What material holds up best outdoors for a potting bench?

Across the reviewers we read, cedar and other naturally rot-resistant softwoods do best for wood benches, while HDPE/HDPS plastic and galvanized steel surfaces draw the most consistent praise for low-maintenance, all-weather use. Specialist gardening subreddit threads repeatedly warn that thin fir or pine slats sold at budget price points tend to gray, warp, or loosen at the fasteners within a couple of seasons unless they're sealed annually.