I bought the cheapest IKEA garden table and chairs set they had—the one with the thin metal legs and the plastic top that looks like wood grain. Assembly took forty minutes. Looked fine on the patio for about a week. Then the first rain hit. Water pooled in the tiny seams, the table top started to warp slightly, and the chairs—they were so light they blew over twice. I returned the whole thing eleven days later.
What I should have done is thought about what I actually needed before walking into the store. IKEA has a ton of outdoor furniture, and the price range is huge. You can spend $100 or $1,500. Here's what that money actually gets you.
The Cheap Route: Almost Never Worth It
I'm talking the ÄPPLARÖ or the TÄRNABY lines. The ÄPPLARÖ is solid acacia, which is actually not bad, but the cheapest variant—the one with the plastic or the thin steel—it flexes. My set had a table that wiggled when I set a plate down. Chairs that felt like they'd collapse if I leaned back. The finish started peeling by week two.
If you're on a strict budget, I get it. But measure the trade-off: you'll probably replace this in a year or two. That's not saving money.
The Middle Tier: Where You Actually Win
The SÄLLSKAP line is where I ended up. It's more expensive, but the materials are better. The table is heavier, the chairs have a bit of mass to them. The frame is steel with a powder coating, and the top is a nicer wood-look plastic that doesn't warp as easily.
I paid about $400 for a table and four chairs. Still not the cheapest, but the build quality is night and day. After eight weeks, no rust, no wobble, and I don't flinch when someone leans back.
I also learned that you don't need the matching chairs. IKEA sells the table alone, and I paired it with better chairs I found on sale at a different store. That's the move.
The Expensive Route: What You're Actually Paying For
The higher-end stuff—like the KLUBBÖ or the TÄRNABY with the teak—is real wood. Teak is heavy, it lasts, and it looks good for years. But you're paying for the wood and the craftsmanship. The tables are solid, the chairs are comfortable, and they don't blow away in a breeze.
If you entertain a lot and want a set that'll last a decade, that's your lane. But for most people, the middle tier is the sweet spot.
My Other Mistakes
First, I didn't measure my patio before buying. I assumed a 79-inch table would fit. It didn't. I had to return it and get the 63-inch. Measure first.
Second, I assumed all IKEA outdoor chairs are the same. They're not. Some have armrests, some don't. Some are wider. If you're planning to sit for more than twenty minutes, test the chair cushion situation. Cheap chairs have thin cushions that flatten. I ended up buying separate cushions.
Third, I didn't think about how the table would handle the elements. Even the mid-tier plastic top will fade if it sits in direct sun all day. I now have a removable cover.
The Price-Per-Comfort Sweet Spot
For the table, IKEA's SÄLLSKAP table at around $300 is a good value. It's sturdy, looks decent, doesn't warp. For chairs, the SÄLLSKAP chairs at about $70 each are okay, but I'd rather spend $100 each on something with thicker cushions.
If you're looking for something cheaper and you're handy, you can find used IKEA sets on Facebook Marketplace. I've seen people sell the exact table I returned for half price. But they're usually the same flimsy versions.
What I Would Do Differently
If I could start over, I'd do this:
- Measure my patio space first (I learned this the hard way, like I did with The 34-Inch Wide White Dining Table That Taught Me to Measure Chairs).
- Decide on the max budget for the whole set.
- Go to the store and sit in the chairs for five minutes each.
- Skip the cheapest option entirely.
- Read the care instructions. Most IKEA outdoor stuff needs to be covered in winter.
Also, don't forget to check the wood treatment. I bought a wooden garden table once and ignored the wood species. I Bought a Wooden Garden Table and Ignored the Wood Species—Here’s what happened: it cracked within three months.
And if you're thinking about a round table, I had to learn that the hard way too. Round Dining Table Setup Week: What I Learned After Returning the first one was that round tables seat fewer people than you think.
Next Step
Go to the store, sit on the chairs, and measure your patio before you even look at the price tags. That one step saved me a second return.
If you're still unsure, start with the SÄLLSKAP table alone and a couple of decent chairs from another brand. You can always add more later.