White Stores Reviews Cheap Garden Furniture

The Story So Far

In a news article that was published in The Sun Online, supermarket Aldi had announced their cheap garden furniture range, with prices up to five times cheaper than competitors. At the time, the supermarket had confirmed that most lines were a one-off and “once they’d gone, they’re gone” with most items selling out quickly.

However, at White Stores, these one-off items brought up a huge red flag – what happens when the furniture breaks? With many of these lines selling out Aldi wouldn’t be able to replace the furniture and you wouldn’t be able to simply buy the item again for the same cheap price, so it’s best not to get too attached to the furniture.

The reason this was and still is such a red flag, is because we know that cheap garden furniture doesn’t last. To create cheap garden furniture, you must use cheap materials. For example, Aldi is selling a rattan effect corner sofa for just under £300 (prices vary year on year), and this rattan effect material is PVC, known within the industry to crack and go brittle, as it cannot withstand the extreme hot and cold temperatures that we endure in Britain. The framework is also steel which rusts quickly, meaning the furniture cannot be left outside as it will rust when exposed to rain and cold.

At White Stores, we only use HDPE rattan, which is extremely durable and long-lasting, as well as powder coated aluminium frames which do not rust, meaning that we can guarantee our furniture for a minimum of 5 years, even when you leave it outside all year round. It is expected that the cheaper materials will only last 1-3 years, meaning you will have to replace the furniture regularly.

Replacing your garden furniture every couple of years does mean that eventually you could spend much more than if you were to invest in high quality items from the beginning.

What Happened Next?

After originally posting this blog in 2019, we find ourselves revisiting it, as once again, Aldi garden products are back in the news. In April 2022, it was announced that the supermarket giant was recalling all their garden furniture cushions because they were not fire safe.

This once again demonstrates that buying cheaper isn’t always the right thing to do. If a reputable supermarket can cut corners on cushions, then where else are corners being cut? While they responded swiftly with the recall and corrective action, it still highlights the concerns we, at White Stores have with cheaper garden furniture and accessories.

This isn’t to say that cheap garden furniture cannot be good, it’s just tough to find cheap furniture that is of a high quality. When buying anything, you need to make an informed decision, and that applies no matter the price.

If you’re looking for something that you want to use just a couple of times a year and you have somewhere to store it out of season, then you can make cheaper furniture last longer. However, if you are looking for guaranteed quality then spending slightly more can get you great high-quality furniture that will last years and keep your garden looking stylish all year round.

After reading about the re-call of cushions, we hope that customers will consider the details of all outdoor living products, and not just furniture. If you’re looking to find high-quality garden furniture or just want to find out more about what more you are paying for if you do choose to spend more, we recommend a visit to one of our showrooms where you can see the difference in quality for yourself. Alternatively, our customer service team are available to speak to on the phone or via email.