These Patio Umbrellas Add UV Protection to Your Patio

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When the sun is beating down, few things offer the same relief as good, old-fashioned shade. While you could buckle down and invest in a retractable awning, patio umbrellas get the job down while keeping most of that cash still in your pocket. Simply put, a patio umbrella is a must if you have outdoor furniture and want to spend as much time as possible in your backyard during the warm months.

On a practical level, patio umbrellas offer protection from the elements—including UV rays that can fade your furniture cushions—so you can relax your way through hot days. Moreover, a new umbrella is an opportunity to refresh your space for the season with a fresh splash of color or a classic design.

We found retro striped umbrellas, sturdy options for windy areas, and double-wide models to shade an outdoor sectional or hot tub. Read on for our best patio umbrella recommendations—including models we’ve tested out ourselves—to suit a range of spaces and styles.

The Best Patio Umbrellas

• Best Overall: Best Choice Products Outdoor Market Patio Umbrella

• Best Premium: Sol 72 Outdoor Patio Umbrella

• Best Cantilever: Grand Patio Sunbrella Patio Umbrella

• Best Color Selection: Sunnyglade 9-foot Patio Umbrella

• Best Decorative: Three Posts 9-foot Patio Umbrella

What to Consider

Type

The two most common types of patio umbrellas are traditional and cantilever. Traditional patio umbrellas are either freestanding or set inside tables with center holes. They have upright poles and provide shade for their direct surroundings. If you have a circular outdoor table or need coverage for a few chairs, traditional patio umbrellas work well for both.

Cantilever umbrellas have a canopy that’s offset from the pole. As a result, you can fully cover an area in shade without accommodating space for the pole. Cantilever umbrellas often provide more customizable angles and rotate around their pole up to 360 degrees.

Size and Shape

As a rule, if you want your space to be fully shaded, your patio umbrella should be at least two feet wider than the edge of your dining table or the area you want to shade. Patio umbrellas generally start at roughly 5 feet wide and go all the way up to 13 feet wide or more. If you want more shade coverage than this, consider a retractable awning, shade sail, or gazebo.

As for shape, while round umbrellas are the most popular—like our best overall pick—there are also square and rectangular patio umbrellas, which look a bit more modern and may be a better bet depending on the shape of your patio.

Material

Most patio umbrellas are made from polyester, olefin, acrylic and are often treated to be water-resistant, block out UV rays, and prevent the fabric from fading. There are also canopies made of high-performance fabric, like Sunbrella, which is more durable, won’t fade as easily, and does a better job of blocking the sun’s rays, but also can jack up the price.

Aluminum and steel poles are typically powder-coated to prevent rust or corrosion. Patio umbrellas with wooden poles are usually treated with a water-resistant finish.

Key Features

The most important features to consider include the patio umbrella’s canopy tilt and rotation. This helps angle the canopy, shading you from the sun no matter the time of day. The opening and closing mechanism also make a difference in day-to-day use. Some patio umbrellas have a crank that slowly opens up the canopy, while other have a slider attached to the pole, similar to handheld umbrellas.

If you live in an area with frequent high wind, look for a patio umbrella with a Beautfort wind force rating of 5 or more (the equivalent of roughly 19 to 24 mph). Also, keep in mind that you’ll likely have to buy a stand separately, as the majority of patio umbrellas don’t come with them. We recommend this iron umbrella base from Williams-Sonoma.

How We Selected

We tested three of the patio umbrellas we recommend in our office courtyard, assembling and setting up each umbrella on a sunny day. We spent time evaluating frame construction, including pole and rib weight and thickness, and testing push-button and raising and lowering mechanisms. We also compared canopy fabric, checking for signs of poor craftsmanship like uneven stitching and loose threads. We paid close attention to the material and frame quality, how well the umbrellas protected us from the sun, and the ease of assembly.

For the patio umbrellas we did not test out ourselves, we dug into specs to vet each model and prioritized options that offer a well-rounded mix of style, quality, and features for the price. Our final selection includes a variety of sizes and shapes for a range of budgets.

Outdoor Market Patio Umbrella

Both the most impressive umbrella we tested, and the best value, this patio umbrella from Best Choice Products does all the little things right. Its polyester canopy fabric is thicker than most, with (mostly) straight stitching and well-finished edges. There’s even a thick Velcro strap which tightly secures it in place when not in use.

The overall frame construction and features are also impressive, with powder-coating on the robust aluminum pole, ribs, and hand crank. It’s easy to open and close thanks to a well-designed pulley system and the push-button tilt locks into place with a satisfying click.

The market umbrella comes in a decent selection of colors, too. That said, like most patio umbrellas, you’ll have to pay extra for a stand. Even factoring in the case of a separate base, this patio umbrella represents some of the best value without sacrificing frame or materials quality.

Patio Umbrella

Pay a little extra and reap the rewards. This patio umbrellas is large, sturdy and is made with an ultra-durable Sunbrella canopy. The 11-foot-wide canopy rotates 360 degrees, with a push-button tilt, delivering exceptional coverage.

The Sunbrella material has a UV 50 rating and is water- and mildew-resistant, so feel free to keep the umbrella out in the sunshine and rain.

The aluminum pole stands 11 feet high and the umbrella opens easily with a crank lift. The wide coverage makes this ideal for covering multiple chairs or a mid-sized dining table without much issue.

Like other options on our list, the price tag does not include a base stand.

Sunbrella Cantilever Patio Umbrella

With a distinctive design, a Sunbrella canopy, and an included wheeled weighted base, we highly recommend this cantilever patio umbrella. Because of the cantilever design, this umbrella positions directly over the desired area.

The patio umbrella also comes with an adjustable canopy, so you can angle it throughout the day so it continuously blocks the sun head on.

At 12 feet wide, it offers substantial coverage and sun protection when you place it nearby your favorite deck chairs. The cantilever umbrella also comes with a built-in base. Simply fill it with water or sand and it’s ready to set up anywhere.

The base has back wheels for easy movement throughout your yard.

Read more about this umbrella in our guide to the best cantilever umbrellas.

9-ft Patio Umbrella

This patio umbrella stands out for its excellent lineup of punchy, summery colors for a reasonable price of just over $50 at the time of this writing.

While its nine-foot polyester canopy fabric is disappointingly thin and its metal hand crank has a plasticky feel to it, the umbrella’s is sturdy enough to handle light wind and some relatively vigorous cranking. At the same time the thin material is great for filtering out some of the sunlight without keeping you completely in the dark.

The thick, powder-coated aluminum pole and ribs provide solid support, and the pulley system that lifts the canopy and manual push-button tilt both operate smoothly. There’s also an air vent on top to help stabilize the patio umbrella in a wind gust, though we highly suggest pairing it with a base, which is sold separately.

9-ft Patio Umbrella

We love the crisp look of this patio umbrella’s awning, with a Greek key edge trimmed in white. The nine-foot-wide octagonal polyester canopy is water-resistant and provides UV protection, supported by an aluminum pole with a crank lift and rust-resistant brown finish.

The UV protection serves as protection not just for your skin but for the umbrella as well. With nine other colors to choose between, the UV protection prevents fading over time, so you can leave it out all summer long.

The canopy tilts manually for easy adjustments as the day goes by. The patio umbrella also comes with a wind vent at the top that lets out gusts without knocking the umbrella over it or lifting it out of the mount.

Hula Thatched Tiki Umbrella

We weren’t sure what to expect before we unboxed this festive patio umbrella. As it turned out, it was surprisingly well made, with a steel pole, fiberglass ribs, and a push-button tilt. There’s also a polyester canopy beneath the standard-issue plastic-fringe tiki “thatched” roof.

While we were initially worried the fringe would rip or tear under duress, but after tugging on them and putting them through a mild stress test, they held up well.

While it opens and closes without a hand crank, it isn’t hard to set up or take down. We also appreciated that it comes with a protective cover with a shoulder strap and drawstring closure.

Is this patio umbrella going to last more than a season? We expect it to if you keep it covered when not in use and don’t leave it out all winter. That said, the tropical vibe brings the beach to backyards all over the country.

15-ft Patio Umbrella

For covering large decks or large pieces of furniture like an outdoor sectional, this extra-wide canopy is a great choice. The additional length gives you the shade coverage of roughly two full patio umbrellas under one canopy.

The 15-foot-wide polyester water-resistant canopy has multiple vents on top to maximize airflow underneath and is supported by a web of steel ribs and an aluminum pole, powder-coated to prevent rust. In addition to the on-trend bright orange available, the umbrella is also available in sophisticated burgundy, beige, and tan.

Unlike almost all the other options on this list, this patio umbrella also comes with its own included stand. The base weighs roughly 220 pounds when filled to capacity.

10-ft Solar Powered Patio Umbrella

This patio umbrella features 24 solar-powered lights attached to the ribs of the canopy. There are three LED lights on each rib, with crank lift and push-button tilt. So, even as the sun goes down, you can keep relaxing on your patio.

When fully charged, the lights should last for up to 7 hours, keeping your backyard barbecue going all night long. The lights are charged with a connected solar panel. Keep the panel in the sun during the day, and your umbrella provides the lights at night.

The 10-foot polyester canopy is water- and mildew-resistant and offers UV protection, plus it comes in a dozen colors and shades.

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