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Best patio umbrella in 2022 with the 12 best recommendations for your garden or terrace
We all want to spend more time outdoors without burning in the sun.
But how do you decide what umbrella to buy for your ultimate oasis?
So many places to buy from, so many types to choose from – the selection is overwhelming, and all of them claim to be just what you need.
To make it easier for you, we collected our knowledge of the most important things you need to know as well as recommendations for small and large budgets.
Type and shape of your outdoor space
The first step to buying a new umbrella is to understand your outdoor space and your shade needs.
Do you have a large lounge area or just a sun lounger?
Would you like one cool spot or several?
You’ll usually find more than one option for each need, but you have to know how these options work to choose properly.
Pro tip:
If you have a balcony or rooftop terrace, check out our “best balcony and rooftop umbrella” post.
Spacious backyard
A spacious garden gives you plenty of room for maximum shade.
You can go with one big umbrella or a few small canopies for more flexibility.
Consider a square or round umbrella around 10 to 11 feets or two 8- to 9-foot umbrellas.
If you prefer a cantilever, try a 9-foot square or 10-foot round.
Large lounge
A large lounge needs a large canopy, unless you have guests you’d rather bake. Depending on your setup, a rectangular umbrella should serve you well, but a round or square one is a safe pick.
For this arrangement, a 10x5-foot rectangle, 11-foot round or a 10x10 square would work great.
If you want a cantilever, remember to take into account its wind sensitivity and consider extra weight or one size smaller than maximum.
Small terrace
A two-person table is pretty easy to shade, as long as you keep the canopy moderate.
Our best pick would be either a 8 to 9 foot round umbrella or a 7x7 to 9x9 square.
Narrow areas
For shade in other areas, you can use one big canopy or two small ones.
Depending on how much shade you want, consider a 9x9 or 10x10 square umbrella, a 2.8 to 3.5 round or a 10- to 11-foot rectangular.
Tilting your way to comfort
As the sun moves across the sky, the shadows move across the earth.
When do you find yourself outside the most? If the times vary, do you really want to chase those shadows?
Buying a umbrella with a tilt function lets you just tip your canopy instead of moving yourself and your furniture.
You may also want to consider height adjustment, as it improves your shade control even more, especially when the sun is near the horizon.
When choosing a new terrace or patio umbrella, look for one with both tilt and height adjustment if you’re not sure when you’ll be using it.
If you know for certain, take a look at our table to see whether these features will help.
| Morning sun | Midday sun | Evening sun |
| Has tilt and height adjustment | Tilt and height adjustment is not as important but nice to have | Tilt and height adjustment are a must so you can shield against the low evening sun |
Pro tip:
Remember that a tilted umbrella can sometimes act like a sail on breezy days, so keep an eye on your canopy and weight on the base if you expect some wind.
How to determine quality to find the best patio umbrellas
To determine which umbrella to choose, you need to know how to understand umbrella quality.
Manufacturers reduce quality to lower prices in four ways:
- Opening mechanisms – some work better than others
- Fabric – poor material offers less protection and shorter life
- Ribs – no one misses a rib or two until the canopy turns inside out
- Powder-coated steel – less of an advantage than you may think
Opening mechanisms – pushing for push style
The crank mechanism shows up a in this market, so you’d think it’s a good choice.
Sadly, this method often loses its ability to hold the canopy open.
And if the rope inside breaks, then you end up with a repair worth more than the umbrella, an ugly fix, or piece of junk.
We recommend the push style instead of the crank. As a simpler system, it lasts longer and is more stable.
If you decide you’d rather have a crank, make sure you buy one of good quality. You may even want to check with the company regarding repair or replacement parts.
Also, please note that crank umbrellas are usually not height adjustable.
Fabric – heavy fully dyed and UV-resistant
The fabric of your umbrella is the weakest point of the product, but that doesn’t mean it has to be weak.
A high-quality outdoor fabric can last for years without fading or wearing. Weaker fabrics can show fading and damage in less than a month.
Take a look at this one we tested last spring for 24 days. You can see lines of faded color across the canopy.
Your best umbrellas will have 6.7-oz fabric, usually olefin or acrylic. If you can afford it, 7.8-oz or heavier will serve you for many seasons.
Many vendors will save money by using piece-dyed fabric instead of solution-dyed.
Like a radish, a piece-dyed umbrella only has color on the outside, which means that it will fade quickly.
A solution-dyed canopy has the color all the way through, like a carrot, so that it stays bright longer.
You can read our entire guide to umbrella fabrics or check out this table for the quick version:
| Polyester | Olefin | Acrylic | |
| Feel | Stiff like plastic | Heavy yet smooth | Rough and sturdy |
| Price | Low | Medium to high | Medium to very high |
| Fade resistance | Low | Medium to high | Medium to high |
| Dyeing process | Most often Piece dyeing | Solution dyeing | Solution dyeing |
Finally, cheap canopies usually block very little ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
The best umbrellas keep you cool and protected from harmful UV light.
Pick fabrics labeled with a high rating, like UV STANDARD 801.
Ribs – quality & flexibility makes a difference
Who pays attention to the number of ribs a canopy has? Do two more really matter? Yes.
A umbrella with eight ribs will work better for longer than one with only six. Granted, a square umbrella may only have four, but a round or rectangular one should have more. Essentiel is also how flexible the frame is, the more flexible the better.
Steel frames make weak umbrellas
Steel sounds like a good material to use, right? A frame will be very sturdy if the steel’s thick enough, of course.
But that’ll make your umbrellas heavy in the wrong ways – hard to move and easy to tip. And although powder-coated steel is protected from rust, a tiny crack in that coating and the rust begins.
Aluminum or fiberglass will offer strength and flexibility while remaining lightweight, and they’ll never ever rust. Win-win-win-win!
The BEST umbrella for 2022 for your backyard or patio
Now you know what to look at when shopping for the best umbrella for your outdoor space. You know what you need and how to find good quality.
To make your shopping even easier, we collected some of the best backyard and patio umbrellas for small and large budgets.
Remember, this is just a starting point. You could buy one of these with confidence, but you may be better served by examining these, then doing more research on your own to compare.
The choice is yours, but now you can make a better one.
If you are looking for our recommendation for balcony umbrellas or umbrella for small places check out our balcony umbrella guide, here.
Best umbrellas for spacious gardens or lounge areas
Budget
Brand: BMOT
Size: 3 M
UV: 40+
Remember your sunscreen with this one, as the fabric only protects you from heat. It has six ribs, which is okay, but the overall structure is a bit weak.
Pros:
- Low cost
Cons:
- Low-quality fabric
- Weak frame
- 6 ribs
- No tilt
Quality
Brand: Doppler
Size: 3 M
UV: 60+
This umbrella uses 8.5-oz polyester with good UV protection. Its aluminium frame is sturdy, with tilt and height adjustment.
Pros:
- UV protection
- Tilt and height adjustment
- Sturdy frame
Cons:
- Price
- Olefin or acrylic fabric would be better
Best cantilever for spacious gardens or lounge areas
Budget
Brand: Private label
Size: 2.8 M
UV: 50+
In the mid-range cantilevers, this model has a fair frame but only 180-g polyester. It does NOT offer a full 360-degree turn, which is a shame.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Fair construction
Cons:
- Fabric quality could be better
- Aluminium would be better
Quality
Brand: Glatz
Size: 3x3 M
UV: 80+
This umbrella uses 240-g polyester with good UV protection. Its aluminium frame is sturdy, with tilt and height adjustment.
Pros:
- polyacrylic 250g/m2 offers UV protection 98%
- Tilt and height adjustment
- Sturdy frame & 360º turn
- Price
Cons:
Best umbrellas for backyards or lounge areas
Budget
Brand: Doppler
Size: 2.8 M
UV: 50+
Made of aluminium and steel, this umbrella has six ribs but a tilt function and 180-g polyester fabric. It’s a decent choice for the money.
Pros:
- Fair price
- Tilt function
Cons:
- Mediocre quality
- A bit small; may need 2 for enough shade
Quality
Brand: Glatz
Size: 2.8 M
UV: 60+
With a full aluminium frame and eight ribs, this choice has a strong structure. The thick, colourfast acrylic fabric (also aviliable in lesser quality polyester) provides >98% UV protection.
Pros:
- UV protection
- Tilt and height adjustment
- Sturdy frame
Cons:
- Price
- Acrylic fabric is a upgrade (expensive)
Best cantilever for backyard & lounge areas
Budget
Brand: Private label
Size: 2.8 M
UV: 40+
Cantilevers are more complex than regular umbrellas, usually making them pricier, but we found a budget version.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Budget version of a often-costly product
Cons:
- Low-quality fabric
- Weak frame, thin steel
Quality
Brand: Doppler
Size: 3 M
UV: 60+
Cantilevers can get very expensive, but this mid-range option offers a sturdy aluminium frame and 360-degree turns.
Pros:
- Good materials
- Fine functionality
Cons:
- Price
- Fabric quality could be better
Best umbrellas for smaller spaces
Budget
Brand: Suncomfort by Glatz (lower quality then Glatz)
Size: 250x200 cm
UV: 40+
This choice with its basic features does the job at a reasonable price.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Tilt function & hight adjustment
Cons:
- Low-quality fabric
- Fair to weak frame
Quality
Brand: Glatz
Size: 2,8 M
UV: 60+
This option offers excellent materials and finish with well-built features.
Pros:
- Solid functionality
- Great UV protection (>98%)
- Tilt and height adjustment
Cons:
- high price
- Fabric could be better for the price
Best umbrellas for small terraces and balconies
Budget
Brand: Schneider
Size: 210x130
UV: 40+
If space is tight, then you may want a rectangular canopy. This umbrella is the sure choice in the budget end.
Pros:
- Good price
- Tilt function
Cons:
- Few ribs and low-quality materials
- Crank system
- No height adjustment
Quality
Brand: Schneider
Size: 300x150 cm
UV: 50+
This choice may cost twice as much as the Bilbao, but you’ll get more years out of it with proper care.
Pros:
- Good materials
- Tilt function
Cons:
- Crank system
- No height adjustment
- Price
Still not sure? Let us help!
It’s a lot to think about, isn’t it? If you want more guidance, you’re welcome to check out our other resources or even contact us with questions.
We’ve spent years in this industry, so we have a pretty good idea of which products our customers love and loathe. You can reach us at help(@)mybaser.com or through our chat.
