9 Best Outdoor Solar Lights of 2023 [Tested and Reviewed]

This solar spotlight from Vont has a high waterproof rating of IPX7 and frost resistance to withstand even harsh weather conditions. When we measured the 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 perfect 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 charged on a bright summer day, the light stayed on for 17 hours and 28 minutes. This means that if you can get a full charge on a sunny day, you can expect the light to last for two nights in a row. On the flip side, when charged under cloudy conditions, the light lasted for three hours and 13 minutes. Even on a gloomy day, the light will stay on long enough for you to get home without stumbling in the dark.

Although it's made of plastic, which doesn't promise extreme durability, it does pass the waterproof test. A little rain won't pose much of a risk of malfunction. While it 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. 

Additionally, you can either stick it into the ground or mount it on a wall, giving you more flexibility in terms of installation. With its long-lasting battery and ample brightness, this is a recommended product for anyone looking to brighten up their walkways.

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 brightness comparable to streetlights, it's well-suited for evenly lighting up the area around your entrance. 

The brightness can be adjusted in two levels, and it also comes with a motion sensor mode. Not only can you adjust the brightness according to your environment, but you can set it to only illuminate when it detects people, 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 lasted for two hours and 34 minutes. On a cloudy day, there's a chance it might not be on when you get home.

Though made of plastic, which doesn't offer much in terms of weather resistance, it passed our waterproofing test. A little rain is unlikely to cause any malfunction. While it offers only one type of light color, it does feature an automatic brightness adjustment function. The light adjusts its brightness according to the surrounding light levels, which helps to prevent unnecessary battery drain. With ample brightness and a built-in motion sensor, this is a suitable product for those looking for a security light to install around their front door.

Kemeco's outdoor solar light sits right on the ground, and its traditional design aesthetic makes it a great fit for a sophisticated garden. 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. While the brightness at hand level left something to be desired, the ground was sufficiently lit for walking around.

Charged under the bright summer sun, the light lasted for eight hours and 25 minutes. While slightly short for keeping it on all night, it's long enough to stay lit for most of the nighttime hours. On the other hand, when charged under cloudy conditions, the light lasted for four 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 high 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 chic atmosphere, perfect for setting a fashionable mood.

Aogist's outdoor solar lights can be embedded into 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 easily. 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 for 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.

Hampton Bay offers their Solar Landscape Path Lights in multiple sets. This makes it easy to line them up on both sides of a pathway. We found that the ground level brightness peaked at 2.5 lux, while hand level was much lower, at just 0.21 lux. Both levels are too dim to properly light walkways, but compared to other path lights, these are brighter and create an enchanting ambiance around them. They're great if you're looking to add some stylish decoration.

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. It's a nice feature that even if the next day is cloudy and you can't recharge them, the stored charge will keep them lit. On the flip side, when charged in poor weather, the lights only lasted for one hour and 19 minutes. They'll turn off almost immediately, leaving you in the dark when you get 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 showered with water, so there’s little risk of failing due to light rain. On the downside, the installation options are limited, and you can't adjust the light intensity or color, making them less versatile.

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 are 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 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. They'll turn off almost immediately, so there's a chance you'll come 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.

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 are too dim for illuminating a path effectively. However, each string has a lot of bulbs, making them ideal for gently lighting up social gatherings and family get-togethers.

After charging in sunlight on a clear summer day, these lights stayed on for 11 hours and 57 minutes. While not enough to last two nights, it's sufficient to keep your area lit for one. When charged in poor weather, the lights still lasted for five 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 from a height, the risk of breakage 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 or color are not adjustable, the solar panel is detachable, allowing you to place the lights in shaded areas.

Home Zone Security offers these solar wall lanterns that feature a warm, incandescent color that can 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 the surroundings. Even if you're installing them for aesthetic reasons, a single lantern might not be enough to make an impact.

Charged in the sun on a clear summer day, these lanterns stayed on for nine hours and 17 minutes. They can adequately light up your space for one night, but won't last for two. When charged in poor weather, they still lasted for five 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 relaxed atmosphere.

Popular at the home improvement chain 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 looking to switch up the atmosphere of 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 up the surroundings. Even if you're installing them for the sake of ambiance, a single light might not cut it.

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, make sure they get 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.