Solar lights are ideal for brightening up your yard or sidewalk for two reasons. First, while they can be a bit more expensive to begin with, they can save you money in the long run because you don’t have to turn them off from your home’s electricity (which also makes them environmentally friendly). Second, since they don’t have wires and don’t need to be within reach of an electrical outlet, you can place them almost anywhere as long as they get sunlight during the day. As a bonus, some even offer smart features like motion sensors and remote control via an app. Whatever your reason for buying, we’ve rounded up some of the best solar lights.
Check out the brief information below on the five best outdoor solar lights, then scroll down for more purchasing information and full reviews of these models, as well as other high-level options.
STRING LIGHTS
Brightech Ambience Pro
Consumer Score: 90% gave it 4 stars or more
Long-lasting lamps that turn on and off automatically and provide up to six hours of light
WALL LANTERN
Hampton Bay 2-light solar LED wall lantern
Consumer Score: 79% gave it 4 stars or more
A classic look with a modern twist that will make your door glow
LARGE PATH LIGHTS
Aityvert solar lights
Consumer Score: 93% gave it 4 stars or more
Provide a fire-like light in a sleek (albeit expensive) package
easy installation
Aogist Solar Ground Lights
Consumer Score: 70% gave it 4 stars or more
Affordable lighting for your garden or sidewalk
SMART STEP LIGHT
Ring Solar Steplight
Consumer Score: 91% gave it 4 stars or more
Motion detection turns on the lights to illuminate stairs and sidewalks
How we decided
In determining the best outdoor solar light, we used two methods. First, we researched expert sources like The Spruce and Tom’s Guide. We then looked at 21,000 customer reviews on retail websites like Amazon, Walmart and manufacturers’ websites to determine our consumer score. This is the percentage of people who bought the products and rated them at least four out of five stars.
—STRING LIGHTS—
Brightech Ambience Pro
Consumer Score: 90% gave it 4 stars or more
Long-lasting lamps that turn on and off automatically and provide up to six hours of light
Ambience Pro
$ 39.99
- Aesthetically pleasing (and durable) Edison style lightbulbs
Nothing sets the mood on a summer night as good as ambient fairy lights. Hang these up where they can soak up sunlight during the day and you will get up to six hours of light in the evening. The Edison lamps are made of unbreakable plastic and can withstand wind speeds of 80 km / h, temperatures of up to 122 degrees and practically any weather that gets in your way. This set consists of 12 lights attached to a 27 foot cable with a solar panel at the end. The lights turn on automatically when they are fully charged and turn off when they are exhausted. If you need more coverage, check out the 48-foot version.
—WALL LANTERN—
Hampton Bay 2-light solar LED wall lantern
Consumer Score: 79% gave it 4 stars or more
A classic look with a modern twist that will make your door glow
2-light solar LED wall lantern
$ 22.97
- Easy setup compared to many lanterns
Sconces on either side of your front door can really classify the place. But if you don’t have the right wiring, or are looking for an easy home improvement, solar lanterns are the way to go. These lanterns come in a pack of two for just $ 23. While they are budget-friendly, they look classy and expensive thanks to the textured glass, and are super easy to install as you don’t have to worry about cables. The bulbs inside each put out 10 lumens, which isn’t particularly bright. Even so, it is enough to illuminate a veranda at night. The best part is that they are working on a permanent timer that will turn them on and off without you lifting a finger.
– LARGE WALKING LIGHTS –
Aityvert solar lights
Consumer Score: 93% gave it 4 stars or more
Provide a fire-like light in a sleek (albeit expensive) package
Solar lights
- Emit a soft, pleasant light
- Long running time
For those who prefer a holiday mood and want to illuminate their sidewalk with tiki torches, these offer the feeling – without the risk of fire. You can adjust the height of each Aityvert light from one foot to a maximum of almost 3.5 feet. The LEDs emit a flame-like glow and have a lifespan of up to 12 hours in summer and eight hours in winter (depending on how much light the solar panels receive during the day) and turn on and off automatically when they sense the light changes yourself outside. Unfortunately, they are also relatively expensive. You can either buy a two-pack for $ 35 or a four-pack for $ 70, which can quickly add up when trying to line a long sidewalk.
-EASY INSTALLATION-
Aogist Solar Ground Lights
Consumer Score: 70% gave it 4 stars or more
Affordable lighting for your garden or sidewalk
Solar lights can sometimes be associated with significant costs. But for just $ 23, you can get eight of these floor lights. They are the easiest lights to install. Just slide them into the ground as far as you want and let the sun do its job. Each light can last for around eight hours when fully charged. While not particularly bright, they provide enough light to safely illuminate a path or sidewalk. They are resistant to extreme temperatures, rain, wind, and snow, but Aogist suggests changing the batteries after a year or two as they are then prone to death.
– SMART STEP LIGHT –
Ring Solar Steplight
Consumer Score: 91% gave it 4 stars or more
Motion detection turns on the lights to illuminate stairs and sidewalks
Solar steplight
- Bright
- Integrated into the larger device system from Ring
This ring ensures safe, visible steps at every hour of the day. At just 4 x 3.5 inches each, they’re small enough to clip to the side of each step without taking up walking space or attracting unwanted attention. And despite this small footprint, each one delivers 50 lumens with every step and gives you a bright, white light. Since these are made by Ring, they have smart features like motion sensors that can either turn on or brighten the lights when they detect motion (depending on your settings). When linked to other Ring products, they can trigger other lights to activate them, or security cameras and video doorbells to start recording. Unfortunately, this functionality doesn’t work without the ring bridge, which costs you an additional $ 50.
– SMART PATH LIGHT –
Ring Solar Pathlight
Consumer Score: 89% gave it 4 stars or more
Like the Steplight, but for a sidewalk
This path light is a further addition to the ring ecosystem and is adjustable with a full brightness of 80 lumens. Because motion sensors are used, battery usage can be reasonable and only turn on when someone passes by. As with the Steplight, you can also set the Pathlight so that the video recording is triggered on other ring devices. But it also means you’ll need the ring bridge again, which can add a huge price since each light costs $ 35.
– BEST VALUE –
Signature Garden Solar garden lights
Consumer Score: 75% gave it 4 stars or more
An affordable set with a lifetime guarantee
Solar garden lights
$ 49.99
Not all solar lights are overpriced – this set includes six for just $ 50. Each one outputs 15 lumens (read: they’re not super bright). But the set will glow enough to see where you are going. They are weatherproof and last up to eight hours when fully charged. Like most models, they turn on at dusk and off at dawn, and installation is as simple as immersing yourself in soft ground. The reviewers pointed out the quality of the customer service and the lifetime guarantee.
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