Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol

Is the Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol worth buying?

The Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol is worth buying at £228.99 if you want a square, double-tier canopy over a corner seating set and a pole that locks at seven tilt angles. It gives you 7.18 m² of beige polyester shade from eight aluminium ribs, and 121 owners rate it 3.8.

It is not the parasol to buy on value. £228.99 buys the square shape, the double roof and the eight-rib frame rather than a wider roof over the table, and there are round parasols here that cover a similar area for a third of the money. Buy this one for the look and the airflow, not for pounds per square metre.

How much shade does the Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol give?

You get 7.18 m² of shade. The canopy runs 268 cm on each side, so it drops an even square roof over a square table instead of leaving the curved gaps a round parasol leaves. Divide the price by the area and the Outsunny works out at £31.89 per square metre.

The double-tier roof does more than decorate the top. Its upper panel opens a gap that lets hot air escape from under the canopy, which keeps the space below cooler on a still afternoon and takes some lift out of a gust. The canopy measures 270 cm across at its widest, and the top of the frame stands 265 cm off the ground.

What comes in the box with the Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol?

The box holds the parasol and a silver-coated Oxford cover that keeps the beige fabric clean between uses. The cross base is a bare frame, so the sand or water weights that hold it down are a separate purchase, and assembly is required before the first use.

It weighs 21 kg, which is enough to make it a two-person job to lift and stand up, so pick the final spot before the frame goes together. A crank opens and closes the canopy, the tilt is set by hand, and the head rotates a full 360° so the shade can swing from a dining table to a lounger without moving the base.

Where does the Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol fall short?

It costs £31.89 per square metre, the dearest shade on this page, because £228.99 is a lot of money for 7.18 m². The feedback is thin as well: 121 owners have scored it 3.8, fewer and lower than several round parasols that cost half as much.

At 21 kg it stays where you put it, so this is not a parasol to trail around the lawn after the sun. A 2.68 m square also asks for a square-ish space, and on a narrow patio its corners hang over borders or a path. The cross base needs filling with sand or water before the first breezy day, otherwise the whole canopy will lift.

Outsunny 2.7 x 2.7 m Parasol vs the VOUNOT 3m and the Kingsleeve Sochi 3.3m

The VOUNOT 3m costs £164 less at £64.99 and spreads 7.07 m², which is 0.11 m² short of this one, so the Outsunny has to earn its keep on shape, ribs and the double roof rather than area. On shade per pound the VOUNOT is far ahead at £9.19 per square metre, and it comes with a fixing strap as well as a cover.

The Kingsleeve Sochi 3.3m is £129 less at £99.99 and covers 8.55 m², which is 1.37 m² more shade than the Outsunny, plus a five-piece wind kit and a cover in the box. Pick the Sochi for the biggest round roof over a long table, the VOUNOT if the budget is tight, and the Outsunny when a square beige canopy over a corner seating set is what you actually want.