Since 2017, four different Wirecutter writers have used dozens of patio umbrellas and bases, collectively spending hundreds of hours researching and testing for this guide.

• We researched dozens of models, ultimately testing nine patio umbrellas and 10 bases.
• We’ve long-term tested our picks in blustery San Francisco, sun-drenched Los Angeles, coastal Maine, the wind-swept desert around Joshua Tree National Park, and an extremely weather-variable Catskill mountainside.
• We spoke to architects, landscape designers, and outdoor furniture store owners to understand what to look for when shopping for patio umbrellas and bases.

Patio umbrellas

Like most “market umbrellas” (the industry term for upright umbrellas typically found in markets and cafés, as well as in backyards), all of the models we tested had wind vents at the top to help avoid damage from strong gusts. A couple of experts we spoke to recommended double wind vents for people who live in particularly windy locations, but double wind vent configurations may add additional cost or lead time on orders.

In addition to having at least a single set of vents, we prioritized the following elements:

Size: We found that 9 feet is the most common size for patio umbrellas that are meant to be used over a dining table for four. This is also a good size to move around a deck or patio to provide shade for reading, playing, or lounging. Anything smaller likely won’t provide adequate shade. You can size up from there based on your specific needs.

Tilt function: A good patio umbrella should have a tilt mechanism that allows you to pivot the entire head of the umbrella to the side while open, so you can stay in the shade for hours as the sunlight shifts. There are two common methods for tilting:

• A push-button tilt requires pushing a button high on the pole to tilt the umbrella head to one side.
• An auto-crank tilt automatically moves the head to the side with another rotation of the same crank you use to open the umbrella.

We like both types, but prioritized push-button in our picks because it’s usually less expensive. The crank-tilt option is easy and fast, especially for shorter people, who may have to stand on a chair to reach the push button near the top of a push-tilt model’s pole, but the feature can sometimes drive an umbrella’s price up.

Aluminum poles: Umbrellas with aluminum poles tend to be widely available and more likely to come with easy-to-use crank-lifting systems and tilting functions. Some of our picks come in versions with wood poles and spokes—which people may prefer for aesthetic reasons—but these often cost more and commonly rely on finicky pulley-lift or lift-and-pin systems.

Pole diameter: The umbrellas we looked at all have poles that are 1.5 inches in diameter, a standard size that typically fits through the hole in an outdoor dining table and is compatible with the vast majority of umbrella bases.

Fabric: All of the experts we talked with mentioned Sunbrella, a brand of fabric made from a solution-dyed (PDF) acrylic. That means that color is added to the material at the liquid level, so it retains color far better than standard dying processes. The fabric comes with a five-year warranty no matter what kind of umbrella or outdoor furniture it’s covering, and it has a canvas-like texture.

We’ve also tested umbrellas with O’bravia fabric, a solution-dyed polyester that’s less expensive, holds up well, and comes with a four-year warranty. (O’bravia also offers a cheaper O’bravia 2 fabric—with a three-year warranty—which we have not tested.)

The canopy on our also great pick, Midtown’s The Lean 9’ patio umbrella, uses Terylast, another type of solution-dyed polyester. The material comes with a 10-year warranty, but has a slicker feel than the lightly textured, cloth-like Sunbrella and O’bravia fabrics. (You can order The Lean with Sunbrella fabric, but it’s more expensive.)

Cost: Most experts we spoke with think it’s possible to get a high-quality, long-lasting umbrella for around $350. High-end umbrellas from designer brands often cost hundreds, if not thousands, more, and you’re typically paying for beauty rather than added function. Decent umbrellas under $100 are harder to find and are usually made of plastic parts and less-durable polyester fabrics that aren't solution-dyed.

Easy to clean: We rubbed dirt into the fabric and then washed it off, sometimes with just a hose, and if needed, some dish soap, water, and elbow grease. Though the dirt we applied was likely a more aggressive saturation than the layer that coats most outdoor umbrellas over time, we still wanted to see how well each umbrella cleaned up. Both of our picks performed great.

Umbrella bases

You need a sturdy and heavy base to keep a patio umbrella in place, even when it’s positioned in the hole of a patio table. The most common mistake people make with umbrella bases is not buying one at all (they are almost always sold separately) or choosing one that is not heavy enough.

Weight: We focused on bases that weighed at least 50 pounds, which experts recommended as the minimum to weigh down a 9-foot umbrella when used with a table. If you’re using an umbrella without a table, get a base that weighs at least 75 pounds.

For maximum safety, some experts recommend buying a standalone base that weighs 10 times the size of the umbrella (so a 9-foot-wide umbrella would require a 90-pound base). A sufficiently heavy base is extra important if you plan to leave an umbrella open and unattended.

Functionality: Most of the bases we considered have a mechanism that allows the base tube to tighten around the umbrella pole, ensuring a wobble-free fit. We also paid attention to material, knobs, finishes, and assembly instructions.

The Treasure Garden 9 Foot Round Push Button Tilt Market Umbrella’s crank-lift and tilt mechanisms work smoothly—we tested the push-button and auto-tilt options, the latter being more expensive. Both the O’bravia and Sunbrella fabric options we tested have held up well over several years of long-term testing. Treasure Garden models also looked more elegant than any other umbrella we tested, both open and closed.

Extra spokes add strength. Many umbrellas in the 9-foot range only have six spokes supporting the canopy. Treasure Garden umbrellas have eight, which make it stronger and more durable than competitors. The spokes and pole are both made from lightweight aluminum, and the whole umbrella weighs 16 pounds.

Fabric options include two sturdy materials and multiple colors. Many umbrellas meet untimely deaths from ripped, shredded, or unpleasantly faded fabrics, but our long-term tests have proven that Treasure Garden models hold up well in two specific fabrics: Sunbrella, and the less-expensive O’bravia.

Both Sunbrella and O’bravia are solution-dyed fabrics. Allen Gant III, then a casual market manager at Sunbrella and now GM and VP, likened the resulting effect to the difference between peeling a carrot and peeling a radish, with the sun’s rays as a metaphorical veggie peeler and surface-dyed fabrics standing in as the radish. After a radish’s top red layer is stripped away, you lose the color. But solution-dyed fabrics, like a carrot, will retain color as it’s accosted by outside elements.

Still, two retailers we spoke with said that while a Treasure Garden umbrella is likely to last a decade, some fading of the fabric is occasionally noticeable after about five years. (It’s likely not a coincidence that’s also when the warranty ends.) Gant told us that red umbrellas, due to inherent qualities of the dyes, can be more susceptible to fading than other colors, particularly in places with notably harsh year-round sun.

You can custom-build an order. This umbrella offers more customization options than any other model we looked at. PatioLiving, one of Treasure Garden’s online authorized sellers, offers four finishes for the aluminum pole and spokes (bronze, anthracite, black, and white), as well as over a dozen Sunbrella and O’bravia fabrics. (You may also run into other fabrics that Treasure Garden uses, such as O’bravia 2, which we have not tested.)

If you order a non-stock configuration option from PatioLiving (these take four to six weeks to ship) you have even more options—including double vents for strong winds, different tilt mechanisms, and dozens of fabric choices, far more than any other umbrella we tested.

It’s simple to use. Like all of the umbrellas we tested, this Treasure Garden model uses a crank-lift system. (Some simpler umbrellas, particularly those with wooden poles and spokes, use manual-lift systems.) The crank makes a clicking sound, but we don’t find the noise irritating—and at least one staffer thinks it’s satisfying. Treasure Garden offers several tilt mechanisms; we’ve only tested the push-button and auto-tilt ones. The push-button tilt is usually significantly cheaper.

The fabric warranties are generous. Treasure Garden umbrellas come with a one-year warranty for the push-button model and a two-year warranty for the auto-tilt model, but the fabrics offer much more security: Sunbrella has a five-year warranty, and O’bravia provides four years. The umbrella does not come with a protective umbrella cover, but you can buy one for about $30.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Special orders can take a while to arrive. You can buy the Treasure Garden umbrella in near-infinite customized combinations when ordering from authorized retailers, like PatioHeatAndShade or PatioLiving, but certain options may involve a delay of several weeks. One of our testers experienced a six-week lead time because she opted for double vents. If you are concerned about timing, PatioLiving offers in-stock “Quick Ship” configurations (or you can buy them on Amazon, too).

The tilt function can malfunction. Two of our testers have said that the push-tilt button on their umbrellas broke during use. For one person, it fortunately occurred within the one-year warranty, and she received a replacement umbrella. Another tester believes the button broke because they “accidentally knocked it over pretty hard while cleaning it one day.” This tester admits this was an error on her part and hasn’t looked into fixing it yet since she rarely uses the feature.

If you’re willing to sacrifice the soft, canvas-like texture of our top pick and want to spend a bit less, we recommend Midtown’s The Lean 9’ patio umbrella (Terylast). While not inexpensive enough to qualify as a budget pick, we think it’s priced extremely well for a patio umbrella that comes with a 10-year warranty. At 12 pounds, it’s a bit lighter and easier to carry than our top pick.

The durable fabric promises to last. The Lean’s canopy, made from Terylast, a solution-dyed polyester, is guaranteed to not fade and resist water and mold for twice as long as Sunbrella’s solution-dyed acrylic (10 years versus five). But you lose the more luxe, fabric-feel of Sunbrella and acrylic’s long-term durability against wear and tear (beyond just color fading). Terylast looks more synthetic, but some of its initial sheen disappeared after a week of steady use in the sun.

The Lean’s aluminum pole and frame—with eight strong spokes—also come with a 10-year limited warranty, but only if you buy the umbrella directly from the company or an authorized retailer.

Auto-tilt is automatic. The ability to tilt the canopy by continuing to rotate this umbrella’s crank lift once the canopy fully opens comes standard with The Lean, but it’s an upgrade feature on our top pick. The auto-tilt function makes adjusting the angle of shade much easier, particularly for shorter people who might have difficulty reaching a push button.

It comes in plenty of colors and cute cabana stripes. In addition to Terylast’s 23 solid colors, The Lean offers seven choices in jaunty, cabana-style wide stripes. One of our testers liked that the navy and white option paired well with the navy exterior and white window trim on his house.

Messes sluice right off. Dirt that we rubbed into the canopy while performing our cleaning tests easily vanished with a strong spray from a hose, as did several unexpected bird droppings that we then allowed to bake all day in the sun. While cleaning, it’s particularly satisfying to watch water bead and bounce off the Terylast fabric.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Ours arrived with wrinkles. During shipping, the canopy formed some deep creases. We hoped they’d relax on their own after about a week of constant use, but the crinkles remained visible. Customer service recommended using a clothes steamer to fix the issue, but warned not to use an iron.

We used our pick for the best clothes steamer and the wrinkles vanished, but the process was awkward and laborious. We couldn't hold the steamer upside down, so we worked our way around the outside of the partially open canopy on a stepstool.

Having a second set of hands to pull the fabric taut as we steamed would have been useful and made the project much quicker. Another bit of advice based on this experience—don’t attempt to steam anything outdoors at midday during a heat wave.

The pole only comes in one color. Luckily, that color is black, and black goes with almost everything.

The simple, unassuming 55-pound Article Paima Umbrella Base is relatively easy to move around thanks to smooth and generous handhold gaps tucked below its base. We’ve used it through some serious winds and baking heat for several years, and it has kept our umbrella upright and remained in good condition.

The base is solid concrete. The compact, 19-inch-diameter base is a cast piece of fine-textured black concrete, a clean and simple design that’s resistant to marks and scratches. Compared with similar bases, the Paima base’s price is low for the high-quality look and feel. Article now also has a wheeled version, that we dismissed due to a slight design flaw, but some people might be willing to overlook our issue with it.

Setup is simple and secure. The assembly was straightforward and took less than two minutes. We barely needed the accompanying illustrated instruction sheet. The two umbrellas we tested on it felt snug and secure, thanks to the plastic washer and screw cap that hold the pole in place. (Just make sure not to completely tighten the screw cap down before inserting the umbrella pole, or the pole won’t fit.) We appreciated the grippiness of the ridged screw cap, which still felt sturdy after removing and reinserting the umbrella several times.

Dual knobs add extra support. Most umbrella bases include at least one screw knob in the neck itself that presses against the umbrella pole for a tight fit in case of wind. We like that the Paima base has two screw knobs for additional security. The plastic knobs are small compared with others we tested, but they were still comfortable to handle, thanks to the rounded edges at the back, a detail that more-expensive bases did not always have.

The base has kept our umbrella secure since 2021, even in a windy Los Angeles valley. (Our tester only had to intervene once, on a gusty afternoon while the umbrella was fully open—a good lesson in why you should always close your umbrella before going inside.)

It’s easy to clean. We scuffed our dusty shoes on the base to mimic what would happen when you used the base under a table, and we easily cleaned it with a dry or damp cloth. The base is only available in black, but it’s more muted than a high-gloss black might appear.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Returns can get expensive. Article is a direct-to-consumer company, so unlike some of our other picks, you won’t be able to check it out in person before you buy. Double- and triple-check the size of your umbrella pole to make sure it will fit. Article offers free exchanges but not free returns within 30 days. To return the base, you have to pay a $19 restocking fee. If you don’t save the original packaging, they charge an additional $50 repackaging fee.

It may be too light for some uses. If you live in a windy location or you plan to leave your umbrella open and unattended, this 55-pound base may be too light on its own. If you plan to use it through a table (or you remember to always close your umbrella between uses), most experts we talked to agreed you can get away with less weight. But for maximum safety or in windy areas, we recommend the heavier Shademobile Rolling Umbrella Base.

At a maximum of 125 pounds, the utilitarian Shademobile Rolling Umbrella Base is far heavier than any other umbrella base we tested. Setup is less convenient—it’s our only pick that you have to fill yourself and screw shut after filling—but once finished its four wheels allow you to reposition your umbrella more easily than many other bases.

You can customize the weight. The Shademobile base arrives empty, weighing just 22 pounds. Once you fill it with bricks and/or sand (both are available at hardware stores), it can weigh up to 125 pounds, making it an extremely stable choice. Though the company advises against using this base for cantilevered (offset) umbrellas, it’s safe for up to 12-foot upright umbrellas.

Wheels make it simple to relocate. The Shademobile base’s standout feature is its ability to roll and pivot across decks or patios. Our tester chose to fill it with sand, for a total weight of about 110 pounds, and found that its four wheels helped move it quite smoothly over the cracked concrete patio area in her Los Angeles backyard. Two of the wheels have simple brake levers to keep the stand still once parked.

A drill or power screwdriver makes assembly easier. Once we had our fill material (we used sand), it took us about 15 minutes to fill the base and assemble the stand. The Shademobile base comes with detailed instructions; be sure to follow them closely to avoid scuffing the stand before you set it up. More than 20 screws are required to close up the filled base, and using a power screwdriver or drill makes the job much faster.

It lasts. The high-density polyethylene base comes with a two-year warranty, and if a single part breaks after that, you can replace it individually. Our original tester has been using the Shademobile base to hold their Treasure Garden umbrella since 2017, and it’s still in great shape, showing no signs of deterioration even after moving from Southern California to coastal Maine.

We’re not the only fans. The base is beloved by reviewers on Amazon and Costco. It comes in five colors, and the company sells an add-on accessory that can turn your patio umbrella into a convenient side table, appropriate for setting down a book or a couple of drinks.

Common mistakes people make with umbrella bases are not buying one at all or choosing one that is not heavy enough. For maximum safety (or if you live in a windy location) some experts recommend multiplying your umbrella diameter by 10—so for a 9-foot umbrella, you’d need a base that weighs at least 90 pounds. This is especially important if you plan to leave your umbrella open and unattended.

If you’re placing a 9-foot umbrella through a hole in a table, you can get away with using a stand that weighs at least 50 pounds, like our pick from Article. If you’re using a 9-foot umbrella on its own, a stand that’s 90 pounds is safest, but some experts we talked to mentioned that a lighter one may work if you close your umbrella when it’s not in use and you’re not in a windy location.

Wind, sun, and moisture are your umbrella’s inevitable adversaries. Using an umbrella cover will prolong your umbrella’s life, as will storing it in a garage or other sheltered place during the offseason. Sunbrella offers some cleaning advice for its fabrics.

The most important thing you can do to extend your umbrella’s life is close it when you’re finished using it. Otherwise, unexpected winds may send it flying or tip it over (the landing may break spokes or cause tears) or simply exert pressures that will eventually degrade the fabric.

This is not a comprehensive list of everything we tested in previous versions of this guide, just what’s still available.

Umbrellas

After new testing, we’ve dropped our former budget pick, the Sunnyglade 9′ Patio Umbrella. The $50 price is right for an option that might only see a few seasons of use before falling apart, but during new testing we could clearly see the sun shining through the polyester canopy, and our tester’s arm and shoulder began to burn while sitting beneath it.

We tested the ProShade 10 ft. Round Auto Tilt Aluminum Market Umbrella, which has a canopy made from a solution-dyed acrylic called Outdura. Like Terylast, Outdura has a ten-year warranty against fading. And like Sunbrella and O’bravia, it has a more cloth-like feel than Terylast, but it also felt flimsier and came in a limited range of colors. We didn’t like how the canopy is bolted directly into the ends of the spokes with large visible screws. The construction process might hold up fine in the long term, but it’s visually unappealing, as is the cheap, plastic decorative finial.

The Hampton Bay 10 ft. Aluminum Auto-Tilt Market Outdoor Patio Umbrella used to be a pick, but the company unfortunately swapped out its sturdy Olefin fabric for a plain polyester canopy, and the diameter has shrunk by one foot.

The Abba Patio 9ft Market Umbrella was one of the least expensive umbrellas we tested—and it showed. Also, the UV-treated polyester fabric remained slightly wrinkled, even after a few weeks of use.

The California Umbrella 9′ Aluminum Market Umbrella gets decent reviews on Amazon, but the canopy fabric feels thin and unsubstantial, even though it cleaned easily in our dirt tests. The crank-tilt feature was hard to operate, making the umbrella difficult to tilt.

The Best Choice Products 10ft Solar LED Lighted Patio Umbrella w/ Tilt Adjustment works well and was easy to wipe down, but the polyester canopy feels plasticky and flimsy compared with our other polyester pick, the Sunnyglade 9′ Patio Umbrella. It was also a bit hard to tilt the umbrella using the push button. It comes with solar lights, but we didn’t test this feature.

Umbrella bases

Our current umbrella base, the Article Paima, also comes in a locking-wheel version, which makes moving it around flat surfaces easier. But we found that the neck comes a bit loose if you hold onto it, instead of the base, while rolling it across a surface. It’s simple to tighten the pole again, but our wheeled umbrella base pick doesn’t have this issue. Still, if you want a smaller footprint for your base, plan on moving it around a lot, and remain diligent about tightening the neck and closing and/or storing your umbrella when not in use, Article’s Paima Black Wheeled Umbrella Base isn’t a bad option.

Our previous top pick, the US Weight Durable 50 Pound Umbrella Base, was the least expensive umbrella base we found that also had a robust history of positive reviews and weighed enough to secure a 9- or 10-foot umbrella. We removed it due to stock issues, which seem to have stabilized, but haven’t reinstated it as a pick because we now prefer bases that include a neck to slide an umbrella’s pole into for added stability. At the very least, a base without a neck should probably have more than one screw to hold a pole in place.

We tested the 75-pound California Umbrella CFMT172 Umbrella Base as a possible rolling option, but it only has two small, short wheels, making the base’s exposed concrete underside likely to catch against an uneven surface. The wheels also roll only on one axis, so you still have to leverage the base up and turn it to change direction.

The dome-shape 55-pound Fiberbuilt Umbrellas Concrete Umbrella Base works well and is the same diameter as our top pick, making it equally compact under a table, but setup was fiddly and unintuitive, and we didn’t feel confident about its durability. The concrete dome has a plastic bumper at its base, and the material detracts from the otherwise clean design and feels cheap—it moved a little as we unpacked the box. This base also only tightens with a single screw knob.

The sturdy, 50-pound California Umbrella CFMT160 Umbrella Base works well enough, but the threading alignment on the neck left about a quarter-inch gap between the neck and the base, no matter how many times we tried to connect them. The underside of the base reveals unsealed concrete that has been poured into the powder-coated steel casing, and it shed some powder and concrete chips as we moved it around the patio. The single plastic knob had uneven edges from the molding process, and they felt sharp under our fingers.

The Abba Patio Round Steel Market Patio Umbrella Base, a previous upgrade pick, has been discontinued.

This article was edited by Joshua Lyon and Daniela Gorny.

We’re currently long-term testing Best Choice Products 123-pound Capacity Fillable Mobile Umbrella Base. So far it appears to be a great candidate for a much less expensive option of our wheeled umbrella base pick, but we want to see how it holds up throughout a full summer.

We also plan to incorporate photochromic UV-intensity cards into our testing when looking at any canopy with a UV ray resistance claim.

Additional reporting by Katie Okomoto and Ellen Airhart.

This article was edited by Daniela Gorny.