9 Best Outdoor Solar Lights [Tested and Reviewed]

This solar spotlight from Vont has a high waterproof rating of IPX7 and frost resistance to withstand even the harshest weather conditions. When we measured brightness, illumination near our feet hit peak levels of 82.5 lux, while the area at the height of our hands reached up to 5.49 lux. This range of illumination makes it the perfect choice for lighting up dark pathways. Plus, you can adjust the brightness in two levels, allowing you to tailor the light to your environment or mood.

When we charged the Vont solar spotlight on a bright summer day, the light stayed on for 17 hours and 28 minutes, which means you can expect the light to last for two nights in a row. On the flip side, when we charged it under cloudy conditions, the light lasted for three hours and 13 minutes. So, even on a gloomy day, the light will charge and stay on long enough for you to arrive home without stumbling in the dark.

Although it's made of plastic, which isn’t as durable as other materials, it does pass the waterproof test, and a little rain won't cause much risk of malfunction. While the Vont spotlight only offers one type of light color, the adjustable beam angle is a nice touch. You can change the angle depending on your needs, giving you the freedom to light up various areas around your home. 

Additionally, you can either stick the spotlight in the ground or mount it on a wall, which gives you great flexibility in terms of installation. With its long-lasting battery-life and ample brightness, we recommend this product for anyone who is looking to brighten up a walkway.

Aootek's 238-LED solar lights are floodlights with built-in motion sensors. These are ideal for illuminating the area around your front door and can also act as a security feature. When we tested the brightness, illumination at foot level reached a maximum of 12.76 lux, while brightness near the hands reached an impressive 84.1 lux. With a brightness level that is comparable to streetlights, it's well-suited for evenly lighting up the area around your entrance way. 

We also liked that the product offers two levels of brightness and comes with a motion sensor feature. Not only can you adjust the brightness according to your environment, but you can set it to only come on when it detects motion, adding an extra layer of security. Charged under the bright sunlight of a summer day, the light lasted for 13 hours and 16 minutes. While it may not last for two consecutive nights, it's more than enough for one night. On the other hand, when charged under cloudy conditions, the light only lasted for two hours and 34 minutes (so there's a chance it might not be on when you arrive home at night).

Though made of plastic, which doesn't offer much in terms of durability, it passed our waterproofing test. A little rain is unlikely to cause any malfunction. While it only offers only one type of light color, it does feature an automatic brightness adjustment function that can be adjusted according to the surrounding light level, helping to prevent unnecessary battery drain. With ample brightness and a built-in motion sensor, this is a suitable product for those who want to install a security light that will light up their front door.

Kemeco's outdoor solar light sits right in the ground, and its traditional design aesthetic makes it a great fit for a sophisticated garden layout. When we tested the brightness, maximum light intensity near the ground reached 28.8 lux, while the brightness at hand level reached only 0.88 lux. Brightness at hand level left something to be desired, however, the ground was sufficiently lit to safely walk around the area.

Charged under the bright summer sun, the light lasted for 8 hours and 25 minutes. While slightly short for keeping it on all night, it's long enough to stay lit for most of the night. On the other hand, when charged under cloudy conditions, the light lasted for 4 hours and 23 minutes. Even on an overcast day, it should stay lit from dusk until you go to bed.

The light cover is made of glass and the frame is aluminum, offering great weather resistance. You can expect it to last a long time outdoors without much wear and tear. It also passed our waterproofing test, so a little rain won't affect performance. While it doesn't offer any other installation options, or the ability to adjust the light intensity or color, its lack of customization is offset by its stylish ambiance—the warm light of the bulb creates a welcoming atmosphere, perfect for relaxation.

Aogist's outdoor solar lights can be placed in the ground and have eight LED chips. When we tested the brightness, around our feet reached a peak of 1.46 lux, while the area at hand level reached a maximum of 0.7 lux. Although the area directly above the light is bright, the light doesn't spread out to surrounding areas well. To adequately light up the ground or hand level, you'll likely need to install multiple units close together.

Charged in sunlight on a clear summer day, the light lasted 14 hours and 12 minutes. That's long enough to keep it on for about two nights. Interestingly, when charged under cloudy conditions, the light duration was almost the same, at 13 hours and 53 minutes. Regardless of the weather, it stays lit all night, making it ideal for areas like stairways that require constant lighting.

The light cover is made of plastic, but the frame is stainless steel, offering decent weather resistance. Both materials are less likely to degrade over time compared to all-plastic models. It also passed our waterproofing test, so a little rain won't cause any issues. On the downside, there are no alternative installation options and you can't adjust the light intensity or color. This limits its customization and makes it a bit less versatile for different applications.

Maggift offers a range of outdoor solar lights, from simple to more aesthetically-pleasing designs. These solar garden lights come in a set of six and emit a warm, incandescent bulb-like color. We found that the brightness peaked at 5.04 lux at the feet, but only reached 0.12 lux at hand level. Both levels were too dim for illuminating a path effectively. While the brightness isn't bad compared to other path lights, the zigzag pattern of the light creates many shadows, making it feel darker outside than it actually is.

Charged on a sunny summer day, these lights stayed on for 12 hours and 13 minutes. While not enough to last two nights, it's sufficient to keep your walkways lit for one night. However, when charged in poor weather, the lights only lasted for one hour and 10 minutes, so there's a chance you'll arrive home to total darkness.

Though made of plastic and not particularly weather-resistant, they passed our waterproofing tests, lighting up without any issues even when showered with water. So, they're less likely to malfunction if it rains a bit. On the downside, installation options are limited, and you can't adjust the light intensity or color. This lack of customization makes it hard to tailor the lights to your personal preferences, which is a bit of a shame.

Hampton Bay offers their Solar Landscape Path Lights product in multiple sets, making it easy to line lights up on both sides of a pathway. We found that their ground level brightness peaked at 2.5 lux, while hand level was much lower, at just 0.21 lux. Both levels were too dim to properly light walkways, but compared to other path lights, these are brighter and create great ambiance and a stylish decorative component.

When charged in the bright sunlight of a clear summer day, these lights stayed on for 19 hours and 57 minutes. That's long enough to last for two nights. We liked that the stored charge kept them lit on the next cloudy day . On the flip side, when charged in poor weather, the lights only lasted for one hour and 19 minutes, which means you’ll be in the dark when you arrive home.

The frame is made of plastic, but the lighting cover is glass, making them fairly weather-resistant. They're less likely to degrade over time compared to all-plastic options. In our waterproofing tests, they lit up without any issues, even when doused with water, so there’s little risk of it failing due to light rain. On the downside, the installation options are limited, and you can't adjust the light intensity or color, making this product a less versatile choice.

Brightech's Ambience Pro LED Outdoor String Lights come with a warm, incandescent bulb-like color that can add a stylish touch when hung on fences or tree branches. In our brightness test, the light reached up to 0.53 lux near the ground and 1.39 lux around hand height. Both levels were too dim for illuminating a path effectively. However, each string holds a lot of bulbs, making them ideal for lighting up social gatherings and family get-togethers.

After charging in sunlight on a bright summer day, the lights stayed on for 11 hours and 57 minutes. While that’s not enough of a charge to last two nights, it's sufficient to keep your area lit for one. When charged in poor weather, the lights lasted for 5 hours and 35 minutes, which should get you through the evening until bedtime.

Though made of plastic and not particularly weather-resistant, these lights are shatterproof, so even if they fall, the risk of breaking is low. In our waterproofing tests, they lit up without any issues, making them less likely to malfunction in light rain. While the light intensity and color are not adjustable, the solar panel is detachable, allowing you to place the lights in shaded areas.

Home Zone Security offers solar wall lanterns that feature a warm, incandescent color that create a cozy atmosphere. When measuring brightness, we recorded a maximum of 0.18 lux around the feet and 0.55 lux at the height of the hands. Both levels are quite dim, making them unsuitable for brightening up surrounding areas. Even if you install them for aesthetic reasons, a single lantern might not be enough to make a noticeable design impact.

Charged in the sun on a clear summer day, these lanterns stayed on for 9 hours and 17 minutes. They can adequately light up your space for one night, but the charge won't last for two nights. When charged in poor weather, they lastedfor 5 hours and 23 minutes, which should be enough to keep them on from dusk until bedtime. The lighting cover is made of glass and the frame is made of aluminum, making them highly weather-resistant. You won't have to worry much about wear, even if they're installed outdoors for a long time. 

In our waterproofing tests, they lit up with no issues, so the likelihood of them failing to work in light rain is low. There are no alternative options for installation and you can't adjust the brightness or color, but the warm, incandescent bulb-like color does make them suitable for creating a warm, relaxing atmosphere.

Popular at Lowe's, the Harbor Breeze 4-Pack 5-Lumen Black Solar Integrated LED Outdoor Path Light Kit (3500 K) is a budget-friendly set that’s a convenient option for those who want to add some atmosphere to their yard. When we measured the brightness, illumination around the feet measured a peak of 0.45 lux, while a maximum of 0.08 lux was recorded at the hand level. Both levels are pretty dim, making them unsuitable for brightening surrounding areas. Even if you install them for a bit of ambiance, a single light might not be enough.

Charged in the bright sunlight of a clear summer day, these lights stayed on for an impressive 20 hours and 10 minutes. That's more than enough to last for two nights. However, when charged in poor weather, they only lasted for one hour and 49 minutes. They won't charge sufficiently in cloudy weather conditions, so if you want them to stay lit all night, you'll need plenty of direct sunlight.

Both the lighting cover and frame are made of plastic, so they're not particularly weather-resistant. However, in our waterproofing tests, they lit up without any issues even when sprayed with water, so there’s not much risk of them failing in light rain. There are no setup options other than ground installation, and you can't modify the light's brightness or color, so it's not the best choice if you're looking to personalize your lighting setup.