Outer, a company that describes itself as the “world’s most durable and comfortable sofas,” and has been cropping up all over. Outer’s modular, well-designed, and incredibly comfy-looking outdoor sofas and chairs (that also happen to be sustainably manufactured) have been all over your Facebook, Instagram, and even enticing TV advertisements in the last six months.
We put Outer’s Wicker Outdoor Sofa to the test for a couple of months, enduring summer thunderstorms, a few tropical storms, and intense heat to determine how well it would withstand various conditions.
Testing the Outer sofa
We ordered the Outer Wicker Outdoor Sofa with three seats and Palisades Cream cushions on a Friday. It arrived three days later, which is excellent delivery time in our opinion. Keep in mind that delivery and delivery times vary depending on which item you buy and where you live.
(image courtesy of liveouter.com)
When you buy this sofa, there are two options: white-glove delivery (which includes set up and removal of boxes) or self-assembly. Outer’s wicker line is delivered in easy-to-handle boxes (as with many couch-in-a-box manufacturers) and requires minimal assembling.
The Teak and Aluminum collections from Outer, on the other hand, are completely assembled.
It took us just 25 minutes to put our Wicker Outdoor Sofa together, which arrived in three boxes and included all necessary hardware. Unpack the couch and cushions and use the provided screws and ratchet to secure the feet to each sofa seat. The cushions are created from high-quality materials, and the pieces are precisely cut.
You’ll get a pair of blue plastic clamps to keep the components together in whatever configuration you choose. Keep the protecting strip connected to the Velcro on the pillows so you may reattach it afterward if you wash the cushion covers. The cushion covers are all machine-washable, which is a significant advantage.
You can build a three-seater sofa from your new outdoor couch in two ways: a three-seater sofa or a two-seater with an add-on seat. Outer has mastered modular furniture, allowing you to tailor your outdoor equipment to match any location and fulfill any seating requirements. The sofas may also adapt to your changing needs. You may add armless chairs to your current sofa, or you can decorate with outdoor wicker armchairs.
(image courtesy of liveouter.com)
You’ll notice that your Outer Sofa is constructed of excellent materials as soon as you begin unpacking it. The wicker is thick and sturdy, and the seat on the sofa is exceptionally spacious. Because the memory foam cushions you sit on are 6 inches tall, it’s no wonder they appear more like little beds than essential butt cushions.
Back pillows and the brand’s unique OuterShell, a protective cover that zips onto the back of your cushions and rolls over them to keep them clean from rain, mud, and — given we’re outside here — bird dung, are included with the sofa.
The OuterShell is a major selling factor for these sofas. While the cushions are not reversible due to the Velcro on one side, the shells guarantee that you may keep your cushions protected from the weather without bringing them in every night. If there’s going to be severe rain or harsh climate, or if you won’t be using your cushions for a long time, Outer recommends bringing them inside. The OuterShell also has a convenient handle that lets you effortlessly adjust the seat and back pillows in one move.
The OuterShell extends around the top of the cushions; thus, it doesn’t give complete coverage on either side. You’ll notice dirt and water seeping through the edges if you keep them out for extended periods.
The shell is an excellent temporary option for preservation. Still, if you want complete protection, you can purchase a cover for your Outer couch.
(image courtesy of liveouter.com)
According to Outer, the wicker couch legs are also composed of “polished stainless steel which will never corrode.” We haven’t seen any rusting in the couple of months we’ve had this couch. Despite being kept outside the whole time, we’ve been reviewing it — the couch wicker looks just as good as it did on day one.
Cleaning your Outer pillows
There are two primary methods for cleaning your Outer couch. Outside, you may clean the covers with water and dish detergent. You may also remove the covers from the cushions and wash them in your washing machine if stains are stubborn or you want to clean them before entirely storing them for the winter.
(image courtesy of liveouter.com)
Remember to keep the protective film connected to the Velcro on the covers, as we indicated before. You may wind up with pilled patches of cloth if you launder them with the Velcro exposed.
Outer cushions are “stain-resistant, fade-proof, water-resistant, and easy to clean,” according to the company. We exposed the pillows for a few days during our testing to evaluate how well they would hold up, even though it was a headache. We also drenched the cushions with soda to see how stain-resistant they are since that’s something that will inevitably happen.
With merely hose water, the soda washed right off. We could remove any dirt that had seeped into the edges of the cushions using the hose and detergent. Still, we couldn’t completely clean the bird dung from the cushions.
We recommend machine washing covers as they smell amazing and look virtually new. The best we could do with bird poop is to minimize them to tiny dots.
Final thoughts
Outer’s Wicker line is stunning and incredibly comfy, but it is not cost-effective. The price of an outdoor wicker seat starts at $2,400, and the wicker three-seat couch we evaluated costs $3,550. Outer is no departure from the rule that superb outdoor sofas are pricey.
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