The Best Solar Lights You Can Buy Today
Want to make your patio look like an outdoor bistro or Italian cafe? Brightechâs solar-powered string lights will do the trick. This string of LED bulbs are designed to look like retro Edison-style lights, which will cast a warm, gentle glow on your deck in the evening. The bulbs are made of shatterproof plastic, and are designed to withstand winds up to 50 miles per hour, as well as rain, snow, and temperatures up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. When put to the test, these lights delivered in every respect here enduring two severe rainstorms, one tropical storm, heavy rainfall in a shower and four hours in the freezer, with no sign of damage.
The 12 Brightech Ambience Pro lights are connected on a 27-foot cord, with 20 inches between each light. . At the end is a solar panel, which can be clipped to a railing or some other platform, or staked into the ground. Thereâs no ambient light sensor, but the lights last for up to six hours on a full charge. The lights also come with a 3-year warranty.
These small flat disks lie flush with the ground, and provide accent lighting for garden beds and walkways. Each Aogist Solar Ground Light has a small 600 mAh battery that can provide illumination for up to eight hours. When we tested these solar lights, one didn’t work straight out of the box, which seems like an issue with quality control, but the other seven functioned effectively.
These lights are $30 apiece, but youâll also need the Ring Bridge to use them.
Place Solar Lights Carefully
The most important thing to consider when installing outdoor solar lights in your yard is placement. What purpose would you like the lights to serve? If youre lighting a path, youll want to place the lights fairly close together so that its easy to see where the walkway is, especially if its winding. If you want to illuminate a garden feature, youll need to place the lights close enough to it that they cast an appropriate amount of light on the feature in question.
You should also consider whether the placement of your lights could present an obstacle to maintenance or to using your lawn. You dont want to place your lights where theyll be difficult to mow around or where youll run over them with your car. You also dont want your kids tripping over the lights while theyre playing outside during the day. Place them where they are plainly visible and where they wont get in the way. It may be helpful to draw out a plan of where you want to install your new lights beforehand.
Other Outdoor Smart Lights We Like
We tested a number of lighting devices that we didnt prefer as overall picks, but we think they may be perfectly good for specific outdoor lighting needs.
Our previous pick, the Sengled Smart LED PAR38 Bulb, is still a great choice if youre looking for a bulb that includes a built-in motion sensor. However, its almost twice the price of our top pick, doesnt offer tunable white lighting, and requires the use of a Zigbee hub, such as the Sengled Smart Hub or the .
Philips Hue bulbs are our indoor upgrade pick, and the Philips Hue PAR38 Outdoor White Bulb is a good choice for anyone who has that system. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, as well as everything under the Hue umbrella, making it perfect for those looking to sync a larger smart-home setup.
As with the Hue, we can recommend the Ring PAR38 Smart LED Bulb only if you have an existing Ring lighting system or the Ring Alarm Pro. It performed well in our tests, but it doesnt offer tunable white lighting and is $10 more than our top outdoor bulb pick. Also, it requires a hub, such as the Ring Bridge, the Echo Show 10 , or the Echo .
The LIFX Nightvision BR30 has bolder, brighter colors than our top bulb pickbut for almost three times the price. Note that this particular model includes infrared LEDs, which can perk up the night-vision capabilities of any nearby outdoor security cameras you may have.
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Lightme Solar Light Bulb
- Super bright 12 pcs lumen Epistar chips
- Solar powered and with USB cable also for electricity charging
- With 3.7V 1600mAh lithium-ion battery
- Contains hook for easy hanging
- Built tough with special plastic materials
- Charging speed depends on the sunlight condition
Among the impressive features of LightMe Solar Light Bulb is it is solar powered. It means you can enjoy extra brightness without stressing about extra cost for electricity bill.
I think that the LightMe has done a good job making its Solar Light Bulb both budget and Eco-friendly. The item has a photovoltaic panel to absorb sunlight and convert it to power.
There is a built-in 3.7V 1600mAh lithium-ion battery in the Solar Light Bulb in which the power is being saved for consumption. On the other hand, during cloudy days, it can also be charged via electricity because it has a USB cable as well.
A LightMe piece should be charged for only 6-12 hours to fully charge. Afterwards, it can produce clear illumination for straight 8 hours.
One of the reasons I recommend LightMe Solar Light Bulb because of the quality of its lighting. It has 12 pieces of LEDs that contains lumen Epistar chips. It can produce supreme glow up to 140 Lumen. Imagine such ball of light like a 15W incandescent lamp.
When the package arrives, it has a one LED solar powered bulb, one solar panel and a 3.5M wire that can be used in connecting the bulb and the panel. Just make sure that the solar panel is placed in a sunny place such as on the roof
What Is An Indoor Solar Light And Who Is This For
An indoor solar light is a portable light that uses solar energy in providing illumination to your home. Solar-powered lights are widely used and easily accessible in the market because they are budget-friendly, have lower energy consumption and last for longer period.
Although we usually use conventional electric-powered lights for our indoor lighting, an indoor solar light is perfect as an alternative to rely on during power outage or emergencies. This light is also perfect for your spaces without electricity. You dont need to install wires anymore or hire an electrician because solar indoor lights can do the job.
An indoor solar light is also user-friendly with different installation options. You can use hooks and hang it anywhere or you can use screws to mount it on the wall. You can also detach the light fixture and bring it anywhere to use. This multipurpose product is perfect for your shed, poultry or balcony and is handy enough to bring to hiking or camping.
This modern solar light is good for accent lighting for security purposes or making your area more accessible during the night. An indoor solar light is an attractive, cheap, eco-friendly and energy-saving alternative light.
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Best Lights Under : Sunnest Stainless Steel Outdoor Solar Lights
sunnests.com
The best solar-powered outdoor lights dont have to break the bank. Sunnests stainless steel landscape lights come in a pack of 12 for under yet still deliver great functionality, appearance and ease of use. They can be installed to illuminate pathways, gardens or other outdoor areas.
Pros:
- Attractive in design with cool white lights
- Ready to install in seconds
Cons:
- Cheaper price means less durable over the long term when up against the elements
- Provides accent levels of lighting rather than full illumination
Why Buy: If you want to dip your toes into the solar outdoor light area without investing a lot of money right away, the Sunnest Stainless Steel Outdoor Solar Lights are your best bet to enjoy that initial experience and get hooked into more solar light solutions.
Is A Username And Password Required
- Cree Lighting Connected Max PAR38: Yes.
- Ring Solar Pathlight: Yes.
- Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Calla Bollard: Yes, if only using the Bluetooth app, but not if using the Bridge app. However, the benefit to creating an account and signing in is that you then have the ability to remotely connect to and control your lights.
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Create Ambience For Al Fresco Dining
If youre lighting a terrace or patio thats attached to the house, it helps to think of it as a room. When installing garden lighting, choose lights that provide a wash of light on to an exterior wall. Lighting low features such as a raised planter, low wall or bench by the dining area from beneath is effective, casting a warm glow on to a decking or paving and creating a wonderful ambience for garden parties.
Can I Use These Without Connecting Them To The Internet
- Cree Lighting Connected Max PAR38: Yes and no. As part of setup, you need to connect the bulbs to Wi-Fi, however should you have an internet outage, you can control them using Bluetooth.
- Ring Solar Pathlight: Yes, bulbs will still function as regular motion detecting lights, however an internet connection is required if you intend to set schedules, group devices, and receive smartphone notifications.
- Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Calla Bollard: No, an internet connection is required to set schedules, group lights, and control the device through the app.
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Use Solar Lights To Line A Driveway
Driveways can be difficult to navigate come nightfall. Their borders become less defined and as such adding solar garden lighting ideas alongside your driveway can offer a practical addition. They can also have a decorative benefit, creating a warm pathway to the front of your home.
‘Do you have beautiful trees lining your driveway? Place driveway solar uplights under each tree to illuminate the landscaping. Solar-powered uplights come in a plethora of styles, sizes, types, and colors. Do you want to light all your trees along the length of the driveway but that feels overbright? Alternate some of the lights with different colors that aren’t as bright as white lights,’ says Mitchell Elworthy.
Illuminating the front of your home is also worth considering alongside other garden security lighting to help make your home as safe as it can be.
Incorporate Solar Lights Into Your Front Porch
Solar garden lighting ideas are not just limited to stakes and spot lights. There are a plethora of different designs to suit every style and situations. If you’re looking for front porch lighting ideas, then a hanging solar light is a great choice. Offering more of a lifestyle look than the harder staked designs, it offers a pretty glow that will provide a warm welcome to your home.
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How We Picked And Tested
As solar-powered devices are getting more popular, the options are becoming endless. But what you want is only the best and most efficient light fixture for your home. Here are some of the things you want to take note of in choosing an indoor solar light.
Solar panels
One of the important considerations in choosing an indoor light is solar panels with high quality casing or coating. The solar panel is a vital component to power up your indoor light. It is the one responsible for converting solar energy and electricity so you need to make sure that your solar panels is not easily damaged and will last for a long time.
Go for a weather-resistant and anti-scratch solar panel for a resilient and reliable indoor solar light.
Batteries
Indoor solar lights have different types of built-in batteries with different voltage requirement to fully charge. Lower voltage requirements are easily generated by solar panels even on a cloudy weather. While higher voltage requirements is difficult to generate when sunlight is scarce.
Durability
It is very important to look into the durability of an indoor solar light for long-lasting quality lighting for your home. Go for an indoor light made of high-quality materials that is not easily damaged or dented on the slightest impact. Getting a durable indoor light that is sure to last a long time saves you from the cost of frequent purchasing for new replacement.
Brightness
Light Colors
Mounting
Sensors
Different light modes
Prices
Types Of Outdoor Solar Lights
Outdoor solar lights are used for security purposes, illuminating pathways, decorating driveways, and lighting decks. The first step to choosing appropriate outdoor solar-powered lights is to determine the purpose. If you want something decorative, then appearances matter most. But if you want to light up a pathway, then you require bright focused LED lights to do the job.
Here are some of the most commonly used outdoor solar lights available out there.
Solar string lights or fairy lights
Ideal for decorating your outdoor space. Drape them along your deck or wrap them around trees to give your outdoor space a gorgeous appearance.
Solar deck, fence, or patio lights
Ideal for patios, staircases, and walls to subtly light walkways.
Solar post lights
Ideal for when you need a portable light such as camping or during power outages.
Security solar LED lights
These lights have built-in motion sensors, so the lights automatically turn on as soon as some movement is detected. Security solar LED lights are a popular option for security lighting around homes and offices.
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Light Up A Garden Party
Inexpensive string lights are one of the most versatile solar garden lighting ideas. Wound around branches, decorating the entrance to a gazebo or trailed along the top of a garden fence, there are so many different outdoor string lighting ideas and theyre the summer equivalent to fairy lights.
They come in all sorts of fun designs, including mini lanterns and stars and you can find string lights with a solar panel at one end, or alternatively opt for plug-in lights.
Go Eco With Outdoor Solar Lighting
Who needs electricity or candles when the sun can do all the work? Outdoor solar-powered lights have come a long way in the past few years, with the latest good-quality designs providing a strong glow. Here, a simple solar light fixture positioned next to a cozy dining spot will do all the hard work come evening.
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Battery Type And Capacity
It is recommended to choose lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries for powerful solar lights. These battery types have the highest capacity. Lithium-ion batteries are more expensive but they are small in size and have a longer lifespan. NiMH batteries are ideal for low-power lighting since they run for extended periods with a high capacity.
Bulb type
Although there are various types of lightbulbs available, LED light bulbs are the best option for solar lighting. They are energy-efficient and bright. They are durable and have a lifespan of up to 50000 hours allowing them to run maintenance-free.
How Can I Light My Garden Without Electricity
You can light your garden without electricity by using solar garden lighting ideas. Avoiding the disruption of laying wires underneath your patio, borders and paths, solar lights are easy to install and will turn on automatically. However, the only downside is that they need to be placed in an area that receives ample sunlight during the day as they wont charge if they are placed in shaded areas.
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What Are The Different Types Of Indoor Solar Lights
The next question you might be having in mind when choosing indoor solar lamps is the types available. Knowing these types will help you figure out what to select because it can give you an idea of the things that make each different. In the following, were discussing some of the types of indoor lights powered by sun energy that you need to know.
Solar lights with separate solar panels
For indoor solar light what is commonly used are solar lights with a separate solar panel. This solar panel is installed independently from the light. You can place the solar panel away from the light and to an area where it is directly exposed to sunlight for efficient charging.
This type of indoor solar light may be installed using hooks, some uses rubber suction for windows and other uses screws to mount on the walls.
Solar tube lights
Solar tube is small and flexible lights and is also known as sun tunnels or tubular skylights. A dome is installed on your houses roof to harness sunlight. The light is then reflected down to a metal tube-like structure to light the indoors. Solar tube lights have a very modern design which is good for accent lighting and decorating your indoors.
Solar Skylights
Use Solar Outdoor Lighting To Show Off Planting
Solar garden lighting ideas work best when it is planned in layers, with some areas left dark so that others stand out more.
Choose a few larger features to highlight with a spotlight, which can either be set into the ground on a spike, or fixed to a tree branch to direct a pool of light downwards. If the solar light fitting is black or olive green, it will blend into the background.
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All About Landscape Lighting
From selecting the best outdoor lights to setting them up, our experts share how to brighten up the outside of your house.
You’ve pulled out all the stops to make your house and yard look first-rate. So why let that hard work disappear at nightfall. With a flick of a switch and some strategically placed outdoor house lights, you can roll back the darkness and put it all on display? Done right, landscape lighting makes the best of what you’ve got by highlighting your home’s architectural features and drawing attention to prized plantings and trees.
