Belham Living 13-ft Sunbrella Rotating Offset Umbrella With Tilt Reviews
The research
- Why you should trust us
- Who should go this
- How we picked and tested
- Our pick: Treasure Garden Market Aluminum Push Button Tilt Umbrella
- Also great: Hampton Bay 10 ft. Aluminum Motorcar-Tilt Marketplace Outdoor Patio Umbrella
- Budget pick: Sunnyglade 9′ Patio Umbrella
- Our pick: Article Paima Umbrella Base
- Upgrade option: Abba Patio Steel Market place Patio Umbrella Base
- Too great: Shademobile Rolling Umbrella Base
- Intendance and maintenance
- The contest
- Sources
Why yous should trust us
The original author of this guide, Kalee Thompson, lived for more than a decade in Los Angeles, where the near-constant sun fuels an every bit constant quest for more than and better shade. After moving into her home at that place in mid-2010, she went through three 9-foot lawn patio umbrellas, each purchased for less than $100. The offset was never the same after an ballsy 2011 windstorm. Carelessly left upwardly, that umbrella was lifted by the wind and converted into a unsafe projectile that stabbed into a neighbor's hillside (no, it didn't hurt anyone, and, no, Kalee and her family were non using a base). The 2nd and third umbrellas simply got shredded by some combination of temperamental Santa Ana winds and incessant UV damage, after a fiddling more than than ii years of yr-round use.
To expand her personal experience with patio umbrellas, Kalee spoke with AHBE primary architect Calvin Abe; Washington, DC–expanse landscape designer Andy Balderson; and Los Angeles mural designers Russ Cletta, Maggie Lobl, and Naomi Sanders (through email), all of whom have helped customers consider and select sun shades. Longtime sales acquaintance Veronica Hoodless at the high-end Fishbecks outdoor-piece of furniture store, manager Jesse Mezger at the upscale Patioworld, and director Jesse Bawsel at Armstrong Garden Centers (all in Pasadena, California) provided additional insight into what customers are looking for when information technology comes to patio umbrellas, and which styles and brands offer proven immovability. Kalee too studied a couple of primers on the differences (PDF) between mutual umbrella fabrics, size considerations, and various umbrella features and designs.
Kalee examined the umbrella inventory at local stores, including Costco, Dwelling Depot, IKEA, Orchard Supply Hardware, and Walmart, and systematically examined the much more extensive online offerings from the same, as well every bit from Amazon, Armstrong Garden Centers, Crate & Barrel, Design Within Attain, Lowe'south, Overstock, Restoration Hardware, Target, Wayfair, and Due west Elm. And she looked at the models from upscale umbrella suppliers Tuuci and Santa Barbara Designs; the latter visitor makes gorgeous umbrellas—including some that look like flamenco skirts or a shade for a popsicle cart—that are so expensive the prices go unlisted in the company'southward printed catalog.
In August 2020, Ellen Airhart updated this guide to include a wider diversity of umbrella picks in dissimilar price ranges. We evaluated 22 new models, chose five, and gear up them up one by one on a windy balcony in San Francisco, which made the experience of hoisting the umbrellas up and down more like operating a sailboat than enjoying a leisurely backyard charcoal-broil. We spent about eight hours cranking each of the umbrellas upward and downwardly, measuring the canopies, and getting the textile muddy and and so cleaning information technology. After these tests, we added two new picks, the Hampton Bay 10 ft. Aluminum Auto-Tilt Market place Outdoor Patio Umbrella and the Sunnyglade Patio Umbrella.
In May 2021, Katie Okamoto updated this guide to include more umbrella base of operations options. Katie evaluated 20 models and tested five 50- and 55-pound bases on their 2nd-floor apartment balcony in Los Angeles. We spent a sun-blasted afternoon setting them upward with our summit pick and budget pick umbrellas, moving them around the infinite, stepping on them and dusting them, and 2 weeks observing how they held closed umbrellas in the wind, sun, and dust. Afterward these tests, we added a new summit choice, the Article Paima Umbrella Base, and the Abba Patio Steel Market Patio Umbrella Base as an upgrade pick. Since so, we've been testing how these models last with continuous outdoor utilise in the Los Angeles expanse, where winds can exceed 50 miles per hour.
Who should get this
If you need some shade to make outdoor dining or lounging more comfortable, a patio umbrella is likely the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to go. Each of the ix-foot-diameter market place umbrellas we review here tin can do double duty, as a table shade (most outdoor dining tables include a hole for an umbrella, and a 9-human foot umbrella is the perfect size for such apply) and equally a standalone umbrella to shield a couple of lounge chairs or a play surface area. (You lot mensurate umbrellas of this type by doubling the length of one spoke; because the spokes slope downward even when an umbrella is upward, the total midday sun shade area for a 9-pes umbrella is actually less than 9 feet in diameter.) Mural designer Maggie Lobl told us she oftentimes urges her clients to consider the humble umbrella over more expensive and less adaptable pergolas or shade trellises. She said umbrellas are "just actually flexible. Y'all can add a pop of color, and they look really nice."
Yet and wherever y'all program to employ your umbrella, you'll want a sturdy and heavy base to continue it in identify. The most common mistake people make with umbrella bases is non buying ane at all (they are almost always sold separately) or choosing one that is not heavy enough. Yes, an umbrella will typically stay fairly steady if you lot simply slide information technology into the pigsty in the center of a patio table and let the tail terminate of the pole rest on the footing. But if winds unexpectedly pick up, that umbrella could easily be lifted from beneath, fly through the air, and crash-land—potentially injuring someone, damaging property, or breaking spokes or tearing fabric (the latter has happened to the states). If you're planning to employ the umbrella without a table, you should go a base that weighs at least 75 pounds. For maximum safety, some experts recommend ownership a standalone base that weighs 10 times the size of the umbrella (so a 9-pes-broad umbrella would require a 90-pound base of operations). A sufficiently heavy base is actress of import if you program to leave an umbrella open and unattended. If you close your umbrella betwixt uses, you should be able to go away with less weight.
How we picked and tested
Patio umbrellas
For this guide, nosotros chose to focus on marketplace-style umbrellas that are at least 9 feet across in size, have aluminum poles and adaptability mechanisms, like crank lifting and tilting. We too chose to focus on umbrellas that price less than $350. In bound 2017, we examined the specs of 16 umbrellas and ultimately tested v pop models. Nosotros observed how the umbrellas responded to different wind conditions (nosotros couldn't determine any significant difference among them) and how hands their mechanisms functioned. Non surprisingly, after just a few weeks we saw no noticeable deterioration of the fabric on any of the umbrellas. Equally we know that material tends to exist the bespeak of failure for umbrellas, we had to rely largely on outside expertise and reviews in evaluating the options. But our tiptop umbrella choice, the Treasure Garden, is at present entering its 5th summer and has weathered two coasts, first in Los Angeles and now in Portland, Maine, and at that place is nevertheless no noticeable fading.
Though you lot volition occasionally see 6-, 7-, and 8-foot patio umbrellas for sale at Abode Depot and similar stores, ix feet is the most mutual size for patio umbrellas that are meant to be used over a dining table for four. This is also a proficient size to movement effectually a deck to provide shade for reading or playing. "People buy umbrellas that are too small all the time, and they're useless," said Russ Cletta, a Los Angeles landscape designer. "A 9-pes umbrella is a good size." In Baronial 2022 we added a x-foot umbrella to our lineup of picks.
Nosotros chose to focus on umbrellas with aluminum poles, rather than forest, for a couple of reasons. Start, they tend to be more widely available. Second, aluminum umbrellas are much more likely to come with easy-to-use crank-lifting systems (as opposed to line pulleys), as well equally with tilting functions that permit you lot to shift the head of the umbrella to the side, providing you with more control over your shade. All the umbrellas we tested had similar cranks that we found equally easy to turn. In the past, we've seen the line on inexpensive pulley-lift umbrellas become frayed, and lines are slightly more fussy and time-consuming to secure.
All of the umbrellas we tested also had a tilt mechanism that allowed united states of america to pin the entire caput of the umbrella to the side while information technology was open, helping to keep usa shaded over the hours equally the sunlight shifted. "Umbrellas demand to motility to be functional," Cletta said. "It's helpful if they're easy to scroll or if they can tilt when the bending of the sun changes." You'll detect two types of tilt role: push-button and crank. Push button-button tilt is a mutual design that requires pushing a pollex into a push button loftier on the pole to tilt the umbrella head to 1 side. Crank tilt moves the head to the side with another rotation of the same crank yous utilize to lift the umbrella. Several umbrella brands offer both types of tilt; others, simply one. We found that the crank-tilt selection is easier and faster, particularly for shorter people, who may have to stand up on a chair to reach the push button near the top of a push-tilt model'due south pole (though all of the push button-push button versions we tried functioned just fine).
Wood umbrellas, which oftentimes cost more than metallic models, tend to lack the tilt part and more commonly rely on fussy pulley-lift or lift-and-pivot systems. Some of our picks do come in versions with wood poles and spokes, though, which many people may adopt for aesthetic reasons. The umbrellas we looked at all have poles that are ane½ inches in diameter, a standard size that will mostly fit the hole in whatever outdoor dining table, as well as in the vast majority of umbrella bases.
We decided to focus on umbrellas that price less than $350 (though our top option, configured with Sunbrella textile, has gone upwards in cost since we offset published this guide). We knew subsequently talking with shop managers and landscape designers that it'due south possible to get a loftier-quality umbrella that will last a long time within this price range. High-end umbrellas from designer brands often cost hundreds, if not thousands, more, and y'all're typically paying for dazzler rather than added function. You'll come across exceptions, such as umbrellas made of marine-grade fabric or sailcloth, but those are exterior the scope of what we think nigh people want. In our kickoff round of testing, in 2017, we largely dismissed umbrellas that cost less than $75, since models in that price range are almost e'er made of polyester fabric—which nosotros know from personal feel tends to fade and rip quickly. In more recent testing, in bound 2020, nosotros tested 5 upkeep models in the $110-or-less range and plant two that we liked, which we've added as picks here. Our upkeep pick, the Sunnyglade umbrella, is made from polyester, and we're keeping an heart on how information technology ages. Only we recall a lot of people will capeesh having a passable selection in that price range.
All of the experts we talked with mentioned Sunbrella textile by name when we asked how to identify a practiced-quality umbrella. Several of them noted that customers are frequently confused, thinking Sunbrella is an umbrella manufacturer. In fact, Sunbrella fabrics are fabricated by Glen Raven, a 150-yr-old South Carolina material company that makes materials for flags—including the i on the moon—and flame-retardant vesture for race-car drivers, also as fabrics for marine-course awnings and casual backyard pillows and umbrellas. Sunbrella fabrics are made of solution-dyed acrylic. "Y'all've colored that textile at the liquid level," said Allen Gant 3, great-grandson of Glen Raven's founder and a current visitor manager. Gant explained to us that this process was what immune Sunbrella fabrics to retain their color far amend than polyester and other yarn-dyed appurtenances: "If you take a radish and yous expose it to UV and weather, you're going to get to a white core. That'southward what fading is. If y'all start peeling a carrot, it'southward only going to get more orange as you go."
Though umbrella manufacturers tin buy Sunbrella fabrics in dissimilar weaves at different prices, all are colorfast and all come with the same v-year warranty, Gant said. 3 of the five umbrellas nosotros tested used Sunbrella fabric, and when information technology was an optional upgrade, we chose it. Still, nosotros also learned of many other solution-dyed fabrics—such as Olefin, the fabric used in one of our picks, the Hampton Bay Patio Umbrella—that have a by and large skillful reputation for durability and colorfastness.
Similar most "market umbrellas" (the term refers to upright umbrellas of the type commonly found in markets and cafés, as well as in backyards), all of the models we tested had wind vents at the top. A couple of our experts recommended double wind vents for people who live in peculiarly windy locations, such as near the beach or on the peak of a hill. Notation that double air current vent configurations may add additional cost or lead time on orders, since they are typically not the default option. In 2021, one of our testers ordered a double-vented version of our top pick umbrella, which took six weeks to ship out.
Though we heard from several salespeople that cantilever umbrellas—the large umbrellas that have a base of operations to the side and are often used over lounge areas—have been growing in popularity, nosotros decided to limit our review to the more common, 9-human foot market umbrellas, which are a staple of both small-scale flat patios and sprawling backyards.
Umbrella bases
We devoted another 10 hours to reading nearly umbrella bases and sifting through hundreds of offerings online. Nosotros quickly realized that many people make the error of ownership a base of operations that isn't heavy enough (lighter bases typically price much less) or forgoing one entirely. And and then nosotros focused on bases that weighed at least 50 pounds, which experts recommended as the minimum to counterbalance down a nine-foot umbrella when used with a table (note that yous will need more weight if using an umbrella on its own). "Having a super-heavy base that we tin nevertheless ringlet around is the thing that makes the umbrella work," said Maggie Lobl, the LA-based mural designer. Exist aware that many online descriptions of umbrella bases obscure the base'due south actual weight; many of the least expensive bases counterbalance merely 25 or 30 pounds, which is not enough to be reliable.
Beyond weight, we emphasized practicality over aesthetics. All of the bases nosotros considered accept a mechanism that allows the base of operations tube to tighten around the umbrella pole, ensuring a wobble-gratis fit. In 2017, we focused on mostly utilitarian bases that toll less than $100. (We fabricated an exception for the Shademobile Rolling Base, our also-great choice, which can exist filled to weigh up to 125 pounds and has wheels that allow it to roll and pivot, thus offer far more functionality than any other umbrella base we found.)
In 2017, we examined the specs of 12 pop bases, after which we narrowed our list to test five that ranked among the most highly recommended, offered excellent value, or both. Kalee unboxed all the stands and prepare them up on the same day in a sunny Los Angeles backyard. Most of the stands required small-scale associates, and nosotros timed those efforts and noted how difficult the bases were to move around and tighten around our umbrella posts. We considered the stands' relative size, recording which ones easily fit beneath our favorite patio article of furniture sets and which ones were more suited to standalone utilize. In our 2nd round of base of operations testing, in May 2021, nosotros considered 20 new stands and tested v. We focused on bases in the 50- to 55-pound weight range that price less than $130 but offer a sleeker artful. We paid attention to material, knobs, finishes, and assembly instructions. Poorly executed details tin accept the fun out of setting up and maintaining your outdoor infinite, and turn an umbrella base into a mortal enemy. No matter who you are, or who y'all've asked to help yous lift, moving 50-odd pounds of concrete and steel is never like shooting fish in a barrel, and poorly cast plastic, precipitous steel, and rough concrete edges can dig into hands, scratch skin, and test patience.
Our choice: Treasure Garden Market place Aluminum Push button Tilt Umbrella
Our pick
The 9-foot Treasure Garden Market Aluminum Push button Tilt Umbrella offers the Sunbrella fabric our experts recommended. The umbrella'due south eight-spoke construction also makes it more durable than competitors that have only six spokes. Its crank lift and push button-push tilt worked smoothly in our tests, and the Treasure Garden simply stood more elegantly than any other umbrella we used, both open and airtight.
Many umbrellas see untimely deaths from ripped, shredded, or unpleasantly faded fabrics. The relative superiority of this Treasure Garden umbrella's richly colored and thickly textured Sunbrella fabric was evident every bit shortly every bit nosotros had our five umbrellas set up up side by side in a California backyard. Pinched between fingers, the cloth felt thicker and coarser than the thinner, smoother fabrics of the other umbrellas. Unlike the Costco umbrella'due south wrinkly appearance—that model was one of 2 others nosotros tested made with Sunbrella-brand textile—the Treasure Garden umbrella appeared pleasingly taut when open. Multiple interviews, too equally our own experience, supported our expectation that Treasure Garden models concord upwardly well for years. This has been true for our testers under farthermost sun and wind in Southern California, the High Sierra in California, Colorado, and in coastal New England. One umbrella volition see its sixth season—on two coasts—and then far has no color fading, rusting, or other issues.
This umbrella offers more customization options than whatever other model we looked at. You tin can choose from 5 finishes for the aluminum pole and spokes (statuary, champagne, anthracite, black, and white), as well as over a dozen Sunbrella and O'bravia fabrics. The Sunbrella will run you nigh $100 more than the O'bravia, merely all the experts we spoke to recommended Sunbrella for its longer durability and five-year fade-costless guarantee. PatioLiving, one of their primary online authorized sellers, offers more customization options—including more than 100 cloth choices, far more than whatever other umbrella we tested—if y'all lodge under its standard or non-stock Sunbrella configuration choice (these will accept four to six weeks to ship). For about $25 more, you can likewise upgrade to a double vent, a good choice for anyone near the ocean or in other locations with stiff winds and unexpected gusts. Note that a double-vent is not available as a quick-ship option.
Like all of the umbrellas we tested, this Treasure Garden model'southward pole and spokes are made of lightweight aluminum. Unlike some of the cheaper umbrellas we tested, this model uses an eight-spoke construction, which is stronger than the six-spoke construction that'due south common on umbrellas of this size.
Also similar the rest of our test umbrellas, this Treasure Garden model uses an automated crank-lift system (some simpler umbrellas, particularly those with wooden poles and spokes, use a transmission-lift organization, which has you pull and cinch a line to lift and secure the umbrella). Although the crank makes a clicking sound, in our tests we didn't discover the noise irritating.
Treasure Garden was consistently mentioned by multiple patio umbrella sellers in Southern California equally a leader in this category. Jesse Bawsel, manager at the Pasadena location of Armstrong Garden Centers (a concatenation located simply in California) told united states of america that Treasure Garden was the merely umbrella brand his store carried. "They make the best stuff," he said. Despite the fact that the aluminum Treasure Garden umbrella comes with a one-year warranty for the quick-ship push-push button-tilt model and a ii-year warranty for the crank-tilt model (not quick-transport)—and that Sunbrella fabric itself has a five-year warranty—Bawsel told u.s. he rarely sees a return on them. "Treasure Garden is actually the all-time," concurred Veronica Hoodless, a longtime sales associate at the upscale Fishbecks patio store in Pasadena. "Costco'due south are possibly one-third of the cost," said Hoodless, whose shop sells 9-pes Treasure Garden umbrellas from about $250. "But they fly away, they get torn. The Treasure Garden will final 10 to 15 years." Jesse Mezger, manager at nearby Patioworld, agreed, noting, "Three- or four-hundred dollars is inexpensive if it's going to concluding yous fifteen years or so." Mezger likewise recommended Treasure Garden umbrellas every bit standing head and shoulders in a higher place cheaper brands: "We take customers who come hither to buy something quality after having something fail from Habitation Depot or Costco."
As other experts do, Bawsel advises pairing a 9-pes umbrella with a base that weighs at to the lowest degree 50 pounds. If you lot are opting to employ this without a table and in a windy region, consider at least 75 pounds, and ninety pounds to be very safe.
Flaws but non dealbreakers
Although you can society the Treasure Garden Market Aluminum umbrella in near-space styles, ordering sure options may involve a delay of several weeks, and stock has been in and out for sure styles. (This was the example fifty-fifty before the pandemic, which has increased demand because people are spending more than fourth dimension at abode. Our most recent tester, Katie Okamoto, experienced a six-week atomic number 82 time because she opted for double vents. If you are especially concerned virtually timing, make sure yous select "Quick Ship" to narrow the field of options.)
Southern California in-shop experts Bawsel and Hoodless both said that fifty-fifty though a Treasure Garden umbrella is likely to last a decade, some fading of the fabric is occasionally noticeable subsequently about five years. Sunbrella manager Allen Gant Three explained that cherry 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 lord's day.
Two of our testers have reported that the push-tilt button on their umbrellas broke during use. One tester told us, "We rarely employ the button, and I'm not even sure how it broke, simply now the umbrella won't stay upright." Fortunately, it occurred within the one-twelvemonth warranty, and she will receive a replacement umbrella. Another tester believes the button broke "because I accidentally knocked it over pretty hard while cleaning it one mean solar day." Our tester admits this was a user error on her part and hasn't looked into fixing information technology however since she rarely uses the feature.
The umbrella does not come with an umbrella embrace. Yous tin can add ane on to your order, but it will price you an extra $42.
Likewise neat: Hampton Bay 10 ft. Aluminum Car-Tilt Market Outdoor Patio Umbrella
Also neat
The Hampton Bay 10 ft. Aluminum Machine-Tilt Market Outdoor Patio Umbrella is a groovy option for about half the price of our top pick. The Hampton Bay'due south canopy is made of Olefin, a durable and thick fabric that'southward more affordable (but less durable) than the pop Sunbrella fabric. Like our top option, this umbrella has a lightweight notwithstanding sturdy aluminum pole, but the ribs under the awning are fabricated of steel. Even in high-wind conditions on a balustrade in San Francisco, the Hampton Bay opened upward smoothly enough. It also comes standard with the easier-to-employ crank-tilt mechanism for tilting the umbrella, which is a pricier additional characteristic in our elevation pick. The pole comes with a two-twelvemonth express warranty, which is the same every bit on our top pick. But the Hampton Bay'south Olefin fabric doesn't have the robust 5-year warranty of Sunbrella fabric, which is the selection we recommend in the Treasure Garden umbrella.
During our tests, we rubbed dirt into the textile so washed information technology off with some dish soap, water, and elbow grease. Though the clay nosotros applied was likely a more aggressive saturation than the layer of dirt that will coat near outdoor umbrellas over time, we didn't find any stains after washing. Mileage may vary depending on what kind of climate y'all live in and whether yous have whatever sappy trees in your backyard, simply we call back with some bones care, this canopy should last a while. If you want to re-create this test or see how your umbrella canopy will match with the remainder of your outdoor space, yous can order a sample swatch from the Hampton Bay umbrella production page (the link is located just under the price) for $3. In summer of 2022 we noticed this umbrella was constantly sold out at Home Depot, but nosotros look that they will keep restocking it.
Upkeep pick: Sunnyglade 9′ Patio Umbrella
Upkeep pick
The Sunnyglade ix′ Patio Umbrella is a proficient upkeep option if you need something inexpensive that will practice the job for a few summers. The fabric on this canopy is made from polyester, which will non be anywhere near as durable as Sunbrella fabrics. But in our clay tests, we had to really massage the particles into the textile to get them to set. (Nosotros were yet able to see a slight shadow after washing the dirt off with soap and water.) This umbrella comes in a reusable plastic sheath, which you lot can store the umbrella in to extend its life. Most of the other umbrellas we tested came in a single-employ plastic package. The manufacturer does non merits fade resistance, and we correctly expected that this red umbrella would eventually lose some of its color. One tester, who has been keeping the umbrella out under LA's glaring rays for almost a year, said the color has faded. Just she said this has diminished neither her enjoyment nor the umbrella's performance. We'll continue an eye on long-term fading and immovability as we continue testing.
The Sunnyglade umbrella is like shooting fish in a barrel to maneuver, and, at well-nigh x pounds, it is the lightest of all our picks—compared with xvi pounds for the Treasure Garden and 14 pounds for the Hampton Bay. We had an piece of cake time setting upwards the Sunnyglade and using the push-push tilt mechanism to tilt the canopy. As with nearly push-push tilt mechanisms, united nations-tilting the umbrella was harder due to the wind on our testing balcony. Simply even with this weakness, considering that this umbrella costs a fraction of the price of our other picks, the Sunnyglade is a solid budget pick for a patio umbrella. The Sunnyglade doesn't come with a warranty. So bated from the return window that the retailer you purchase from would offering, there are not a lot of options if something were to go incorrect.
Our pick: Commodity Paima Umbrella Base
Our pick
The simple, unassuming 55-pound Article Paima Umbrella Base is our top umbrella stand selection. Costing nigh $fourscore—on the lower end for this type of base—the Paima made usa sweat the to the lowest degree when maneuvering. Information technology felt shine under our hands and was relatively easy to movement, thanks to the generous gaps tucked below its base of operations. And after about a year of testing through some serious winds and baking estrus, information technology remained in proficient condition and kept our umbrella upright. The base should piece of work with an umbrella with a pole bore of ane½ inches, a standard size.
The meaty, 19-inch-diameter base is a solid, bandage piece of fine-textured blackness concrete whose bullnose curves remind us of a Boston Cream doughnut. The black concrete disc looks make clean and elementary one time assembled and is resistant to marks and scratches. Initial fix-upwards was straightforward and took less than two minutes, and we barely needed the accompanying illustrated education sheet. Information technology was easy to have out of the box and maneuver it effectually our outdoor infinite. The ii umbrellas we tested on this base both felt snug and secure, thanks to the plastic washer and screw cap that concur the pole in place. (Simply 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, and information technology still felt sturdy afterward we removed and reinserted the umbrella several times.
Most, if not all, umbrella bases include at least 1 spiral knob in the cervix itself, which presses confronting the umbrella pole for a tight fit in case of wind. We liked that the Paima base has two screw knobs for extra security. The plastic knobs are small compared with those on our upgrade pick, the Abba Patio Circular Steel Market Patio Umbrella Base of operations, merely they were all the same comfortable to handle, thanks to the rounded finish of their edges at the back, a detail that more expensive bases that nosotros tested did not ever include.
We also scuffed our dusty shoes on the base to mimic what would happen when yous used the base under a table, and nosotros plant that the base of operations cleaned easily with a dry or damp cloth. (This has remained truthful after a year.) As with any base of operations weighing but 55 pounds, y'all should non leave an umbrella open up in it without pairing it with a tabular array, in instance of wind gusts.
We accept left our umbrella in the base of operations, folded up, for about a twelvemonth in a windy valley of Los Angeles, through serious current of air storms that sent our tester rushing to the deck to make sure everything was okay. Merely, with the umbrella folded upward, the base has kept everything secure and upright. And nosotros've 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 earlier going inside. Compared with the other wheel-less bases we've tested, nosotros've also establish that this base of operations's proportions and molded hand-holds arrive the easiest to reposition. And nosotros've moved it a few times in the twelvemonth we've been testing information technology.
Flaws merely non dealbreakers
The base is only available in black. For those who want more options, this may be a detractor. But the softness of the black felt more than expensive and muted than a high-gloss black might appear, and we remember information technology will blend in enough for nearly people'due south outdoor aesthetics.
One major caveat to consider: Article is a direct-to-consumer company, and then unlike some of our other picks, you won't exist able to bank check it out in person before you buy. We strongly recommend double- and triple-checking the size of your umbrella pole before you lot click. Article offers free exchanges merely not gratis returns within 30 days. If yous decide to return the base, you'll take to pay a sizable $49 restocking fee—more than one-half the price you paid—and if y'all forget to save your packaging, an additional $50 repackaging fee. (Like the other bases nosotros tested, the Paima comes wrapped in a plastic bag, nestled in molded styrofoam, inside a paper-thin box, with the neck disattached.) The return fee is a significant detractor, but we still feel that the quality and price of the base of operations puts this 1 ahead of the contest.
Upgrade selection: Abba Patio Steel Market Patio Umbrella Base
Upgrade pick
For those who prefer a super-minimalist, ground-hugging base, the Abba Patio Round Steel Market Patio Umbrella Base (which has an even, matte-finish pulverisation blanket) is by far the sleekest one we tested. But it is also the most expensive for its weight, just 55 pounds (the aforementioned weight equally our top pick). The base of operations is an ultra-thin and apartment solid steel disc that measures 27.5 inches in diameter, wider than most bases we tested. After about a year of using this base (with our budget umbrella pick) through the powerful Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles, our tester says information technology's been "really stable, fifty-fifty in really windy weather condition."
Other than being frustrating to grasp and lift the disc before the neck is fastened, the Abba Patio base is intuitive and simple to put together. Information technology comes with a hefty 6½-inch-long hex key for securing the neck to the base from the base'south underside, and the umbrella pole inserts directly into the shaft of the cervix and secures with 2 spiral knobs, like our top pick. The hex cardinal gave an actress bit of leverage that made usa feel confident in the sturdiness of the connectedness. And the double screw knobs were the nicest ones we encountered in testing, fabricated of sturdy, polish plastic and generous in size for skilful leverage, making it both faster and more pleasant to spiral the umbrella pole snugly in place.
Our tester has been using this base for virtually a year in Los Angeles, where it'southward lived exterior in high estrus and dry weather condition (though with a notable week of torrential pelting), and she hasn't observed any wear. Because the base is a solid heavy-duty sheet of powder-coated steel, we think there is little likelihood that parts will chip or snap off over time. The powder coating itself is smooth and fifty-fifty. The matte terminate seems to hands pick up dusty footprints, simply the powder blanket is easily wiped clean with a textile.
The base of operations will work with an umbrella with a pole diameter between i and i½ inches.
This would have been the simplest of our picks to prepare had it non been for one modest but irritating particular: Without its neck attached, the heavy steel plate base is nearly impossible to pick up off the basis when lying flat. We neglected to think that far alee when we unboxed it and laid it out on our patio. Without the book or handholds of our top choice, it was hard to get a grip. Nosotros ultimately leveraged the base off the ground enough to get a hold by using a flat wrench inserted between the boards of our decking, merely we're not certain what we would take done had we been on a surface without gaps. If you take to assemble this solo, plan on unboxing the base of operations and propping it upward rather than finding yourself in a quandary.
Once the neck was secured to the base of operations, our initial tester plant it piece of cake enough to apply the neck as gentle leverage to plow the base onto its side. When it was on its side, they rolled it easily into position and lowered information technology horizontally once again. Still, this is a base that, once parked, you'll probably avoid moving; our long-term tester has constitute that the base's 55 pounds are difficult to motion around.
Proceed in mind that while this base is every bit flat equally they get, it's still not totally flush with the ground. If y'all're keeping accessibility in mind, it may even so pose a tripping or rolling gamble.
As well great: Shademobile Rolling Umbrella Base of operations
Also great
At a maximum of 125 pounds, the commonsensical Shademobile Rolling Umbrella Base is far heavier than any other umbrella base we tested. While it is less convenient to ready up—it is the only one in our exam group that you accept to fill yourself, and requires screwing shut after filling—its four wheels permit yous to reposition your umbrella more easily than many other bases.
The Shademobile is made of high-density polyethylene, which will most probable have more longevity than the plastic of less expensive bases. (Our long-term tester has been using this base for six springs and before longhoped-for six summers without event.) The Shademobile arrives empty, weighing just 22 pounds. Once you lot fill up it with bricks and/or sand, it can weigh up to 125 pounds, making it an extremely stable option for a standalone 9- or ten-foot umbrella. Though the visitor advises against using this base of operations for cantilevered (offset) umbrellas, information technology'southward stable for even 12- and 13-foot upright umbrellas, according to company head David Taylor, who argued that his base makes an upright umbrella more versatile than many cantilevered models. "It's almost like the tail wagging the dog," he told us. "The base is every bit important as the umbrella, considering of the added functionality." Although this model could fit beneath many dining tables, because of its size, it doesn't make sense to buy this type of base if your umbrella stays over your tabletop.
The Shademobile'due south standout feature is its power to scroll and pivot across decks or patios. And Kalee establish that in one case the Shademobile base of operations was filled, it moved quite smoothly over the croaky concrete patio area in her Los Angeles backyard. (She chose to make full it with sand, for a total weight of almost 110 pounds.) It's equipped with four wheels, two of which have simple brake levers to keep the stand still once it is parked.
The base of operations is honey by reviewers on Amazon, Costco, and Overstock. Manufactured in North Carolina, it comes in dark bronze or low-cal sand, and the company sells an add-on accessory that can plough your patio umbrella into a user-friendly side table, appropriate for setting down a book or a couple of cocktails.
Once Kalee had her make full material on hand, it took about 15 minutes to fill the base and assemble the stand. (Yous tin buy sand or bricks at the hardware shop.) The Shademobile comes with detailed instructions, and you should be sure to follow them closely to avoid scuffing the stand up before you set information technology upward. More 20 screws are required to close up the filled base; if y'all use a power screwdriver (equally we did), the chore will be much faster. The base comes with a two-year warranty, and if a single part breaks after that, you tin can replace it individually. Kalee and her family unit have been using the Shademobile to hold their Treasure Garden umbrella since 2017, and it's notwithstanding in great shape, showing no signs of deterioration even after moving from Southern California to coastal Maine.
Care and maintenance
Air current, sun, and moisture are your umbrella'south inevitable adversaries. Using an umbrella cover will prolong your umbrella'south life, as will storing it in a garage or other sheltered place during the off-flavor. Sunbrella offers some cleaning advice for its fabrics.
The most important thing you can exercise to extend your umbrella's life is shut it when you're finished using it. Otherwise, unexpected winds may send information technology flying or tip information technology over (the landing may break spokes or cause tears) or merely exert pressures that will eventually dethrone the cloth. This is especially important if you are using the umbrella with a base of operations that weighs less than 10 times the umbrella's size (less than 90 pounds for a 9-foot umbrella).
The contest
Umbrellas
The 9-foot Abba Patio Marketplace Aluminum Patio Umbrella with Push Tilt and Crank was the to the lowest degree expensive of the umbrellas nosotros tested—and it showed. The umbrella lacks a crank-tilt mechanism, and in our tests the UV-treated polyester fabric remained slightly wrinkled, even after a few weeks of employ. We don't think the umbrella canopy volition concord up for more than a year or ii. Simply for around $l, this model may seem similar an excellent value to people who are happy to view a patio umbrella as a semi-disposable purchase.
The IKEA Kuggö / Lindöja Umbrella seemed promising with its nice color options and included base, just we had a very hard time putting this umbrella together. And it feels a scrap cheap and flimsy.
Umbrella bases
Our previous top choice, the US Weight Umbrella Base, was the least expensive umbrella base nosotros constitute that likewise had a robust history of positive reviews and weighed plenty—l pounds—to secure a 9- or ten-human foot umbrella. While we stand up by this no-nonsense pick, the base has been experiencing stock issues for a while and is unavailable in almost places. If you can detect information technology, the base is a skillful meaty, depression-profile choice. It comes pre-filled with concrete (the unfilled shell, which is more widely available, must be filled with sand or gravel and will not weigh 50 pounds when filled). Information technology is perfect for positioning under a table, though we don't recommend it every bit a standalone base if your umbrella is exposed to significant wind or periodic loftier gusts. This base has a convenient built-in handle and, when you can find information technology, it comes in 4 colors.
The dome-shaped 55-pound Fiberbuilt Umbrellas Concrete Patio Umbrella Base works well and is the same bore as our summit pick, making it equally compact under a tabular array. While we retrieve it volition piece of work well for well-nigh people, modest details kept it from being one of our picks. All of the bases we tested were fairly unproblematic to fix, but we establish this to exist the near fiddly and least intuitive, especially when comparing the fatigued instructions with the physical parts, and at least one Home Depot reviewer agreed. We besides didn't feel as confident about the durability. The concrete dome has a plastic bumper at its base of operations to protect the concrete when moving information technology, just the fabric felt inexpensive, detracting from the otherwise make clean pattern, and moved a petty as we maneuvered the base out of its packaging, making us feel less confident most its durability. This base also only tightens with a single spiral knob. It works just fine, simply it's a minor knob with crude plastic edges at the dorsum that made tightening the pole into identify more painful than with our tiptop and upgrade picks, especially for our tester, who had been experiencing some mild carpal tunnel. When we scuffed wet dirt onto the base and then dusted it off, it left a faint stain—not a dealbreaker past whatever means, but not the easiest to clean due to its rough concrete texture. The Fiberbuilt base of operations comes in four colors (biscuit, bronze, black, and white).
The sturdy California Umbrella 50-pound Round Weighted Umbrella Base works well enough. We've been long-term testing a wheeled version of this base (which we hash out below) for about a twelvemonth, and it's held up very well. In testing, nosotros liked its very uncomplicated assembly: But screw the cervix, with its pre-threaded plastic washer, onto the circular base. The slightly pock-marked, pulverization-coated steel end, meant to mimic bronze, is neutral enough for near tastes. That said, the threading alignment on the neck did not make for polish threading, leaving about a quarter-inch gap between the neck and the base of operations, no thing how many times we tried. The underside of the base reveals unsealed concrete that has been poured into the powder-coated steel casing, and it shed some pulverization and physical fries as we moved it effectually the patio. The touch on points, specially at the underside of the base where the concrete meets the steel beat, felt rough, which made u.s.a. handle the base gingerly when we moved it. Information technology was easy to insert the umbrella pole into the cervix. To tighten the umbrella in place, it has a single, generously sized screw knob. Simply the plastic had uneven, unsmooth edges from the molding process, and they felt abrupt under our fingers. At the fourth dimension of this writing, this is the cheapest base of operations we take tested recently, and information technology is widely available at stores like Home Depot. But it costs just a couple dollars less than our tiptop pick, which we felt had smoother details, less to suspension, and overall nicer handling.
We focused on 50- and 55-pound bases in this round of testing, but nosotros likewise tested the California Umbrella 75-pound Steel Patio Umbrella Base as a possible rolling option, since it has two wheels. Nosotros've been using this base of operations outside in Los Angeles for well-nigh a twelvemonth, and we accept seen no signs of wear. And it'due south done its job of keeping an umbrella secure, even through heavy winds. Simply if you're interested in maneuverability, in testing nosotros preferred the bases without wheels to this 1, since we were able to orient those circular bases onto their side and roll them to new locations. This base had notwithstanding notes as the 50-pound wheel-less version mentioned above. The wheels are small and curt, making the base of operations'due south exposed concrete underside likely to catch confronting an uneven hard surface. The wheels roll on only one centrality, then you yet take to leverage the base upward and turn it to change direction. If you call back you lot'll need to nudge your stand only a few inches in one plane of direction, you prefer not to have to lift your base, and you likewise desire the extra security that a heavier base of operations affords, this is a decent, lower-cost meaty option.
This article was edited by Daniela Gorny and Christine Ryan.
Sources
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Calvin Abe, mural architect, principal, AHBE, telephone interview , February 4, 2017
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Andy Balderson, landscape designer, phone interview , Feb v, 2017
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Russ Cletta, mural designer, phone interview , February viii, 2017
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Maggie Lobl, landscape designer, phone interview , February 8, 2017
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Naomi Sanders, landscape designer, email interview , February 5, 2017
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Veronica Hoodless, sales associate, Fishbecks, Pasadena, California, interview , February 17, 2017
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Jesse Mezger, manager, Patioworld, Pasadena, California, interview , February 17, 2017
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Jesse Bawsel, manager, Armstrong Garden Centers, Pasadena, California, interview , February 17, 2017
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Allen Gant III, coincidental market director, Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, telephone interview , April 13, 2017
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David Taylor, founder, Rolling Umbrellas, phone interview , May 17, 2017
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The Ultimate Patio Umbrella Buyers Guide – Absurd in the Breeze, Patio Productions , April 29, 2014
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Patio Umbrella Buying Guide (PDF), Patioworld.com
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Umbrella buying guide, PatioShoppers.com
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-patio-umbrella-and-stand/
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