Best pop-up gazebos

We've tested eight pop-up gazebos from Argos, Amazon, The Range and Vonhaus, ranging in price from £35 to £160, include gazebos with sides, so we can tell you which are the most durable, waterproof, and easiest to put up. 

We thought we'd test these just in time for the Queen's Jubilee, so if you're having a garden or street party, your celebrations won't be spoiled by your gazebo making an unplanned exit mid-way through. 

Of the eight gazebos we tested, five of them didn’t survive even light winds. Of the three still standing, only one survived the next day of a modest breeze (27mph gusts). You can find out which one that was by reading on. 

Pricing and availability last checked 25 April 2022.

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The best pop-up gazebos from our test

The one gazebo that survived our test has been named a Which? Best Buy as it's our top recommendation if you're looking for a waterproof and durable gazebo that will last, and don't mind paying a bit more to get that. 

But if you're after a cheap gazebo that will withstand light wind, and you don't mind taking it down when it gets a bit windy, we've found a decent option for around £30 less than our top pick. It's pretty easy to put up and take down and will keep the rain off.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the pop-up gazebo test results below. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the pop-up gazebos we tested. 

Join Which? now to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below. 

Argos Home 2.7m x 2.7m Garden Gazebo - Green

Only available at Argos: £35.

Dimensions: 2.7m x 2.7m

Colour options: Green

Gazebo with sides: No

Guy ropes: No

This is the cheapest gazebo we tested, and unlike many of the others that come assembled, it must be built by connecting all of the poles together out of the box. How long did it take our researchers to build this Argos gazebo, and did it stay up once the winds got up? 

Log in or Join Which? to find out how this cheap gazebo compares to the pricier options we tested. 

Argos Home 3m x 3m Garden Gazebo - Green

Only available at Argos: £130.

Dimensions: 3m x 3m

Colour options: Green

Gazebo with sides: No

Guy ropes: Yes

This Argos gazebo isn't cheap, but our researchers did find it quite easy to put up, it took a little more than five minutes. But what did we make of its build quality, and how did it handle wind, and rain over our testing week?

Log in or Join Which? to find out if it's worth investing in this Argos gazebo. 

Easy Gazebos Pop-up Gazebo

Only available at Easy Gazebos: £159.95.

Dimensions: 3m x 3m

Colour options: Red, Green, Blue, Beige

Gazebo with sides: No

Guy ropes: Yes

It's one of the most expensive gazebos we tested, but it did impress us during our build quality assessment, and it comes with nice extras, such as guy ropes, and a smart carry bag. 

But only one of the pop-up gazebos we tested survived unscathed during light and medium winds. Log in or Join Which? to find out if it was this one. 

Master Canopy Durable Pop-up Gazebo

Only available at Amazon: £160.

Dimensions: 3m x 3m

Colour options: Grey, black, navy blue, blue, sky blue, beige, white, green, red

Gazebo with sides: Yes, it has one side wall

Guy ropes: Yes

Available in a vast array of colours and with the addition of weighted bags as well as guy ropes, we had high hopes for this one when it came to standing up to the wind. 

It has a tough and durable cover, which didn't rip, unlike some of the others in our test, but is this pop-up gazebo worth the hefty investment? 

Log in or Join Which? to find out. 

Sanheng Pop-up Gazebo

Cheapest price: £60 at Amazon and Planet Camping.

Dimensions: 3m x 3m

Colour options: Grey, blue, green, white

Gazebo with sides: Yes, it has four side walls

Guy ropes: Yes

It's incredibly popular on Amazon, a cheap gazebo, and it comes with guy ropes and weighted bags which should keep it stable. Sanheng also claims that the material of the canopy is durable and tear proof. 

We put all of these claims to the test in our weeklong garden gazebo test. Log in or Join Which? to find out if this cheap gazebo gets our seal of approval. 

The Range Garden Heavy Duty Gazebo Marquee

Only available at The Range: £33.99.

Dimensions: 2.7m x 2.7m

Colour options: White, blue, green

Gazebo with sides: No

Guy ropes: Yes

This cheap gazebo took our team of researchers almost fifteen minutes to assemble, because you must slot all of the poles together yourself. But we could forgive that if this cheap gazebo survived the week of wind and rain our testing put it through. 

But did it? Log in or Join Which? to find out. 

Vonhaus Pop-up Gazebo

Cheapest price: £124.99 available at Vonhaus and Amazon. 

Dimensions: 3m x 3m

Colour options: Grey

Gazebo with sides: No

Guy ropes: Yes

You get a carry bag with wheels with this garden gazebo which is a nice feature, but the material of the cover and sides was noticeably cheaper feeling than some of the more expensive gazebos we tested. 

Only one gazebo from our test was left standing by the end of a week outside in wind and rain - was it this one? Log in or Join Which? to find out. 

Vonhaus Slate Grey Pop-up Gazebo Set

Cheapest price: £99.99 at Amazon and Vonhaus.

Dimensions: 3m x 3m

Colour options: Grey

Gazebo with sides: Yes, it has four sides

Guy ropes: Yes

It took our researchers almost 20 minutes to completely assemble this gazebo with sides, the longest time to assemble of any in our test. 

But did that extra time putting it up pay dividends in our durability assessments? Log in or Join Which? to find out. 

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How we tested pop-up gazebos

As well as being a doddle to put up and take down, a good gazebo should be able to handle a bit of wind and rain too. 

We hired a field on a farm near Dorking, Surrey, for a week to put these eight gazebos through their paces.

In their wisdom, The Gods of Product Testing also provided us with some ideal weather conditions for testing, including light to moderate winds, rain, and even a bit of snow.

Wind resistance

Nearly all of the gazebos we purchased came with a warning, "don't use in high winds". We've seen enough YouTube videos of gazebos and trampolines rolling through windswept streets to know that not everyone pays heed to these warnings, but at the same time we didn't want to set the gazebos up to fail by pitching them in very high winds. 

So we waited for a reasonable window of weather and found one where we knew that wind gusts wouldn't exceed 15mph for 36 hours (a moderate breeze according to the Beaufort scale), and then over the following 36 hours the wind wouldn't exceed 27mph gusts (a strong breeze according to the Beaufort scale). 

To our surprise and dismay, five out of eight gazebos were destroyed in the first 36 hours, with only one of the remaining three left standing by the end of testing.

So while manufacturers might warn against pitching their gazebo in high winds, we'd suggest caution in even a gentle breeze.

Rain resistance

Poor gazebos can get saturated roofs that will eventually sag and leave pooled water on top. During our testing week it rained heavily, and even snowed, so we rated each one on how well it stood up to these elements. 

Build quality

Each gazebo was rated for build quality. There's a noticeable difference between the strength and quality of the fabric of each gazebo, as well as the robustness of the poles that make up the frame. 

Ease of use

We timed how long it took to put up and take down each gazebo. As well as rating each one for how easy it is to adjust the height and tighten the fabric roof.