WHEN battling the unpredictable British weather you need to arm yourself with the best equipment possible.

From unexpected downpours to battering wind storms or even sudden bright sunshine (hey, it could happen), the best umbrellas will be there to protect you when you need them.

There’s a lot to consider when shopping for the ultimate performance umbrella. Weight, size, design, materials, durability, wind resistance, appearance and manual or auto opening mechanisms are all important factors when buying your next brolly.

We’ve tested out a variety of umbrella models — from tiny compacts to clear birdcage canopies, luxurious handmade stick umbrellas to innovative windproof designs — to bring you the best bunch of brollies to see you through even the worst rainy days.

So whether you're on the lookout for the best foldable umbrella to shove into your handbag or an elegant stick umbrella to sling over your arm, these brilliant brollies will help you feel as right as rain.

The best umbrellas at a glance:

• Best birdcage umbrella: Fulton Birdcage Sketchy Sprigs Umbrella
• Best innovative design: Blunt Classic Umbrella
• Best everyday umbrella: Roka Waterloo recycled nylon umbrella
• Best luxury umbrella: Fulton Radiant Tonal Herringbone Umbrella
• Best all-round umbrella: Davek Solo
• Best windproof umbrella: Gustbuster Metro Windproof Umbrella

Davek Solo

• Davek Solo, £113.42 from Amazon – buy here

Pros: Auto open and close, lifetime guarantee and loss protection, high performance
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 5/5

Compact, high quality and a fancy presentation box too – this flagship brolly from premium brand Davek is a combination of all the things you really want from an umbrella.

It has a seamless automatic opening and closing mechanism, a lovely leather handle, wrist and belt strap and — most importantly — it will stand up against any sort of weather you throw at it. Sudden downpours? Fine. High winds? Not a problem. Hurricanes? Well, we didn’t test those, but the Davek would probably give it a good go. 

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Although the big price tag is initially off-putting, the lifetime guarantee means this is the only umbrella you’ll ever need again – and trust us, it’s the only brolly you’ll ever want to use again too.

Weight: 510g Folded length: 30cm Canopy size: 109cm

Blunt Classic Umbrella

• Blunt Classic Stick Umbrella, £80 from Amazon – buy here

Pros: Clever design, sustainable, colourful
Cons: Expensive, fairly large
Rating: 4/5

With a focus on engineering, the ingenious Blunt Classic has a contemporary design that boasts rounded ends (no nasty sharp spokes poking out here) and comes in a range of bright block colours.

The 120cm canopy is big enough to fit an adult and a child underneath, and withstands strong winds too, making this the ideal umbrella for the dreaded rainy school run.

Blunt umbrellas are also designed in modular parts, so if the worst happens and your umbrella is damaged you can repair it, rather than having to fork out for a new umbrella. It also stops another broken umbrella from landing on the rubbish heap.

Weight: 660g Folded length: 84cm Canopy size: 120cm

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Roka Waterloo

• Waterloo Cranberry/Plum, £24.95 from Roka – buy here

Pros: Made from recycled materials, good price, auto open and close, vented canopy
Cons: Only big enough for one person
Rating: 5/5

This cheery umbrella from B Corp-certified Roka fits an awful lot of functionality into one small package.

Made from triple-coated recycled nylon, the vented canopy stands up brilliantly against both wind and rain on a fibreglass frame that manages to be both lightweight and sturdy.

The automatic open and close is impressively springy and the fact it can slot in the side of a rucksack is a massive plus point, and all for under £25.

We loved the little extra bit of grip on the handle, which meant it didn’t get slippy even if it was wet and the wide selection of rainbow colours too.

Weight: Not specified Folded length: 30cm Canopy size: 92cm

Fulton Radiant Tonal Herringbone Umbrella

• Fulton Radiant Tonal Herringbone Umbrella, £120 from John Lewis – buy here

Pros: Beautiful design, storage case, good coverage
Cons: Expensive, fairly large
Rating: 4/5

British brand Fulton is a renowned name in the world of umbrellas and its Radiant umbrella boasts all of its technical properties (like wind-tunnel tested, fiberglass ribs for lightweight strength), plus plenty of luxurious touches.

Arriving in its own sleek box, the Radiant is truly a thing of beauty with a classic wooden handle, shaft and ferrule, plus elegant herringbone canopy.

At 131cm it provides plenty of cover from even the heaviest downpours and the mechanism is every bit as smooth as you’d expect. 

Weight: 612g Folded length: 100cm Canopy size: 131cm

Fulton Birdcage Sketchy Sprigs Umbrella

• Fulton Birdcage Sketchy Sprigs Umbrella, £26 from Amazon – buy here

Pros: Good visibility, great coverage, smooth opening, range of colours
Cons: Large, no cover
Rating: 4/5

Ever wondered where the late Queen found all her fabulous birdcage umbrellas?

Well, it was British brand Fulton who created them all for her – and colour coordinated them with all her outfits too. The large transparent dome allowed her and other members of the family to carry out royal duties (whatever the weather) and still remain visible to the public. 

This pretty floral version features pink sakura blooms that add a bit of cheer to rainy days, and the clear domed design is super smooth to open and close, allowing plenty of visibility and excellent coverage. 

Weight: 530g Folded length: 94cm Canopy size: 84cm

Doppler Zero XXL Stick Umbrella Aqua Blue

• Doppler Zero XXL Stick Umbrella Aqua Blue, £39.99 at Burton Blake – buy here

Pros: Very lightweight, windproof, large canopy, UV protection canopy
Cons: Not compact, no cover
Rating: 4/5

At only 350g, this is the lightest stick umbrella we came across and it is even lighter than some compact umbrellas.

It feels almost weightless when folded in your hand, a fact which is even more impressive when you open up the large 130cm canopy which is big enough for two. 

The high quality fiberglass and aluminum materials have also been put to the test in a wind tunnel with speeds up to 70 mph and remained intact.

We loved the special UV coating which allows this brolly to transform into a parasol in the summer months.

Weight: 350g Folded size: 96cm Canopy: 130cm

Fulton x National Gallery Surprised! Umbrella

• Surprised! Umbrella, £30 from National Gallery Shop – buy here

Pros: Stunning design, strong frame
Cons: Not compact
Rating: 4/5

Looking for an umbrella that you look forward to using?

Made in partnership with the National Gallery, this seemingly plain black Fulton umbrella opens up to reveal a stunning print of the ever-so-approriate Tiger in a Tropical Storm by artist Henri Rousseau.

The automatic opening mechanism is gorgeously smooth and the canopy is large and well constructed. 

We lost count of the amount of compliments we got for this one.

Weight: 483g Folded length: 84cm Canopy size: 94cm

Totes Eco-brella X-tra Strong Umbrella

• Eco-brella X-tra Strong Umbrella, £30 from Totes – buy here

Pros: Very robust, auto open and close
Cons: Larger compact
Rating: 4/5

From the sensationally smooth auto open and close function to the perfectly balanced anti-microbial PU-coated handle, it’s clear that this model from Totes isn’t your average compact brolly.

The (wind tunnel tested) reinforced aluminium/steel frame stood up really well to breezy conditions and the generous canopy provided plenty of shelter.

The muted rainbow stripe design is eye-catching and we loved that it was made from 100% recycled PET polyester, too.

It even closes nice and neatly, with a large velcro fastening and matching thick sleeve to keep any rainwater away from your valuables.

Weight: 428g Folded length: 32cm Canopy size: 107cm

Knirps S.770

• Knirps S.770 Long Automatic Stick Umbrella, £97.87 from Amazon – buy here

Pros: Automatic open, classic design, strong windproof canopy
Cons: Expensive, large
Rating: 4/5

Wind tunnel tested at speeds of up to 65mph, this elegant stick umbrella from specialist makers Knirps will not let you down.

It comes with a sleek snap fastener case and opens smoothly at the press of a button. 

The large canopy feels extra sturdy thanks to the 10-strut design and the wooden hook handle is simply gorgeous.

Weight: 500g Folded length: 94cm Canopy size: 115cm

London Undercover Navy City Gent Lifesaver Umbrella

• Navy City Gent Lifesaver Umbrella, £165 from London Undercover – buy here

Pros: Stylish design, wooden handle
Cons: Expensive, manual open/close
Rating: 4/5

For those who really want to let their inner Gene Kelly loose, this beautifully engineered stick umbrella will make you want to start swinging around lamp posts and splashing through puddles. 

It’s one of the more expensive umbrellas on our list, but the handmade design with curved maple wood handle, beech wood shaft, silver tip cup ferrule and spokes justify the price tag.

We loved the simple orange elastic/button fastener which adds a splash of modern-gent styling.

Weight: Not specified Folded length: 91.5cm Canopy size: 106cm

Davek Elite

• Elite Umbrella, £178.80 from Davek – buy here

Pros: modern design, leather handle, lifetime guarantee, large canopy.
Cons: Not compact, expensive
Rating: 4/5

A contemporary take on a classic sleek umbrella, this is a luxury item that delivers on its higher price tag.

With a comfortable leather handle, wind-tension, fibreglass frame and huge domed canopy, this umbrella is the one you want to be seen with at windswept formal events or on shopping trips in Knightsbridge (as you do).

We tried out the classic black colour, but the deep navy and bright copper are both stunning options too and the durable 210-thread count canopy will keep out even the heaviest of downpours.

Weight: 709g Folded length: 89cm Canopy size: 127cm

London Undercover Navy Oxford Stripe Classic Umbrella

• Navy Oxford Stripe Classic Umbrella, £95 from London Undercover – buy here

Pros: Sustainable materials, beautiful design
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 4/5

With a handle that’s crafted from one single piece of maple wood and a canopy made from recycled water bottles, this sustainable offering from London Undercover is a surprisingly stylish choice.

The slender wooden handle is beautifully crafted and has the added benefit of being lovely and light (especially for a stick umbrella).

The open and close mechanism was simple but smooth, and we loved the striped interior and eye-catching pops of red.

Weight: Not specified Folded length: 91cm Canopy size: 115cm

Radley Take Flight Responsible Handbag Umbrella

• Take Flight Responsible Handbag Umbrella, £30 from Radley – buy here

Pros: Very compact, cute design, recycled materials
Cons: Less robust than some other options, small canopy
Rating: 3/5

Featuring the iconic Radley Scottie dog watching a flock of fluttering golden birds, this pretty little umbrella is sure to brighten up even the gloomiest day.

This compact brolly has a simple telescopic handle, which manually opens up into a small canopy, and as this design is part of the brand's ‘responsible’ range it is crafted using recycled materials. 

Although this didn’t feel like the strongest shelter, we really liked that it folded up into such a small package and it is the ideal brolly to stash away in your handbag, ready for a surprise rain shower.

Weight: Not specified Folded size: 23cm Canopy size: Not specified

Argos Windproof Golf Umbrella

• Golf Umbrella, £14 from Argos – buy here

Pros: Large canopy, simple design, low price
Cons: A little bit flimsy
Rating: 3/5

On the lookout for a generous, affordable umbrella to protect you from the elements? This simple black brolly from Argos delivers a huge wind and rainproof canopy, a comfy easy-grip handle and a classic design all at an amazing price.

It definitely wasn’t the sturdiest umbrella we tested and it may not last as long as some other umbrellas on the list, but you do get a lot of umbrella for your money.

Weight: 480g Folded length: 125cm Canopy size: 144cm

Gustbuster Metro Windproof Umbrella

• Gustbuster Metro Umbrella, £36.99 from Amazon – buy here

Pros: Unflippable, carry bag, lifetime guarantee
Cons: Larger than most compact umbrellas
Rating: 3/5

As the name suggests, Gustbuster prides itself on making umbrellas that can withstand even the windiest of conditions.

Featuring a patented vented teardrop design, these umbrellas are tested by the US College of Aeronautics in winds of up to 55 mph and claim to be unflappable.

It’s true even in the most stormy days; we went as far as to test this one out on a clifftop walk and the canopy stayed in place.

The automatic open and close mechanism was really impressive (although almost a little aggressive!) and for a foldable umbrella, it is on the larger side, but the functionality makes up for this.

Weight: 500g Folded length: 40cm Canopy size: 98cm

Can you take an umbrella on a plane?

Yes, umbrellas are allowed in hand luggage on planes, but it’s a good idea to check with your airline regarding any restrictions on size and weight.

A compact umbrella makes a handy lightweight travel option to rainy destinations and lots of umbrellas even have UV protection for sunny holidays too.

Who invented the umbrella?

The definitive origin of the umbrella is still up for debate, but experts believe umbrellas and parasols have been in use for at least 4,000 years with links back to China, Ancient Egypt and Greece. 

The umbrella has taken on various forms throughout history, but it was typically viewed as a ‘feminine’ accessory in Europe until traveller Jonas Hanway used an umbrella and gradually popularised its use amongst men.

The first shop that exclusively sold umbrellas in the UK opened in London in 1830; it's called James Smith and Sons and it still exists today.

How much are Umbrellas?

Umbrellas can vary hugely in price, costing as little as £3 for a basic small polyester umbrella all the way up to hundreds of pounds for luxurious designer labels with silk fabrics, ergonomic mechanisms and handmade wooden handles (think Kingsman, but less bulletproof). 

However, you should be able to find a good quality umbrella that will last at least a few years for around £20-£75, depending a little on size and specifications.

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Where to buy umbrellas

Plenty of high-street fashion chains and supermarkets sell umbrellas, but if you’re looking for outstanding performance from your brolly, it may be best to search for specialist umbrella suppliers and brands.

• Amazon
• Sports Direct
• John Lewis
• Argos
• Fulton

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