Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
Learn more about our product testing
The L.L. Bean Sunbrella patio umbrella boasts high-quality fabric and is good looking too. Read More
The Best Choice patio umbrella offers a combination of style, functionality, and cool LED lights. Read More
The Frontgate is a high-quality and stylish umbrella that will add elegance to your patio. Read More
The Hampton Bay Cantilever umbrella is absolutely gorgeous, just make sure you have a large enough outdoor space for it. Read More
The Blissun Patio Umbrella comes in many cute colors and patterns, and is lightweight to boot. Read More
A patio umbrella not only offers shade from the sun, but it’s also a great way to round out your outdoor furniture set. We sorted through the best outdoor umbrellas to help you quickly upgrade your patio.
To find the perfect shade for your outdoor setup, we evaluated a variety of patio umbrellas, including cantilever umbrellas and those typically used with a table. After weeks of testing, the weather-resistant L.L. Bean Sunbrella Patio Umbrella (available at L.L. Bean) was our favorite outdoor patio umbrella. We were impressed by its superior fabric, attractive design, and durability.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, consider our best value pick, the Best Choice Products Solar Powered Aluminum Umbrella (available at Amazon). It's a solid option with solar-powered LED lights.
In addition to our top picks, there’s a wide variety of great options here. You’re bound to find the perfect compliment to your outdoor furniture.
The L.L. Bean Market Umbrella can be inserted through a table or used with a stand, making it useful for all backyards.
Best Choice's LED patio umbrella is available in a dozen different hues.
Lightweight
Cute colors and patterns
Feels flimsy
Crank lever difficult to work
High-quality materials
Sturdy
Great sun protection
Needs a large outdoor space
Easy to set up and store
Simple to clean
Materials feel low quality
Lightweight
Easy to store
Only available in white
Difficult to set up
My name is Cailey Lindberg, former Updates Staff Writer. I bought a house with a big backyard two years ago and in the spring and summer months, you can usually find me there, with a basset hound sleeping at my feet. It can get quite sunny, so I wanted to test patio umbrellas to bring some shade to my yard.
Setting up patio umbrellas is not for the faint of heart, as some of them are nine or 10 feet tall. It’s definitely a two-person job, so with the help of my partner, I set up umbrellas in our backyard to get the testing process rolling.
Throughout setup and use, we considered factors like weight, ease of setup, and sturdiness. Part of the testing also included waiting for sunny days, then sitting under each to make sure they provided good sun protection. Afterwards, I dismantled each umbrella to measure their height and test how easy they are to clean.
For the cleaning tests, I rubbed mud into each umbrella canopy and let it dry in the sun for a few hours. I sprayed each umbrella with a hose, and if that removed all of the mud, I let the umbrella air dry. If it didn’t, I followed up with a solution of warm water, white vinegar, and dish soap.
Ease of setup and storage were key parts of the testing process.
While there are different types of fabrics that can be used for an umbrella canopy, Sunbrella is known for its superior durability. The Skin Cancer Foundation even recommends some UV-blocking Sunbrella fabrics as part of a sun protection regime.
Sunbrella claims that their fabrics are breathable and resistant to mold and mildew, while being easy-to-clean and stain resistant. They also claim that they’re fade resistant, water resistant, and offer UV protection. To back those claims, the company offers a 5-year warranty for its upholstery, decorative shade fabrics, and specialty fabrics. They offer a 10-year warranty for shade fabrics.
While Sunbrella fabric claims to be the best, we tested a number of patio umbrellas with polyester canopies, which worked just as well—although they might not last as long.
Patio umbrellas use different mechanisms to open and close. Some use a system of pulleys, while others have a crank that you turn by hand. Some high-end models even have push-button controls for opening the umbrella.
Generally speaking, closing an umbrella when you’re not using it is a smart call for safety reasons. It’s less likely to get picked up by wind. It won’t get as dirty due to airborne pollen or passing birds, and it won’t take as much weathering from the sun.
Still, some people tend to just set up their umbrella and forget about it. If that’s the case for you, the opening and closing mechanism may not be as important.
Market umbrellas: These traditional patio umbrellas are marked by a pole running down the center and are great for protecting yourself from the elements. They are known for durability and simply designed, with a straight metal or wood pole that can be placed into a table, weighted stand, or even a food cart. Round beach umbrellas and half-umbrellas (for use against a wall) also fall under this category.
Cantilever umbrellas: These umbrellas, also called offset umbrellas, are supported by a pole that sits to the side of the umbrella, rather than underneath. Some have the ability to tilt. Our testing found that cantilever umbrellas tend to provide the most sun protection.
During testing, we had a difficult time finding the right umbrella stand for the job. The trick is to choose something heavy and secure enough so that the umbrella will not blow over in the wind. The first umbrella stand we used, the DC America Umbrella Stand, had no weight to its bottom and let several umbrellas blow over.
For a standalone umbrella stand, we recommend something weighted such as the Shademobile Moveable Umbrella Stand, weighted down with sand. Another great option is the Abba Patio Umbrella Stand, which is 50 pounds and weighs down with water. As we learned during testing, some cantilever umbrellas also require special weighted base panels, which adds to their cost.
Many of the umbrellas we tested only needed to be hosed down to be cleaned.
Cleaning some dirt off of a patio umbrella is relatively simple based on our testing, but making it look brand new after a few seasons of use is another story entirely. Start by removing the umbrella fabric to sweep any loose dirt that may have collected over the season.
Then, rinse the umbrella with a hose until the fabric is completely soaked. We use the same cleaning solution we recommended in our testing: two cups of warm water, two cups of white vinegar, and a tablespoon of dish soap in a bucket.
Using a scrub brush, clean the entire umbrella and let the solution soak in for 10 minutes. Spray it down with a hose again and let it air dry thoroughly.
Cailey Lindberg
Staff Writer, Updates
Cailey Lindberg is a Staff Writer at Reviewed and full-time Dog Mom to @sandor_thebassethound. In her spare time, she writes about music and history for Mental Floss.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
Shoot us an email
