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Solar lights illuminate your yard without the need for an electrical outlet or a short-lived battery. To help you find a lighting solution that works for your home, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best outdoor solar lights on Amazon. Here are our top four recommendations.
Top 4 Outdoor Solar Lights
- Best Decorative Lights: Aityvert Solar Flickering Flame Torch Lights
- Best String Lights: Brightech Ambience Pro Solar-Powered String Lights
- Best Motion-Activated Lights: BAXIA TECHNOLOGY LED Solar Motion Sensor Lights
- Best Post Lights: Davinci Lighting Flexfit Solar Post Cap Lights
Compare Top Solar Lights
| Product | Number of Lights | Charging Time | Run Time | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aityvert Solar Flickering Flame Torch Lights | 4 | 8 hours | 5-12 hours | 1 years |
| Brightech Ambience Pro Solar-Powered String Lights | 12 on a string | 6 hours | 5-8 hours | 2 years |
| BAXIA TECHNOLOGY LED Solar Motion Sensor Lights | 4 | 8 hours | 8 hours | 1 year |
| Davinci Lighting Flexfit Solar Post Cap Lights | 2 | 7-8 hours | Not listed | 90 days |
| Product | Number of Lights | Charging Time | Run Time | Warranty |
Best Decorative Lights
Aityvert Solar Flickering Flame Torch Lights
- $69.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Creates a torch-like light without the risk of real fire
✔ Uses LED bulbs with a lifespan of 50,000 hours
✔ Can withstand temperatures ranging from -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit
✘ The bulbs can’t be changed because of the sealed design
✘ The extension pole to increase the height isn’t included with the purchase
Key Features
- Four lights
- Eight hours of charging time
- Five to 12 hours of runtime
- Two quantity options
- 12-month warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers said that the torches were sturdy and easy to assemble. Many also said that friends and neighbors mistook the lights for genuine flames. Nearly all of the negative reviews feature complaints about the lights malfunctioning over time.
Best String Lights
Brightech Ambience Pro Solar-Powered String Lights
- $29.99
- $47.99
- 38% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Has a lifespan of 20,000 hours
✔ Built with WeatherTite technology, allowing the bulbs to withstand snow and winds
✔ Includes 12 replacement bulbs for when the others burn out
✘ Needs direct sunlight to fully charge
✘ Doesn’t include an attachment to link multiple strands together
Key Features
- 12 lights on a string
- Six hours of charging time
- Five to six hours of runtime
- Two length options
- Two-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Most customers were satisfied with their purchase, saying that the solar lights were well-made and easy to install. Reviewers also said that the lights elevated the look of their outdoor space. However, dissatisfied customers didn’t like that the longer strand option had the same number of bulbs as the shorter option.
Best Motion-Activated Lights
BAXIA TECHNOLOGY LED Solar Motion Sensor Lights
- $41.72
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Has a heat-resistant and waterproof design
✔ Has a motion detection angle of 120 degrees
✔ Has an easy installation process, requiring two holes to be drilled
✘ Only provides light when motion is detected
✘ Needs about eight hours of sunlight to charge during the day
Key Features
- Four lights
- Motion detection
- Eight hours of charging time
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers said that the product was easy to install. Many were also impressed with the performance of the product, stating that it saved them money on their utility bills. Those who left negative reviews said that the lights stopped working after a short period of time.
Best Post Lights
Davinci Lighting Flexfit Solar Post Cap Lights
- $19.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Available in multiple neutral colors
✔ Works in rain, sleet, or snow
✔ Turns on automatically each night
✘ May not be compatible with non-wood materials, such as aluminum or resin
✘ Has conflicting information on how to obtain replacement batteries
Key Features
- Two lights
- Seven to eight hours of runtime
- Two color options
- 90-day warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Reviewers said that the solar lights were easy to install. Several customers updated their reviews years later to say that the lights still worked even after encountering wind, rain, and snow. However, unhappy customers said that while the item arrived quickly and in good condition, they were dissatisfied with the light output.
Buyer’s Guide
When purchasing lights, it’s important to understand how each model’s design affects its performance. Here are three factors to consider when buying landscape lighting.
Light Type
Before purchasing outdoor solar lights, consider your personal lighting needs. If you’re looking for lighting to hang around a gazebo or line a patio, consider more decorative models, such as the Aityvert torch lights or the Brightech string lights. If you’re looking for solar-powered lighting to increase outdoor visibility at night or ward off unwanted intruders, look for motion-activated options, such as the BAXIA motion sensor lights.
Light Brightness and Color
A light’s brightness is measured in lumens. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light will be. Additionally, light bulbs use Kelvin to denote their temperature, which we perceive as color. The higher the Kelvin rating a light has, the bluer it appears; a lower Kelvin rating produces a redder light.
Battery Life
Most outdoor solar lights last around eight hours on a single charge, though this lifespan can decrease based on the amount of direct sunlight it receives during the day and the time of year it is. For example, Aityvert’s solar torch lights last up to 12 hours during the summer months but just five hours during the winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do outdoor solar-powered lights work during the winter?
Yes. Despite the short days and colder weather, solar-powered lights can work in the winter as long as there’s available sunlight. However, the battery life of your lights may decrease because of the reduced exposure to sunlight.
How long do solar-powered lights need to charge?
Most solar lights need around eight hours of sunlight to charge and provide full-strength light. When you first install your solar-powered lights, let them charge for a couple of days to reach full capacity.
Can you use regular AA batteries in solar lights?
No. Solar lights require a rechargeable battery that’s capable of harnessing and storing sunlight.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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