Oliver and Smith Wooden Patio Porch Rocker Review 2024

Do you love the idea of whiling away the afternoon rocking on your front porch? Are you a bigger, taller, or heavier individual? 

If you answered yes to both of those questions, you’ve probably been somewhat frustrated by the fact that broad swaths of the outdoor furniture available just isn’t made for you. If you weigh 300 pounds or less, you’ll find an almost endless number of options available. If you’re over that line, the available choices drop off quickly.

The good news is that there is some pretty amazing outdoor furniture available to heavier users, and the Oliver and Smith Wooden Patio Porch rocker is an excellent example of that.

In the sections that follow, we’ll tell you everything about the chair, so you’ll have all the information you need to decide if this is the outdoor rocker you’ve been looking for. Even if you opt for some other model, we think you’ll agree: There’s a lot to like about this chair! Let’s take a closer look and see what it has to offer.

An Overview of the Oliver and Smith Wooden Rocker Chair

The Oliver and Smith Wooden Patio Porch rocker is a big, handsome, inviting-looking chair. That’s the first impression this rocker makes. It looks like it’s just waiting for someone to take a seat, settle back, relax and start rocking. Don’t be surprised if it’s one of the first chairs on your front porch that people gravitate to. Just about everyone loves to rock, and if you have frequent guests, you may find yourself needing more than one of these.

Before we go any further, let’s press pause and take a quick look at the stats that define this chair. Here are the basics:

On the whole, these are good numbers. The seat width and depth are an excellent pairing with the chair’s maximum supported weight limit, although if you’re close to the chair’s 400-pound supported weight limit, you’ll probably want to take a quick measurement just to be sure you’ll fit into it comfortably.

It’s also light enough to allow you to move it around easily, as needed while being heavy enough that you won’t have to worry about the occasional stronger gust of wind knocking it over. The only potential problem is the seat height, which at 17.25” isn’t quite in the big and tall range that typically starts at 18” and goes up from there.

Even so, it doesn’t miss that mark by much, which means that taller users shouldn’t have much any difficulty getting into and out of the chair.

Adjustability and Comfort

There’s nothing adjustable about this chair, so again, if you even suspect that the dimensions of this rocker aren’t a good fit for you, just give it a pass. There are plenty of other options available.

Comfort-wise, the Oliver and Smith Wooden Rocker chair should be seen as a blank slate. While the wood slat seat isn’t especially comfortable, it’s a trivial matter to add a seat pad, a seatback pad, or both of whatever thickness you want, which makes it easy for you to make the chair as comfortable as you’d like it to be. If you’re especially interested in taking the comfort of the chair to the next level, you could even invest in a memory foam seat pad.

Assembly is Required

As with much of the furniture you can buy online these days, the Oliver and Smith Wooden Porch rocker will arrive at your door in a large box and several pieces. Fortunately, the assembly instructions are clear, and it should take no more than 20-30 minutes to get the chair ready for first use.

Unfortunately, in the past, there have been some quality control issues resulting in more than a few complaints about pieces not fitting together properly or even arriving broken. Those issues now seem to have been resolved, and you shouldn’t have any issues on that front. Even if you do, the vendor stands by the product and has a solid reputation where customer service is concerned.

In addition to that, note that this chair is offered with an expert assembly option available. It’s expensive and will add about 33% to the price of the chair. Given that, we don’t recommend it, but if you’re really averse to the idea of putting your own furniture together, you might find enough value in it to consider it.

Pros and Cons of Oliver and Smith Wooden Rocker Chair

Past issues with quality control aside, this really is a good chair that will look great on your front porch, patio, or deck. While it’s certainly possible to find less expensive rockers made of resin or other materials, if you’re a fan of wood furniture and don’t mind paying a bit more to own some, this is an excellent option to consider.

Final Thoughts: Oliver and Smith Wooden Patio Porch Rocker Review

We like the Oliver and Smith Wooden Patio Porch rocker, but we don’t quite love it. Even so, it’s a good, sturdy piece of furniture that will serve you well, and with proper care, will provide you with several years of rocking and relaxation possibilities. We recommend it.

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Official Manufacturer Support

References & Resources

• Home Life Company, Official Brand Website.
• 15 Ways to Arrange Your Porch Furniture, Ballard Designs.
• What are the Different Types of Wooden Outdoor Chair?, WiseGEEK.
• Which Outdoor Furniture Material Is Right For Your Space?, My Master Plan.
• Package Arrived Damaged? Here’s What To Do (In This Order), Market Watch.