I am having flashbacks to last spring. We needed outdoor furniture to replace a sad old teak set. We did not have a restrictive budget, but we did want value. I like wood (except teak which needs way too much maintenance to keep it looking clean and inviting), Mrs. HD wanted Faux Wicker. We went to all the stores you mentioned and many more. We could not find a wood set that we thought was well built, comfortable, and attractive at any price. The wicker sets were cost prohibitive dust catchers, and the frames seemed weak. We both hate, hate, hate powder coated metal. It tends to oxidize, crack and rust after just a few seasons.Mostly we found the cushions on all the high end furniture to be too firm or in the wrong proportions for comfortable lounging. Who wants to spend thousands on a patio set only to have custom cushions made? All the low end furniture would need to be replaced within a few years because they were poorly constructed or poorly finished.

We ended up with the Strathwood Falkner 3 seat Lounge, and Strathwood Falkner Lounge Deep Seat Arm Chair (Set of 2). I know, it is powder coated metal. But it is stylish and sturdy and always gets nice comments on style and comfort. We got them on sale, so they made perfect sense. We bought this set until the perfect set comes along, but we're in no rush to replace it.

Pros- relatively inexpensive, quality lightweight construction, comes assembled, cushions attach with velcro straps, easy to keep clean (nowhere for dust to hide) Delivery was free at the time.

cons- the cushions although comfortable, may need to be covered after awhile. We store them inside when not in use.

Good luck. Happy hunting.

What about aluminum (cast)? It doesn't rust. Probably powder coated or something to keep it from corroding though.

I bought some outdoor wood furniture a few years ago and although it is good quality and sturdy. It does need oiling 2x per year to keep it nice in our harsh sun. It is still holding up ok, but I cannot keep up with the upkeep.

I bought a metal set at a garage sale for $10.00 (Table and 4 chairs..gave it a quick coat of black spray paint (also bought at a gargage sale) and it needs no upkeep except maybe another quick coat of paint every 1-2 years.

I have finally realized that my husband is just NOT going to contribute to keeping things up around here, so from now on, I am sticking to metal. I honestly am overscheduled and over worked, so if I even want a few minutes to sit outside and enjoy my furnature..it has to have little or no upkeep...hence the old style wrought iron or metal furniture works for me. I can just change out the cushions or tablecloth when I get bored. Also the set I got is light weight and easy for me to move around.

I just mentioned the above "story" because you really have to ask yourself, how much upkeep do you want.

Thanks a lot for the feedback so far, and please keep the comments coming.

Both I and DH love the look of teak but are scared of the maintenance requirements since we want to enjoy it without slaving much. Therefore teak is out.

Wicker, the amazon set is cute however there is no matching ottoman. For me, it is imperative that a chair is purchased with an ottoman, and if it is sold out before next year, I am waiting till next year :-)

HD, you are right. I saw this series last year; wanted to buy when shipping was free and prices were slashed. However DH would not agree with me. He hates metal too; and insisted on "seeing before buying". We "saw" RH last week and they are great; but expensive. Since this is our first set, I feel like we can buy a comfortable one not too expensive and depending on our experience go for more expensive ones in future if needed. Comfort is crucial though because I know we do not use it unless it is comfortable.

Please keep the feedback coming. Thanks for all those who posted so far....

My two teak benches are at least ten, maybe fifteen? years old, and are outside in the harsh Sacramento valley weather 24/7. I never touch them for maintenance, and they have faded to a silvery grey. The one in shade has a bit of moss or algae in the nooks and crannies, but hasn't seemed to affect it in any way beyond giving it an aged patina. I'm sure they are only halfway thru their life cycle at this point. Not really sure on the concept of why one would spend any time doing anything to their teak furniture other than lie down on it?

We have 2 sets of teak-like furniture from Cost Plus and, of all places, Vons. A large dining set for 6 was on sale for $250 - you have to look on top of the aisles during summer. Each spring we power-wash all the pieces and recoat with teak oil, and they've all held up beautifully over the years. =^,,^= diana

Thanks everyone for your replies. I still think that given our current lifestyle, we would be better off with metal. Maybe in future if we decide to get a covered porch or something, I would get a teak.

So far I have got only one response re. Strathwood(Amazon). Since the price is way lower than others, I think that is my top contender. It would be great to hear more feedback re the same; but thanks to all those who replied.

BlueKitObsessed, I know you from Kitchens thread...looks like we are into similar things. :-)

Holedigger and all others, I just want to post the update to my quest for lounging furniture. Based on the responses I got on this forum, I purchased the Strathwood Falkner lounging set. It was hard to choose between their Camano line Vs Falkner line, knowing all pros and cons. Falkner won because the set comes with matching ottomans :-)

A couple of days later, we are happy customers and cannot wait to invite friends over to enjoy them! Look awesome. Quality-wise, comparable to RH etc. DH was against the looks initially but is now a convert. He loves it; and we are enjoying our outdoor family room.

The only thing I would change is the color on the cushions -- but that is not a big deal...and the current colors are pretty - just prone to getting dirty.

Thanks everyone!!

Enjoy! I decided that if I have to grill & eat outdoors during the kitchen reno, I can at least enjoy the space, so I purchased teak chaise lounge and teak footstool (local store), pillows (RH), cute end tables (PB), and now I'm set to live in style all summer*!

*Summer: the season from Easter until Halloween, sometimes Thxgiving.

Mrs. Holedigger is a dust-phobe so we used to store the cushions in the guest room closet. I finally went out and bought some elastic furniture covers at the local big box store, they fit very well. Now we keep them covered when not in use, and I hit them with a dust brush before company comes over and the cushions look good as new. But we will likely recover them next year, as we plan to use them a lot this summer. Enjoy them. Free ottomans are a nice bonus.

Has anyone had any experience with Tidewater white cedar outdoor benches and chairs? Someone on another forum once recommended them--and they are affordable (and claim to be as long lasting as teak). On Amazon, the reviews are mostly positive, but somewhat mixed.

Holedigger, the ottomans were not FREE, they were just matching :-) However the other line Camano does not have ottomans at all.

And I am looking for the dust covers as well. Heading off to local Big Box store...

And, I procrastinated on my order for about a week and on Mem Day weekend the prices went up right in front of my eyes. Anyways, the difference was not much - and definitely that heartache is gone now that I am enjoying the summer.

I also read on Amazon that people have replaced their Falkner default cushions with RH or S&H cushions and size-wise they matched, plus they are of better quality. I am planning to replace mine maybe next year. Any experiences shared would be appreciated.

BlueKit: Nice definition of summer!! LOL....over here in Northern CA summer is not quite that long but close..

No experience with tidewater white cedar, but I do know that Iowa Adirondack carries some nice white cedar (and red too).

Here is a link that might be useful: adirondack furniture from Iowa Adirondack Co.

In the desert on a golf course, extreme weather! Flip flop melting heat, Winds weekly, Freezes in winter, Rains in late summer, winter, and Spring. I have teak everything, and it does require maintenance. You can let it age to gray and have no maintenance, but I like the rich look of the wood. Also to be comfy, you need cushions covered in sun resistant cloth. Cushions are expensive and they get dirty. I made covers for mine, and I wash the covers. They are like huge pillowcases, and they work just fine. 6 barstools and one tall table, 4 steamers with side tables, one dinner table that seats 4. Lot of cushions, and a lot of work to keep the wood looking pretty.