As the sunlight starts to fade away after a great sunny day, you start realizing that your yard needs some light to highlight the garden's features. You can also use them for security reasons. Outdoor solar lights are the perfect match for your yard, giving you a sense of security and provides decoration to the landscape. They help you find your way in the dark and highlight the features of the yard.
Solar lights offer an affordable solution compared to the standard lights, which put an extra expense on your electricity bill. Also, they do not need any electrical wiring, saving you the cost of installation. There are many choices available for outdoor solar lights in the market.
Outdoor solar lights were not a viable solution in the past due to their low backup time. The solar lights were failing the night when their batteries get discharged. In this modern era, they are powerful and efficient, with plenty of models available in the market. You will get LED bulbs instead of old incandescent, which consumes significantly less power, increasing the batteries' backup time. As they charge their batteries from the sunlight through solar panels installed in them, you do not need any electrical wiring in the garden.
Outdoor solar lights come in many shapes and sizes based on their purpose of usage. I will explain some of the main types of outdoor solar lights and their use in the house and travel.
Solar post lights also come in a variety of styles. They are mostly used for safety purposes, to light up the whole area around the house. They are comparatively longer in height to light up a larger space. You get a brighter lamp with a longer backup time for the reliability of the system. They have beautiful designs available to improve the aesthetics of the landscape.
Solar spotlights focus the light on a defined area to elevate the features of the ornaments associated with the garden. They have a solar panel with flexible angle adjustment for better sunlight capture to charge the battery. The solar spotlight angle is also adjustable to highlight a feature of the landscape.
Solar deck lights are one of the outdoor solar lights installed on the ground, stairs, or railings. Also known as patio lights, they provide the perfect ambiance to the stairs and patio, creating a vibrant light effect. They are mostly used for decoration purposes, highlighting the features of stairs, deck, walls, and sidings.
Solar flood lights are larger solar lights, having a separate solar panel to charge a large battery. They have high brightness LEDs to cover up a large area. They are used for security purposes and lighting up a place for party decorations or formal gatherings.
You can use these solar fence lights on the fences around the boundary walls of your house. They are designed in such lovely styles that fit on the fence's pillars and become a part of them. These garden fence lights create an excellent environment visible from both sides of the fence.
Solar wall lights are preferred for outdoor lighting because they do not require any wires from inside the house. Like other outdoor solar lights, they have a solar panel for charging the battery to use it at night. When looking for these lights, you should look for the brightest options because they are available in many sizes with different specifications.
People use these solar path lights at the sides of the driveway or walkways in the garden or backyard. They are available in different heights based on their usage. Using these solar lights makes sure that the walkway is getting enough light to walk on the walkway at night. With so many options available in the market, it is tough to decide the perfect match for your needs.
These are on the primary domain of the solar outdoor lights. They are mostly available in larger sizes with heights more than 6 feet. With larger solar panels installed on the pole, they are self-sufficient to light up the street for the whole night. They are expensive due to the massive structures and higher technical specifications. Their different variants are used in the streets and on the roads depending on the size and shape.
Solar traffic lights are shifting on solar energy for traffic signals and signs situated at the road intersections. In the daylight, the solar panel directly feeds the traffic lights via the controller. It also charges the battery for backup at night. Many cities have embraced this technology due to their reliability and automatic control without any electricity charges.
I will provide you with a detailed review of the best outdoor solar lights. Before that, I want to explain some of the features to keep in mind when choosing the best outdoor solar lights for your needs.
As discussed earlier, you will find a wide range of outdoor solar lights in the market. They are available in different shapes, sizes, features, and materials. You might have a wrong impression if you selected a solar light that is not suitable for your needs.
It would help if you had clarity of mind while selecting an outdoor solar light for your garden or house. Many solar lights are multipurpose, and you can use them for many purposes. For example, you can use a solar path light as a lawn light and vice versa. Due to this reason, you should read the specifications of the solar light and find whether they are suitable for your needs.
Some of the uses of outdoor solar lights are to use them for highlighting the garden features, illumination, or the security and safety of the house at night. From a security point of view, you should select a solar light with higher specifications and high brightness. These lights also have a motion-sensing feature to track any movement in the range of solar light. They are automatically turn on if someone comes in the scope of the sensor of solar light.
Outdoor solar lights are available in many configurations. They are available in omnidirectional, unidirectional, spot illumination, or color-changing features. These solar lights are smaller in size, and one solar light does not cover the whole garden. The area covered by solar light depends on the brightness of the outdoor solar light.
Solar lights are the best option to beautify the outdoor aesthetics at night due to their energy-free nature. You will have a one-time investment in buying these solar lights and some battery replacement charges after 2 or 3 years.
One of the most critical factors is the sunlight availability at your location. If you live in the same place for years, you can better understand the weather pattern around the year. You will need details about sunlight hour per day around the year and annual sunlight hours for large projects.
You should install the outdoor solar light at a location where it can get enough direct sunlight to charge the battery for a better backup time at night. If it is getting tree shadow or the building shadow, the battery will not charge, reducing the battery backup. For areas with cloudy weather, the solar intensity remains low throughout the day. I will suggest you not to use these solar lights in such a site. It may be a waste of money for sunless cities to invest in solar lights.
Another consideration is the battery backup while selecting an outdoor solar light. Buying a solar light for security purposes requires a reliable battery with sufficient backup to light up the solar lamp the whole night. Compromise on the battery life is impossible because your house will be in the darkness if the battery discharges early in the night. For decoration light, you can compromise on the battery backup due to their price.
For solar security lights having a motion-sensing feature, you can select a smaller battery size solar lamp. These solar lights have a function of turning off or dimming the solar light if there is no motion around them for a defined time. The solar light will turn on again if someone comes to the sensing range of the motion sensor.
Daylight duration also affects the duration of battery backup. The daytime duration is shorter in winter that reduces the backup time because the solar panel cannot charge the battery. Modern solar lights have a feature of turning off the LED lights during the day to save energy.
Outdoor solar lights are available in a wide variety of styles and designs based on their use. There are traditional, classic, or modern design concepts available in the market. You can choose a style as per your taste. Another criterion of selection may be the garden design, where a specific type of product looks better than others.
I have discussed the features required in outdoor solar lights in the last section. In this section, I will give you my honest reviews about the best available outdoor solar lights. I will cover their features, built quality, specifications, and pros and cons to help you select the best solar for your needs.
A new upgraded 182 LED Aootek solar light has LED placed in such a way to cover a wider angle compared to the previous version of the solar light. The main feature which distinguishes this solar light from others is its three modes of operation. The first mode is permanent on all night, like all other solar lights. The light senses the darkness in the evening and turns on all night. The second mode of operation is security light mode; it remains off until the motion sensor detects any movement around the light. When someone comes in its range, the solar light turns on with full brightness. The third mode of operation is the smart brightness control mode, the dim light until there is no motion. The solar light switches to the full-brightness mode when the motion sensor detects any movement in the range.
These three modes of operation make this light a flexible solution according to the different situations. They also help to improve efficiency and battery backup, using less energy for a longer backup time.
It has a large solar panel located at the top to charge the battery during the day. It will help if you decide to install the solar light at the wall where sunlight is available for the whole day. Otherwise, the backup time may decrease due to insufficient battery charging.
The light fixture is wall mount type, which comes with the screws for installation on the wall. One pack of these solar lights has two solar lights, which are enough for a medium-sized area around a house. The charging time is around 6 to 8 hours, with a backup time of about 8 hours.
The only problem associated with the solar light is that the selection switch for different modes of operation is at the back of solar light. You need to unscrew the light to change the way of operation.
These modern design LowVoltz outdoor solar lights are unique in shape, giving a premium look to your garden. The primary material used is stainless steel and rigid plastic, giving it more durability and strength. The stainless steel is coated for UV protection, making it a long life. The solar panel works in semi-shaded areas like near or under the trees or buildings. The warm white 3 lumen light provides you with a backup of 10 hours after charging for 8 hours.
The solar light has an auto turn on/off feature to detect day and night time. It comes in a pack of 6 solar lights. Each of them has a plastic stake to install it into the ground. Unfortunately, you cannot install this solar light on the concrete floor due to its construction designed for the soil.
LowVoltz solar light is waterproof at the IP65 standard. The stainless steel is free from any kind of rust, making it last longer. The shape of the glass used for the lamp of the solar light is sophisticated. The translucent plastic lens adds a fantastic flavor to the exterior of the house. The ironclad has a warranty of 2 years for any kind of defects. The warranty feature of the outdoor solar light increases satisfaction for the manufacturer.
LITOM outdoor spotlights are energy efficient and one of the bright solar lights available in the market. The lighting angle is adjustable up to 120 degrees, while you can also adjust the solar angle in the range of 90 degrees. These angle adjustments increase the flexibility of the solar light. Moreover, they have two brightness modes with auto ambient light detection to change between the brightness.
The low brightness mode doubles the backup time of this outdoor solar light. The solar panel situated at the top charges the battery during the day while the LEDs remain off. At night, a light sensor monitors the light intensity around the solar light. If some light is available, this solar light remains in low brightness mode. If the darkness prevails, the solar light will switch to full brightness mode.
This solar spotlight has two installation modes; it can be mounted on the wall with screws or stick in the ground with plastic stakes.
Gama Sonic Baytown II outdoor solar lights are a suitable replacement of electrical wiring and an energy-saving option for your outdoor lighting. The cone reflector's unique design helps to reflect the light efficiently and works as a light enhancer. The solar light comes in three installation modes; you can mount it directly on the wall, on the pier, or use it as a lamp post. It gives you the flexibility to use it the way you want.
The construction material is the rugged ABS plastic, making it durable and robust enough to withstand impacts. The solar light is waterproof and rustproof due to the material used. It has four solar panels situated on each side of the top globe. The automatic dusk to dawn light sensor controls the LED lamp and saves energy during the daytime.
The replaceable battery life is about 1000 charging cycles, which is roughly about three years. The battery backup time is about 10 hours, which is a good record for this bright LED light. You can buy this solar light in two options; you can buy only a lamp with wall mounts, or you can buy it with a lamp post to install it in the garden on the ground. The unit includes one battery in it, and you can install another 1500 mAh battery in an optional battery port for increasing the backup time.
Key Features
Key Specifications
Solpex designed this outdoor solar light in a traditional and antique style. The four solar panels mounted on the top help capture more sunlight, giving more power to the solar light. You do not have to turn it off every morning because it has an automatic on/off feature to conserve the battery during the daytime.
The unique design of this solar lantern fits it neatly in any mood and background. This solar light is one of the best choices if you are looking for a high brightness solar light as it has two LEDs in one lamp. It has a real glass lens that reflects maximum light outside and makes it brighter. As previously discussed, the four small solar panels compensate for the power required for this high brightness solar lantern.
You can use this multipurpose solar light for lawn decoration, garden lighting, or light up your walkways or pathway. The plastic body of the lantern makes it durable, impact-resistant, and rust-free. They are offered in a pack of 6 solar lights with plastic stakes to mount them in the soil.
Brightech Ambience Pro is not your traditional bright outdoor solar lights, instead, they are solar string lights. Usually, string lights are used to beautify gardens, porches, patios, and other outdoor sitting areas. One advantage that Brightech Ambience Pro has is that it is also water-resistant so you can use it in rough weather conditions, too.
The design of the Brightech Ambience Pro is gorgeous, to say the least. A 27 feet long wire stretched in a line with 12 single-watt LED bulbs attached to it 20 inches apart is the basic structure of this string light. Rubber is used in the making of the 27 feet long string, which makes it only 2.51 pounds.
I love a lot of features of Brightech Ambience Pro like its shatter-proof glass build, ability to work in rough weather conditions, gorgeous lighting, long battery timing, and more. However, one feature of Brightech Ambience Pro that blew me away was its 3 years of warranty. It is delightful for a consumer to get a 3-year warranty for a product, which also increases the trust of the end-user in the brand of that specific product.
Brightech Ambience Pro - Waterproof, Solar Powered Lights, in my opinion, is a really capable solar outdoor light that you can use to power your outdoor areas. It has all the bells and whistles. For starters, it comes with a lot of features so you would never feel left out on any frill. Plus, the 3-year warranty that you get with this solar light makes it even more worth it. As a user, you should, however, keep in mind that this is a solar string light and might not be useful in every outdoor use case.
Need a solar spotlight that you can not only mount on a ground surface but also on a wall? Then, InnoGear Solar Lights, 2-in-1 Waterproof 3 LED Solar Spotlight is surely your cup of tea. The versatility of this solar spotlight, however, does not end here, you can also use it in wet areas as it is water-resistant too. Moreover, InnoGear Solar Lights, 2-in-1 Waterproof 3 LED Solar Spotlight offers a fantastic battery timing, so, you can live with it knowing that it will easily last you a whole night.
The compact design of the InnoGear Solar Lights, 2-in-1 Waterproof 3 LED Solar Spotlight makes it easy to install in tight spaces. The solar panel of the spotlight is situated at the top for maximum efficiency, and then there are 3 light bulbs present at the bottom. Both the solar head and solar panel are adjustable.
When it comes to versatility, adjustability, and easy installation process, InnoGear Solar Lights, 2-in-1 Waterproof 3 LED Solar Spotlight just takes the cake among all the solar spotlights. However, I still would not consider these features as the best attribute of this solar light. I would rate its ability to operate on different modes as its best attribute. It has a lot of modes for you to play with, including a high mode, low mode, and automatic mode.
What I would say about InnoGear Solar Lights, 2-in-1 Waterproof 3 LED Solar Spotlight is that it provides you with great features. It has all the features that a solar spotlight should have and more. In short, it checks all the boxes. But, one thing that could be a deal-breaker for many people is its price, which is not that great. However, if you are one of those people who love to pay more to get extra, then InnoGear Solar Lights, 2-in-1 Waterproof 3 LED Solar Spotlight is definitely for you.
Anyone who needs a solar outdoor light to secure their surroundings should definitely be eyeing to buy Solar Lights Outdoor Motion Sensor, WhitePoplar. This solar outdoor light comes with motion sensors, which help you ping you in the situation of any security breach. Also, it has different lighting modes, and a water resistance rating.
Solar Lights Outdoor Motion Sensor, WhitePoplar have a design that is unique in a lot of ways. However, one orthodox trait about its design is that its solar cells are present on the uppermost portion of the light. Coming to the motion sensor of the light, it is situated in the middle area of the solar light. The rest of the light is designed in an inclined manner.
Honestly speaking, there are various bells and whistles present in Solar Lights Outdoor Motion Sensor, WhitePoplar, that are worthy of appreciation. However, what I love the most about it are its security features. The motion sensor of Solar Lights Outdoor Motion Sensor, WhitePoplar triggers the light for 15 seconds as soon as it senses a movement around it. This feature makes the solar outdoor light quite a security-friendly
If you ask for my final take on Solar Lights Outdoor Motion Sensor, WhitePoplar, I would say that I am indeed quite impressed. It is a steal at the price that it comes at. It is both packed with features and great for security, making it a great buy.
URPOWER Solar Night Lights is a full-fledged solar spotlight that can be used outdoors. The spotlight comes with spikes, which help you in installing it onto different surfaces.
This solar outdoor light is, however, suitable for large areas. I am saying this because URPOWER Solar Night Lights is capable of producing up to 200 lumens of bright light which is great for vast open areas.
The design of the URPOWER solar night light is pretty different from other solar outdoor lights, and by different, I mean that it has two light heads, housing a total of 12 LED light bulbs.
On the uppermost portion of the solar outdoor light lies the solar panel for improved efficiency. Also, two different spikes are there to hold the two light heads onto the ground.
There were a ton of things that I loved about URPOWER solar night light, but one thing that blew me away was its battery performance. Both the light heads have a 2200 mAH battery present inside of them. Possibly, the two different batteries lead to a great battery life of about 8 hours. This is one of a kind battery performance in this price range. So, if you have high battery requirements, and a low budget, then I would highly suggest you get URPOWER Solar Night Lights for your needs. However, there are also some cases in which you should maintain distance from this solar light, you will see those reasons in the next segment.
URPOWER solar night light is one hell of a solar outdoor light that takes care of all your solar light needs. The reason why I am making such a bold statement is that this light checks all the boxes. In short, it is a powerhouse, with of kind battery life in this price range, a water resistance rating, and bright light. There is absolutely no reason not to buy this solar outdoor light, unless you do not care about battery performance and want something a little less bright, like a string light or any other type of solar light other than a solar spotlight.
If you need a solar outdoor light that does not feel premium on hand touch, however, it looks great from a far off distance, then GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor is your cup of tea. Anyone who does not have the needed budget to get a premium-looking solar outdoor light can surely get their hands on GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor, and can somewhat fulfill their wish of installing a premium-looking solar outdoor light.
The overall design of the GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor is pretty similar to the shape of a lamp. There is a spike present on the bottom of the solar outdoor light to help you mount it easily on a soil surface. On the top of the spike, a light cover is present which stores all the LEDs. There is a beautiful boxy design pattern going on the light cover of this lamp. A 2 V solar panel is present on the uppermost portion of the lamp to increase the efficiency of the solar light. The complete structure is about 15 inches in height. And the material that is used on its body is plastic.
It is a walk in the park to install a GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor in the exterior of your house. You can instantly plug in the solar outdoor light inside the ground with the help of the spikes that come with the light. It is often mandatory to ask for help from a professional installer when you are installing solar lights, however, in the case of GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor, this is not true. You can easily DIY your way through its installation process. On top of that, this whole solar outdoor light is wireless, which makes the installation even more easier.
Fancy a premium feel in your solar outdoor lights? then GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor should be on the top of your buying list. Its design which is made up of different patterns throws light that adds a premium touch to the environment where it is installed. Not only this but there are a couple of other reasons why you get this light, too. On top of my mind, GIGALUMI 8 Pack Solar Pathway Lights has a great water resistance rating, which allows you to use your solar light on rainy days without ever stressing about it malfunctioning. Also, this solar outdoor light is relatively easy to install, so you can get the job done without needing an installer.
The perks of this solar light, however, do not end here, you also get a 60-day warranty with this light which helps you maintain your peace of mind. But, one thing about this solar light that turns me off is that it comes with a plastic build, and we all know that plastic is not the most well-known material when it comes to durability. For a fact, you can't sustain plastic in harsh weather for a long period. And, there are a lot of other solar outdoor lights available out there in the same price range that come with a stainless steel body. So, unless you are really fond of the pattern design of these lights, there are a ton of options you can look into.
Many questions come to mind while searching for outdoor solar lights. I am giving you answers to some of the most asked questions about outdoor solar lights' function.
Outdoor solar lights are becoming a necessary component of your outdoor lighting in this modern era. You do not need to pay the electricity bill for these solar lights. They also save your installation cost for electrical wiring. Solar panels become dirty and may require you to clean them at regular intervals. Otherwise, the battery will not charge, resulting in a drop in the backup time. Hence, regular cleaning is required once a week or when you see them dirty. To clean the solar panels situated on the top of the solar light, you have to take a soft wet cloth and clean the solar panel.
Battery size is one of the vital concerns while selecting an outdoor solar light. A high brightness solar light will need a bigger battery size to feed throughout the night. Due to this reason, you should keep an eye on the battery size as well. Some outdoor lights have an optional port to install an additional battery for better backup time.
The solar panel should get direct sunlight to charge the battery. Due to the building shadings or trees, it may not get direct sunlight, reducing the solar panel's efficiency. You need to make sure the solar light will get enough sunlight.
They do not require any maintenance except regular cleaning of solar panels. If solar light is not giving you the backup as expected, I will suggest you change its location where direct sunlight is available for the whole day. If the problem persists, you should change the batteries. The expected life of their batteries is in the range of 2 to 3 years.
There are many options available in stores as well as online resources. You should decide as per your needs, your favorite lighting patterns, and other features.
