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These powerful LED solar-powered lights will give your garden a true glow-up.
Outdoor solar lights have a variety of benefits, but many customers shy away from them out of concerns about how powerful they are and if they'll even work properly. Well, let us reassure you: solar-powered lights have come quite a long way from the ones you may remember from even a few years ago. The best outdoor solar lights of today are powerful, durable, and effective at producing ample amounts of light, depending on the brand and type you choose.
Whether you're looking for security lights affixed to your home or trees that shine the brightest of light or simply a decorative spotlight or string lights to highlight your gorgeous garden, this list covers the best of outdoor solar lights. We've included a variety of retailers, including favorites like Amazon and Wayfair, in addition to covering different price points.
In this list, we've rounded up the best of a variety of different types of outdoor solar lights, including both practical and decorative options. Here are a few things to consider before purchasing:
These decorative solar lights are the perfect way to illuminate a path or give your garden a subtle glow in the evenings and night. The solar attachment is on the roof of the lantern, so you won't have to worry about setting up a separate unit with a connecting cord. Installation is a breeze by simply connecting the four different parts and placing the spike in the ground. The lights need a minimum of four hours of sunlight a day, but eight is recommended for full-strength light through the entire night. Finally, coming in a set of 12, these in-ground lights are a bargain.
Compatible with Ring Bridge or newer Echo models, the Ring solar floodlight provides motion-detection while also connecting to your home's smart system, enabling users to turn lights on and off by just saying the word. Additionally, users can set their floodlight on a schedule and enable phone notifications any time the motion detector senses movement. It's a splurge, but if you're looking for top-of-the-line home security and/or a security light that connects to your smart home system, then this is the best bet for you.
Spotlights can add an attractive ambiance when shining on plants or decoration throughout your garden or highlight your home to passerby, particularly during the holiday season. This set of three connects to a remote solar panel through cords to provide gentle light anywhere outdoors. One major perk to the remote panel is that you can place it in the sunniest part of your yard so it can receive an ample charge. The lights automatically switch on in the evenings and stay on for up to 8 hours, depending on the charge they received the previous day.
We love the gentle glow fairy lights provide when hung up around a porch or patio, but they're not your best option if you're looking for a light that will provide plenty of brightness. While fairy lights don't provide tons of brightness, though, these do boast eight different lighting modes, including twinkle and flashing. The lights come on two strands totaling 33 ft with two separate solar panels and stay on for 8-10 hours each night.
If you're looking for more of a typical string light, then this is the option you'll want for your home. This one-strand string light is 50 feet in length and has 16 bulbs total, so it spans a decent distance. Additionally, the lights have been optimized for outdoor use through plastic bulbs and a thickened, waterproof cord. The remote panel attaches to the cord and reviewers attest that they do last all night long.
Inexpensive security lights can be hard to come by, but these fill the bill—and in a two-pack, at that. These motion-detecting lights feature a 120-degree movement sensing range and 270-degree light range. The solar panel is affixed to the top and the light attaches to your home through screws. The light includes three different brightness modes and contains reflectors to amplify the brightness. Each one is heat- and frost-resistant as well as water-proof so they're truly out of sight and out of mind, unless they activate, of course.
In-ground lights are fixed to the ground through stakes and lay flush with grass or other garden covering, projecting light upwards. They are great for adding ambiance to your garden in the evenings or even as path lights for directing guests. These solar-powered lights have a panel in the center which is surrounded by eight miniature LED bulbs. We love these in particular because they are photosensitive, meaning they adjust brightness throughout the evening, giving off more light the darker it gets. They're also waterproof and should hold up to weeding and other general wear and tear.
Filled with solar-powered fairy lights, this decorative lantern is not just a source of light but also a gorgeous decorative piece for your porch. Glass ovals pieced together create a distinct light pattern that provides the most subtle glow. While this hanging light does have a bit of brightness, we wouldn't advise it as your only source of light. The solar panel is embedded into the lid and the light is offered in a variety of different color options.
Deck lights aren't just aesthetically pleasing, they can also help prevent trips and falls for you or your guests. This option includes two different install methods, either using an adhesive patch or screws for a more secure fit. Each light includes an individual solar panel and varying color options, so users can create a variety of multi-colored lights all from one pack. We also love how aesthetically pleasing these deck lights are, making them suitable along fence posts or even your home.
Even if your home isn't wired for mounted front door lights, that doesn't mean you can't have them! This mounted lantern can be secured by either the side or the bottom, giving it a variety of uses and locations. While many users attach it to a pole to create a light post, you could also secure it to a wall via the side. This mounted light is extremely durable, made of cast aluminum and a weather-resistant coating that's designed to last for three years. The interior of the lantern contains reflectors to amplify the light's bounce.