10 best garden sofa sets to sit back and relax in this summer and beyond

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

It’s hard to find fault with this gorgeous corner sofa. We loved that the arms were upholstered, giving it a modern indoor/outdoor living vibe. And fear not, it’s covered in all-weather fabric that repels rain – we watched this in action and it was dry immediately after wiping off water. The seat cushions are firm enough to sit on for hours-long meals, or laze about on all day. The back cushions give a nice squashy support that feels really sumptuous too.

This set also comes with an adjustable-height table, which can be lowered as a coffee table or raised to dining table height. We loved this, and it meant whatever we were hosting – be that a dinner party or afternoon tea – the sofa set worked for the event. It also comes with two upholstered benches. You can take the cushions off these, but they’re attached with Velcro so they don’t slip about. Even these were comfortable to sit on, and super lightweight so we could easily tuck them under the table when not in use.

Best: Design

Rating: 9.5/10

We absolutely love this corner sofa. It slotted into a corner of our garden perfectly, and offers up loads of comfortable seating. There’s space for at least five people to sit down, yet it doesn’t feel like it takes up too much real estate. The cushions are genuinely comfortable, well padded and they didn’t lose their bounce even after hours of being sat on. The seat is deep – enough even for taller people to stretch out on, something that we found isn’t always the case with outdoor sofas. We also found the cushions fared fine in light rain, as the fabric is waterproof, but you’re best off getting a cover or sticking the cushions in the shed if it’s a heavier downpour as they did get waterlogged.

There’s a modern aesthetic to this sofa – not an inch of rattan insight. Instead the sides are made of plastic “rope” that’s wrapped around the frame, which offers plenty of support. We were absolutely blown away by the quality of this set, especially considering the lower price point. Plus, the sofa set also comes with a large square table with a glass top, creating the perfect spot for an alfresco coffee or – even better – sundowner.

Best: Simple design

Rating: 7/10

Wonderful in its simplicity, this sofa is a straight-up three-seater sofa. We found it took two people about 30 minutes to put it together (with minimal swearing, too) and once assembled, it was a very sturdy seat, with back and seat cushions.

Although these weren’t the plumpest cushions we tested, the sofa itself does the heavy lifting here so it’s not like they need to be huge. This also helps with storing them away. Owing to the fact they are white, we did take these cushions inside when we weren’t using the sofa.

This sofa isn’t exactly subtle – it is a really good length, and is quite boxy in design – but we found this actually fared well on our lawn as it didn’t sink like some others we tried.

Best: L-shaped sofa

Rating: 7/10

We really liked stretching out on the chaise-longue bit of this sofa. While the dark-grey cushions aren’t super thick, they are comfortable enough for a good, long lounge. They do, however, get slightly hot in direct sunlight – but you can always flip them over for the cool side. The seats on this sofa are on the shallow side, which petite people will like but might make tall people feel a bit like a giant.

This sofa is sturdy though. On that note, it’s quite comprehensive to put together, and took two people and a drill (you’re only supplied with an allen key) about 40 minutes to put together. If you don’t have a drill it would take considerably longer. But yes, the Alexandria sofa is sturdy once put together, yet lightweight enough that you can move it about (it comes in two pieces) if you can’t decide where to put it.

Best: For big gatherings

Rating: 9/10

This is the granddaddy of garden sofas. The set is enormous and took up most of a very sizeable patio. It includes seating for eight, with an armchair, footstool and L-shaped sofa. It also comes with an adjustable-height table – you can have it at coffee-table level or raise it up to dining level – a stroke of genius that made this a really flexible set that fitted into our lives beautifully.

The whole set is clearly very well made, with chunky rattan arms that will last through anything the British weather will throw at it. The cushions are comfy – firm with a nice bit of give to them. We liked the dark grey fabric, which looked as good as new even after two toddlers had been on the rampage on them. There’s no denying this is a splurge spend for most, but if you have the space and are looking for something that really makes an impact, this sofa set gets two thumbs up from us.

Best: Bench sofa

Rating: 9/10

We were thoroughly impressed with the quality of this modern sofa from Next. It was really easy to put together – it took us less than 20 minutes sans drill – and looks really smart. It offers a really generous amount of seating for this bench-style, which is partly thanks to the singular seat cushion, which means no one is falling between its cushions. And it’s really comfy if you want to stretch your legs out on it.

The three cushions across the back have a nice squish to them too and are showerproof, but it’s recommended you bring them in for lengthier downpours. We tried this sofa on grass and it did sink into soft ground a little – even with the wider foot attachment – so this may be one better suited to firmer ground.

Best: Budget option

Rating: 8/10

If you want a flexible setup then consider this budget-friendly option. It includes two armchairs, a two-seater sofa and two coffee tables. We decided to cluster these together to create an outdoor living room, but you could of course dot them around your garden. And they’re seriously lightweight, which makes them easy to move about as you chase the sun around your outdoor space.

Keen observers will note there are no cushions on this sofa set, which is really handy if you don’t have space to store sofa cushions over the winter. And yet they’re comfortable to sit in, with a decent amount of give thanks to the coated rattan. They really cheered up our garden space and made us smile every time we sat on them.

Best: Sturdy design

Rating: 9.5/10

We were immediately struck by the sturdy quality of this sofa, and this was a first impression that lasted. It’s easily one of the most comfortable sofas we lounged on. The L-shaped sofa is made from aluminium, which feels like it would last for years to come. It also would withstand even the worst weather and still be looking as fresh as a daisy.

The seat cushions are firm and have great spring back, while the back cushions are more squashy – the perfect balance if you ask us. They also look very smart, and are made from recycled plastic bottles. And while they are soft to touch, they are incredibly hardwearing and should see you through season after season. The seats are nice and deep, meaning even the long-legged testers were comfy – and there’s plenty of space to stretch out.

Best: Neutral-coloured sofa

Rating: 8/10

Most of the sofas we tested in this roundup have darker cushions and frames, but this one is a fantastic light option. The cushions on it cleverly zip together at the back, meaning they don’t slip around on the very sturdy wicker-weave base. And the cushions are designed to neatly fit into the corners, creating more useable space.

The cushions themselves are best kept indoors in inclement weather, which admittedly is a bit of a faff, but the flip side of this is that the light colour really brightened up our garden. If the worst happens and there’s a massive downpour you aren’t able to rescue them from, or a pet treads muddy footprints on them, the covers are removable so you can clean them.

The frame on this sofa is made from woven resin fibre, which is incredibly hardwearing and will see your sofa lasting for years. Although substantial – high backs give plenty of support, too – the corner unit doesn’t actually take up that much space. This is a very smart option for those that crave a more neutral look in their outdoor space.

Best: For storage

Rating: 7/10

A great choice if you fancy a garden sofa, but would struggle to accommodate the cushion storage, this sofa comes with storage for the cushions built in. The corner table lifts up, and offers up a capacious storage space. We’ll put our hands up and say we did find this sofa the most difficult to put together, but once assembled it looked very smart on our patio.

Plump back cushions bolster the slimmer seat cushions, and overall provide a comfortable seat. The seats are on the shallow side, which disappointed our longer-legged testers, but they are generously wide, providing plenty of space to relax and unwind.