Top 10 Best Outdoor Umbrellas Reviews and Buying Guide
An outdoor umbrella is called a patio umbrella. It has been designed particularly for outdoor leisure purposes. Also, these umbrellas are made so that you can fit them through a hole in a table that you have placed on your patio or any other outdoor location.
Buying an outdoor umbrella will be a good idea if you wish to spend quality time with your family outdoors during the summer. When you spend time outdoors during summer, you can safeguard yourself from harmful UV rays with the UV-protection feature offered by this umbrella.
1. 9ft Top Outdoor Umbrella Canopy from Sunnyglade
Sunnyglade offers this outdoor umbrella in a dozen of different colors. When all of them are plain colors, only one has a combination of black and white colors in the body. It has been designed to fit 9 feet 8 ribs umbrella frames. Every rib should measure around 52 and 54 inches. So, Sunnyglade recommends you measure your umbrella rib before you buy this product.
The manufacturer has placed a single wind vent in this canopy for heat and wind ventilation.
Pros:
- The wind vent maintains heat and wind around your umbrellas.
- The umbrella stays grounded and stable even during extreme wind with a wind vent
- Sunscreen coating
- Water repellent material
- UV Protection
- 180g sun-protective polyester fabric
Cons:
- The material used in this umbrella is thin
2. Table Outdoor Deck Replacement Umbrella from ElideShade
Are you looking for a replacement for your existing outdoor umbrella canopy? If so, you should go for this product. It comes in 17 different colors. So, you can choose a color that fits your outdoor setup.
You can use this product only when you have 9ft and 8 ribs installed on your patio. It has a hole at the top of around half an inch as an air vent. It fits any fiberglass, metal, aluminum, or wooden umbrella frame.
Pros:
- It comes with a one-year factory warranty
- Has an air vent
- Easy to assemble
- Uses fade-safe fabric
Cons:
- Not heavy-duty
- Careful measurement of the length and number of ribs is essential.
3. Patio Umbrella 9 Feet Replacement Canopy from Mastercanopy
With 22 different color options to choose from, this outdoor umbrella will make your outdoor space attractive. Among these 12 options, 6 have two colors combined with one of them being white.
This product also is offered as a replacement canopy for your existing frame. This canopy fits 9 feet 8 ribs frame that already exists on your patio. This is a canopy-only product without a top finial, pole and ribs. It uses 180 g UV protective polyester fabric.
Pros:
- Water-resistant on rainy days
- UV-Resistant on Sunny days
- Easy to install
- Different color options to choose from
- Longer placement for better placement of umbrella ribs
- 500-D Polyester fabric
- Fine stitches to ensure sturdy placement of ribs
Cons:
- It does not come with a tie for securing the umbrella when it is not open
- It is a bit tight to open
4. 10’ x 12’ Rectangle Patio Umbrella from Purple Leaf
With 7 different color options to choose from, this rectangular outdoor umbrella comes with an alloy steel frame material. Also, the aluminum handle makes it sturdy. It has been designed both for residential and commercial use.
The unique feature of this product is its 3600 rotation ability. So, you can get the shade in the required area. Shading is possible without a dead angle.
Pros:
- Unique crank system and design handle
- Colorfast fadeless, water-proof and UV Resistant
- 8 heavy-duty ribs and all-aluminum umbrella bones
- 36 months fade resistance
Cons:
- It is not water-proof
- There is not sufficient snap to hold the two crank handles
5. 9” Round Aluminum Market Umbrella from California Umbrella Store
You can choose one of the 22 different color options when choosing this outdoor umbrella from California Umbrella Store. The frame material used in this product is aluminum and the handle material is plastic.
It uses solution-dyed vibrant fabric that permits the canopy to stand up to different natural elements. The automatic tilt built into the crank handle needs just a cranking to tilt and lift the umbrella. It has been designed suitable for tables or free-standing umbrellas. It is suitable for octagon-shaped canopy. You have the option to buy the base separately.
Pros:
- Auto tilt
- Aluminum frames and ribs
- Fabric made from solution-dyed olefin with a built-in UV Protection
- Weather protection
- No rusting of ribs and frames
- Easy to assemble
Cons:
- The fabric smells weird initially
6. Ultimate Portable Lightweight Sun Shade Umbrella from Wondershade
This outdoor umbrella has been made beach-ready with its removable base post and built-in sand screw. This lightweight, portable umbrella is adjustable to get instant sun protection. It has hooks to hang your towels and bags.
Not only on your patio, you can also carry this umbrella when you travel. With this user-friendly umbrella, you can get instant sun protection anywhere, including a beach.
Pros:
- Adjustable/removable umbrella shaft collar
- Built-in base collar
- It comes with hooks to hang towels and bags off-ground
- It comes with a couple of cup holders to hold cups, water bottles, and cans
- The telescopic base adjusts from three to eight inches
- Blocks 98% of harmful UV Rays
- Gust flaps allow wind to pass through
Cons:
- The stakes coming with this umbrella might not be helpful on a beach
7. 9’ Aluminum Patio Outdoor Umbrella from Blissun
This outdoor patio umbrella has been made with 100% polyester fabric. The fabric is easy to clean and long-lasting, UV resistant, and waterproof.
It comes with sturdy aluminum poles and 8 aluminum ribs for compact and easy storage. It has an air vent at the top and can withstand sudden gusts.
Pros:
- 100% Polyester fabric
- Provides the best sun protection
- Crank mechanism
- Sturdy aluminum pole
- Ideal for both commercial and residential use
- Elegant Design
Cons:
- The canopy is thin and does not effectively block the sun
8. Outdoor Canopy Sunshade Beach Umbrella from Onivia
This roomy outdoor umbrella provides shade for 5.5 feet. It is suitable for outdoor space in your home and a park or a patio. Indeed, you can use it on a beach as well.
This fully-adjustable umbrella comes with a two-piece steel pole design with a tilt feature. It can easily penetrate sand or grass with its pointed end.
Pros:
- It comes with a lifetime guarantee
- Suitable for camping, beach, and patio
- It comes with a carry bag for easy carrying on-the-go
- Compatible with picnic tables and beach chairs
- Fully adjustable design
Cons:
- Umbrella does not have a Velcro strap
9. Portable Beach Umbrella with Sand Anchor from Blissun
This outdoor umbrella has been designed particularly for use on beaches. It comes with a fiberglass frame. To withstand the beach, this unit comes with a heavy-duty sand anchor. This anchor will secure the umbrella in high winds without any issues.
To easily turn the auger, this umbrella comes with flip-down built-in handles. This umbrella comes with a vent on the top to ensure that it stands in windy conditions and to increase its wind tolerance.
Pros:
- Easy to adjust in the sun’s direction with a locking secure push button tilt feature
- It comes with Oxford fabric with UPF 50+ for sun protection.
- Protects from 99% of intensive UV Rays.
- Carry bag for easy movement and storage
- Strong steel bottom pole and strong aluminum pole with zinc tilt
Cons:
- Not possible to adjust the height
10. Chair Umbrella with Universal Clamp from Ammsun
This outdoor umbrella comes with UPF50+ Oxford silver cloth fabric. So, it can keep your skin safe from 99.5% UVA/UVB Rays. It offers 180° adjustment to get the utmost protection from the sun in any direction. The clamp umbrella spans 9.6 square feet when kept open.
This chair umbrella has been designed to clamp on any surface, whether round or square. You can clamp it on golf carts, bleachers, wagons, strollers, wheelchairs, and any chair to spend quality time outdoors.
Pros:
- Made with 8 steel ribs with steel pole
- Stable and durable design
- Portable and lightweight design
- Clamps on different surfaces
- UPF 50+ Sun protection
Cons:
- Works best only on the wooden arm of beach chairs and not metal arms
How to Choose the Best Outdoor Umbrella?
Here are the top 5 factors to consider when you wish to shortlist the best outdoor umbrella:
Fabric
Fabric is essential when buying an outdoor umbrella to ensure that you can get the best sun protection. Make sure that the fabric is UV-resistant. Good fabric with a UV-resistance feature will allow only 2 to 10% of UV rays to pass through. Some of the best fabrics you can consider with the best UV rating are heavy-duty polyester fabric and Sunbrella Fabric.
Size
The bigger the outdoor umbrella, the better protection you can expect. When it comes to measurement, you will have to consider the diameter and arch diameter of the umbrella. The diameter is the width of the umbrella when fully unfolded, while the arch diameter is the width of the material used in the umbrella.
Wind Vent
When you live in a windy area, you know that umbrellas do not withstand. To resolve this issue, nowadays, outdoor umbrellas come with wind vents. An outdoor umbrella with a vent will have a flap in the canopy that you can quickly close or open for the best protection from the wind.’
Type
You can find an outdoor umbrella that can fit directly onto your existing patio table or chair. Otherwise, you can also find these umbrellas with canopies alone for sale. You can replace the existing canopy with a new canopy. So, consider the type you need and choose one accordingly.
Easy to Carry
If you wish to use the outdoor umbrella in places other than your patio, you can consider buying an easy umbrella to carry. Not all umbrellas come with this facility.
Conclusion
An outdoor umbrella is undoubtedly an excellent investment. Like sunscreen, you should check whether you can get the best UV protection when buying one. Also, do you wish that the umbrellas should stay outdoors continuously? If so, you should check for water resistance and durability factors.
Among the top outdoor umbrellas we reviewed here, we feel that the Ultimate Portable Lightweight Sun Shade Umbrella from Wondershade is the best. The reason is that it comes with many additional features like cup holders and towel hangers. Above all, it comes with gust flaps to withstand even in windy conditions.