This Reversible Umbrella Holds My Coffee Cup and Makes Rainy Mornings a Little Easier

My dad won Christmas with this genius gift that hacked my commute.

If gifting were an Olympic sport, my dad would undoubtedly take home the gold. Each year, as I begin to tear open the neatly wrapped gifts he’s scoured the depths of the internet to find, he prefaces each with “I think you’ll like this one” (knowing full well that his efforts were, per usual, spot on). This year, I unwrapped an item I truly didn’t know I needed only a few weeks ago, but now wouldn’t want to go without. The gift in question? An umbrella.

Yep, an umbrella. But it’s not just any umbrella, folks. Instead, it has a built-in cup holder at the handle that’s specifically designed to hold your coffee cup in place as you brave the rain. This impressive feature was demonstrated almost immediately after the umbrella made its way into my hands, since my dad saved his morning to-go coffee cup for this very show-and-tell Christmas day moment.

As a commuting city-dweller, I’d been eyeing up an inverted umbrella for quite awhile. If I had known I could get the same genius benefits of an inverted umbrella—like actually staying dry and not having to haul around a sopping umbrella all day— paired with the ability to free up my hands on rainy mornings, I would have added this to my cart a long time ago.

I’ve already used the umbrella on more than one chaotic, windy stroll to my downtown Manhattan office and while running errands in my neighborhood, all with my home-brewed coffee safely secured inside my Stojo to-go cup in the umbrella’s built-in holder. As it turns out, you don’t realize how impractical it is to balance an umbrella in one hand and a hot beverage in another until you no longer have to take on such a task. It’s proven to be quite the lifesaver for checking texts on the go, finding my keys, and simply allowing me to keep one hand warm and snug in the pocket of my puffer coat.

Despite the fact that I’d like to shout from the rooftops how helpful I’ve found the Urban Zoo umbrella to be, it’s safe to say I’m not the only one who’s wondered “why didn’t I think of that before?” based on rave Amazon reviews. Spoiler alert: It’s even ideal for Starbucks cups.

“I have been using this umbrella for about a year and love how sturdy and convenient it is! The fabric and handle are very durable and can withstand Hawaii's strong rain and wind gusts, unlike my previous umbrellas,” said one shopper. The cup holder is super convenient and frees up a hand to walk your dog or use your phone. It fits Starbucks cups perfectly! The cup holder also duals as an easy way to hang the umbrella when not in use. I keep mine hanging on the front door for easy access.”

You can head to Amazon to get yourself the genius umbrella that’s already made my rainy mornings a bit easier, or like my dad, buy it for a loved one and become the MVP of thoughtful gifts.

To buy: $31; amazon.com.