Top pick
This all-teak wood-frame sofa is built with extra-thick memory-foam-filled cushions that come with built-in furniture coverings for storage. It’s backed by a 10-year warranty, too.
Why it’s great
It’s about as comfortable as an indoor sofa. Thick, supportive memory foam inside each Outer Teak Outdoor Loveseat seat cushion is paired with plush fiber-filled pillow backs, making the cushions feel as substantial as ones you’d find indoors. We can attest it’s very easy to fall asleep on this sofa.
The teak frame is durable. An urban firestorm pit our personal set against hurricane-speed winds, smoke, and ash. We had to toss the cushions afterward due to smoke contamination, but the low-stance wood frame never budged despite hours of unrelenting gusts and lived to see another day.
Each cushion comes with its own built-in furniture covering. It’s always advisable to store outdoor cushions when heavy rain or snow is in the forecast. But for milder inclement weather, Outer’s built-in, zipper-attached OuterShell coverings (shown below) give each cushion its own rain-repellent protection. Even in fair weather, the covers are helpful at keeping leaves, pollen, and bird and insect droppings from leaving their mark. Whenever you need to store the cushions and pillows, the covering — which comes with a sewn-on handle — can be stretched over and secured with Velcro, creating a portable “suitcase.”
No assembly required. Outer’s standard white-glove delivery includes unpacking components, setting everything up, and most helpful, discarding all of the packaging after they’ve finished.
You may be able to check it out in person. Unless you’re lucky enough to live near a showroom, you’re usually out of luck when it comes to seeing furniture in real life before buying online. However, Outer has come up with an ingenious — though possibly terrifying, if you’re an introvert — method of creating neighborhood showrooms, where you can see select items in person in the homes of existing Outer owners near you.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The teak wood frame will fade with time. Left outdoors, the golden hue of teak will naturally fade. Proper maintenance can keep teak closer to its original color, as well as prevent cracks from developing, but we like the silvery-gray patina teak takes on after two to three years of exposure to the elements.
The water-repellent-coated cushions can feel tacky at first. Both cushions and pillows are coated with a durable water-repellent finish that makes them easy to clean, but it also leaves a slightly tacky feel on the skin when new. Fortunately, the tackiness lessens with use and wash (covers are removable and washable).
Key specs
- Colors: fog gray, cream, navy, dark gray; free swatches available
- Materials: teak (frame); stainless steel (hardware); Olefin acrylic fabric, memory foam, high-resiliency foam, polypropylene fiber fill (cushions)
- Return policy and warranty: one-year return policy; 10-year warranty for the frame, five-year warranty for the cushions
- Seating options: armchair, armless loveseat, sofa, sectional, and more
