Best Outdoor Solar Lights 2023

Apr 20, 2024

Solar lights are an increasingly popular option when it comes to choosing an ideal landscape lighting solution. After all, the best outdoor solar lights provide brightness around your home with minimal effort on your end—and best of all, they won’t make a dent in your power bill. Our top choice is the AloftSun Motion Sensor Solar Landscape Spotlights, an affordable and versatile pick, but there are several other great options that made our list.

The motion-activated Ring Solar Pathlight can be controlled using an app, allowing you to flip ... [+] between functions like motion sensing or simply turning them on and off at a whim.

In case you’re not familiar with them, outdoor solar lights use solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. That electricity is stored in the lights’ batteries and used at night to light your home. Installation is typically a breeze, too. “Outdoor solar lights are super easy to install,” says John Barnes, a design expert at Lamps Plus. “There’s no wiring, so they are perfect for homeowners wanting a fast and simple DIY project.”

Mallory Micetich, home expert at Angi, also notes that outdoor lights are particularly good for people who want to lower their environmental impact or for people who want a cordless lighting option that they can set up and then forget about. “Outdoor solar lights are low-maintenance, environmentally-friendly and visually appealing, making them a good outdoor light source for most people,” she notes.

When choosing outdoor solar lights for your home, it’s important to consider how much space you’ll need to cover, how bright you want your lights to be, the style you prefer and, of course, your budget. Below, we rounded up the best outdoor solar lights on the market to brighten up your facade, walkways and more.

Amazon

Number of lights: 2 | Modes: 3

The AloftSun motion sensor solar lights are incredibly versatile at a price tag that’s affordable for most households. The lights have three different modes to customize your lighting, allowing you to choose dim light or high light when motion is detected, no light and high light when motion is detected or constant medium light. Each light has 30 LED chips to shine a bright path. The lights can sense motion from up to 33 feet away and are waterproof and frost-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about them dying on you after a bad storm. You also have options when installing these lights—they can go in the ground on stakes or mounted on a wall. Worth noting: They have a 40,000-hour lifespan, giving you several years of use.

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The Home Depot

Number of lights: 10 | Modes: 1

At $114, you’ll get 10 attractive path lights for under $12 a pop. The lights are easy to install: Simply place them in the ground wherever you want them, and go about your day. The 18-inch lights have a crackle glass lens to create a nice pattern on the ground and produce 10 lumens for bright lighting. Hampton Bay’s Jefferson lights are truly hands-off: They automatically turn on at dusk and run for eight hours when they’re fully charged. The only time you’ll need to touch them is if you plan to adjust their positioning. While these rust- and weather-resistant lights are not motion-activated, they’ll reliably light a clear, consistent path as needed.

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Amazon

Number of lights: 2 | Modes: 2

Linkind’s StarRay lights give you options around motion sensing. Choose to have your lights flip on for 25 seconds after motion is detected before shutting off, or to stay on at a dimmer setting before brightening for 10 seconds when motion is detected. The waterproof lights can be staked in the ground or mounted on a wall—your choice. They don’t have a separate solar panel (it’s built into the light), giving you a good range for pivoting your light up and down and side to side. The lights automatically turn on at dusk and shut off at dawn to conserve batteries.

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Amazon

Number of lights: 2 | Modes: 2

Vont’s LED outdoor solar lights are fan favorites at Amazon, where they’ve racked up more than 3,300 perfect reviews. The lights can be staked in the ground or mounted on a wall, with a 120-degree pivot to let you shine their spotlight wherever the need strikes. Vont’s lights turn on automatically at night and give you two brightness settings—low and high—to choose from. The lights are crafted from high-impact ABS material and are waterproof to help them stand up to life outside. But, just in case, it’s good to know that they also have a lifetime warranty.

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Amazon

Number of lights: 1 | Modes: 2

Ring has path lights with a lot of the bells and whistles that owners of the brand’s smart home security systems have come to appreciate. The lights can be controlled using an app, allowing you to flip between functions like motion sensing or simply turning them on and off at a whim. That’s a nice feature to have if you tend to travel and want to ensure your lighting doesn’t give away that you’re not home. Ring’s lights offer an impressive 80 lumens of brightness and even send you alerts when they detect motion. You can group your path lights together with other Ring lights for easy operation or control them separately. If you’re not always in close proximity to your phone, it’s nice to know that you can also control your lights through your Amazon Echo.

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Wayfair

Number of lights: 1 | Modes: 2

By nature, outdoor solar lights are usually pretty affordable. But if you’re looking to splash out, consider these wall lights from Canora Grey. The wall-mounted lights are made from weather-resistant resin with a black finish and have LED panels built into the top, so there’s no massive solar panel interfering with your decor. The light flips on at dusk and provides an impressive 150 lumens of brightness for up to 12 hours. The light is waterproof and it’s also rust-resistant, making it a great option year-round. It even boasts an impressive 50,000-hour bulb life, giving you years of use.

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frontgate

Number of lights: 1 | Modes: 2

While admittedly a splurge, Frontgate’s Helios solar lights feature powder-coated aluminum, glass and stainless steel to hold up to tough weather conditions—including what winter can dish out. These lights have an extra-large polycrystalline solar panel to soak up the sun and can deliver a bright 120 lumens of warm or white light. Choose from a stake or mounting plate for hard surfaces. There’s also an on/off button just in case you want to power down for a bit. Just keep in mind that you may need to dust off the tops (where the solar panel resides) in case of heavy snow.

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The Home Depot

Number of lights: 1 | Modes: 2

If you're looking to brighten up a very dark area, consider the Beyond Bright Solar Flood Light. This light offers an impressive 1,000 lumens via three adjustable heads to deliver bright flood lights wherever you need them. The lights are motion-activated to preserve power and can detect someone up to 25 feet away. They also don’t require tools to install. At under a pound each, it’s easy to heft them overhead to put them in place.

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Amazon

Number of lights: 8 | Modes: 2

Waterproofing is important with solar lights but some are better at fending off Mother Nature than others. These lights from Alfiot have an advanced IP54 waterproof grade and are all-weather, so you don’t need to pull them in once snowy weather hits. The solar panel is cleverly hidden on top to maintain the lights’ chic look. Enjoy lighting for up to 14 hours before needing a recharge. You end up paying just $7.50 for a pack of eight, making these a relatively affordable choice.

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The right outdoor solar lights can transform the appearance of your home at night, along with shining a path to help you navigate around in the dark. To help find the best outdoor solar lights, we consulted with Mallory Micetich, a home expert at Angi, and John Barnes, a design expert at Lamps Plus, for advice on the best features to look for in these tools. We then looked at the most popular outdoor solar lights on the market and analyzed them for elements like brightness, setup difficulty, durability and value. We also factored in reviews from real owners to see how these lights perform across a range of homes.

There’s a huge range of brightness, and the right level largely depends on what you want to use them for. “At night, a little light goes a long way, so a reference light set along a pathway or in a garden, for example, doesn’t need to be very bright,” Barnes says. “Solar lights installed in a garden bed, on a deck or along a pathway can have a light output comparable to a 3 or 4-watt incandescent bulb and work perfectly fine.” But larger solar-powered lights like post lights and pier lights have bigger batteries and can have a light output comparable to an 8- or 10-watt incandescent bulb. “It’s also important to remember that solar-powered lights are not going to be as bright and powerful as electrically wired designs,” Barnes says.

The range of solar powered lights ultimately depends on the model. Some smaller path lights have a range of just a few feet. However, if you’re just looking to brighten up a sidewalk or driveway border, that should be plenty. Others have a range of 30 or so feet to shine a light on your home’s exterior or area of your yard. Decide on your own needs first; then consult the light’s produce description to make sure everything lines up.

It’s admittedly not common for outdoor solar lights to be controlled by an app, but there are models that have this feature. A popular choice is the Ring Solar Pathlight, which allows you to group lights or control each individually from the Ring app. You can also turn your lights on and off while you travel, right from your app.

Like app compatibility, it’s not overly common to have smart outdoor solar lights. However, the Ring Solar Pathlight is a good choice if you want to go this route. Not only do these lights link up to an app on your phone, they’re also compatible with Amazon Echo. So, adjusting your lights can be as simple as telling Alexa what to do.

There is typically not a lot of maintenance involved with outdoor solar lights. “These are pretty much maintenance-free designs,” Barnes says. “They work best in sunny locations, of course, so as the seasons change and the sun’s position in the sky shifts, you may find the need to slightly adjust the placement.” Other than that, he recommends cleaning the solar panel every once in a while. “Long term, you may have to replace the solar-powered battery after a couple of seasons,” Barnes says. “These are readily available online and in stores, and are pretty inexpensive.” If you live in a colder climate, he also recommends moving smaller landscape solar lights indoors in the winter. “This will protect the housings and lengthen the battery life,” Barnes says.

Like many home appliances, there’s not necessarily one brand that makes the best outdoor solar lights. This category is also dominated by brands that aren’t necessarily familiar to the average homeowner. Our top choice is the AloftSun Motion Sensor Solar Landscape Spotlights, but brands like Ring, Vont, and Hampton Bay have reputable products that will help light up the exterior of your home. However, if you feel more comfortable with a brand you may be familiar with, consider the Ring Solar Pathlight. It’s a bit more expensive than your average outdoor light, but it uses Ring technology that many homeowners know and love.

It depends on your needs and the type of light you choose. Some outdoor solar lights are mounted on a wall and are meant to provide light outside the front door or porch, others are designed to serve as spotlights for the home’s exterior or certain outdoor features. Path lights are also specially created to help light up a walkway or driveway. In general, 40 watts is a great wattage for an outdoor solar light, particularly if you’re looking to brighten up a pathway or landscape element. However, some outdoor solar lights have a wattage of up to 80 watts, which can be helpful for lights that are intended to cover a broader area. Keep in mind, though, that solar lights are often measured in lumens. There’s also a range here, but anywhere from 10 lumens (for path lights) to 500 lumens and beyond (for spotlights) is great.

There are a few important things to consider before making your purchase. “Before you purchase your outdoor solar lights, make sure your yard gets enough sunlight for them to work,” Micetich says, noting that solar lights work best when they receive around eight hours of direct sunlight per day. “You should also make sure the lights you choose can meet your lighting needs,” Micetich says. “For example, solar string lights are a great decorative choice, but they won’t produce as much light as a motion-activated flood light. Figure out what your lighting requirements are and go from there.”

Outdoor solar lights are a popular choice for many and with good reason—they’re typically inexpensive and don’t require much maintenance. However, they tend to give off less light than their wired counterparts. “If your goal is to illuminate your backyard like a football stadium, they are probably the wrong design choice,” Barnes says. “But for adding accent lighting and adding reference lighting to home areas, they will do just fine.”

It depends. With proper care and maintenance, Barnes says that the light itself should last for several years. “You may have to replace the battery, as over time they will lose the ability to capture a full charge,” he says. “Quality battery designs will last around two or three years, while more substantial batteries, such as those in post lights and large security lights, can last up to five years.” Some lights, like the Vont LED Outdoor Solar Lights, also have a lifetime warranty.