Do YOU have middle class garden regret? The accessories that cost the most and never get used – from £4,000 fire pits to outdoor saunas

As the UK prepares for summer, many homeowners will be eagerly awaiting long, warm evenings in their gardens, hosting fun-filled BBQs or getting their hands dirty in their greenhouses.

But some will no doubt be dreading having to deal with the middle class garden accessories they bought to spruce up their green space – only to regret they ever purchased the costly addition.

From statement fire pits that range in price from £150 to £4,000, outdoor saunas and bars to water features and pizza ovens, an interior designer has revealed the extravagances that most people eventually come to loathe.

Jordana Ashkenazi, founder and design director of Element One House, told The Daily Mail that for instance, garden rooms or glamorous renovated outhouses ‘look lovely on paper, but in practice they often become little more than glorified storage’.

Read on to discover the garden accessories that cost the most but hardly ever get used… 

Hot tubs

Jordana: Hot tubs are one of the most common regret purchases I see. They require regular maintenance, cleaning and ongoing running costs, and once the initial excitement fades, they’re often used far less than people expect. 

Aesthetically, they can also feel bulky and dated, particularly in more considered garden schemes.

VERDICT: A bit of a throwback, and not always in a good way. 

Garden bars

Jordana: Garden bars had a huge moment during lockdown, but they can be difficult to justify long-term. The idea of sitting outside sipping a cocktail sounds lovely, but in reality the UK climate doesn’t always support that lifestyle. 

They often take up valuable space and don’t integrate naturally into everyday use, quietly becoming storage instead.

VERDICT: Fun for a couple of parties, then they quietly become somewhere to stash cushions and half-used bottles.

Fire pits

Jordana: Fire pits have become a go-to feature for creating that cosy, sociable garden moment, but in reality they’re incredibly weather-dependent in the UK. 

They rely on still, dry evenings, and even then, the setup and maintenance can put people off using them regularly. 

From a practical point of view, they can also be a bit of a hazard, particularly for families with young children. I often find myself saying ‘just step back from the fire’, which slightly defeats the whole relaxed atmosphere people are trying to create.

VERDICT: Lovely in theory, but in practice they rely on that one perfect summer evening we rarely get.

Outdoor saunas

Jordana: There’s been a huge shift towards wellness at home and outdoor saunas have become something of a status symbol. 

But they require consistency, space and upkeep to justify the investment, and for most households, it’s not something that naturally fits into daily life. 

Once the novelty wears off, they can feel like quite a large feature that doesn’t quite earn its place.

VERDICT: A very expensive wellness statement that most people use twice before realising it’s a bit of a commitment.

Outdoor kitchens

Jordana: Outdoor kitchens can look incredibly impressive, particularly in large properties, but they’re often oversized for how people actually live in the UK. 

Even barbecuing doesn’t happen as often as we like to imagine, so fully fitted outdoor kitchens with sinks, storage and prep areas can end up being underused. 

They make sense in very large gardens with frequent entertaining, but for most homes, they’re more about appearance than function.

VERDICT: They look the part, but most people end up using the barbecue and ignoring everything else.

Hanging egg chairs

Jordana: Hanging egg chairs photograph beautifully and have become a bit of a garden staple, but they’re not always the most practical seating option. 

They can be uncomfortable, take up more space than expected, and you often don’t sit in them for very long. On sunny days, they can also feel quite enclosed when you actually want to enjoy the light.

VERDICT: They look great on Instagram, but they’re not always where people actually choose to sit. 

Water features

Jordana: Water features are often installed to create a calm, spa-like feel, but they come with ongoing upkeep that many people underestimate. 

Pumps, cleaning and general maintenance can quickly become a chore, and if they’re not properly maintained, they can end up looking tired or neglected.

VERDICT: They promise tranquillity, but often deliver maintenance and a low-level hum you didn’t quite sign up for. 

Outdoor TVs

Jordana: Outdoor TVs feel like the ultimate luxury addition, but they don’t always make sense in practice. 

Gardens should ideally be a place of calm, connection and switching off, yet we’re increasingly trying to bring screens into every space – living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and now outdoors too. Add in glare, weather and installation challenges, and they’re often used far less than expected.

VERDICT: It sounds glamorous, but sometimes you don’t need a screen in every corner of your life. 

Pizza ovens

Jordana: Pizza ovens are often installed as a statement feature, and while there are some beautifully designed versions, they do require time, effort and the right conditions to use regularly. 

In the UK, they’re often used enthusiastically at first, then gradually forgotten.

VERDICT: A great idea in theory, but realistically, you’re not in Australia – most pizzas end up back in the kitchen. 

Artificial grass

Jordana: Artificial grass is often chosen for its low-maintenance appeal, but it comes with its own set of drawbacks. It lacks the natural texture and variation of real grass, and over time it can start to look flat and worn. 

From a practical point of view, especially with pets, it can also raise hygiene concerns – everything sits on the surface unless it’s regularly washed down, which isn’t always ideal. 

Visually, it’s also quite easy to spot as there aren’t many colour variations, and it often has that very bright, uniform green tone that doesn’t feel particularly natural.

I suppose it’s better than looking at mud, but it still doesn’t quite replicate the real thing and it feels like it has a long way to go.

VERDICT: It promises easy living, but it’s not always quite as fresh as it looks. 

Garden rooms

Jordana: Garden rooms and outhouses can feel quite romantic in theory, and they often look charming styled in photos. 

But in reality, unless they’re fully insulated, heated and properly designed, they can be quite impractical. 

In typical UK weather, you end up trekking through the garden in the mud, getting wet on the way there and back, and in winter they’re often cold, dark and disconnected from the rest of the house. 

Unless they serve a very specific purpose, they tend to become underused spaces. Even the more elaborate ones, fully fitted with electrics, bathrooms or kitchenette setups, often end up being expensive additions that don’t get used as much as expected.

VERDICT: They can look lovely on paper, but in practice they often become little more than glorified storage.