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Best UmbrellasUmbrellas have evolved from a simple rain shield to fancy patio and deck decorations, in a multitude of designs and colors. There are a few major types of umbrellas when you are shopping online - traditional rain umbrellas, patio or market umbrellas, offset umbrellas, and beach umbrellas. A market or patio umbrella is a traditional, large outdoor umbrella you use to shade a table and chair set or a portion of a patio or deck. They can either stand in an umbrella holder built into the table and anchored on the floor, or in a free standing umbrella stand, which is a heavy weight (usually wrought iron) anchor that can keep an umbrella upright in the wind. A beach umbrella usually comes with a sand screw or anchor to drive into the sand, and is designed to provide shade while at the beach, and is usually lightweight. Keep reading below and we will compare different umbrella sizes and what to look for when buying an umbrella.
Market UmbrellasIn public bistros and cafes, anywhere there is outdoor seating, you will find the ubiquitous market umbrellas. A key design is the vented top which allows wind to flow through and out the top of the umbrella instead of filling it like a parachute and carrying it away (how many wind storms have sent the old style patio umbrella off into the pool or over the fence into the neighbors yard?!). Check out PatioUmbrellas.com for a nice selection and price comparison site. They offer more than 300 different patio umbrella styles, with free shipping on most. Patio/market umbrellas come in either aluminum pole and frame or wooden pole and frame, and can range in size from 6-7 feet up to 11 feet or more. A standard table size is about 9 feet. Your choice of wood or aluminum comes down to preference - aluminum is lighter and stronger, while wooden umbrellas have a more natural look and outdoorsy feel to them. You can get a 9 foot aluminum umbrella for about $200, while a larger 11ft umbrella with auto-tilt runs $379. A nice 9 foot wooden market umbrella usually runs about $120-$200. Check out Backyardcity.com for a good selection of umbrellas at good prices.Offset UmbrellasOffset umbrellas are support from the side and above, instead of having a central pole like most market umbrellas. This allows the base unit to be placed to the side somewhere, while the offset umbrella hangs over the desired area, without taking up any floor space in the desired are. These umbrellas are usually larger as well, 9-12ft in diameter. A cheap offset umbrella at Target or Walmart might set you back $100-$150. The biggest problems with these umbrellas comes from simple laws of physics. You need a very heavy and solid base to support a suspended, pendulum-like umbrella that is hanging way off to the side. Also, since the umbrella is suspended from one side and partially from above, it has a strong tendency to tilt and flip to one side of the other, even in mild winds. In stronger winds, the support brace arms and twist and break and the entire unit can be toppled over. So when shopping, look for two things - a large, solid base (usually to be filled with sand or water) and strong, multiple support arms, not just a flimsy pivoting brace. You will probably find yourself looking at the more expensive models, which can range from $400 to up over $1000. Yardiac.com carries the beautiful Milano, with 8 rib construction, wind vent, moonlight, easy tilt feature, 11.5ft spread - yours for $1200! Their Hexagonal Capri Offset Umbrella at $966 is another nice one, 10.5ft spread, many colors to choose from, with wind vent and easy tilting handle. So consider your budget carefully and remember that flimsy units are not cheap if they have to be replaced every 12 or 18 months (we've done this, trust us).Beach UmbrellasFor a good selection of beach umbrellas, check out ShadeUSA.com, where a nice Sandblaster deluxe goes for just $20, or BeachChairs.com where chair and beach umbrellas can be had for $15-$55. Many beach umbrellas also have UV protection, and they are also generally are lightweight and compact so they are easy (well, relatively easy) to lug from the car to the beach. We liked the Sunset Beach Umbrella with a 6 foot spread, made from 300D polyester, priced at $39. Find a beach umbrella with a good anchor (some are shaped like a drill bit or screw) so that you can get it deep into the sand and not worry about it blowing away with the first big seabreeze.Rain Umbrellas - Golf UmbrellasFor fun and artistic rain umbrellas, visit UmbrellaStand.com. They offer a nice variety of designs, ranging from animal prints to wild life to garden themes to fine art. Want a Sistine Chapel umbrella? They got it , $50. How about Monet water lilies - $28 for 48" canopy umbrella. Ebags.com also has a nice selection of rain umbrellas. Compact rain umbrellas that fold up and can be carried in a purse or briefcase run about $15-$30. Larger golf umbrellas, like the nice Samsonite Windguard is $35, with a nice wind-resistant double canopy.
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