Outdoor umbrellas New Zealand – Top brands reviewed 2024 (Costs, pros, cons, and more)

If you’re on the hunt for an outdoor umbrella, you’ve probably realised there are many on the market that look great, come in a range of colours, designs, features, accessories and of course, provide shade. You may also know that the price, quality and longevity of outdoor umbrellas can vary greatly, depending on where you shop.

Then there’s the type of umbrella to buy – cantilevered, wall mounted, centre pole umbrella or something else?

To help with your decision-making, we’ve reviewed (in no particular order) the top outdoor umbrella brands for sale in New Zealand.

In this review, we’ve considered a number of factors including materials, design, durability, protection and their retailers. We have also included background information on each company.

In this article, we’ve used brand names not affiliated with Spa World™ or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd, the parent company of Spa World™. You can see the list of the brand owners at the bottom of this article. All information, including product details, was accurate at the time of writing (March 1, 2021) and may change without notice.

Shade 7^® Umbrellas Review

Shade 7^® manufacturers and distributes outdoor umbrella and shade products in New Zealand and Australia, according to its website. These include wall mounted, cantilever and large semi-permanent wind-rated outdoor umbrellas.

They supply products to more than 35 countries worldwide and have more than 20 years industry experience. Shade 7^® umbrellas are assembled in their factory in China.

An interesting feature of the Shade 7^® Stella LED Cantilever Umbrella which has LED lights built into the arms of the canopy. This makes it stylish and very useful at night.

Shade7^® umbrellas can cost between $690 to more than $5,200. If you are purchasing accessories or upgrades, you’ll need to factor these extra costs in. For example, with the Shade 7 Riviera you can upgrade to a stainless steel spigot for $300, canopy stabiliser upgrade for $95 and protective cover bag for $245.

Pros

• Wind resistance. According to their website, some umbrellas can resist winds up to 100kph
• Competitive warranties. This includes a 10 year residential warranty for Recasens^® Acrylic Canvas and 5 year residential warranty for the frames and components on some Shade7^® models
• Marine grade canopies. Some (but not all) models have marine-grade canopies by Recasens^® and all have a UV protection rating up to UPF 80.

Cons

• Expensive. The prices of their entry level umbrellas could be prohibitive to some buyers.
• Accessories. Quite expensive compared with other brands we mention.

Mimosa^® umbrellas review

Mimosa^® supplies a range of outdoor products including cantilever and centre pole umbrellas to Bunnings Warehouse^®. They are made outside of New Zealand and range in price from $129 to $699.

While the umbrella prices may be a bit easier on the pocket, some Mimosa^® components may not provide the same durability and longevity as other umbrellas on the market. For example, some Mimosa^® umbrellas use powder coated aluminum frames and polyester canopies. We always recommend anodised aluminium and marine grade canopies for durability.

Pros

• Price range. Accessible prices for entry level umbrellas
• Good sun protection. UPF50+ rating.
• Accessories. The higher-end Mimosa^® model 3.5m Andaman Cantilever umbrella includes a base and weather cover.
• Warranty. Maximum 3 years (according to Mimosa^® website), similar to warranties of other umbrella brands with products of comparable size and price.

Cons

• Durability of materials. Materials used for frame and canopy on top of the range Mimosa^® products may not provide the same durability as materials used on higher cost products of other brands.
• Not resistant to wet weather. The top of the range Andaman Cantilever umbrella is not rain proof, according to the Mimosa^® website.

Nouveau^® umbrellas review

Nouveau^® umbrellas are widely available through Mitre 10^® – an established New Zealand retailer with stores throughout New Zealand.

Nouveau^® umbrellas are made in China and the design options include cantilever, centre pole market umbrellas as well as half umbrellas. They suit different budgets, ranging in price from $49 to $1,299.

Pros

• Broad range. Umbrellas to suit different outdoor settings.
• Umbrella sun protection. Rated by the company as UV50+.
• Price range. To suit all budgets from $49 to $1,299.

Cons

• Varying materials. Most of their cheaper models have powder coated aluminium poles and polyester fabric. You’ll need to buy their higher end range if you want more durable materials like anodised aluminium.
• Top of the range still lightweight. The net weight for the Nouveau 3.5m anodised cantilever umbrella is nearly 24kg. In comparison, the similar in size Shadowspec™ Serenity weighs 40kg.

Shadowspec™ Umbrellas Review

Shadowspec™ is a family-owned umbrella business with 25 years’ industry experience.

The company is based in Whangarei and designs, manufactures and sells a range of cantilever, centre pole and wall mounted umbrellas. They also have their own in-house engineer who designed the Shadowspec Serenity™ and Shadowspec Unity™ umbrellas. Their umbrellas cater for a variety of uses including commercial, hospitality, home and outdoor environments.

Shadowspec™ uses marine grade materials for all parts including the umbrella frame, canopy, solid-mould aluminium and stainless steel spigot. Its patented Shadowglide™ and lift system also makes the opening and closing of the umbrella fast and simple.

All Shadowspec™ umbrellas are made in China, except for the Shadowspec™ Serenity and Shadowspec™ Unity which are made in New Zealand.

Shadowspec™ outdoor umbrellas are priced at the higher end of the market with prices ranging from $564 to $3,900.

You can buy Shadowspec™ umbrellas from 4 Seasons^®. Spa World™ also sells several Shadowspec™ outdoor and cantilever umbrellas.

Pros

• Solution dyed fabric. Fabrics made by brands such as Sunbrella^® prevent fading, lasting rich colour, new colours released each season, canopies can be custom made. Think of 100% solution dyed fabric like a beetroot which is coloured right through, compared to a radish which is colourless inside.
• Good sun protection. 50+ UPF shade rating on all umbrellas
• Competitive warranties. The premium ranges have 10 year warranties on fabric and 6 years on frame.
• Special features. Shadowspec’s upper range of umbrellas come with four patent-pending features – ShadowLift™ (to make the lifting of the umbrella easier), ShadowGlide™ (enables you to open or close umbrella in 3 seconds) ShadowLock™ (provides wind protection and the ability to rotate umbrella 360 degrees) and ShadowHub (built in LED lights into central hub)
• Durable materials. Made to last. These include stainless steel and 100% marine grade components and materials.

Cons

• Expensive. Compared with entry level to mid-market umbrellas. However the price does reflect the quality of the product.
• Varying warranties. While the premium ranges have a 6 year frame warranty and 10 year fabric warranty, some of the lower priced Shadowspec umbrellas have lower warranties. For example the SU2 umbrella has a 2 year fabric warranty and 4 year frame warranty. However, the varying warranties do reflect the quality of materials used for each umbrella model.
• Protective cover. Not included as standard with premium Serenity™ or Unity™ models, will need to be purchased separately.
• Canopy strap not attached to the umbrella so it will need to be stored separately.

Peros^® Umbrellas Review

Peros^® umbrellas have been used by New Zealanders for more than 60 years. Peros^® is a wholesaler and they have a range of umbrellas that offer different shade solutions including rain, patio, outdoor as well as for the beach. One of its distributors is Harvey Norman^®.

The quality of components and materials depends on how much you spend on a Peros^® umbrella. For example, an outdoor umbrella priced at $129 at Harvey Norman^® has a steel powder coated frame and a polyester canopy. While the $2399 Manhattan Square Cantilever Umbrella has a polished aluminium frame with an Olefin^® acrylic canopy.

According to Peros^®, many outdoor Peros^® umbrellas are made in China and others have components such as acrylic fabric which is brought over from Austria and made in New Zealand.

Pros

• Priced to suit a range of budgets from $129 to $2399.
• A well established brand. Peros^® have been around for more than 60 years and distributed through Harvey Norman – a trusted, well known retailer.
• A broad range of umbrellas. These include rain umbrellas, beach umbrellas, golf umbrellas, outdoor umbrellas and as their website states, they come in a variety of colours, sizes and designs.

Cons

• Quality of materials. Many frames have a powder coating that are not considered as durable as anodised aluminium frames.
• Fabric and frame warranty varies for each product. The maximum is 2 years. This is a shorter warranty in comparison to other brands mentioned in this article.

In Summary

These days, shade is one of the most important components of any backyard. It is worth investing in a quality product that is built to last and will protect you and your family from the harsh sun.

With so many options out there it can be hard deciding which umbrella is best to buy, how much to spend and what features to look out for.

Here are the key features we think any quality umbrella should have:

• anodised aluminium framing
• marine grade canopy material
• solution dyed fabric to prevent discolouration
• UV protection
• level of wind resistance
• a good warranty
• easy to use

The brands mentioned above all vary in quality and price. Whichever option you choose, the most important thing is that you will use and enjoy it.

If affordability is a priority over durability and longevity, then a Nouveau^® or Mimosa^® umbrella could be the right choice for you.

For a mid-range range outdoor umbrella you could consider Peros^®.

If you are prepared to pay a little more for a durable, heavy duty umbrella that can withstand harsh weather and provide maximum sun protection, we would recommend Shadowspec™ and Shade 7^®.

Now that you know more about the top umbrella brands for sale in New Zealand, we hope you have a better idea of which option will suit you best.

For expert advice and ideas on shade solutions contact us or visit your nearest Spa World™ showroom.

Disclaimer: In this article, we’ve used brand names not affiliated with Spa World™ or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd, the parent company of Spa World™. All information, including pricing and product details, was accurate at the time of writing (March 4, 2021) and may change without notice. The following registered trademarks are owned by companies not affiliated in any way with Spa World™ or Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd:

4 Seasons^® trademark is owned by Retail Links Limited Bunnings Warehouse^® and Mimosa^® trademark is owned by Bunnings Group Limited BurgerFuel^® trademark is owned by Burger Fuel International Limited Coca-Cola^® trademark is owned by The Coca-Cola Company Corporation Hard Rock Cafe^® trademark is owned by Hard Rock Cafe International (USA) Inc Harvey Norman^® trademark is owned by Harvey Norman Retailing Pty Limited Mitre 10^® trademark is owned by Mitre10 Pty Ltd. Nouveau^® trademark is owned by M10 IP Holding Company Limited Olefin^® Recasens^® trademark is owned by S.A. Recasens Sociedad Anonima Spain Shadowspec™ and Shadowglide™ trademark is owned by Unicrest Group Limited Shade7^® trademark is owned by Shade7 Ltd. Sunbrella^® trademark is owned by Glen Raven, Inc Peros^® Trustpilot^® trademark is owned by Trustpilot A/S

Affiliations: Vortex^® Spas, Fisher™ Spas and Spa World^® are trademarks owned by Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd. Spa World™ is a trademark owned by Vortex Leisure Pty Ltd. The Shadowspec brand is owned by Unicrest Group Limited and licensed for use to Spa World™ in Australia and New Zealand.