Patio umbrella poles are usually a good deal smaller than the opening supplied in a patio table. This difference means that it is easy to insert the umbrella into the table, but it also means that there is often a large gap between the shaft and the table. This opening can cause the umbrella to lean awkwardly, to rub against the table edge, to make annoying noises, and can scratch the finish off of the umbrella pole. The easiest fix for this is the patio umbrella cone!
These clever little devices fit around your patio umbrella shaft and create a solid, snug connection between the patio table and the umbrella.
This article looks closely at the patio umbrella cone and reviews a few different brands of these clever little devices.
The Patio Umbrella Cone
The patio umbrella cone, also known as a patio umbrella wedge or patio umbrella stabilizer, is a cone-shaped piece of rubber that is designed to slip over the shaft of a patio umbrella, and sit in between the umbrella and a table. The wedge seals the gap that is commonly present in this configuration.
These units prevent the umbrella from leaning or moving, but they generally do not stop an umbrella from spinning.
Benefits of the Patio Umbrella Wedge
- Prevents umbrella from swaying
- Prevents scratching, denting, and damage to the umbrella pole
- Keeps the umbrella shaft straight
- Ensures the umbrella is centered in the hole
- Eliminates vibrations and rattles
- Prevents other items from falling into the gap
Who Needs a Patio Umbrella Stabilizer?
If you use a patio umbrella or market umbrella, and it is inserted through a piece of patio furniture, you are a good candidate for an umbrella wedge.
As shown here, commonly the hole through a table is simply too large for a patio umbrella shaft, and the end result is an awkward look, with a tilting umbrella shaft that looks a little wonky.
The simple addition of a patio umbrella wedge solves the issue of a leaning umbrella and looks nice and clean.
Patio Table Rings
Often patio tables come with plastic rings that fit around the hole opening. These tend to be of poor quality, and after a few years of being left out in the sun, being beaten by an umbrella shaft, etc., they have a tendency to crack and become useless.
The patio umbrella cone is an ideal replacement for these rings, and typically a new replacement ring is not needed in conjunction with a patio umbrella cone.
Setup
Be sure to put the wedge on the umbrella, and then insert both into the table and adjust to get the proper height. If you try to put the wedge in the table first and then insert the umbrella shaft through, you’ll find it is very difficult to get the shaft through the wedge.
Patio Umbrella Bases
Some users may wonder whether the patio umbrella cone will allow them to get away with not using an umbrella base. While the patio umbrella cone will provide a small amount of resistance to lofting of an umbrella in a wind gust, it is in no way a substitute for a high-quality patio umbrella base.
We strongly suggest using a properly-sized base and using a patio umbrella cone in conjunction with the base to provide maximum stability to your patio umbrella. See our patio umbrella base guide for more information.
Patio Umbrella Wedge Product Reviews
There are a few different brands that make patio umbrella stabilizers, and most are pretty similar, but we will touch on the major features of each.
Daystar Patio Umbrella Wedge
The Daystar Patio Umbrella Wedge is a high-quality polyurethane stopper that helps support your patio umbrella and keep it stable. The rubber is flexible and does a good job gripping the table and keeping a snug connection.
This wedge is available in two colors: black and a dark brown. The dark brown matches pretty well to the antique bronze color so commonly seen on patio umbrella shafts.
These tend to match the color of the umbrella shaft, as opposed to the color of the table. They cannot realistically be painted.
Specs:
- Max Umbrella Shaft Size: 1.5″
- Max Table Hole Diameter: 2.5″
- Min Table Hole Diameter: 1.7″
- Works on glass or metal table tops
The Bottom Line
These Daystar umbrella wedges work well and are not terribly expensive.
Some have found that it can be difficult to extract the umbrella from the table if the wedge has been in place for a while. If this happens, you can use some WD-40 and a little elbow grease to get the shaft out of the table.
As an added advantage, they are available on Amazon Prime.
- The Umbrella Wedge works with any table and umbrella combination
- The Tapered Design keeps the Umbrella properly seated and eliminates any...
- The Umbrella Wedge keeps the umbrella properly centered over the table
- The Umbrella Wedge installs in seconds and is easily removed for storage
- Polyurethane construction will last forever
Last update on 2024-10-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Mad Hatter Cone for Patio Umbrella
The Mad Hatter Patio Umbrella Cone is very similar to the Daystar Patio Umbrella wedge. It also comes in two color options, black and dark brown.
Note that some photos seem to show a lighter brown. The brown version is, in fact, an antique bronze color.
The material on these is solid but flexible, and they are designed to grip the umbrella and hold it tightly.
Specs:
- Max Umbrella Shaft Size: 1.5″
- Max Table Hole Diameter: 2.5″
- Min Table Hole Diameter: 1.7″
- Works on glass or metal table tops
The Bottom Line
These work essentially as well as the Daystar Patio Umbrella Wedge above.
Keep an eye on price, and if one is cheaper than the other, that’s what we would recommend; there really isn’t any quality difference between the units in terms of quality, and the sizes they accept are pretty similar.
These, too, are available on Amazon Prime.
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MYARD Patio Umbrella Wedge
The MYARD line of Patio Umbrella Cones offers the largest number of options of any of the patio umbrella cone manufacturers on the market. These are made of heavy-duty, durable rubber, and work great!
With three color options (black, dark brown, and medium brown) and two size options, these allow users to get things configured very nicely, and to their exact specs.
Specs:
- Umbrella Shaft Size Options: 1.5″ and 1 3/8″
- Max Table Hole Diameter: 2.7″
- Min Table Hole Diameter: 2.0″
- Works on glass or metal table tops
The Bottom Line
The MYARD Patio Umbrella wedge has a few more size and color options than the competition, so depending on your needs, the MYARD will probably give you the best results, as they fit the most color and size options of any of the patio umbrella cones.
However, some of the other units will fit a smaller table opening than the MYARD, so check your measurements to be sure that you’ve got the wedge that will work best for your configuration.
Like the other wedges on our list, these are available on Amazon Prime as well.
Last update on 2024-10-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hi Eric thanks for sharing your umbrella wedge knowledge. I have recently purchased one from Amazon but not fitted it yet. It seems a little rigid and not too pliable. I assume it sort of pushes into the table hole to form a snug fit. 1. Is there a danger that if pushed thru too tight; that pressure may crack the glass? 2. Can the wedge be soaked in hot water to soften it up? Thank you in anticipation.