoor chairs that are easy to care for and easy to look at, no one does it like Tupelo. The shapes take inspiration from the heavy hitters of modern design; the shapes immediately make me think of Frank Gehry's squiggly chair shapes. If that doesn't mean anything to you, I'll say it more plainly: They look expensive. These look like chairs that could have come out of a museum exhibit.

That said, they are decidedly unfussy, and they're perfect for your pool, patio, or fire pit. The company comes from the industrial design world. The founder is an original designer from YETI, and most of the team is comprised of YETI alums. That means the main focus, beyond how they look, is how they function. The chairs are pretty lightweight, nearly indestructible, waterproof, sun and snow resistant, and they're ridiculously easy to clean.

If I had the money my outdoor space would be fully done in Tupelo chairs. Nothing out there looks as good and functions as well.

7 Piece Patio Dining Set

If you're not looking to drop thousands on a dining set, Amazon is your best friend. This option is one of our favorite combinations of durable materials and a decent look. The faux wood table, synthetic seats, and anti-rust steel frame are incredibly low maintenance. So much so, that you really don't have to cover the set in the offseason.

The only real downside is the look. Not bad, but... not great. We'll call it standard. No one's going to be wowed by the design. They will be wowed by that $260 price tag, however.

7 Piece Rattan Dining Set

The one thing you typically miss in budget furniture, especially budget outdoor furniture, is a natural feel. Although it's a bit pricier, this set looks immensely better than the budget set just before it. The rattan chairs and faux wood tabletop, though not significantly more premium materials, just look a lot nicer.

The faux wood requires little to no upkeep. But while the rattan is weatherproof, it's going to need a bit more regular cleaning, so you don't get mold and mildew in those crevices.

Garden Unit Table Set

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The outdoors crowd will already be familiar with Snow Peak. The Japanese brand makes elevated camp gear that's a favorite among luxury-leaning campers.

What a lot of people don't know is that Snow Peak makes really good patio gear. The Garden Table and Bench set is made with sturdy stainless steel and rot resistant itauba wood, comfortably seats six, and has the added bonus of some fun modularity. Pop out any of those four panels in the center and drop in any IGT accessory. (We recommend is something like the grill burner for table side BBQ.) Our testers are already outdoorsy types, so of course they were going to love this Snow Peak set. But it's a great option for anyone that wants to add a touch of minimalism to their outdoor dining space.

Bistro Set

If you're stuck in the city or just want a smaller, more casual eating arrangement, you can't go wrong with a bistro set. And with a bistro set, there's no reason to get fancy.

We liked this one because the metal is easy to clean. Plus, the round, full surface table gives you a more stable space vs other options. And lastly, there's a nice handful of colors to choose from. Everything you need.

Pinet Outdoor Set

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But for a truly luxurious patio living set, CB2's Pinet set is as good looking as they come. It's got that midcentury look the retailer is known for, and there's everything from a sofa to a console to proper poolside lounge chairs.

It's expensive, yes, but the beautiful teak frames and oversized cushions look so, so good when you see them in person. We also loved how comfortable it all is, and, thankfully, it's easy to keep clean and dry. This is a patio set to invest in. Thankfully, it'll look good for the rest of your life.

Five-Piece Patio Set

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Is it the best looking sectional set ever? No. Does it look OK? Yes. Is it an incredible value? Absolutely.

This sectional plus coffee table, as well as the larger seven-piece set, are really well priced. The plastic rattan plus weather resistant cushions makes it easy to maintain, and the glass-top coffee table is a nice little touch.

The main downside is that this beige color is the only one we are fond of. If you're into the red or blue cushions, more power to you. But that beige is tasteful enough to fit anyone's style.

Grotta Wicker Set

Once again, a lot of people really love wicker when it comes to their outdoor furniture. And with good reason! It's a classic look. It's looked great for centuries, and it'll continue to look great indefinitely.

For a living set, we really like this sofa, chair, and coffee table at Crate & Barrel. The wicker is nice and homey, but the shapes are organic and modern. While $1,500 is not cheap, it's a great value, because the set is well-built and looks a lot more expensive than it is.

How to Shop Patio Furniture

Don't just trust our picks; see how we made them. Here are the criteria we used while testing. They also happen to be the things you should be thinking of when shopping for outdoor furniture.

Weather Resistance - The easiest one. Is this furniture going to be full in the elements? Half? Totally shielded from sun, but not rain or vice versa? Consider where the furniture will sit and what it will face.

Durability and Ease of Care- This is not the same thing as weather resistance. This has to do with how long and how much you will care of your furniture. Teak furniture isn't as weather resistant as the plastic alternatives, but if you take care of it, it'll last a lifetime. Those Tupelo chairs will last forever, and they're easy to care for.

Looks - This is most important in our book. You shouldn't surround yourself with ugly furniture. Simple as. But you also need to maker sure it all fits cohesively.

Why Trust Esquire?

Because no one has the taste that we do. Other magazines and media brands will give you all sorts of weird bullshit to buy because it has good reviews on Amazon. Not us! We test products. We award the home stuff that's most revolutionary. And, we only recommend the stuff we would buy with our own money.

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