The Best Patio Umbrellas of 2022

We had nothing bad to say about the L.L. Bean Sunbrella, from its high-quality materials to its superior sun protection. Its sun area measurement is a little over 37 inches. Though not the largest sun circumference we tested, it is well made and the forest green colored Sunbrella fabric provides thorough sun protection thanks to its darker hue. At 8-feet 4-inches high (without the stand), the Sunbrella is also easier for a shorter person to set up and it felt sturdy once it was assembled.

The Sunbrella is also easy to store with its simple design and its thick, green fabric held up well during our wash test, where all the mud came off after a hose spray. The only drawback we could see is the wood pole could weather easily in extreme weather conditions. This umbrella can either be inserted through a table or used with a well-constructed stand, making it useful no matter what your patio requires.

The Best Choice Products Solar Powered Aluminum Umbrella is a solid little patio umbrella if you’re looking to spend less. While the polyester fabric isn’t as high-quality as some others we tested, the umbrella is lightweight overall at about 16 pounds and only measures 8-feet 5-inches tall, making it relatively easy to set up and store.

The Best Choice is also really easy to clean, the mud came right off with just a spray of the hose and it air dried perfectly. It provides decent sun protection with a sun area of a little over 34 inches, although it would probably only be good for one person. LED lights complete the experience and make you feel like you’re ready for takeoff, just make sure to read the instructions on how to connect them. There are also tons of colors (both bright and muted) to choose from. The one drawback is that the Best Choice will require a sturdy weighted stand - it fell over when we tested it with a base that we didn’t realize had cracked.

The Frontgate Outdoor Market Umbrella is one of our favorites for its stylish design. It is easy to store and has good sun protection with an under umbrella area of 72 inches. Its lovely stripes and attractive wood pole will surely add a touch of sophistication to your patio furniture. At a little more than 8-feet 6-inches tall, it is not as easy for a shorter person to set up as other umbrellas we tested but is likely doable. And while it’s certainly not the heaviest umbrella we tested, at 25 pounds, it could be difficult to set up for one person.

Despite all the positives, we did have a few complaints. Though it didn't leave a stain behind, not all of the mud came off with the hose in our cleaning tests, so we had to also use a cleaning solution. Also, the fabric seemed more absorbent of dirt than the others we tested. That being said, it is a great umbrella if you’re looking for something stylish and functional.

The Hampton Bay is the most elegant of all of the cantilever patio umbrellas that we tested, with high-quality fabric and a huge under-umbrella area of about 72 inches. This patio umbrella will surely provide you with excellent sun protection. It is a breeze to clean and the mud came off with just the hose, no solution needed. The only real drawback is how big it is. When it was spread to full capacity in my smaller outdoor space I felt like we were being invaded.

Setting up this umbrella is definitely a two-person job as it is 9-feet and 2-inches tall and weighs almost 70 pounds. The Hampton Bay is more difficult to store than others we tested but does come in a wide variety of colors. While these could be downsides, it is a very sturdy and well-made umbrella that is certainly worth investing in as it would serve you for years to come.

The Abba Patio Umbrella is also a decent little number, weighing only a little over 15 pounds for easy lifting and assembling. Like the Best Choice, the fabric is not as luxurious as some of the other brands we tested, but its polyester canopy cleaned up easily and comes in a variety of bright colors to match your furniture. It is also really easy to store and folds down easily, fitting almost anywhere. Its hand crank design makes it easy to expand the umbrella. The polyester fabric was easy to clean—the mud washed off easily, without having to use the solution.

It provided decent sun protection when I sat under it, as its sun area is 45 inches. While it's a good umbrella for the price, we’d recommend going with the Best Choice if you’re bargain shopping for a patio umbrella because it has better sun coverage. Make sure to purchase a sturdy stand with this one if you don’t plan on inserting it through a table because it will fall over without a well-weighted stand.

The Blissun Patio Umbrella is one of the lightest umbrellas we tested, at 13 pounds, and incredibly easy to set up and store. It is also the least expensive umbrella we reviewed and comes in many cute colors and patterns. Its polyester fabric is easy to wash and the aluminum pole is durable and easy to store. With a height of 7-feet and 11 inches tall, the Blissun umbrella would be much easier to set up for a shorter person. The mud came off with just a spray of the hose and it was easy to air dry its polyester fabric. It has an under umbrella area of 75 inches.

However, we did have some complaints about this umbrella. It felt a little flimsy and the crank lever was hard to work, I actually thought it was broken when I first tried it. It would be best to use the Blissun with a weighted stand and have some patience while you’re opening it.

There are a lot of great things about the Grand Patio Deluxe Napoli Cantilever Umbrella. First off, it gives great sun protection with its curved design and thick polyester fabric, although its sun area of about 37 inches is smaller than other cantilever umbrellas we tested. It is definitely one of the fanciest of all of the umbrellas we tested and would add elegance and style to the right backyard.

Its weighted base is incredibly secure even in harsh weather, just fill it up with water from the hose and you’re good to go. The polyester fabric isn’t as easy to clean as some of the other umbrellas we tested, but the mud left behind came off with just a little bit of the solution.

The downside? The Grand Patio umbrella is enormous and a pain to set up. Weighing in at 80 pounds before you add water to the base, this umbrella is a two or even three person job. While the height of the umbrella stand is 8 feet 3 ½ inches, its design is so cumbersome that it would not fit well in a lot of outdoor spaces. But if you have a large backyard, a lot of patience, and a desire for a top-quality umbrella, the Grand Patio might be the one for you. That being said, we’d recommend Hampton Bay over this umbrella, as it offered more sun protection.

This umbrella was so-so and nothing to write home about. At 7-feet and 10 ½-inches tall, it wasn't as difficult to set up as some of the others we tested, although it is harder to store because of its base. It has a good sun protection area of just over 68 inches and weighs about 34 pounds. The polyester fabric was a breeze to clean and dirt came off with water from the hose, no need to use a solution.

The Bluu Cantilever umbrella is also more affordable than other cantilever umbrellas we tested, but needs weighted base panels to go with it. Unfortunately, purchasing these will add considerably to the cost. If you have the space, we’d recommend going with the Grand Patio or Hampton Bay, as the aluminum frame on the Bluu Cantilever felt average at best and a bit flimsy.

The Bridgehampton is not a bad umbrella, as long as it doesn’t get dirty. It is fairly lightweight at 17 pounds and easy to store, with average sun protection. It only comes in one color, white, and while the fabric is Sunbrella, a stain was left behind during the cleaning test. At a height of 8-feet 8-inches tall, it would also be harder for one person to set up than others we tested, and the pole also didn’t feel as secure as others. While the Bridgehampton is not the worst we reviewed, it was the most expensive and we feel you can snag a better umbrella at a lower price.

The Better Homes & Gardens Market Umbrella is the lightest we tested—at just over 11 pounds and at 8-feet and 1 ¼-inches tall—it was easy to set up. Unfortunately, the upsides stop there. It is average at best, with one of the biggest drawbacks being its very absorbent fabric, which was hard to clean and left stains behind even after cleaning with the solution. It has a smaller sun area of about 37 inches, providing less sun protection than some of its competitors. There is nothing wrong with its design per se, but the materials just look and feel cheap. All in all, we feel you can get a better patio umbrella if you’re looking to spend less.

The Sunnyglade Outdoors Adjustable Cantilever Umbrella was one of our least favorites that we tested. Like the Bluu Cantilever, you need to purchase weighted base panels with it, which adds considerably to the price. It is harder to clean than other umbrellas we tested and is heavy at just over 30 pounds. The Sunnyglade has an average sun area measurement of 55 inches and is not as tall as others we tested. That being said, its design is ugly and it comes in overly bright colors that would not match most patio furniture. If you want to invest in a cantilever design, we feel it's better to go with something like the Hampton Bay or Grand Patio.