The best parasols, compared.
Top pick: Mansader 2.2 m pagoda parasol Best value: VOUNOT 200 x 125 cm parasol – About £33.36 for a 200 cm by 125 cm canopy, 4.3 from 2,706 reviews. The base is separate, and reviews report a bent rib in a breeze. Updated 22.10.2026.
A garden parasol is a complete outdoor shade umbrella: a cloth canopy, ribs, and either a centre pole or a side arm. In the UK you buy one to shade a dining table, a balcony, or loungers. A centre pole belongs in a table hole. A cantilever stands beside seating so the space under the cloth stays clear, and the arm is a lever, so the base has to be heavier. A rectangle around 200 cm by 125 cm suits a narrow balcony. A round canopy near 2.7 m is a circle of that width once it tilts. Many listings omit the pole diameter. A pictured foot is not a foot in the box. Polyester is the usual cloth. A UPF 50+ line is the seller's claim, and BS EN 13758-1 tests clothing, not umbrellas. NHS advice is shade from 11am to 3pm when the UV index is 3 or higher. No stated wind speed means there is no wind rating. Type and box contents are in the [parasol buying guide](/hub/sun-shades/parasols/sub/parasols-buying-guide).
A garden parasol is a complete outdoor shade umbrella: a cloth canopy, ribs, and either a centre pole or a side arm. In the UK you buy one to shade a dining table, a balcony, or loungers.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will the canopy stand?
The Mansader 2.2 m pagoda parasol lists curved ribs, a carry bag, and a weight of 5.2 kg at about £34.99. The title says UPF 50+, and the listing does not name a test method for that figure. The star line is 5.0 from 11 amazon.co.uk reviews, a thin sample beside the VOUNOT rows that run into the thousands. One UK reviewer had not fitted the canopy because a base had not arrived. The listing does not say a base is included, and it does not state how the canopy opens or whether it tilts. Reviews do mention the carry bag for storage, which helps if you put a small centre-pole parasol away between weekends.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small table if you want the pagoda shape and will confirm a base before you rely on it.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants a large review sample, a stated crank, or a cantilever.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Mansader 2.2 m parasol include a base?
The listing does not say. One UK reviewer had not fitted it because a base had not arrived.
What UV figure is on the listing?
The title says UPF 50+. The listing does not name a test method. BS EN 13758-1 tests clothing and excludes umbrellas, so treat the figure as the seller's claim.
Is there a carry bag?
Yes. The title includes a carry bag, and reviews mention it for storage.
The Harrier 3 m is the titled cantilever in this comparison: an overhanging steel frame at a listed weight of 14 kg and a price of about £69.99. The star line is 4.8 from 25 amazon.co.uk reviews, so the average looks high while the sample stays small. One UK review says the canopy adjusts and swivels, and the specification block does not name that control. The title says UV-resistant and does not give a UPF number. Base and cover are not stated, and the listing questions about rain and a cover have no answer on the page. You only get clear space under the 3 m cloth if you add a base the page never specifies.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Loungers or a sofa with no parasol hole, once you have confirmed the base.
Less suitable: A table that already has a hole, or anyone who needs a large review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Harrier 3 m an overhanging parasol?
The title says cantilever and overhanging, with a steel frame. Listed weight is 14 kg. Canopy size in the title is 3 m.
Does it include a base or a cover?
The listing does not say. The page asks about rain and a cover, and those questions have no answer in the stored text.
Does it swivel?
One UK review says it adjusts and swivels. The specification block does not name the control.
Across 2,111 amazon.co.uk reviews, the VOUNOT 2.7 m centre-pole parasol is the canopy people wind up with a crank over a table that has a hole. The title size is 2.7 m, and one review puts the tilt lock at about 45 degrees, though that angle is not in a specification table. One review also says the pole does not change height. Several UK reviews say a storage bag or zip cover was in the box. The base was not: reviewers who used about 10 kg to 20 kg freestanding, especially with the tilt on, said the canopy toppled. At about £39.46 it is the top pick in this set for a dining table, once you price a separate base, and it is the wrong shape for a narrow balcony.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A dining table with a parasol hole, if you will buy the base separately.
Less suitable: A narrow balcony, or anyone who expects the foot in the photograph to be in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the VOUNOT 2.7 m parasol include a base?
Several UK reviews say no. Reviewers who used about 10 kg to 20 kg freestanding, especially with the tilt on, said the canopy toppled.
Does this VOUNOT parasol tilt?
The title says tilting, and reviews describe a crank plus a tilt lock. One review puts the lock at about 45 degrees. That angle is not in a specification table.
Is a cover included?
Several UK reviews say a storage bag or zip cover was in the box. There is no specification row for the cover.
The Harrier 2.7 m is listed at about £37.99 with a crank and a tilt, and the size line reads 270 cm by 270 cm by 240 cm high. It scores 4.4 from 85 amazon.co.uk reviews. The title marks the cover and the weights as optional, and one review says the pole has no flat foot, so a base is required. Another review describes thin cloth and only one tilt angle, about 30 degrees, which is not in a specification table. The title calls it a garden parasol, while the manufacturer reference says an overhanging cantilever, so the listing does not settle which variation arrives. One review mentions a thick steel post. Confirm the photos of the variation before you order a base to match it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who has checked which variation the photos show and will buy weights separately.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a confirmed cantilever, or a confirmed centre pole through a table.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Harrier 2.7 m include a base?
The title says optional weights. One UK review says the pole has no flat foot and a base is required. The listing question about a base has no answer.
How far does the tilt go?
The title says tilt. One review says there is only one angle, about 30 degrees. That angle is not in a specification table.
Is it a cantilever or a centre-pole parasol?
The title says a garden parasol with a crank. The manufacturer reference says an overhanging cantilever. The listing does not say which variation this is.
The rectangular VOUNOT shades 200 cm by 125 cm from a 2.35 m pole and weighs 2 kg, listed at about £33.36. It has the largest review count here, 4.3 from 2,706 amazon.co.uk ratings. The listing includes a cover, manual tilt, height adjustment, and four ribs, and it does not include a base. One review says the tilt went the wrong way. Others describe a lock that does not hold and a rib that bent in a breeze, after which one unit would not close fully. UV 50+ is the title claim, not a named test. It is the best value in this set for a narrow balcony or a small table, if the spot is sheltered and you buy the foot separately.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A narrow balcony or a small table, if the spot is sheltered.
Less suitable: An open, windy patio, or a six-seat table that needs a 2.7 m circle.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this rectangular VOUNOT include a base?
The included-components line lists a cover, not a base. One UK review says the base was bought separately.
Can you tilt it and change the height?
The listing says manual tilt, and the bullets say the height can be adjusted. One review says the tilt went the wrong way.
What size is the canopy?
The listing says 200 cm by 125 cm, with a pole length of 2.35 m and a listed weight of 2 kg.
Scores use the five amazon.co.uk parasol listings stored on 21 October 2026. This is not a wind test and not a laboratory ranking. The stored score is round(stars ÷ 5 × 70), plus a sample term: 0 under 30 reviews, 8 from 30 to 199, 15 from 200 to 999, and 20 from 1,000 reviews, capped at 100. Price, cloth and review wording add nothing to that number. A 5.0 from 11 reviews therefore sits below a 4.5 from 2,111 reviews, because the sample term is zero under 30 reviews. The weights below scale that 70-plus-20 budget to 100. The top pick is the highest score. Best value is a separate award for the lower-priced rectangle with the largest review count, not a third term in the formula.
Amazon stars
78%The star line on that amazon.co.uk listing, scaled as rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 70 in the stored score. This is not a wind test.
Review sample
22%Points from the review count only: 0 under 30, 8 from 30 to 199, 15 from 200 to 999, and 20 from 1,000 reviews. A small sample does not outrank a large one on stars alone.
You are choosing a garden parasol for a table, a balcony, or loungers. The five amazon.co.uk listings stored on 21 October 2026 run from about £33.36 to about £69.99. Judge type, cloth and what is in the box, not stars alone. A centre pole needs a hole. A cantilever needs a heavier base because the arm is a lever. A rectangle near 200 cm by 125 cm suits a narrow balcony. The top pick is the 2.7 m centre pole when the table has a hole and you will buy the base.
A garden parasol is a complete outdoor shade umbrella: canopy, ribs, and a centre pole or a side arm. Buyers shade a table, a balcony, or loungers, and often pay for the cloth while the base and the cover in the photograph are another variation. Centre-pole parasols are the crowded shelf and the tool for a parasol hole. Cantilever parasols, also sold as banana or overhanging, stand beside sofas and loungers so the space under the cloth stays clear.
A pictured foot is not a foot. In this set the bases are missing, optional, or unstated. Several UK reviews of the 2.7 m centre pole say about 10 kg to 20 kg freestanding was not enough once the canopy was tilted.
UPF 50+ and UV 50+ on a title are the seller's claim. BS EN 13758-1 tests clothing and excludes umbrellas. Shade does not replace sunscreen, and it does not stop sunburn on its own.
The side arm is a lever, so the base is heavier than a centre-pole foot. Do not force a stuck crank, and do not leave a tilted canopy up on a light base. Close it when the wind rises.
Type comes first. A centre pole is for a table hole. A cantilever is for sofas and loungers, because the space under the cloth stays clear, and the arm means a heavier base. A rectangle around 200 cm by 125 cm suits a narrow balcony. A pagoda with curved ribs is still a centre-pole umbrella. Then match canopy to table, and pole to hole or collar. Many listings omit the diameter. A 2.7 m round is a circle of that width once it tilts. Base, sleeve and weights are often optional or absent.
Crank, a bendable pole, push-button tilt and rope-and-cleat are different mechanisms. Tilt angles on these pages come from single reviews, about 45 degrees on one centre pole and about 30 degrees on one Harrier, and they are not in a specification table. Polyester is usual. Do not copy a fabric weight that appears only in a review. No stated wind speed means no wind rating, so close the canopy in gusts. A UPF line is the seller's claim, not BS EN 13758-1.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a 2 m to 3 m centre pole through a dining table, and you still need a base. The VOUNOT 2.7 m garden parasol is the top pick at about £39.46, with 4.5 from 2,111 reviews, a crank and a tilt. Several reviews say a cover was in the box. The base was not.
Look at a light rectangle before a 2.7 m circle. The VOUNOT 200 cm by 125 cm parasol is best value at about £33.36, with 4.3 from 2,706 reviews, a cover, manual tilt and height adjustment. It weighs 2 kg. The base is separate, and reviews describe a bent rib in a breeze.
You want clear space under the cloth, so the mast stands to the side. The Harrier 3 m cantilever is about £69.99, with 4.8 from 25 reviews and a listed weight of 14 kg. The base is not stated. Treat that base as the main cost, and confirm it before you open the canopy.
The top pick is the VOUNOT 2.7 m garden parasol at about £39.46. It scores 83, the highest here: a 2.7 m centre pole with a crank and tilt, 4.5 from 2,111 amazon.co.uk reviews, and several reviews that found a cover in the box. The base is not included. Reviewers who used about 10 kg to 20 kg freestanding, especially with the tilt on, said the canopy toppled. Best value is the VOUNOT 200 cm by 125 cm parasol at about £33.36. It has the largest review count, 4.3 from 2,706, a listed cover, manual tilt and height adjustment. Reviews describe a bent rib in a breeze and a lock that does not hold. The Harrier 3 m cantilever scores 67 from 25 reviews and has no badge: the base and the cover are not stated.
VOUNOT 200 x 125 cm parasol
About £33.36 for a 200 cm by 125 cm canopy, 4.3 from 2,706 reviews. The base is separate, and reviews report a bent rib in a breeze.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 21 October 2026. Updated 22.10.2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
