I like that the base is very heavy.  The four stars is more for the description than the product itself.  According to this base, it's a free standing umbrella stand.  However, upon opening the stand, there is a disclaimer in the paperwork that states that this base is not intended to be a free standing base and that it should only be used with a table.   That's false advertising in my opinion as I specifically bought this base to be used with a  freestanding patio umbrella.    We live in a very windy area and the first day we had it up, the wind picked it up and blew it over.   We are disappointed, but not enough to try to ship it back for a refund.   We purchased a sand bag on another sight that we filled with sand to give the base some extra weight.  Hopefully that will help.