Patio-Furniture

A patio umbrella is one of those things you do not think about until you are squinting at your lunch or rearranging your chair for the third time to stay in the shade. A good umbrella changes how you use your outdoor space. A bad one tips over in a breeze, fades after one season, or covers too small an area to be useful. We tested six patio umbrellas across the main styles. Market umbrellas are the standard center-pole design that goes through the middle of a table. Cantilever (offset) umbrellas have the pole to the side, shading an area without a table in the center. Half-umbrellas lean against a wall and shade a narrow strip. We rated them on coverage area, wind performance, fabric quality, ease of opening, and how much base weight you actually need to keep them upright. ...

Outdoor furniture is one of those purchases where price and quality do not always line up. A $300 set from a big box store can look decent in the showroom and feel miserable by July, with cushions that fade, frames that rust, and tabletops that crack. Meanwhile a $2,000 set from a dedicated outdoor brand should last a decade, but not everyone wants to spend that much on furniture that lives in the weather. ...