The Best Outdoor Solar Lights for a Backyard Paradise

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Decorate, illuminate, and improve safety with the best outdoor solar lights that suit your style and property.

Outdoor solar lights simplify exterior illumination, giving you beautiful, functional lighting without the need for wiring. These lights are available in a variety of forms to give your backyard or patio a cozy glow, light up gardens and walking paths, or improve home safety and security. They’re economical, too, since they harness power from the sun rather than ratchet up the electric bill.

The top outdoor solar light options are easy to install, provide reliable lighting, and suit specific needs. Yet, with so many outdoor solar lighting options available, it can be tough to find what’s right for the setup of a particular property and aesthetic sense. This guide will describe some of the best outdoor solar lights on the market today and offer essential intel on these products to help you make the perfect purchase. Brilliant!

1. BEST OVERALL: Brightech Ambience Pro Solar Hanging String Lights
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Aootek Solar Security Lights
3. BEST PATH: Hampton Bay Black Integrated LED Landscape Path Light
4. BEST STEP: JackyLED 3-Sided LED Solar Step Lights
5. BEST WELL: Bell + Howell Pathway & Landscape Disk Lights
6. BEST WALL: Home Zone Security Wall Lanterns
7. BEST POST: Kemeco LED Cast Aluminum Solar Post Light Fixture
8. BEST SPOTLIGHT: InnoGear Upgraded 2-in-1 Solar Lights
9. BEST FLOOD: Sunforce 120 LED Triple Head Solar Motion Light
10. BEST FAIRY LIGHTS: Amir Solar String Lights
11. BEST DECORATIVE: Kooper Solar-Powered Integrated LED Outdoor Lantern
12. BEST FOR GARDENS: Beau Jardin 8-Pack Color Changing Solar Lights

How We Chose the Best Outdoor Solar Lights

With a huge variety of options available, it can be difficult to choose the best outdoor solar lighting for your home. To start narrowing the field, we considered the most common uses for outdoor lighting. With the goal of appealing to a variety of shoppers, we chose common lighting types to cover a range of needs, from setting a mood to boosting security.

Across each lighting type, we kept a few important points in mind: performance, ease of installation, and aesthetics. Through researching product specifications and consumer reviews, we chose solar lights that were straightforward to install, performed reliably, and looked great.

The products that made our list charge reliably, provide ample hours of runtime, and create steady lighting. While decor is a personal preference, we also made sure each light in the lineup has some intentional style. When needed, all of the solar lights chosen include installation hardware (such as stakes or mounting hardware).

Our Top Picks

Outdoor solar lights gather energy from the sun to provide lighting well into the night. The best outdoor solar lights described ahead are reliable, beautiful, and practical picks for lighting up your outdoor space.

Best Overall

Brightech Ambience Pro Solar Hanging String Lights

Product Specs 

• Size: 48- and 27-foot-long options
• Runtime: Up to 6 hours
• Light color: Warm white

Pros

• Charming vintage look can fit in any space and provide great lighting
• Shatterproof plastic bulbs are built for long-term use and durability
• Detached solar panel can be placed where required for ample charging

Cons

• Some users may not like the wide spacing between bulbs

Whether wrapped around a patio banister, draped over an outdoor seating area, or strung around the garden, Brightech Ambience Pro Solar string lights are versatile, attractive, and durable. To capture a charming vintage aesthetic, these bistro-type string lights feature plastic Edison bulbs with exposed filaments that emit a warm white light. Although the bulbs look old-fashioned, they are actually modern shatterproof LED bulbs, offering a nostalgic glow while using very little energy.

Installing these string lights is easy with the detached solar panel, which can be placed in a sunny area using the inground stake or convenient clip. The lights can be set to turn on automatically when the sun goes down, providing up to 6 hours of illumination. These lights come as a 48-foot-long strand with 15 bulbs and a 27-foot-long strand with 12 bulbs.

Get the Brightech outdoor solar lights at Amazon, The Home Depot, Target, or Brightech. 

Best Bang for the Buck

Aootek Solar Security Lights

Product Specs

• Size: 4.6 inches tall by 7 inches wide
• Runtime: Up to 9 hours
• Light color: Not specified

Pros

• Bright light emitted for security and improved visibility at night
• Wide lighting angle works well for driveways, backyards, and commercial spaces
• 3 useful integrated modes: motion-sensing mode, motion-sensing dim-to-bright mode, and fixed always-on mode

Cons

• Control buttons are inaccessible once the light is mounted

With three useful modes and almost endless installation options, this four-pack of lights from Aootek offers excellent value for its affordable price. These wall-mounted LED lights include installation hardware and can be placed almost anywhere, including on walls, deck railings, fence posts, and steps. The motion-sensing lights have a wide 120-degree angle to provide practical or security lighting for up to 9 hours.

These versatile and budget-friendly lights have three modes: a motion-sensing mode (that switches the light on when nearby activity is detected), motion-sensing dim-to-bright mode (a dim light that brightens when motion continues), and a fixed always-on mode. We noted just one downside to these lights: Mode controls are located on the back of each unit, so it’s best to select a preferred mode before installation.

Get the Aootek outdoor lights at Amazon.

Best Path

Hampton Bay Black Integrated LED Landscape Path Light

Product Specs

• Size: 18.1 inches long by 4.92 inches wide
• Runtime: Up to 8 hours
• Light color: Warm white

Pros

• Beautiful design adds a touch of elegance to a back or front yard space
• Easy install; simply press stakes into the ground and allow the units to charge
• Rust- and weather-resistant aluminum construction lasts for years of use

Cons

• Plastic stake may not be as durable as some comparable options
• Not very bright compared to other lights

The best solar path lights should be as functional as they are attractive. The Hampton Bay LED path lights fit both criteria. This pathway light set includes 10 easy-to-install path lights on stakes.

Made of weather- and rust-resistant aluminum with a plastic stake, these lights are built to last in outdoor conditions. Each light has a traditional design with a lantern-style shape. The crackle glass lens adds a bit of character and creates a pleasant pattern when lit. The housing has an elegant black finish.

Each of the LED path lights automatically switches on at dusk to light the path for up to 8 hours. These lights are not especially bright, producing just 10 lumens, but the soft and pleasant warm white glow is enough to light the way.

Get the Hampton Bay solar path lights at The Home Depot.

Best Step

JackyLED 3-Sided LED Solar Step Lights

Product Specs 

• Size: 3 inches long by 3 inches wide by 1 inch deep
• Runtime: Up to 10 hours
• Light color: Cool white

Pros

• Excellent battery life; can last for up to 10 hours for all-night visibility
• Set of 8 lights includes all the mounting hardware required for installation
• Flexible placement options for excellent versatility and convenience

Cons

• Lacks motion sensors

Step lights install onto the vertical part of stairs, enhancing appearance while improving safety. With an auto-on feature and up to 10 hours of runtime, the JackyLED three-sided LED solar step lights are a stellar pick for outdoor stairs.

This set includes eight small step lights made of durable, weather-resistant stainless steel and plastic. While they’re made for the outdoors—ideal on deck stairs, for instance—they can mount on virtually any surface with the included screws.

Designed for aesthetics as well as function, these budget-friendly outdoor solar lights have three downward-facing cool-white LED bulbs. These cast a dim but beautiful glow on stairs, deck railings, fence posts, and exterior walls.

Get the JackyLED outdoor lights at Amazon. 

Best Well

Bell + Howell Pathway & Landscape Disk Lights

Product Specs 

• Size: 4.5-inch diameter and 5-inch stake
• Runtime: Up to 10 hours
• Light color: Cool white

Pros

• Very easy to install; simply turn on and stake the light anywhere on soft ground
• Long runtime compared to some other options available; stays lit for up to 10 hours
• Each light comes with a built-in solar panel; no wiring required

Cons

• Won’t work well in shady areas; needs full sunlight for a proper charge

These Bell + Howell solar disk lights bring the lovely look of recessed lighting to pathways and gardens—and they’re a breeze to install. The eight solar-powered LED well lights are mounted in small plastic stakes. Just push the light into the ground or grass along pathways or garden borders to gain beautiful inground lighting, hassle-free.

You can choose between manual or automatic on/off modes for up to 10 hours of illumination. Each light is self-contained with a built-in solar panel, which means there is no wiring to contend with. Made from stainless steel and boasting a watertight seal, they’ll hold up to all the usual garden activities, including rainy weather, lawn watering, and mowing.

Get the Bell + Howell outdoor lights at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart. 

Best Wall

Home Zone Security Wall Lanterns

Product Specs 

• Size: 6.7 inches tall by 6.25 inches wide
• Runtime: Not specified
• Light color: Warm white

Pros

• Charming lantern design provides a touch of elegance to an outdoor space
• Detachable from wall mount if desired for ample versatility
• Durable metal and glass construction can be used long-term

Cons

• Not very bright compared to some other options on the market
• Runtime is not specified

With their old-fashioned design, Home Zone solar wall lanterns are a charming decorative lighting choice for exterior walls. Sold as a pair, they’re made of glass and stainless steel with a classic black finish. Their fairly large size makes a statement and is ideal for flanking a doorway, lining an exterior wall, or lighting up fence posts.

Each lantern is equipped with a long-lasting LED bulb that casts a warm white light. Since the solar panel is mounted on top of each lantern, the units can be placed together or separately. As a bonus, the lanterns are easily detachable from their mount, and with a top handle and flat-bottom surface, they can be hung elsewhere, placed on a table, or carried to lend illumination wherever the evening leads.

Get the Home Zone outdoor solar lights at Amazon or Home Zone Security. 

Best Post

Kemeco LED Cast Aluminum Solar Post Light Fixture

Product Specs

• Size: 18.1 inches high by 8.8 inches in diameter
• Runtime: 6 to 8 hours
• Light color: Warm white

Pros

• Produces 150 to 160 lumens of light; suitable for driveways, backyards, pathways, and other outdoor spaces
• Produces 2800 to 3000 kelvins of warm white light for a soft glow
• Comes with 12 SMD LED lights, 3 upgraded 1.2-volt solar batteries, and 4 solar panels
• All installation hardware and instruction manual included with purchase

Cons

• No post included with purchase; may need to be purchased separately
• May not be as weather-resistant as some comparable options

For those who want a classic look, the Kenmore LED cast-aluminum solar post light fixture may be just the ticket. This self-contained 150- to 160-lumen lamp and mounting base is great for front lawns, gates, driveways, backyards, and other outdoor spaces. Made to produce 2800 to 3000 kelvins of warm white light, this fixture comes with 12 surface-mount-device (SMD) LED lights, three upgraded 1.2-volt solar batteries, and four solar panels for 6 to 8 hours of automatic use.

This outdoor solar light should be fairly easy to install for the average DIYer, thanks to the predrilled holes and included anchors and screws. These post lights are available in two color choices, black and white, but they don’t come with the post itself.

Get the Kemeco outdoor solar lights at Amazon.

Best Spotlight

InnoGear Upgraded 2-in-1 Solar Lights

Product Specs

• Size: 10.24 inches tall by 3.35 inches wide by 12.6 inches deep
• Runtime: Up to 12 hours
• Light color: Warm white

Pros

• Light and solar panel angle are independently adjustable for ample versatility
• Bright, warm white light emitted; suitable for illuminating gardens, flag posts, and decorations
• 2 lighting modes integrated to suit individual users’ preferences

Cons

• Solar panel is not adjustable from side to side

A spotlight is the best choice for highlighting specific landscaping features. With an independently adjustable light and solar panel, the InnoGear Upgraded solar lights are a practical solar-powered alternative to standard wired spotlights.

These spotlights feature a 180-degree solar panel adjustment range and 90-degree light adjustment range (up and down). This makes it possible to shine the spotlight where it’s needed while also ensuring that the solar panel gets adequate sun exposure.

To add user-friendliness, these spotlights have two lighting modes: a low mode that provides lighting for up to 12 hours and a high mode that runs up to 6 hours. With an output of up to 600 lumens, these solar spotlights are a bright choice. Four spotlights are included in this set, but two- and six-light options are also available.

Get the InnoGear outdoor solar lights at Amazon. 

Best Flood

Sunforce 120 LED Triple Head Solar Motion Light

Product Specs

• Size: