The Purple Leaf is an 11-foot offset umbrella with a double canopy, 360-degree rotation and an aluminum frame. Forbes Vetted, whose panel testers used 11 umbrellas in their own outdoor spaces, gave it 4.3 out of 5 and named it the best cantilever patio umbrella, saying the double canopy proved useful for stability on an umbrella this large. The base is sold separately and, once filled, makes the umbrella very hard to move.
Full review
How Forbes Vetted tested it
Forbes Vetted enlisted 10 panel testers to install and use popular umbrellas in their own outdoor spaces. It tested 11 models and named nine winners after two weeks of scoring for ease of assembly, quality of materials, wind resistance, adjustability, shade, ease of cleaning and overall value.
The Purple Leaf 11-Foot Cantilever Umbrella was the winner among offset designs, with a Forbes Vetted rating of 4.3 out of 5.
Shade without a pole in the middle
Forbes points out that the pole stands off to the side, so the shade is unobscured and the umbrella can sit over a row of chaise lounges or an outdoor sofa instead of only over a table. It has a double canopy for wind resistance and stability, which Forbes says proved useful for an umbrella this large in its tests.
Rotation and adjustment
According to Forbes, the umbrella rotates 360 degrees and offers six height and angle combinations, one of the best ranges among the umbrellas it tested. Its tester described a handle that is squeezed to set the height, a crank that opens the canopy, and a second crank that turns the whole umbrella to follow the sun.
Forbes calls the aluminum frame attractive and sturdy, and notes the umbrella also comes in 10-, 12- and 13-foot sizes.
The base makes it hard to move
The base is sold separately. Forbes's tester reports that the instructions recommend filling it with 70% sand and 30% water, which brings the total weight to about 220 pounds. Once filled, she found the umbrella very hard to move, and advises choosing the spot first.
Forbes sums it up as ideal for spacious outdoor entertainment areas and better suited to breezy climates.
Strengths
- +Offset pole leaves the shaded area unobstructed, per Forbes Vetted
- +Rotates 360 degrees with six height and angle combinations, which Forbes calls one of the best ranges it tested
- +Double canopy helped wind resistance and stability in Forbes's tests
- +Forbes's tester found the handle and two cranks easy to use
Watch-outs
- −Heavy and difficult to move around, per Forbes Vetted
- −Base is sold separately; filled as instructed it weighs about 220 pounds, Forbes's tester reports
- −Needs a permanent spot: Forbes's tester says it is very hard to move once the base is filled
How it compares
The Purple Leaf 11-Foot Cantilever Umbrella is the only cantilever umbrella on this page: its pole stands to the side, where the Blissun 9-Foot Patio Umbrella, the Best Choice Products 10-Foot Umbrella With Solar Lights and The Company Store 8' x 10' Rectangular Outdoor Patio Umbrella are center-pole designs. At 11 feet it is also the widest round canopy here, ahead of the 10-foot Best Choice Products and 9-foot Blissun. Like the other three, Forbes lists it without a base.
Rating sources
Our 4.1 score is the average of these published ratings, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores. More about methodology.
