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Adding a picnic table in your backyard is a relatively inexpensive investment compared to buying an outdoor furniture set; you’ll use it at every opportunity to enjoy barbecues with family, or pizza and wine under the stars with friends on warm evenings. Whether you’re looking for something that’s practical and affordable or want to spend a bit more on a solid wood set, here are our top picks for some of the best picnic tables to buy for summer while they're still in stock.
Best Picnic Tables
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Best Wood Table
Rosalind Wheeler Abernethy Three Piece Picnic Table
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Best Table for Two
Loon Peak Roland Solid Wood Picnic Table
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Best Splurge
Rosecliff Heights Cedar Stain Bermondsey Picnic Table
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What to Consider
You’ll want a picnic table with plenty of seating space to accommodate your family and guests, so it’s best to choose an option that has slightly more room than you think you'll need. Picnic tables are generally made of solid wood, plastic resin, and metal, and there are pros and cons to each material. Natural wood always looks beautiful but can require more maintenance than other materials, particularly if it’s unfinished. Plastic is waterproof and wipes down clean, but it’s essential that the pieces have enough weight to them for stability. Metal is durable and typically has a powder-coated rust-resistant finish, but can be uncomfortable to sit on if it isn’t ergonomically designed.
How We Selected
All of the picnic tables featured below have average customer ratings of four stars or higher. Our selection includes tables in a variety of materials and styles, from sleek and modern to country-chic. We’ve highlighted features such as seating capacity, color options, ease of setup, portability, and storage, and also focused on durability and maintenance. Plus, our picks cover a range of price points, from budget-friendly tables to high-end models.
Below, check out the best picnic tables to buy right now, and start preparing for all the fun you can have outside this summer.
For more great ways to outfit our outdoor space, check out our picks for the best bistro sets, fire pit tables, and kids' picnic tables!
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 72 x 56 inches
- Material: Plastic resin
- Seating Capacity: 6 people
This sturdy, durable picnic table collapses flat for easy storage and is a great value, priced under $350. It’s constructed of plastic resin and comfortably seats six. There’s a hole in the center for an umbrella, plus it’s weather-resistant and won’t scratch. It’s a customer favorite too, with an average user rating of 4.6 stars.
Reviewers say that the table is easy to assemble and keep clean. The legs have a matte mocha finish and it’s available in gray and taupe.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 56 x 30 inches
- Material: Solid wood
- Seating Capacity: Four people
Made of solid, sustainably sourced wood harvested from US forests, this picnic table comes unfinished or in a soy-based cedar stain. It’s on the smaller side but comfortably seats four, and several customers note that it’s easy to put together. It doesn’t have a water-resistant finish, so it’s best to keep it covered if it isn’t underneath a pergola or an awning. Varnishing it yourself is another option.
You'll love using it for relaxing in the morning with coffee and the newspaper or gathering with a few close friends for a potluck dinner and s'mores by the wood-burning fire pit.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 80 x 30 inches
- Material: Metal
- Seating Capacity: 8 people
This picnic table is made from thermoplastic-coated steel, designed to prevent rust and withstand the elements for easy maintenance. The benches are connected for safety and they’re fairly close to the table so kids can eat comfortably, and it seats eight adults. If your backyard lacks trees and gets a lot of sun, there’s a hole in the center for a patio umbrella to add shade.
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Key Specs
- Dimensions: 72 x 30 inches
- Material: Plastic resin
- Seating Capacity: 6 people
If you love outdoor furniture with industrial-chic vibes, this picnic table is an excellent choice. The base looks as if it weighs a ton, cast from heavy duty wrought iron, but it’s actually crafted from plastic resin, so it holds up to the elements and wipes down clean. It’s also topped with thick resin slabs that could easily be mistaken for high-end concrete.
A party of six can sit and relax comfortably, but if you want shade, you’ll have to get a cantilever umbrella because there’s no center hole.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 59 x 54 inches
- Material: Metal and wood
- Seating Capacity: 8 people
This modern picnic table is a five-star winner, with rave reviews from customers who say that it’s both sturdy and comfortable. It has a metal base that’s powder-coated to prevent rust and wood-textured plastic tops the seats and table, plus its corners are rounded for safety. Eight adults would be a tight squeeze—the benches are less than 5 feet wide—but it’s perfect for families with young kids.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 44 x 30 inches
- Material: Solid wood
- Seating Capacity: 4 people
Take out this petite picnic table anytime you feel like an impromptu al fresco meal for two. It’s crafted from solid wood and its simple, elegant style is versatile enough to blend in well with any contemporary or rustic outdoor furniture. There’s a center hole to add a small beach umbrella for eating when it's either sunny or rainy outside and you can add wrought iron or cafe-style folding chairs to complete the look. The table is available in unfinished wood and comes in seven lovely stains.
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Key Specs
- Dimensions: 33.5 x 26.6 inches
- Material: Plastic resin
- Seating Capacity: 4 people
This one-piece table and chair set weighs a mere 15 pounds for ultimate portability.
Made from lightweight plastic resin, it packs up small enough to fit into the trunk of a full-size car and unfolds quickly for meals at the park or beach. The chairs and table are attached, so there's no need to worry about any of the pieces getting separated—and they're durable enough to hold up to four adults.
There’s also a handle attached to one of the chairs, so carrying the set to and from the parking lot isn’t cumbersome or awkward.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 43 x 30 inches
- Material: Solid wood
- Seating Capacity: 8 people
With comfortable, sturdy, high-back benches that seat eight and pull up close to the table for intimate conversation, this set is both handsome and practical. It’s crafted from solid wood, with angled legs and that add stability and give it a rustic look. Corners of the benches and table are rounded off and beautifully finished, and there’s a center hold in the table to add an umbrella.
The set shown here has a warm, cedar stain, but it’s also available in several others, including a walnut and redwood, plus an unfinished option that you can stain yourself. All are said to be naturally weather-resistant, but you may wish to cover it for extra protection.
Kylee McGuigan
Associate Commerce Editor
Kylee McGuigan is an associate commerce editor for Hearst Magazines’s Enthusiast Group. She works with content for brands such as Popular Mechanics, Best Products, Bicycling, and Runner’s World. Kylee graduated from Penn State in May 2020 with a degree in journalism and a minor in French. During her undergraduate career, she spent a majority of her time writing for, and eventually editing, VALLEY Magazine: Penn State’s only student-run fashion and lifestyle magazine. She has produced content ranging from beauty and health, to lifestyle and self-improvement. After spending four years in the happiest of valleys (State College, PA), she moved back home to South Jersey—otherwise known as the famous “outside of Philly” area. Kylee can be found working out of her local Starbucks with her best friend, an iced chai in hand, and endless hours of music playlists to get her through the day. When she’s not working, she is more than likely on her daily walk in her neighborhood, at Orangetheory, binging Sex and the City or Gossip Girl, checking out local coffee shops, or trying new bars and restaurants in the city with friends and family.
Rachel Klein
Senior Commerce Editor
Rachel Klein is a Senior Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, where she writes about everything from garden hose reels and patio furniture to mesh wifi systems and robot vacuums. She started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and was a travel editor for more than a decade before she started testing and reviewing luggage, noise-cancelling headphones, and other travel-related products. Fast-forward another five years and her area of expertise includes home decor, appliances, tech, and outdoor adventure gear. In her spare time, you'll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend.
