The 10 Best Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting for Ambiance and Security, Tested

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If you love spending time in your backyard or hosting outdoor gatherings, the best solar lights can keep your space bright after sunset, while also adding a cozy and warm atmosphere.

With so many styles and options available, it can be hard to pick the right ones for your yard. Before purchasing, think about where you want to place the solar lights and what type or size will suit your needs. Options range from wall-mounted and string lights (ideal for smaller spaces) to path and step lights for lighting up walkways or stairs.

Luckily, we tested a variety of solar lights for different types of homes. During our tests, we left the lights to charge in various yard spots, then placed each one in the freezer for four hours before dusk to see how they performed. We returned them outside to check which lights stayed illuminated and for how long. We also tested their water resistance by placing them in different areas to see how they held up in different weather conditions, ensuring they’re great for year-round use.

Here are the best solar lights to fit any backyard, lifestyle, and budget.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall :
  Urpower Outdoor Solar Lights at Amazon $30
• Best Budget:
  Hampton Bay Outdoor Solar Spotlight at Amazon $30
• Best String Lights:
  Brightech Ambiance Pro Solar String Lights at Amazon $25
• Best Wall-Mounted:
  Better Homes & Gardens Solar Dusk to Dawn Decorative Light at Walmart $50
• Best Fairy Lights: 
  Brightown LED Solar Powered Fairy Lights at Amazon  $10
• Best Spotlight:
  Lerekam Solar Landscape Spotlights at Amazon  $24
• Best Post Light:
  Kemeco Solar Post Light at Amazon $100
• Best Wall Lanterns:
  Home Zone Security Solar Wall Lanterns at Amazon $33
• Best With Motion Sensor:
  AloftSun Solar Motion Sensor Lights at Amazon $25
• Best Smart :
  Ring Solar Floodlight at Amazon $90

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Best Overall

Urpower Outdoor Solar Lights

If you’re looking to spotlight specific areas like your garden, driveway, or house, these solar spotlights might be just what you need. They provide solid, reliable lighting with an impressive 200 lumens on the highest setting and a respectable seven-plus hours of illumination on a full charge. The lights are adjustable, letting you direct the beam exactly where you need it, and the solar panel can be angled for optimal sunlight capture.

These spotlights are built to last. With an IP65 weather-resistance rating, they handled everything we threw at them, from water to freezing temperatures, without a hitch. They come with both ground stakes and wall-mounting options, adding versatility to your setup. While they may not win any design awards and lack fancy lighting modes, they’re practical and durable for basic outdoor lighting needs.

Benefits:

• Adjustable light and solar panel for targeted illumination
• Durable and weather-resistant
• Easy installation with ground stakes or wall mounts
• Long-lasting performance with a full charge

Best Budget

Hampton Bay Outdoor Solar Spotlight

Looking for a budget-friendly spotlight that gets the job done? The Hampton Bay Outdoor Solar Spotlight might be just what you need. With its simple design, this spotlight is great for illuminating features like fountains or garden beds. The adjustable solar panel lets you position it for maximum sun exposure, and the light turns on automatically at dusk, staying on for about eight hours on a full charge.

While it’s bright enough at 55 lumens to enhance your outdoor space, there are a few downsides. The lack of instructions made initial setup a bit tricky, though once you locate the on/off switch, installation becomes straightforward. Despite this, the light performed well during testing and held up nicely in various weather conditions.

Benefits:

• Affordable and cost-effective
• Adjustable solar panel for optimal charging
• Easy to install and operate
• Bright enough for effective landscape lighting

Best String Lights

Brightech Ambiance Pro Solar String Lights

Brighten up your outdoor space with Brightech’s Ambiance Pro Solar String Lights. These lights give off a warm, cozy glow that’s perfect for patios, decks, or porches. We tested them and found they stay lit for almost eight hours after charging all day in the sun. The solar panel can be easily set up with a stake in the ground or clipped to a railing, making it great for any setup.

The bulbs are spaced 20 inches apart, and you can pick from 27 or 48 feet of lights. Just remember, you can’t connect multiple sets together. The bulbs are made of shatterproof plastic and the solar panel held up well against impacts and water.

Benefits:

• Provides a warm, inviting light
• Easy to install with two options for the solar panel
• Sturdy and weather-resistant
• Lasts long on a full charge

Best Wall-Mounted

Better Homes & Gardens Solar Dusk to Dawn Decorative Light

Add a touch of elegance and functionality to your home with this decorative wall-mounted solar light. It combines style with practical lighting for your entryway or exterior wall. We found installation to be quick and straightforward, taking less than 10 minutes. After three months of testing, this light performed well through rain, wind, and hail, showing its durability.

This solar light automatically turns on at dusk, providing a soft, warm glow that lasts through the night. It also detects motion up to 25 feet away, giving you extra security. While it doesn’t offer adjustable brightness or additional settings, its simplicity makes it a “set it and forget it” option. Even in its lower light mode, it’s bright enough to light up your path or driveway.

Benefits:

• Stylish design adds curb appeal
• Easy installation
• Motion detection up to 25 feet
• Durable and weather-resistant

Best Fairy Lights

Brightown LED Solar Powered Fairy Lights

These versatile solar-powered string lights add a magical glow to your outdoor space. The flexible copper wire makes it easy to twist and wrap them around trees, railings, shrubs, or even your patio furniture. They’re perfect for creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere with soft, ambient light. Don’t expect these lights to brighten up your entire yard—they’re more decorative than functional, but they shine long enough for an evening get-together. During testing, the lights ran for almost eight hours when fully charged, so they can last through most events.

The solar panel can be adjusted to capture maximum sunlight, ensuring the lights recharge efficiently. They’re also built to handle the elements, thanks to their weather-resistant design. With several lighting modes like twinkle and steady on, you can easily set the right mood for any occasion.

Benefits

• Perfect for outdoor parties or creating a cozy ambiance
• Durable and weather-resistant, ideal for year-round use
• Multiple modes let you switch up the lighting to fit your mood

Best Spotlight

Lerekam Solar Landscape Spotlights

These solar landscape spotlights offer a great way to brighten up your garden or yard with customizable lighting. With three different brightness settings, you can adjust the light level to suit your needs, whether you want a soft glow or a more intense beam. The lights provide up to 25 feet of illumination, making them perfect for highlighting features like pathways or garden beds.

Charging them can be a bit slow, as it takes up to two days via the solar panel, though you can speed this up to eight hours using the USB charger. Despite this, the lights are built to last through various weather conditions, as proven by their performance during winter storms. Setting them up is a breeze—just stake them into the ground or mount them on a wall.

Benefits

• Versatile lighting with adjustable brightness settings
• Durable and weather-resistant for long-term use
• Flexible installation options for easy setup

Best Post Light

Kemeco Solar Post Light

If you’re aiming to add a touch of classic charm to your garden, this solar post light is an excellent choice. It mounts easily onto any post or column, providing a sophisticated look along with solid illumination. With a brightness of 135 lumens, it’s bright enough to light up your lawn or pathway effectively. In our tests, it stayed lit for about eight hours, making it a reliable option for evening visibility.

The lantern features a stylish frosted glass and a durable cast aluminum frame, available in black and white. While it’s on the pricier side compared to other solar lights, its decorative appeal justifies the cost. Note that it does require some assembly with a screwdriver and must be securely attached to avoid tipping—careful handling is necessary as the glass can be fragile.

Benefits

• Enhances outdoor decor with a traditional lantern look
• Provides ample light for visibility and safety
• Adds both functionality and style to any outdoor space

Best Wall Lanterns

Home Zone Security Solar Wall Lanterns

These solar wall lanterns from Home Zone Security are a charming addition to your outdoor space, perfect for highlighting entryways, fences, or porches. The warm, soft light they emit creates a welcoming ambiance without being too harsh. While the lanterns are great for low-level illumination, they’re not bright enough for tasks like reading.

We found that these lanterns only lasted around four hours during our tests, which is shorter than most other solar lights we reviewed. This might be enough if you just need light for evening arrivals and departures, but it’s worth noting that they won’t stay on all night.

On the plus side, the Home Zone lanterns held up well against various tests, including water exposure and impact, thanks to their IP67 weather-resistance rating. They’re ideal for those who want a stylish yet functional light for smaller areas.

Benefits

• Enhances the look of entryways and outdoor spaces
• Durable enough to withstand various weather conditions
• Provides just the right amount of light for ambiance and navigation

Best With Motion Sensor

AloftSun Solar Motion Sensor Lights

These Home Zone Security Solar Wall Lanterns add a charming touch to your outdoor space, perfect for brightening up entryways, fences, and porches with a gentle, warm light. While they create a cozy atmosphere, they’re not bright enough for reading or detailed tasks.

In our tests, these lanterns lasted about four hours, which is shorter than many other solar lights. They’re good for lighting up your entrance in the evening, but they won’t stay on all night.

Despite this, the lanterns are tough and weather-resistant, with an IP67 rating. They survived our water and impact tests, showing they can handle some rough weather. If you need a stylish, reliable light for a small area, these lanterns are a solid choice.

Benefits

• Adds a decorative touch with soft lighting
• Sturdy and withstands various weather conditions
• Great for small areas like entryways and porches

Best Smart

Ring Solar Floodlight

This smart solar floodlight offers a lot of convenience, especially if you want to control your outdoor lighting remotely. You can use the Ring app on your smartphone to turn the light on, adjust its brightness, and even set up motion alerts or schedules. We were impressed with how simple the installation was—taking less than 10 minutes to set up. The solar panel is separate from the light itself, connected by a long cord, making it easy to position in direct sunlight for efficient charging.

While the floodlight gives off an impressive 1,200 lumens of brightness, it does require the Ring Bridge to work, which is an extra purchase unless you opt for the starter pack. That said, this light is a great option for anyone looking for a smart, solar-powered solution for their outdoor lighting needs.

Benefits

• Control lighting remotely with your phone
• Customize brightness and motion alerts to your needs
• Simple setup process and flexible solar panel placement

How We Tested The Outdoor Solar Lights

To make sure these outdoor solar lights truly live up to their promises, we put them through real-world tests over several weeks. Each light was installed in different outdoor environments—on patios, in gardens, and along walkways—to evaluate how well they performed in various settings. We paid close attention to their ease of installation, brightness, and how long they stayed illuminated after sunset.

We also tested their durability by exposing them to different weather conditions, like rain, wind, and even heavy dew, to see how they held up. The solar panels were checked for efficiency, making sure they charged fully in different levels of sunlight. Finally, we compared different lighting modes and looked for any extra features, like motion sensors, to see how they could enhance your outdoor space.

What to Look For in Outdoor Solar Lights

Brightness
Consider how much light you actually need. Some solar lights are best for subtle, decorative lighting, while others provide enough brightness to light up a walkway or patio. Lumens (light output) are a good measure to check.

Battery Life
Look for lights that stay on for at least 6 to 8 hours after a full charge. This ensures they’ll last through the evening without needing constant recharges.

Durability
Outdoor lights need to withstand various weather conditions, so pay attention to the IP (Ingress Protection) rating. A higher number (like IP65) means better protection against water and dust.

Installation
Make sure the solar light you choose is easy to install. Some come with ground stakes, while others might be wall-mounted or have a flexible setup. Check if the solar panel is adjustable to maximize sun exposure.

Lighting Modes
Some lights come with different settings, like steady on, twinkle, or motion detection. If you want more control over how your space is lit, consider lights with multiple modes.

FAQ

How do outdoor solar lights work?
Outdoor solar lights use solar panels to collect sunlight during the day, which is then stored in a rechargeable battery. As it gets dark, a sensor triggers the light to turn on, using the stored energy to power the LED bulbs. The process repeats daily, making them energy-efficient and low-maintenance.

Do outdoor solar lights need direct sunlight?
While outdoor solar lights perform best in direct sunlight, they don’t always need it. They can still charge on cloudy days or in indirect sunlight, but the charging time may be longer, and the lights might not stay on as long at night. For optimal performance, it’s recommended to place them in areas that receive at least a few hours of direct sunlight.

How do you install outdoor solar lights?
Installing outdoor solar lights is easy and doesn’t require special tools. First, pick a sunny spot to help the lights charge during the day. Assemble the light if needed, then push the stake into the ground or attach it to a wall. Make sure the solar panel is facing the sun. Finally, turn on the switch (if there is one), and your lights will automatically charge during the day and light up at night.

Where’s the best place to install outdoor solar lights?
The best place to install outdoor solar lights is where they can receive direct sunlight for most of the day. Areas like walkways, gardens, patios, or along driveways are great choices. Avoid placing them in shaded spots, as this can reduce how well they charge and how long they stay lit.

How long do outdoor solar lights last?
Outdoor solar lights can last anywhere from 2 to 5 years, depending on the quality of the product and how much sunlight they get. The rechargeable batteries inside may need replacing after a couple of years, but with proper care, the lights themselves can keep working for a long time.