Compare garden gazebos: hardtop with aluminium frame

A garden gazebo gives you a fixed, covered spot in the garden. Here you compare gazebos with a hard top, a frame of aluminium or steel and often curtains and a mosquito net all round, with the current price at the shop. Prefer an open roof? Then have a look at the pergolas.

What to look for

• Size: from about 3.65 x 3 m for a small seating area to 7.35 m long for a long table.
• Roof: a double roof has an opening between the two layers, so warm air can escape.
• Curtains and mosquito net: against wind, prying eyes and mosquitoes. Check the title or the specifications for what is included.
• Lighting: some models have LED or ambient lighting.

Installing

Place the gazebo on a flat, firm surface such as paving or a concrete slab and anchor the posts as described in the manual. A hardtop gazebo catches the wind, so good anchoring matters. Clear heavy snow from the roof and check with your local council whether you need permission.

Curtains, mosquito net and lighting

The Purple Leaf hardtop gazebos come with curtains all round. For the Essential version the title also mentions a mosquito net and LED lighting, and some of the other models have ambient lighting. With the curtains you close off one or more sides against low sun, wind or prying eyes. Check the title and the specifications of each model to see what is included, because not every version has lighting.

Brands

Most gazebos come from Purple Leaf, in grey, light grey and bronze. From Suns you can compare the Alvaro. The full overview of gazebos, pergolas and shade sails is on gazebos and pergolas.