So far, this is a nice patio umbrella. The way the main support extends and contracts is more clever than many other, cheaper models, using all metal parts, rather than a cheap plastic sleeve that will break within days (see reviews of cheaper models and you'll see it right away!). The lights are a little dimmer than I'd hoped, but they provide enough light in the dark for people to see each other quite clearly. There is one big issue, however, and it's that the polyester canopy doesn't allow for much air flow, meaning that even a modest gust of wind can cause the whole canopy to sway and pitch quite severely. It's not bad when there's a light breeze, but still... would be nice if I didn't have to take it down on only slightly windy days.