The best wicker outdoor furniture — chairs and sets to suit all spaces, from less than $80

Invest in the best wicker outdoor furniture to upgrade your yard, balcony, or terrace in an instant.

Papasan Scoop Outdoor Patio Chairs - as featured in Real Homes' best wicker outdoor furniture buyer's guide
(Image credit: Target)

The best wicker outdoor furniture can give your backyard an exotic aesthetic and of course, something to sit on. From working from home in the sun, to hosting drinks or dinner, this material is known for its hardy and chic characteristics. 

While some of our favorite wicker fixtures are made from pliable stems of palm (aka 'real' rattan), some are manufactured using PE (polyethylene) rattan. The latter is
a plastic polymer that's great for producing all-weather garden fittings for entertaining. And, it means you shouldn't need to cover it up when it rains.

Browsing some of the best outdoor furniture brands, I've found some chic chairs and sets that offer woven wow factor — no matter whether you have a large lawn, a small patio, or a barely-there balcony. Prices start from under $100 and shoot up to just shy of $500 for larger items.

Our best wicker outdoor furniture edit

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The best wicker patio furniture sets

Sometimes it’s just so much simpler (and cheaper) to buy a whole outdoor furniture set instead of buying each piece individually. All of these options come with at least two chairs and a table.

The best patio rattan chairs

Instead of buying a matching patio set, you might want to mix things up. These patio rattan chairs are both stylish and practical.

The best gray rattan patio furniture

Although rattan patio furniture now comes in so many different colors and styles, there’s something about gray that feels smart. It’s a classic color, and it goes with any aesthetic you choose.

FAQs

What is better: rattan or wicker?

Although the natural fiber is what inspired the rattan look we all love, the organic material doesn't hold up that well to life outdoors, instead needing protection from dampness and moisture, and to be shielded from direct sunlight and wind which can cause it to become brittle.

Plastic, as an alternative, is waterproof, UV-resistant, and frost-resistant, and requires very minimal maintenance in comparison, leading to it being favored by manufacturers for low-maintenance outdoor options.

The downside, of course, is that, unlike biodegradable natural rattan, most PE-rattan garden furniture is currently unrecyclable at the end of its lifespan. Although some advances are being made in repurposing single-use plastics for the manufacture of the polymers needed to create the furniture in the first place.

Opting for the most durable PE-rattan patio furniture your budget allows can, therefore, become an important way to minimize some of the environmental impacts of poly rattan furniture.

Is rattan and wicker garden furniture weatherproof?

It depends! To recap, 'PE-rattan' or polyurethane is waterproof, frost-resistant, and generally pretty weatherproof outdoors. However, this plastic polymer upper is given strength by a metal frame, and finding out what this frame is made from will give you a good indication of a PE-rattan patio set's long-term durability outdoors.

The most common frame options you're likely to come across are steel, powder-coated steel, or aluminum. Each of which performs quite differently outdoors, and has quite significant price differences. The most affordable rattan patio furniture will generally be made with a steel frame. This makes for heavier furniture, and you'll want to make sure you look for powder-coated steel. This is because steel is highly corrosive when it comes in contact with water, and the frame will rust quickly outdoors if moisture reaches the metal surface. 

This problem is 'solved' adding a thin layer of dry paint powder that's cured through an electrostatic process to form a hardwearing seal from the elements. The downside of this is that if that painted surface chips then rusting can occur quite quickly, so you'll need to repair any knocks to maintain that waterproof seal. Joints and fixings that are hard to thoroughly powder-coat and open to abrasion can also become a weak point, allowing moisture to penetrate and reducing furniture's lifespan.

As such, most manufacturers will recommend you store steel-framed rattan outdoor furniture in a sheltered environment during inclement weather to prolong its lifespan. This can be inconvenient if you don't have anywhere you can realistically store it inside. Plus, steel can be pretty heavy to move. A waterproof outdoor furniture cover (like this one from Amazon) will help to protect steel rattan furniture from the worst of the elements, although it's hard to prevent dampness from penetrating over time, so expect steel-framed options to have a shorter lifespan overall.

How to clean wicker and rattan patio furniture

Our guide on how to clean outdoor furniture goes over this in extensive detail, but in short, you can use a soft, soapy microfiber cleaning cloth (like these from Amazon) to wipe off any dirt, spillages, or surface dust. If it's real rattan, try not to soak the rattan, and make sure it’s completely dry after cleaning. To clean between the awkward weaves, use a soft bristle brush (like these from Amazon) or an old toothbrush to get rid of dirt build-up. An expert tip is to use furniture polish (stock up on Pledge at Amazon) sparingly so the rattan keeps its shine!

How we chose this wicker patio furniture

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to call in any of the best wicker furniture featured. Instead, we've relied on star ratings and reviews from online customers. We read through product testimonials and read out its performance, sturdiness, assembly, and aesthetic appeal.

Where to buy wicker patio furniture

Still looking for the perfect wicker patio pick? Discover where to buy furniture for your outdoor space.

If you're having second thoughts about wicker, browse our wooden patio furniture and metal patio furniture guides for more inspo.

Christina Chrysostomou
Former acting head ecommerce editor

Hi, I'm the former acting head ecommerce editor at Real Homes. Prior to working for the Future plc family, I've worked on a number of consumer events including the Ideal Home Show, Grand Designs Live, and Good Homes Magazine. With a first class degree from Keele University, and a plethora of experience in digital marketing, editorial, and social media, I have an eye for what should be in your shopping basket and have gone through the internal customer advisor accreditation process.

With contributions from