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Nov 08, 2024

Best Patio Umbrellas 2024 - Forbes Vetted

The best patio umbrellas provide much-needed shade on hot summer days, and they can also be a stylish addition to your outdoor living space. There are hundreds of patio umbrellas out there to choose

The best patio umbrellas provide much-needed shade on hot summer days, and they can also be a stylish addition to your outdoor living space. There are hundreds of patio umbrellas out there to choose from, however, ranging from cantilever to light-up options. To make it easier to choose the best patio umbrella for your backyard, I tested 19 popular umbrellas and bases to find out which are worth buying. After several months of use, the Treasure Garden 9-Foot Deluxe Auto-Tilt Market Umbrella is my top recommendation because it’s sturdy, easy to use and held up impeccably over time. For more coverage, the Purple Leaf 11-Foot Patio Umbrella is the best cantilever umbrella I tested, as it’s the sturdiest option for the price.

Whether you're looking for the best cantilever patio umbrella or best market patio umbrella, these ... [+] tested picks can help create an oasis of shade in your backyard.

While those are my top picks, there are several other patio umbrellas that are worth considering. Here are all of the winners from my testing process:

Market-style patio umbrellas require a base to keep them steady, and they’re typically sold separately. Throughout testing, I tried out a variety of options, and these were the best patio umbrella bases I found:

Amazon

Our score: 9/10 | Canopy diameter: 9 feet | Height: 101 inches | Weight: 17.56 pounds | Canopy material: Sunbrella or polyester | Frame material: Aluminum | Pole Size: 1.5 inches | Tilt: Auto

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In terms of all-around performance and value, my top pick for a market-style patio umbrella is the Treasure Garden 9-Foot Deluxe Auto-Tilt Market Umbrella. Of all the umbrellas I tested, it had the best features for the price, and it will look good on any patio. It has a 9-foot octagonal canopy that comes in a variety of colors, and you can choose between a few pole finishes, too. During testing, I found this umbrella simple to operate, thanks to its sturdy crank, which is easy to access and turn, as well as its auto-tilt mechanism, which lets you find the right angle to block the sun. To tilt this umbrella, you keep turning the crank after the canopy is raised, and it slowly tilts to one side. Then you crank in reverse to un-tilt it. This was easier to use than umbrellas with push-button tilt mechanisms, such as the Best Choice Umbrella, which offered only two preset tilt positions and had a sticky button.

The classic style of the Treasure Garden Market Umbrella will work on a range of decks and patios.

Depending on where you purchase this umbrella, Sunbrella and polyester canopies are available: If you shop on Amazon, the canopies are polyester, but retailers like Patio Living have Sunbrella options. I tested one with Sunbrella fabric (a durable, weather-resistant type of acrylic that comes highly recommended by the experts I spoke to), and it was attractive and soft to the touch, blocking out just the right amount of sun. The canopy also has a larger-than-average wind vent on the top, which performed well on a windy day, only swaying minimally in the breeze. By comparison, other umbrellas I tested wobbled perilously, and some tipped over completely. The only area where the Treasure Garden umbrella fell short compared to the competition was the cleaning. The dirt I smeared on the canopy left a slight stain—in part due to the fabric being a light gray color—and the mark didn’t come off completely when sprayed with a hose.

The crank on the Treasure Garden was sturdy and easier to operate compared to other umbrellas.

To see how it would hold up over time, I used the Treasure Garden umbrella throughout the summer and fall, pairing it with the Best Choice Products Mobile Umbrella Base, and it continued to impress me with its durability and ease of use. Months later, the crank still operates smoothly, and the umbrella never tipped over, even on blustery days. And despite being exposed to direct sunshine all summer long, the color of the Sunbrella fabric didn’t fade at all. When it was time to put the umbrella away for the winter, a quick rinse with the hose removed the pollen and bird droppings that had collected on the canopy.

The 2024 Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards are here: Explore our 150 top-recommended items across categories after extensive research and testing.

Amazon

Our score: 9/10 | Canopy diameter: 11 feet | Height: 108 inches | Weight: 70 pounds | Canopy material: Polyester | Frame material: Aluminum | Pole size: N/A | Tilt: Manual

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Of the cantilever umbrellas I tested, the Purple Leaf 11-Foot Patio Umbrella was hands-down the winner—not only is it extremely well-made and attractive, but it was the easiest option to adjust, easily rotating and tilting to the perfect angle. Its oversized form is extremely heavy-duty, featuring an extra-wide pole and screws that anchor its canopy in place, which made it more wind-resistant than others. The model I tested had an 11-foot octagonal canopy with a two-tier design, but it also comes in 12- and 13-foot options, making it a great choice for large outdoor living spaces. If you’re looking for a different shape, the umbrella is also available with a square canopy, with sizes ranging from 9 to 12 feet.

This umbrella was by far the heaviest product I tested, with the most complicated setup, as well—it’s definitely a two-person job. It didn’t fit into the universal base I was testing, so I ended up bolting it directly to the wooden boards of the deck. (Alternatively, you can purchase the brand’s base or mount the umbrella directly into the ground.) However, once the Purple Leaf umbrella was set up, it beat out the competition. A handle with a push-button allows you to adjust the umbrella’s angle, and a crank makes it effortless to rotate it 360 degrees around the central pole. Plus, thanks to its unique support arm, the canopy barely sways in the breeze, even when I opened it on an extremely windy day.

The heavy-duty Purple Leaf umbrella doesn't sway in the wind, and it's crank makes it effortless to ... [+] set up.

Another benefit of this umbrella is that its polyester canopy is completely opaque, blocking out all the sunlight and earning a UPF 50 rating. It was also extremely easy to clean, resisting stains and washing off simply with a hose. The only real downside—besides being very heavy —is that it comes in only a few plain colors.

I also continued to test the Purple Leaf Patio Umbrella, which was mounted directly to my wooden deck, over the summer. The blue fabric didn’t fade at all in the sunshine, and the umbrella’s mechanisms still work smoothly after several months outdoors. Its large canopy was perfect for covering my outdoor dining table when eating al fresco, and its rotating base allowed me to shade other areas of the deck, as well.

However, after a few months of use, I noticed that the cantilever umbrella began to wobble a bit, especially on windy days. The screws that we used to bolt the umbrella to the deck boards had loosened, and they were beginning to get rusty, as well. We ended up swapping them out for larger stainless steel bolts, which proved to be a more durable option. If you’re planning to mount the umbrella directly instead of using a base, you may want to make this upgrade from the start to keep it secure.

Frontgate

Our score: 9.5/10 |Canopy diameter: 9 feet | Height: 96 inches | Weight: 25 pounds | Canopy material: Sunbrella | Frame material: Aluminum or teak | Pole size: 1.5 inches | Tilt: Auto

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If you’re going for a luxe look on your patio and don’t mind spending a little extra, the Frontgate 9-Foot Round Outdoor Market Umbrella is worth the splurge. This umbrella was the most well-made and customizable option I tested. While other products had simple serged edges, the Frontgatec canopy had neatly finished seams and not a single thread out of place. I also love that Frontgate allows you to mix and match canopies and poles, offering a wide selection of solid colors, stripes and other patterns to choose from. (Keep in mind that certain fabrics are made-to-order, which take four weeks to ship and can’t be returned.)

The Frontgate offers more colors and patterns to choose from than other umbrellas I tested.

The Frontgate Market Umbrella performed well across all my tests: It’s easy to open and close, and its convenient auto-tilt mechanism works the same way as the Treasure Garden’s design. It did wiggle a bit on a particularly windy day, but it never tipped over. Plus, its Sunbrella canopy resisted staining and came perfectly clean after a quick spray with the hose.

After several more months of use, the Frontgate Market Umbrella still operated just as smoothly as it did on the first day. I used it with the brand’s Belmont Umbrella Base, and the umbrella only tipped over one time during a big storm. It was actually closed when it happened, but the wind gusts were over 25 miles per hour. Despite taking a tumble, the umbrella is still in great shape, and while the color of the canopy didn’t fade at all, it does have a few stubborn dirt spots that won’t come off the light-colored fabric.

Amazon

Our score: 8/10 |Canopy diameter: 10 feet | Height: 96 inches | Weight: 16.5 pounds | Canopy material: Polyester | Frame material: Aluminum | Pole size: 1.5 inches | Tilt: Manual

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I was impressed by the Best Choice Products 10-Foot Patio Umbrella, a budget-friendly pick that retails for less than $100 and is available on Amazon. Its 10-foot octagonal canopy was the biggest of the market umbrellas I tested, and it includes adorable built-in solar lights on the inside of the umbrella. A small solar panel on top of the canopy charges up the lights, and you can turn on the LEDs with a cute little switch near the crank. The lights weren’t enough to light up my deck, but they do provide a quaint ambiance at night.

This affordable umbrella is available in more than a dozen different colors, and its polyester canopy is opaque, blocking out all traces of the sun. However, a few caveats to keep in mind: The canopy is fairly plasticky, and the umbrella is unstable in the wind—it fell over in gusts around 10 miles per hour. Its crank is also somewhat unattractive, with a silver finish that doesn’t match the pole, and because it’s located underneath the canopy, it’s hard to reach when the umbrella is closed.

Frontgate

Our score: 8.5/10 | Canopy diameter: 10 x 13 feet | Height: 120 inches | Weight: Not listed | Canopy material: Solution-dyed acrylic | Frame material: Aluminum | Pole size: N/A | Tilt: Manual

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If you have a large area to shade, the heavy-duty Altura Cantilever Umbrella is worth the investment. This contract-grade umbrella, which is designed for commercial applications and more rigorous use, has an oversized 10 x 13-foot rectangular canopy that covered my entire deck, and it is by far the most durable option I tested. It’s extremely heavy and made from thick, high-quality materials. Based on my testing, I don’t think anything short of hurricane-force winds would knock it over. Despite being a light color, the umbrella’s acrylic canopy blocked out all the sun in my tests. Despite its heft, this umbrella’s design is also a breeze to operate—when you crank the handle to open the umbrella, it automatically lifts into place, saving you from having to manually adjust the heavy canopy.

It took two people to set up this oversized umbrella, and while it does come with a base, you need a dozen 16-inch patio pavers to weigh it down properly. I also learned the hard way that once the umbrella is set up, it’s virtually impossible to move. I wanted to shift it a few feet across the deck, and we had to remove almost all the pavers before we could push it, even with two people. While this limits its mobility, it’s great if you live somewhere with strong winds. Even on a day with gusts up to 20 miles per hour, I was never worried about the umbrella tipping over. Its canopy sways back and forth a bit, but its large air vents stop it from being caught in the wind. Plus, because it’s taller than most other umbrellas, I was able to sit under it comfortably and enjoy the breeze.

Midtown Umbrellas

Our score: 9/10 | Canopy diameter: 8 feet | Height: 96 inches | Weight: 20 pounds | Canopy material: Sunbrella or Terrylast | Frame material: Aluminum | Pole size: 1.5 inches | Tilt: Automatic

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As its name suggests, The LED Swilt is equipped with built-in solar LED lights that you can use to brighten your outdoor living space at night. While the Best Choice Products Umbrella has a few small bulbs along its canopy, the LED Swilt has strip-style LEDs that reach down each of the ribs, giving off an impressive amount of light. It’s enough to illuminate an outdoor dining table at night, and I liked that the LEDs can be charged with the small solar panel that mounts to the top of the umbrella or a plug-in AC adapter, which would come in handy on cloudy days.

I was equally impressed with the construction and design of this umbrella. The version I tested had an 8-foot canopy, but it’s also available in 9- and 10-foot options. The crank handle is easy to access, and it rotates smoothly to open the umbrella. The canopy automatically tilts using the crank, and there’s a unique pull-down mechanism located underneath the handle that lets you to swivel the canopy 360-degrees, making it easier to angle the umbrella to block the sun. The LED Swilt also held up well in windy conditions, with minimal swaying during gusts.

This market-style umbrella comes in two fabrics: Terrylast, which is a solution-dyed polyester, as well as classic Sunbrella. I tested a Terrylast option, and while it wasn’t as soft to the touch as Sunbrella fabric, it still looked nice, blocked the sun and was easy to clean. In my testing, I’ve also found that solution-dyed fabrics are able to withstand sun exposure without fading. The brand offers both fabrics in a wide range of colors and patterns, with more than 50 options total.

Patio umbrellas and bases are almost always sold separately, so it’s essential to find a base that’s the right size and weight for your umbrella. In my testing, I found bases around 50 pounds are ideal for 9-foot market umbrellas and tend to be a bit more universal, which lets you mix and match bases and umbrellas from different brands. Just make sure the pole diameter (usually 1.5 inches) is compatible with the base.

Cantilever umbrellas, on the other hand, often require brand-specific bases. You’ll want to follow the brand’s guidelines carefully, as these umbrellas often need quite a bit of weight to hold them up safely. Alternatively, some cantilever umbrellas can be directly mounted to a deck or in the ground using a cement casing.

Amazon

Our score: 8.5/10

If you plan to move your umbrella around your patio, the Best Choice Products Mobile Umbrella Base is a solid, budget-friendly choice. While it is fairly bulky, this base is easy to fill up with water and stable enough to support a 9-foot patio umbrella on a windy day. Plus, I loved that the base is mounted on four locking caster wheels, which made it the easiest to move around.

Despite its plastic construction, this base held up flawlessly over several months of testing. It remained easy to push around and came clean with a quick rinse from the hose when pollen or other dirt got onto it. Plus, when it was time to put the umbrella away for the winter, all I had to do was pull out the side plug to drain the water.

Amazon

Our score: 8/10

The Abba Patio Patio Umbrella Base is as simple as it gets. It’s just a big, flat 55-pound metal circle with a pole mounted to it. The minimalist design lets your umbrella be the star of the show, and of the options I tested, it was the best to use with a patio table. However, it’s not perfect: the screws need to be tightened if you move it around too frequently. Some of the paint was also chipping off, though there aren’t a significant amount of other reviews that mention this issue, so it may be a fluke.

Frontgate

For an option that’s a little more decorative, the Frontgate Belmont Umbrella Base is a good choice. It’s made from cast iron and weighs 50 pounds, which pairs well with market umbrellas up to 9 feet, and it was attractive and easy to use. It has a decorative pattern on top to complement your decor and comes in four finishes to match the pole.

This base held up great throughout the summer, though it did tip over once in a particularly strong storm. However, it’s hard to beat this base in terms of durability—I actually left it out on the deck all winter, and it still looked as good as new in the spring.

The Grande Square (7.5/10): This cantilever design from Midtown Umbrellas is easy to operate, and I like that it comes in so many color options, including both Terrylast and Sunbrella fabrics. However, I thought the base was quite bulky. The umbrella also didn’t perform as well as other cantilever options on windy days. The canopy often whipped around when it got caught in a gust of wind, and a few times I was concerned that it was going to break one of the ribs or get knocked over. Still, it’s not a bad choice so long as you keep it closed on breezy days.

Blissun Outdoor Patio Umbrella (7/10): This 9-foot market umbrella is a bestseller on Amazon, but it proved to be of lesser quality than other umbrellas I tested. The polyester canopy is thin and doesn’t block as much sun as others, and its pole isn’t very secure, wobbling perilously on windy days. The canopy’s ribs are also secured with thin plastic, which doesn’t bode well for longevity.

EliteShade Sunumbrella Patio Umbrella (6/10): This umbrella has a unique three-tier canopy that works extremely well in the wind, withstanding strong gusts better than any other market umbrella I tested. However, I noticed that the pole developed several large dents where it was attached to the base.

California Umbrella 9-Foot Patio Umbrella (6/10): I like that this budget-friendly umbrella comes in a variety of colors and patterns, but its olefin canopy looked and felt the cheapest of all the options I tested. (Olefin is made from polypropylene, a type of plastic, and while it is stain-resistant, it doesn’t perform as well as Sunbrella when it comes to fading or resistance to mold and mildew.) It also doesn’t fit snugly together with its pole, which resulted in quite a bit of wobbling on a breezy day.

Tangkula Wheeled Weight Base (5/10): I used this universal cantilever base to test the now-discontinued Sol 72 108-inch umbrella, and it was easy to fill and move around. However, it did require a bit of finesse to fit the umbrella properly into the base, and the Purple Leaf umbrella didn’t work with it at all—so it’s safe to say it’s not truly universal. I recommend getting a cantilever base from the same brand as your umbrella to ensure a proper fit.

EliteShade USA Umbrella Base (4/10): This circular umbrella base was the least stable of the products I tested. It had a somewhat rounded bottom that made it wobble perilously, and it tipped over on a windy day even when the umbrella was closed.

A variety of factors make great patio umbrellas stand out from the rest. Over the course of a few weeks in 2023, I put seven models and eight bases to the test, evaluating them on their ease of use, wind resistance, ease of cleaning and more. In 2024, I tested an additional four umbrellas. To test, I set up each umbrella on my deck, noting how complicated the process was and whether it could be done by one person. I also took note of the material quality, looking for neat canopy stitching and tightly fitting poles.

From 2023 to 2024, I tested 11 of the best patio umbrellas and bases.

To evaluate each umbrella, I used each one for multiple days. For the market umbrellas, I used them both freestanding and in the center of my patio table. I considered whether they were easy to open and shut, and I tilted and rotated their canopies to block the late afternoon sun. On one particularly breezy day with wind speeds around 8 miles per hour, I set up each umbrella for an hour, taking note of how much they wobbled and which ones tipped over. Finally, I smeared some mud on each of the canopies, and after letting the dirt dry in the sun for a few days, I washed the canopies to see whether the material was stained and how easy it was to clean.

There are a lot of different patio umbrellas to choose from, and you’ll need to consider style, size, material and more to find the best option for your yard.

Patio umbrellas come in two main styles, market and cantilever. Market umbrellas have straight poles and can either be used freestanding or in the middle of a table. Cantilever umbrellas, also called offset umbrellas, are generally larger and have a pole that stands off to the side of the canopy.

Which style works best for your patio depends on how you plan to use your umbrella. “Market-style umbrellas work well for small- to medium-sized patios or dining areas and are generally a more affordable option,” says Grace Carlson, head of merchandising & partnerships at Yardzen, an online landscape design service. “However, cantilever umbrellas are great for larger patios or lounge areas where you want more space to be shaded.”

Patio umbrellas come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Market umbrellas are often between 8 and 11 feet in diameter, and their canopies are most commonly octagons or squares. Cantilever umbrellas generally have larger canopies, ranging from 10 to 14 feet in diameter, and you can find rectangular cantilever umbrellas in addition to octagons and squares.

The first thing you’ll want to do is to consider the area that you want to shade. “Consider the size of the area and furniture set up you are trying to shade, then add 2 to 3 feet,” recommends Carlson. “A 6-foot umbrella is ideal for a small bistro table, while a 10- or 11-foot umbrella is best for larger dining or seating areas.”

When you compare budget-friendly and high-end umbrellas, most of the major differences involve their materials. In general, umbrella frames are made from aluminum, but you can also get a wooden pole for a more classic look (though they tend to be significantly more expensive).

For umbrella canopies, the most common fabrics are polyester, olefin or Sunbrella. Polyester is the least expensive but looks it, and can often feel plasticky. Olefin is a good middle option, providing a bit more durability and weather-resistance, and Sunbrella is the high-end pick. Sunbrella is an acrylic fabric that’s UV-stabilized as well as stain- and weather-resistant—it’s used on the Treasure Garden 9-Foot Deluxe Auto-Tilt Market Umbrella and the Frontgate 9-Foot Round Outdoor Market Umbrella.

The sun isn’t always directly overhead, so look for an umbrella that can rotate and/or tilt. “When it comes to function, an umbrella that can tilt and rotate is essential, allowing you to keep your area shaded no matter the time of day,” says Carlson.

Among market umbrellas, some models have a manual tilt button that lets you adjust them into preset positions, while others have an “auto-tilt” mechanism that angles the canopy as you continue cranking. The latter is generally easier to operate, but only tilts in one direction, so you have to rotate the whole umbrella when you need it angled in a different way.

I’ve been a full-time product tester for more than seven years, and in that time, I’ve conducted firsthand testing on all sorts of home products, like robot mops and flannel sheets. My home has a spacious deck filled with all sorts of patio furniture, and I love spending time in my outdoor living space during the spring and summer, whether I’m working or just relaxing with my dogs. I spent the past year testing the best patio umbrellas and bases over time.

I also consulted with a few experts while working on this piece. Grace Carlson, head of merchandising & partnerships at Yardzen, an online landscape design service, provided great insights on selecting the right patio umbrella, and interior designers Artem Kropovinsky of Arsight and Kate Marker offered tips on styling an outdoor space for aesthetics and function.

There are two common styles of patio umbrellas—market and cantilever—and the best choice for your yard depends on how you plan to use it. Market umbrellas have a straight pole, making them well-suited for use in dining tables or over small seating areas. Cantilever umbrellas have an offset pole and can cover larger seating areas or even dining tables. “Cantilever umbrellas cover more area than a market-style umbrella and do not disrupt the line of sight at a dining table since they are placed off to the side,” explains Marker.

Based on my research, the most popular size for market umbrellas is 9 feet in diameter. This size provides enough shade for several chairs or a small dining space, and it can generally be supported by a 50-pound base. A larger umbrella may need a heavier base to provide enough support.

When it comes to cantilever umbrellas, 11- and 12-foot models are popular choices. These umbrellas are large enough to shade outdoor couches or larger dining spaces, but they are generally more expensive and require a sturdier base to keep them secure.

Every expert I spoke to for this article recommends Sunbrella material for patio umbrellas. “Sunbrella is our first choice and well worth the investment due to its high quality,” said Carlson. Kropovinsky of Arsight echoed this sentiment, noting that Sunbrella is “more resistant to fading and wear” than other fabrics.

Sunbrella is UV-stabilized, so its colors won’t fade in direct sunlight. The acrylic material (which is surprisingly soft to the touch) is also stain- and weather-resistant, making it extremely durable and easy to care for. Plus, it comes in a wide range of colors and patterns to suit any style.

Most patio umbrellas can be cleaned with a quick spray of a hose. Depending on the fabric of the canopy, you may also need to use soap and water. For lighter color canopies, be sure to remove stubborn marks like dirt promptly, so as to avoid stains. Always allow the patio umbrella to air dry completely before closing.

Assembly instructions may vary by brand, and some patio umbrellas require more than one person to assemble. In general, you will first attach the pole sections together and then secure the fabric canopy to the pole. Depending on where you are placing the patio umbrella, once it is secured to the base, you can position the umbrella for optimal shade.

The first thing you’ll want to do is to consider the area that you want to shade. “Consider the size of the area and furniture set up you are trying to shade, then add 2 to 3 feet,” recommends Carlson. “A 6-foot umbrella is ideal for a small bistro table, while a 10- or 11-foot umbrella is best for larger dining or seating areas.” For the base, choose one that weighs at least half the weight of your patio umbrella for stability.