Stay Cool With One of These Editor-Approved Cantilever Umbrellas

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Taking in the warm weather while basking on your outdoor sectional is great, but when the sun is beating down on you from above, you need some protection beyond sunscreen.

Cantilever umbrellas are ideal for lounge-style seating areas because they’re offset from their stands, and most feature an adjustable mount with various heights and degrees of tilt for all-day shade. The angled design can cover an outdoor table, which is particularly handy if your outdoor dining set doesn’t have a center hole for a traditional patio umbrella. Plus, most come in a wide range of sizes and shapes to suit your space.

Read on for our best cantilever umbrella recommendations below, followed by expert advice on what to consider before shopping.

The Best Cantilever Umbrellas

• Best Overall: Grand Patio Napoli Sunbrella Cantilever Umbrella

• Best Value: Sunnyglade Rectangular Cantilever Umbrella

• Best for Extra Coverage: Purple Leaf 13-Foot Cantilever Umbrella

• Best Rectangular Option: Purple Leaf Rectangular Cantilever Umbrella

• Best For Small Spaces: Purple Leaf 8-Foot Square Cantilever Umbrella

How We Selected

We considered the quality of each cantilever umbrella’s materials, including the durability and water-resistance of the canopy fabric, the strength and heft of the frame, and how much range the umbrella offers to block the sun. Our team also looked at ease of adjustment using the handle and hand crank. Another big point of comparison was whether the umbrella base was included or had to be purchased separately.

Our final selection represents the best cantilever umbrellas in each category, such as best overall and best value. We also made sure our lineup included a variety of shapes and sizes—round, square, rectangle, and others—plus options across multiple price points.

Napoli 12-Foot Round Sunbrella Cantilever Umbrella

This cantilever umbrella’s curved arm stands out visually among the competition and its wheeled base stands out for functionality. It’s especially handy if you have a large patio with multiple seating areas. Simply angle the umbrella back and roll it to wherever you want shade.

The Sunbrella fabric canopy is another highlight, and it’s available in a solid selection of 21 colors and patterns. The umbrella is supported by a rust-resistant powder-coated frame, plus there’s an auto-lock system that adjusts the position of the angle up to 90 degrees.

Rectangular Cantilever Umbrella

This well-priced cantilever umbrella has a fade-resistant polyester canopy that’s said to block 98 percent of UV rays. It also has a sturdy powder-coated aluminum frame that resists rust and corrosion, along with eight steel ribs for canopy strength and a top vent for stability. Its 360-degree rotation rounds off the list of value-packed features.

A small but useful extra is the zippered rib sleeves at each corner of the canopy. This allows for easy-on, easy-off use. If the material is stained or damage, you can easily remove it from the frame to clean or replace it.

In addition to the tan hue shown here, the cantilever umbrella comes in bright blue and vibrant red. The weighted base is sold separately, though that’s reflected in the price.

Rectangular Cantilever Umbrella

This cantilever umbrella’s rectangular design makes it ideal for covering a long dining table. It features 360-degree rotation plus a water-repellant, fade-resistant polyester canopy that blocks UV rays, with a UPF of 50.

Despite the large canopy size, this umbrella is impressively adjustable with six different heights and angles for covering your outdoor dining set when the sun is blazing overhead. There’s also a vented top to add stability and let heat escape, so go ahead and roast marshmallows for s’mores with your tabletop fire pit bowl.

Other highlights include a powder-coated aluminum frame treated with anti-oxidation coating and eight steel ribs. It comes in three other sizes and four additional color options, but the weighted base is sold separately.

13-Foot Round Cantilever Umbrella

If your backyard gets a lot of sun or if you want more coverage around a round dining table, your best bet is this cantilever umbrella with an extra-wide canopy. The umbrellas spans 13 feet and is made of durable polyester designed to repel water and prevent mildew, so set it up near a pool or pond without a worry.

The material is rated to resist UV rays and fading, with a three-year warranty to guarantee longevity.

Another highlight is that the canopy rotates 360 degrees around around the powder-coated pole shaft. The pole shaft is also notably thicker than other options from Purple Leaf for added strength and stability.

The base is sold separately, which may be a drawback for some, considering the price point.

8-Foot Square Cantilever Umbrella

For anyone with minimal outdoor space or a sunny backyard, this eight-foot-wide umbrella is a smart choice. The yarn-dyed polyester canopy is water-repellant and blocks UV rays, and there's a pedal at the base to rotate it 360 degrees.

This cantilever umbrella also features a powder-coated alloy steel frame with eight ribs for internal stability. There’s also a crank to raise and lower the canopy, along with a lever to tilt it, plus six angle positions to maximize coverage as the sun shifts throughout the day.

Choose from beige, navy blue, turquoise, and the chic gray that's shown, plus two options featuring solar LED lights. Keep in mind that the umbrella comes with a T-base, but the weighted base is sold separately.

10-Foot Cantilever Umbrella

This umbrella offers stylish sun coverage with a square design that sets it apart from the similar, circular options. The powder-coated aluminum frame is treated to prevent oxidation, making this a low-maintenance option designed for durability. The pole is also four inches in width, larger than other options with canopies of the same size.

It’s polyester canopy repels water, provides UV protection, and doesn’t fade— plus it swivels 360 degrees and tilts at multiple angles. We also appreciate the combination crank and slider handle that opens up the canopy and adjusts its height and angle.

Be sure to budget in extra for the base that’s shown because like most of our other picks, it’s sold separately.

11-Foot Cantilever Umbrella

This cantilever umbrella is another versatile option from Purple Leaf. For starters, it rotates 360 degrees and easily moves up and down, thanks to its well-constructed crank-lift and slider handle.

It also tilts in six positions to shield against UV rays from multiple angles. The canopy is made from a durable polyester fabric that guards against fading and is water-repellent. It’s supported by eight heavy-duty steel ribs and a silver powder-coated aluminum pole shaft. There’s also a large double-top canopy vent to help stabilize the umbrella in windy conditions and allow heat to escape.

Keep in mind that you’ll also need to cover the cost of a weighted base, which is sold separately.

10-Foot Solar LED Cantilever Umbrella

Built with 35 LED bulbs directly on the canopy ribs, this umbrella keeps you protected from the sun during the day and lights up the night.

The bulbs don’t require external power either. A solar panel collects power during the day, so your lights can run throughout the night without a plug or power source nearby.

In terms of other notable features, the umbrella offers 360-degree rotation, 60 degrees of tilt, and 17 different fabric colors to choose from.

At an affordable price, this cantilever umbrella’s duel function makes it well worth the cost even though it doesn’t come with a base weight.

Banyan Cantilever Umbrella

This cantilever umbrella has many of the same features as other options on this list, but at a heavily reduced price.

The iron frame has an anti-rust coating and the canopy’s tilt mechanism means you can stop at any tilt angle you want instead of one of a few designated positions.

The water-resistant umbrella canopy is backed a two year warranty against fading. It’s available in 13 different colors, but the base isn’t included

What to Consider When Buying a Cantilever Umbrella

Cantilever umbrellas may not take up much square footage on the ground, but they still occupy a fair amount of space, so picking the right size is paramount. Other important factors that may influence your decision include shape, canopy fabric, and features like degree of tilt and rotation.

Size and Shape

When determining the size of your cantilever umbrella, use this rule of thumb: The umbrella should be two feet wider than your dining table on all sides, with a few extra inches if you have deep chairs. The same generally holds true for coverage of seating areas with lounge chairs or other furniture.

While it may be tempting to buy an oversized cantilever umbrella for the extra shade, keep in mind that it may look awkward if it isn’t proportional with your furniture. Oversized umbrellas also require larger, wider bases or sometimes two bases in order to properly stand.

Cantilever umbrellas generally range from about six feet wide to around 13 feet wide. Round cantilever umbrellas are the most popular shape, like our best overall Grand Patio Napoli Cantilever Umbrella, but there are also plenty of square or rectangular options. Rectangular umbrellas are a great choice for covering long dining tables or wide portions of a backyard deck.

Materials

Most cantilever canopies are made of woven polyester, though high-performance fabric, like Sunbrella, is typically more durable over time. All of the umbrellas we recommend resist water to varying degrees, with many treated to block UV rays and prevent fading. The UV treatment also protects your skin from sunburns during long days in your yard.

While it won’t protect you from a heavy rain like a traditional umbrella, the material is sturdy and won’t degrade under years of harsh weather conditions.

The frames are usually powder-coated to safeguard against rust. Most of the frames are made of steel or aluminum. Both materials are strong enough to withstand heavy wind without bending or breaking.

Additional Features

Look for canopy rotation, tilt, and an easy-to-use opening and closing mechanism. The majority of cantilever umbrellas rotate from 90 to 360 degrees and tilt in five or more positions. Some have a slider that locks in at any tilt angle instead of designated positions.

The best cantilever umbrellas have an integrated handle to raise and lower the canopy and a separate crank to open and close it.

For nighttime use, some cantilever umbrellas come with integrated lights until the canopy. These are typically solar-powered and charge throughout the day.

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