We have assembled thousands of playsets literally over our many years in operation. Because of this, we are experts in playset quality, value, and durability.
What follows are our recommendations on what to buy and what not to buy, along with some links to recommended popular playsets.
RECOMMENDED WOOD PLAYSETS
Overall, we currently recommend only three brands. These are Gorilla, Backyard Discovery, and Lifetime.
1.) If you are looking for a smaller, entry-level playset for a young child that is also budget-friendly, we recommend the Gorilla Outing. This one has a wooden roof. We do not recommend the model with the canvas roofs due to durability issues.
2.) If you have a few more dollars to spend, then we recommend the Backyard Discovery SkyFort. This playset is extremely popular with children of all ages because it features a tube slide and an elevated crow’s nest that they love to climb into.
3.) A playset that is very popular with little girls is the Backyard Discovery Spruce Hollow. It has a play kitchen and a picnic area.
4.) If Monkey Bars would be more desirable than a Tube Slide, then we recommend the Backyard Discovery SkyFort II.
5.) If you want to go all out, then we recommend the Gorilla Empire with 3 Play Decks, 3 Slides, and Monkey Bars.
RECOMMENDED METAL PLAYSETS
If you prefer metal playsets to wood, we recommend:
BRANDS THAT WE DO NOT RECOMMEND MOSTLY DUE TO QUALITY ISSUES AND SAFETY ISSUES
1.) SWING-N-SLIDE
2.) KID KRAFT
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(Revised 03/26/26)
