Outer Furniture: Is It Worth The Hype – And The Price? (2024)

Last Updated on December 2, 2024 by Beth Martin
Last spring, I felt motivated to give my outdoor space a total makeover. My goal was to ditch anything high-maintenance because I wanted to spend less time cleaning outdoor furniture and more time enjoying the backyard.
Outer furniture was the answer we were looking for. Our loveseat has been living on our deck for over a year and still looks brand new.
But let me start at the beginning.
Skip Ahead to My Pros and Cons List↓
What Outdoor Furniture Can Withstand Constant Hot Humid Weather?
We live in Charleston, SC, which means scorching sun mixed with high humidity and frequent torrential downpours for a large portion of the year.
These elements wreak havoc on anything outdoors, and our previous outdoor furniture looked beyond sad.
I went on a deep dive for the best outdoor furniture, and while I know that marine-grade plastic is the most durable option, I wanted at least one place to lounge with super comfortable cushions.
There had to be a carefree option to withstand our insane weather, right?
Enter Outer Furniture
When I found Outer Furniture, their sofa seemed perfect for our home. The minimal design is chic and supposed to be super durable – but this all comes at a hefty cost.
But there were a lot of things to consider:
The Design
All Outer sofas are incredibly stylish and will elevate any outdoor space. I love the modular sectional design because it can easily be added to or moved around over time.
This design is perfect for us because we only have space for a small patio sectional now, but we can hopefully expand upon this set in the future. Since this patio furniture is such an investment, flexibility is a massive plus for the life of the purchase.
Materials
I completely fell in love with the look of the beautiful teak sofa, but unfortunately, that was just way over our budget. Luckily, the modern shape of the aluminum sofa also looked great, and the dark gray frame was perfect for our patio decor. An all-weather wicker design is also available.
Price
I’m not going to lie – this outdoor furniture is expensive. Since our weather is so intense, we were open to spending the money but wanted to ensure the sofa would be as good as it looked.
All-Weather Cushions
The most unique aspect of Outer patio furniture is the design of the memory foam cushions. Each chair cushion has a cover sewn into the back of the upholstery that wraps around the cushions and velcro to the underside of the pillows. When you want to sit down, roll this up, and tuck it behind the back pillow.
Warranty
Outer offers an extensive warranty. This guarantee includes ten years on teak and powder-coated aluminum frames and five years on wicker and Outer cushions. That’s seriously standing up for the quality of their outdoor furniture.
The Neighborhood Showroom Program
Outer is an online-only outdoor furniture brand, but you can visit a neighborhood showroom. These showrooms are real customers in your city who invite you to their outdoor space to show off their Outer products.
You can apply to become a neighborhood showroom to get a discount on your future furniture purchase.
Other Products
Outer offers a full range of outdoor furniture, including dining sets with an integral cover, coffee tables that match the sectionals, fire pits, and everything else you need to create your summer outdoor oasis. They even have a bug shield blanket that I’m very tempted to try because Charleston has all the mosquitos!
My Initial Review
The modern aesthetic is beautiful, the design is extremely clever, and the quality of the product sounded terrific, but is this Outer sofa going to be a gimmick that was on Shark Tank?
The Couch We Chose
We took the plunge and bought the Aluminum loveseat in the Charcoal frame with Pacific Fog Gray cushions.
Delivery + Assembly
Our couch arrived quickly, and I was immediately impressed. The boxes were well-packaged and easy for me to assemble on my own. I love that the frame is light, making it easy for me to move it around when I clean the patio.
Comfort
Sitting down on this thing for the first time made me wonder why it took us so long to ditch our previous (and very firm) couch. The loveseat is incredibly comfortable, and it rivals most interior modular sectionals.
It can seat two people, and my husband and I love lying down and reading here. The materials feel super luxe, and everyone who comes over wants to sit on this sofa—I only wish we had room for the 3-seat option.
The Cushion Design
The integrated cushion covers are simply genius, and this design makes Outer furniture completely worth it for me. I love how the covers on the Outer cushions fold up like packets for storage, making them extremely easy to carry. They even included a handle!
After One Year
After living with our sofa for a year, I am shocked at how well the all-weather cushions have held up, and the frame looks brand new.
The Frame
The only care the frame requires is occasionally spraying off with a hose. Charleston gets coated in pollen and grime in the spring, which comes off with no issue.
The Covers
The built-in covers are fantastic for shielding the seats from morning dew and everyday dirt, but they are not entirely waterproof. We get extremely heavy rain here, so I put the cushions in our outdoor shed to avoid waiting for them to dry out whenever rain is in the forecast.
I don’t know if the cushions would look so good if I didn’t take this extra step. Considering our harsh weather, I can’t fault Outer for this. Again, I wanted low maintenance, but no upkeep is impossible here.
If I occasionally forget to bring the cushions in, it’s not the end of the world. When they get completely soaked, they take a few days to dry out, but this would be true with any outdoor furniture cushions.
The Upholstery
I chose dark gray upholstery to be as low-maintenance as possible, which was the correct decision. The darker color doesn’t show everyday dirt, and although the covers are machine washable, I haven’t needed to wash them yet.
Pros
Cons
Final Thoughts
Overall, the quality and comfort of the Outer sofa are worth the hype – and the price. This loveseat has completely transformed how we use our deck, making our outdoor space much more functional.
Our Outer outdoor furniture looks amazing in our outdoor space, and I know it will hold up well for many years. The technology of their all-weather cushion covers, paired with the quality of their materials, gives my family more time to enjoy the outdoors – and that’s the whole point, right?
If Outer has made a product that can withstand the brutal nature of the Lowcountry, then I would be surprised if it can’t hold up just as well in other regions and outdoor spaces. This patio furniture requires some maintenance, but not as much as most outdoor furniture brands, considering our extreme weather.
Thanks so much for reading this review. Please let me know if you have any questions about outdoor furniture – or anything else!
Cheers!