Garden Parasol Expert Buyers Guide (Top Rated Products)

We all love sunshine and welcome it with open arms, but what if you just want to lie back on your sun lounger and enjoy some nice shade during the hottest hours of the day?

No need to worry, we’ve got you covered – pardon the pun!

Today’s selection includes all types and styles of parasols, perfect for your garden or patio.

Take a look at our favourite picks and see which ones are perfect for your needs and budget, and would go well with your garden.

What I’ll Cover…

• Types of parasols
• Their advantages and disadvantages
• What type is most suitable for your garden
• Things to consider when buying parasols
• Recommended products

Considerations when buying parasols

We all know the struggles of finding the perfect type of parasol that will stand firm in different weather conditions and will fit everyone’s sunbathing habits perfectly.

Some of the most important things you need to consider when buying a parasol are:

• Budget
• Style – goes well with your garden
• Size
• Colour
• Extras, like UV protection, weather resistance, portability, guarantee, etc

Although your budget is quite an important factor you have to consider, you also don’t want to buy cheap products that will fall apart the next day.

If you buy a cheap parasol that will be blown away every time it’s windy, and won’t provide you the necessary protection you need, you’ll end up needing to buy a new one every few months, which will cost you more in the end.

Buy cheap, buy twice…

That’s why it’s important to consider all these factors before you decide which parasol is best for you, so let’s have a look at all the different types of parasols you can choose from and see what their advantages and disadvantages are.

Styles and Types of Parasols

Along with considering whether a parasol is weather-resistant, durable and fits your needs, you should also consider all the different types of parasols as well as the different styles, colours, shapes and sizes they come in.

It’s up to you to decide which ones would go best with your other garden furniture and your style, which makes this the easier part of choosing a parasol.

The harder part is choosing the right type of parasol, and weighing in its features, price, durability and all other aspects, before you make your final choice.

Here are some of the most common types of parasols that you can choose from:

Wall Mounted Parasols

No base is required for the wall-mounted parasol. It can be attached to any wall so you don’t need to worry about it falling over or getting carried away by the wind.

It’s the most secure and convenient type of parasol for your patio.

Wall-mounted parasols usually last a lifetime and are very resilient, which makes them perfect for all kinds of weather conditions.

They do not take up a lot of space, and can be tightly folded away next to the wall, when you’re not using them.

They are perfect for people who are looking for an easy and practical solution that will not take up a lot of their outdoor space. The parasols are perfect for social gatherings as they do not have a pole in the middle that will stand in the way of your conversations.

You can also cover larger spaces with them, and can easily rotate them, adjusting the shade whichever way you want.

Freestanding Parasols

The free standing parasols are designed for use on home patios and outdoor gardens. They are attached to a base, and can be moved from one spot to another.

Freestanding parasols can be used to provide shade for smaller and larger areas, depending on their size.

They aren’t as sturdy as the wall-mounted ones, so you may not want to leave them out in harsh weather conditions and strong winds.

They usually come with wooden, aluminium or fibreglass frames. The wooden ones are usually the most expensive, but they do have a bit more of a sophisticated look, whereas the fiberglass frames are the most durable. They can withstand harsher weather conditions, because they are more flexible, resistant and lightweight, without breaking.

Cantilever Parasols

The best thing about the cantilever is that its pole stands on the side of the parasol, which means that it doesn’t stand in the way, but still secures the parasol firmly in place.

Market Parasols

Market parasols usually have a vented top, and are typically used in residential or commercial purposes. They are mostly known for their wooden frame and octagonal shape.

Commercial Parasols

Commercial parasols come in a few standard designs and styles. They are typically used for outdoor events and restaurants.

Our Top Parasol Picks

The Garden Furniture Centre has a nice selection of parasols, including cantilever, commercial and wall-mounted parasols that would go perfectly with your outdoor furniture.

Here is their best wall-mounted parasol, which is very durable and easy to maintain. It is easy to use as well; you just screw it onto the wall and you won’t even know it’s there until you need to use it. It’s as simple as that.

Turino Wall Parasol

The Turino Wall Parasol is a robust and durable parasol with a powder coated aluminium frame that’s very flexible and rust-free.

The Turino comes with all the necessary fixings so that it can be attached firmly to any wall. It folds away neatly and doesn’t take up too much space, so you won’t even notice it’s there, and it won’t overcrowd your patio either.

A stylish looking piece that will do a great job and look stunning on most patio and outdoor spaces, too.

Dimensions:

• Canopy Size: 3m Diameter
• Wall to Parasol: 55cm
• Wall Mounted Upright: 57 x 2.1m
• Angled Pole: 52 x 38mm
• Steel Ribs x 8: 28 x 16mm/25 x 13mm

View Range

Before we move on to the free standing parasols, there’s one more wall-mounted parasol that’s worth checking out.

Primrose Manual Patio Awning

The Primrose Manual Patio Awning is a great model that comes at a pretty good price.

It comes in 8 different colors and works great with almost any outdoor space. The awning is operated manually and can be opened as much (up to 2.5 m) or as little as you want. You can also alter its slope 35 degrees from the horizontal position and get a steeper tilt, thanks to its specifically designed elliptical arms.

The awning is very easy to install and maintain, and will last you a lifetime.

The fabric of the awning is rot-proof, water-proof and can be easily cleaned with a sponge and a cloth.

It also has UV protection, so no more than 2% of the damaging UV rays can pass through.

Dimensions:

• Max projection from wall: 2,5m
• Width: 2,5m
• Aluminium roller: 68mm diameter
• Steel torsion bar: 35mm x 35mm

View on Amazon

Now that we covered some of the best wall-mounted parasols on the market that are both affordable and user-friendly, it’s time to take a look at some free standing models.

Jarder Parasol Set

The Jarder Parasol Set includes a 3m cantilever garden parasol with a base & cover. It comes in 4 different colors, including black, beige, blue and green.

The pole stands on the side of the parasol, which allows you to position the shade wherever you need it, without having the poll stand in your way.

The height is adjustable and it also has a handy tilt feature which makes it easier for you to adjust it to your desires.

It can cover up to 3 metres to provide you with the shade you desire.

It’s easy to set up and doesn’t require any tools.

Dimensions:

Height: 2.5m (up to 3.5m when tilted)

View on Amazon

Let’s have a look at a more affordable outdoor patio parasol, that’s perfect for those of you who are on a budget.

Garden Parasol by Nova

The Garden Parasol by Nova is a highly versatile free standing parasol, that’s safe and easy to use.

It’s perfect for your outdoor dining area, or your pool area, and comes in 6 different colours: beige, green, blue, black, brown and grey.

It’s really easy to set up, adjust and maintain.

The parasol is round and provides 3m shade and sun protection.

It comes with a flexible and durable aluminium frame and a polyester canopy.

Dimensions:

• Canopy: 3m Diameter
• Pole: 38mm

Here are the highlights…

View on Amazon

Let’s hear from people who already bought and used these products and see how satisfied they were with their purchases.

What are People Saying…?

What people seem to like the most about this particular selection of parasols is that they are all easy to put up, store and look fantastic with the rest of their garden or patio furniture.

They are also impressed with the price of the products and their overall quality.

The parasols do not take up a lot of space and can be neatly stored when you’re not using them.

They also like the fact that they come with UV protection and are very safe and easy to use.

Here’s what one very satisfied customer had to say about the Turino Wall Parasol:

Great size parasol, very sturdy and good quality. A unique product at this price, easy to install and use. And no more fiddly parasol in the middle of the table! – Gill

And here’s a piece of advice that a customer shared about the Primrose Manual Patio Awning:

Great purchase. Fits perfectly in our garden. We put it up at the recommended height of 2,5m but as we have a south facing garden it had to be lowered by 0,5m so that we could get shade. Ensure that the correct shade area is checked before putting it up. – Jan Emsden

What’s the Downside…?

One possible downside that some of the customers mentioned is the fact that the wall-mounted parasols on our list do require some time to be set up properly, as well as the proper tools, but aren’t really complicated and don’t require any previous knowledge.

For these reasons, it would be advisable to get a professional to do the job unless you are very confident that you can do it yourself.

Although this is an added expense, in the grand scheme of things it seems like quite a small amount if the parasol lasts for many years and you can rest assured knowing that the job has been done correctly.

The bottom line…

We are all looking for the perfect shade to hide under on hot summer days, and these 4 models can give you just that.

They come in a range of colours so they’ll go perfectly with the rest of your outdoor furniture and will provide you with a nice and cool spot to snooze on your lounger or have lunch with your friends and family.