Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair Review: The Porch Companion With a Serious Flaw

There’s a universal image of tranquility that many of us hold dear: a quiet evening on the porch, a cool drink in hand, and the gentle, rhythmic creak of a sturdy rocking chair. It’s more than just a piece of furniture; it’s a vessel for relaxation, a front-row seat to sunsets, and a quiet observer of neighborhood life. For years, my own porch felt incomplete, missing that essential element. I searched for a chair that wasn’t just functional, but an invitation to slow down. I needed something with a classic look, but built to modern standards—strong enough to hold anyone comfortably, tall enough to support my head and neck, and resilient enough to withstand the unpredictable moods of Mother Nature. Neglecting this search meant more time spent indoors, more missed moments of peace. The challenge was finding a chair that promised all of this without demanding a fortune or a frustrating weekend of assembly.

What to Consider Before Buying an Outdoor Rocking Chair

An outdoor rocking chair is more than just an item of patio decor; it’s a key solution for creating a dedicated space for de-stressing and enjoying the outdoors. It transforms an empty porch, a bare corner of a garden, or a lonely balcony into a personal retreat. The gentle motion is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, offering a simple, screen-free way to unwind after a long day. The main benefits are twofold: enhancing the aesthetic and usability of your outdoor space while actively improving your mental well-being. A great rocker becomes the best seat in (or out of) the house, encouraging you to connect with your environment.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who values comfort and classic design, and has a designated outdoor or semi-outdoor space they wish to elevate. This includes homeowners with porches, patios, or large balconies, as well as those looking for a comfortable reading chair for a sunroom. It’s perfect for individuals of all sizes, especially those who find standard-sized chairs restrictive or unsupportive. However, it might not be suitable for those with very limited space, as a rocking chair requires a certain clearance to function safely. It’s also not ideal for someone seeking a highly portable, foldable seating solution for camping or beach trips. For those needs, a zero-gravity recliner or a lightweight folding chair would be a more practical alternative.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: It’s not just about whether the chair fits; it’s about whether it has room to rock. Measure your available space and account for the full range of motion, both forward and backward. The Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair boasts generous dimensions (roughly 45″H x 34″D x 25″W), so ensure you have at least a 6-foot deep space to rock comfortably without bumping into walls or railings.
• Capacity/Performance: Weight capacity is a direct indicator of a chair’s structural integrity and build quality. A standard chair might support 250 lbs, but a robust model with a 400 lbs capacity, like the Besunbar, signals sturdier joinery and more substantial materials. This provides peace of mind not just for larger individuals, but for anyone who wants a chair that feels solid and secure, without wobbles or creaks under pressure.
• Materials & Durability: This is perhaps the most critical factor for outdoor furniture. Traditional wood offers a classic aesthetic but requires maintenance. Materials like pine or other hardwoods need a high-quality, weather-resistant finish to prevent rot, fading, and peeling. In contrast, materials like high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or “poly wood” offer superior weather resistance and require virtually no maintenance, though they often come at a higher price point and have a different look and feel.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Consider the assembly process and long-term care. How many pieces are there? Are the instructions clear? For maintenance, a simple wipe-clean surface is ideal. Wooden chairs may eventually require a fresh coat of paint or sealant to maintain their appearance and protective layer, which is an important long-term commitment to factor into your purchase decision.

While the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair is an excellent choice for many, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing and First Impressions of the Besunbar Rocker

Upon arrival, the box containing the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair was surprisingly manageable. At just under 18 pounds, the package was light enough for one person to handle easily, a first hint at the lightweight nature of the wood used. Inside, the pieces were neatly organized, with the hardware and a small Allen wrench included. The white finish appeared bright and even across the major components, giving an initial impression of a clean, classic piece of porch furniture ready to be brought to life. A few of the main sections, like the backrest, came pre-assembled, which was a welcome sight.

The manufacturer claims a 15-minute assembly time, and for those handy with tools, this is plausible. We found, as several users noted, that using a power drill with a hex bit attachment dramatically speeds up the process. Sticking to the included Allen wrench is certainly possible, but it requires more time and significant elbow grease to get the screws fully seated. The instructions were straightforward, following a logical five-step process. Our initial feeling was one of cautious optimism; the chair looked great and felt promising, though we did spot a few minor imperfections in the finish and some rough-textured spots on the wood, aligning with feedback from other buyers about inconsistent quality control right out of the box. But for an outdoor chair, these small blemishes weren’t immediate deal-breakers. You can see its full feature set and specifications online.

A Deep Dive into the Besunbar Oversized Rocking Chair’s Performance

After assembly, we put the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair through its paces over several weeks, evaluating everything from its comfort during long reading sessions to its initial response to being left outdoors. We wanted to understand not just what it promises, but what it actually delivers in a real-world setting.

Assembly and Build: A Mostly Painless Process

Getting the Besunbar rocker from a box of parts to a functional piece of furniture was a refreshingly simple affair. The design, which cleverly uses a combination of friction-fit slats and screw fasteners, is intuitive. The key, as one savvy user pointed out, is to leave all the screws slightly loose until every piece is in place. This gives you the necessary wiggle room to align the back and seat slats into their designated slots without a struggle. Once everything is slotted together, you can go back and tighten each screw for a rigid, secure frame. The countersunk holes ensure the screw heads sit flush with the wood, contributing to a clean, finished look.

While the included Allen wrench is adequate, we can’t recommend enough using your own tools. A power screwdriver or drill with a hex bit transforms this from a 30-minute task into a 15-minute one. A rubber mallet is also a helpful, though not essential, tool for gently tapping the wooden dowels into place to cover the screw holes, giving the chair a more polished appearance. We did encounter some minor issues noted by others: a few rough patches on the wood that could have used better sanding and one pre-drilled hole that was slightly off-center, requiring a little extra force to align. Some users reported receiving chairs with more significant damage like cracks or scratches, so a thorough inspection of all parts before assembly is highly advisable. Despite these minor quality control inconsistencies, the final assembled product felt solid and stable, which is a testament to the overall design. You can check the latest price and assembly details here.

Ergonomics and Comfort: A True High-Back Haven

Where the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair truly shines is in its comfort and ergonomic design. The term “oversized” can be subjective, and while one user felt it was more of a “normal size,” we found it to be generously proportioned, particularly in the most critical areas. The seat is wide (20.9″) and deep (21.3″), providing ample room to settle in without feeling constrained. The real star, however, is the 45.5-inch high backrest. For anyone of average or taller height, this is a game-changer. It provides full support all the way up to the head and neck, allowing you to lean back completely and relax. So many outdoor rockers fall short in this department, forcing you into a slightly hunched position. With this chair, you can truly rest your head and gaze at the clouds.

The rocking motion is smooth and well-balanced. The manufacturer cites an “accurately calculated 30-degree rocking angle” designed to prevent tipping over. In practice, this translates to a safe and soothing rock. You can lean back with confidence, getting a satisfying range of motion without ever feeling like you’re on the verge of going too far. The armrests are positioned at a comfortable height, and the overall geometry of the chair promotes a relaxed, natural posture. It’s equally suited for an hour of quiet reading or a long, leisurely conversation on a summer evening. This high level of comfort is a feature that really sets it apart in its price category.

Durability and Weather Resistance: The Elephant on the Porch

This is the most critical aspect of our review and, unfortunately, where the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair falters significantly. The product description boasts of a “durable waterproof layer” and resistance to weather, fading, and UV rays. Our testing, corroborated by a significant number of user reports, tells a very different story. While the chair performed beautifully on our covered porch, protected from direct rain and the harshest midday sun, reports from users in exposed environments are concerning.

One user from Minnesota noted that after just a couple of months of summer sun and rain, the chair “doesn’t look good.” Another, even more damning report, stated that after only one month on their front porch, the “paint is blistering & cracking.” A third user echoed this, finding their chairs “faded dull” after just two and a half months. This consistent feedback points to a clear weakness: the factory finish is simply not robust enough for true, unprotected outdoor use. The wood itself seems to be a lightweight variety, possibly pine, which is not inherently rot-resistant and relies entirely on its protective coating for survival. When that coating fails, the wood is left vulnerable.

Therefore, we cannot recommend this chair for placement in an area fully exposed to the elements. Its true home is on a covered porch, in a sunroom, or on a screened-in patio where it is shielded from direct rainfall and prolonged, intense sunlight. If you plan to use it in a more exposed setting, we would strongly advise applying an additional 2-3 coats of a high-quality outdoor polyurethane or spar urethane sealant *before* it ever sees its first storm. This is an extra step and expense, but it may be the only way to preserve the chair’s appearance and structural integrity long-term.

What Other Users Are Saying

Synthesizing the broad spectrum of user feedback reveals a clear pattern of praise and criticism. On the positive side, many buyers are thrilled with their purchase, mirroring our own initial experience. One happy customer from Florida declared it, “Just what I was looking for! Easy to assemble… sturdy, and comfortable to sit in.” Another user praised it as a “nice, solid, good looking, comfortable rocking chair” that “rocks smoothly.” These comments highlight the chair’s core strengths: it’s comfortable, generously sized, and relatively easy to put together.

However, the negative feedback is just as consistent and centers almost exclusively on the chair’s poor performance against the weather. The reports of the paint blistering, cracking, and fading within one to three months are too numerous to be isolated incidents. As one disappointed buyer succinctly put it, “After only approximately one month of being outside, the chairs’ paint is blistering & cracking. So disappointed in the quality.” Another common, though less severe, critique involves quality control, with several people mentioning the need to “check for damages before you assemble” due to minor scratches and imperfections in the finish upon arrival. This feedback is crucial for potential buyers to weigh the chair’s excellent comfort against its questionable outdoor durability.

How Does the Besunbar Rocker Compare to the Alternatives?

The Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair exists in a crowded market. To understand its true value, we need to compare it to some of the other popular options available, each catering to a different set of priorities.

1. Yaheetech 26in Rocking Chair Outdoor Folding

The Yaheetech rocker represents a completely different philosophy of outdoor relaxation. It’s a modern, zero-gravity folding chair designed for portability and convenience. If your priority is a chair you can easily move from the lawn to the patio, or pack up for a trip, the Yaheetech is a far superior choice. It features a durable textilene fabric on a steel frame, includes a cupholder and pillow, and folds down for compact storage. What you gain in portability, however, you lose in aesthetics and sturdiness. It doesn’t offer the timeless, solid-wood charm or the high 400 lbs weight capacity of the Besunbar. This is for the user who values function and flexibility over traditional form.

2. Polywood Presidential Rocking Chair

The Polywood Presidential Rocking Chair sits at the premium end of the spectrum and directly addresses the Besunbar’s biggest weakness: durability. Constructed from genuine POLYWOOD lumber, a proprietary material made from recycled plastics, this chair is virtually indestructible and maintenance-free. It won’t splinter, crack, chip, peel, or rot, and it’s completely waterproof. You can leave it out in the snow and sun for years, and it will look the same. The trade-off is a significantly higher price point. This is the “buy it for life” option for someone who is tired of replacing outdoor furniture and is willing to make a larger upfront investment to save on future maintenance and replacement costs.

3. LUE BONA Set of 2 Outdoor Rocking Chairs Heavy Duty

The LUE BONA set offers a compelling middle ground, combining the all-weather material of Polywood with a more accessible price point, especially since it’s sold as a pair. Made from weather-resistant poly plastic, these chairs are designed to withstand the elements far better than the painted wood of the Besunbar. They offer a similar high-back, oversized design and a solid 350 lbs weight capacity. For a buyer looking to furnish a porch with two matching rockers, the LUE BONA set provides superior long-term durability and fantastic value. The Besunbar might win slightly on the classic charm of real wood, but the LUE BONA is the more practical and durable choice for fully outdoor use.

Our Final Verdict on the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair

After extensive testing and careful consideration of user feedback, our verdict on the Besunbar Oversized Outdoor Rocking Chair is a conditional recommendation. On one hand, it delivers exceptional comfort. The high backrest is a triumph of ergonomic design, the seat is spacious, and the rocking motion is smooth and stable. Its 400-pound capacity adds a feeling of genuine sturdiness that inspires confidence. If your primary goal is to find a supremely comfortable, classic-looking rocker for a covered porch or sunroom, this chair is an excellent contender, offering great comfort for its price.

However, we cannot ignore its significant, well-documented flaw: the finish is not durable enough for unprotected outdoor exposure. The claims of being “weatherproof” are, in our experience and that of many others, simply not accurate. For this reason, if you need a chair for a deck, lawn, or any area that gets direct sun and rain, you should either be prepared to apply extra sealant yourself or look at alternatives made from more resilient materials like poly-plastic. For those who have the right location for it, the comfort might just be worth it. If you believe this chair fits your specific needs and covered space, you can find the best price and order yours today.