We’ve all felt it — that flare of frustration when you step outside, feel the rain drops, and realize you don’t have an umbrella. Rain boots and coats are useful to a point, but a good umbrella is a major key to keeping your hair intact, your clothes from getting ruined, or just simply making it through the day without getting soaked.
Affordable, flimsy umbrellas from your local drugstore can temporarily do the job while you’re trudging through the rain, but you risk it breaking or flipping during especially challenging weather. To help you avoid discarding your umbrella within a few months, below are some top rated and NBC Select staff-favorite options to keep nearby.
How I picked the best umbrellas
While umbrellas have one job — keeping you as dry as possible — there are other features to keep in mind while shopping. Here’s what I considered while creating this list:
- Size: Larger umbrellas, like golf and stick umbrellas, are best for extra coverage, but they can be a pain to lug around all day. Compact umbrellas — which usually fold down to under 12 inches and can be stored in a sleeve — are great to throw into a purse or backpack for upcoming storms.
- Material: The best materials for umbrellas will be durable enough to hold up against rough weather, but still lightweight enough that the umbrella won’t be too heavy. Water-resistant fabrics like nylon and polyester are often used for the umbrella’s canopy (or a clear plastic for certain transparent umbrellas), while aluminum, steel or fiberglass may be used for the frame.
- Opening style: You can choose between an umbrella that you can push open manually or one that automatically opens when you press a button. While manual umbrellas are typically more lightweight, automatic options are more convenient to open when you have your hands full or need to open it quickly.
- Durability: Finding last-minute tears or battling an umbrella that continuously flips inside out can sometimes be worse than the rain itself. The umbrella’s canopy and stretcher’s durability will dictate how it holds up in heavy wind and rain (steel or fiberglass frames are ideal).
- Appearance: With a variety of styles, patterns and colors on the market, including basic black umbrellas, vibrant yellows and oranges, kid-friendly prints and see-through options, consider what reflects your personality and style.
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The best umbrellas of 2025
Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella
- Lightweight
- Sleeve included
- Durable design
- Nothing to note at this time.
This lightweight, compact, travel-friendly umbrella from Repel folds into an included sleeve and weighs less than 1 pound. “This is a great one as far as portability goes, and it’s very sturdy — I think some small folding umbrellas can feel flimsy, but this one doesn’t,” says NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin. It has a large canopy and a Teflon-coated top to best repel water. While the brand’s umbrella has a durable design with a double-vented canopy and sturdy ribs, Repel does offer a lifetime replacement policy just in case. It comes in five colors and patterns, including slate blue, pink and pin-striped.
Size: 42-inch canopy; 11.5 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 0.94 pounds
Totes Signature Clear Bubble Umbrella
- Domed shape
- Lots of coverage
- Easy-grip handle
- May be bulky to carry
Totes is a popular option among NBC Select staff: “This is my absolute favorite umbrella. The dome shape shields more of your body, and it acts like a wind blocker,” says Malin. Plus, it’s transparent, so you can see exactly where you’re walking. Totes also sells a rainbow polka-dotted version of its bubble umbrella and multiple kids’ options with easy-grip handles and fun designs.
Size: 52-inch canopy; 37 inches long when closed | Opening style: manual | Weight: 1.15 pounds
Amazon Basics Automatic Travel Small Compact Umbrella
- Affordable
- Compact
- Durable for price
- On the smaller side
I upgraded to this simple yet durable option from Amazon Basics after years of buying cheaper umbrellas from the drugstore. I love that it folds into a compact size and fits easily into the included sleeve, so I can throw it into my bag and take it on the go. The umbrella’s frame is constructed from alloy steel, making it a durable option. It also comes in various colors, including yellow, navy and green.
Size: 38-inch canopy; 11 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 0.87 pounds
Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella
- Anti-flip design
- Durable
- Sturdy handle
- Small
As its name suggests, this folding umbrella from Balios has a vented double canopy, meaning there are vents on its top layer that allow strong winds to flow through the umbrella — ultimately reducing its chances of flipping, according to the brand. The frame is made from fiberglass for durability, and its wooden handle adds a touch of elegance. It comes in nine color options, including black to a vibrant yellow. It’s also highly rated, boasting a 4.5-star average rating from over 4,923 reviews on Amazon.
Size: 39.4-inch canopy; 13.75 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 0.85 pounds
Totes Auto Open and Close Umbrella
- Affordable
- Automatic open
- Nothing to note at this time
NBC Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz likes this Totes umbrella because it’s “simple, auto-opens and has a compact design that fits easily in bags and backpacks, yet it’s big enough to cover you from 90% of rain,” he says. The umbrella is built with a durable metal frame and is backed by Totes’ lifetime warranty (if it breaks, you can return it to the brand’s warranty center).
Size: 43-inch canopy; 11 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 0.74 pounds
Weatherman Travel Umbrella
- Lifetime guarantee
- Easily portable
- Affordable
- Nothing to note at this time
This Weatherman umbrella is built with fiberglass ribs and shaft and designed to withstand winds up to 45 mph, according to the brand. Weatherman offers a lifetime guarantee in case your umbrella has a defect or malfunction, but it doesn’t cover natural wear and tear or damages caused by improper care, according to Weatherman. The umbrella — which has a 4.4-star average rating from 210 reviews on Amazon — comes in a dozen different colors, including purple, orange, red and green.
Size: 38-inch canopy; 12 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 1 pound
Davek Elite Umbrella
- Unconditional warranty
- Anti-flip design
- Genuine leather
- Pricey
If you’re willing to shell out extra money for a good-quality option, this luxury stick umbrella — which is highly rated with a 4.4-star average rating from 123 reviews on Amazon — has a durable frame system composed of steel, fiberglass, zinc alloy and aluminum that combats wind tension and avoids flipping, according to the brand. The Davek Elite also comes with a genuine leather handle for comfort that can provide a good grip for tougher storms — the umbrella’s high-quality materials, like the leather handle, the 210-thread count fabric and the wind-resistant fiberglass frame, are what put it on the higher end of the price scale.
Davek also offers an unconditional lifetime warranty if your umbrella breaks for any reason, as well as loss protection that gets you up to 50% off one replacement. If you’re looking for a compact option that’s more affordable, the automatic Davek Solo Umbrella is another highly rated option worth considering.
Size: 44-inch canopy; 35 inches long when closed | Opening style: manual | Weight: 1.55 pounds
Sy Compact Umbrella
- Windproof
- Quick-drying fabric
- Lightweight and compact
- Nothing to note at this time
At just 10 inches in length and weighing under a pound, this compact umbrella is ideal for storing in a bag. It has an auto open and close and the canopy is made of pongee, a material that repels water and dries quickly, according to the brand. This umbrella is available in 17 different colors and has a 4.4-star average rating from 35,907 reviews on Amazon.
Size: 54-inch canopy; 38 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: .76 pounds
RoyalWalk Windproof Large Umbrella
- Classic design
- Larger size
- Case with shoulder strap
- Large to carry around
Prefer a classic stick umbrella? This could be a good choice for you. WIth its 54 inch canopy width, it’s also a nice option for those who regularly try to squeeze two people under an umbrella. The aluminum frame is lightweight and the material used for the canopy dries quickly, according to the brand. The umbrella comes with a carrying case that has a shoulder strap for easy transport and it comes with a two year replacement guarantee if you discover any defects. This umbrella has a 4.7-star average from 11,829 reviews on Amazon.
Size: 41-inch canopy; 10 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 1.5 pounds
Best golf umbrella: Baraida Large Golf Umbrella
- Wide canopy
- Double-vent design
- SPF 50+
- Best for groups
This umbrella is designed to fit up to four people under its wide canopy, which is made from a waterproof, silk-based pongee fabric, according to the brand. The material makes it lightweight to carry (despite its large size), and also gives you SPF 50+ protection. The double-canopy design lets wind pass through the umbrella, which makes it more resistant to flipping, and it has an auto-open that’s activated by simply pushing the button. The umbrella also has a one-year warranty, and a 4.5-star average rating from 2,384 reviews on Amazon.
Size: 62-inch canopy, 39 inches long when closed | Opening style: automatic | Weight: 1.45 pounds
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an updates editor at NBC Select who has written several stories about outdoor equipment, including the best rain boots, garden hoses and gas grills. For this article, I gathered NBC Select staff-favorite umbrellas and researched dozens of top-rated options on the market to recommend the best ones to consider.
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