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Oct 17, 2023

Best Outdoor Solar

Thinking about how you can spruce up your garden and make it a fun place to hang

Thinking about how you can spruce up your garden and make it a fun place to hang out in the evenings? Or do you need some lights lining the path to your door? Solar pathway lights are a great solution! Not only do they look great (there are so many designs!) but they’re also not a drain on your finances. With solar capabilities, gone are the days of paying more for electricity to enjoy a well-lit path or yard. To light up your life, we’ve searched for the consensus among experts on which are the best outdoor solar-powered lights.

The perfect way to wind down before bed? A new study finds smells experienced in nature help promote relaxation, joy, and an overall positive well-being. A few whiffs around nature can even make people feel physically healthier, study authors say. So, if your day at work has left you feeling a little tense, head out back and take in the scents of your backyard to calm down before bed.

Cultivating your outdoor space may also help your diet, What? A recent study from Drexel University suggests Mother Nature can help people eat healthier as well. The study finds cultivating a strong sense of "nature relatedness" contributes to a greater dietary diversity and the consumption of more fruits and vegetables. In other words, the more in touch with nature you feel, the better you eat.

Health benefits aside, everything on our list is solar-powered, which means you won't have to worry about running up your electricity bill. Both your garden and your wallet will thank you! Just stick them in the ground, let them charge in the sun, and you’ll be good to go. So, without further ado, here are the best outdoor solar-powered lights that experts say will have any outdoor area looking "lit."

If you’re wanting a lighting solution that's bright, stylish and easy to install, the Beau Jardin eight-Pack Solar Lights come highly recommended.

Electronics Hub describes why these lights stand out: "While there are many brands of solar path lights out there, Beau Jardin can be a great option for many thanks to its high-performance models. The Beau Jardin solar path light is in the 1st position, as it offers an excellent battery pack to the user … of 8 to 12 hours long. Since these Beau Jardin solar path lights are a bit on the premium side, you also get a 1-year long warranty."

"These solar path lights take seconds to install — simply use the spike to insert them directly into the ground — and are built to last for years. The Beau Jardin Solar Pathway Lights are the best outdoor solar lights if you’re looking for affordability and quick installation. They’re ideal for accent lighting during the darker hours, and buying multiple packs can allow you to light up a wider area," EcoWatch says.

Solar Panels Network recommends these lights for your pathway, too: "In a well-lit garden, you can entertain guests or spend some relaxing time with your loved ones outdoors. These lights are designed to light up the exterior of your home while at the same time accentuating the beauty of your outdoor spaces. The Beau Jardin Bright Pathway Solar Lights do not use any electricity as they can come with rechargeable batteries that rely 100% on solar power."

Bob Vila calls these the best bang for your buck: "You don't have to spend a lot to enjoy the light and security offered by solar path lights. The Maggift Solar Path Lights are an affordable option to higher-priced lights, and they light up just as well. The Maggift lights are made from plastic, but their plastic housing is thick and durable, and their see-through plastic shades are as clear as glass."

"These solar-powered stake lights by Maggift … can be driven into the ground to help you find your footing along a garden path at night. They are on the dimmer side, but come in a pack of eight to create a soft glow along your garden walkways," The Strategist writes.

Garden Gate says these are durable and light up automatically from dusk to dawn: "If you are looking for a set of durable outdoor lights that will brighten up your yard, then the Maggift garden light set would be a perfect choice. This entire lighting system gets its power from solar energy and has light sensors that help in consuming less power. When the sun goes down, these lights will automatically start working and remain on throughout the night. Only when dawn arrives, the lights will turn off."

The Spruce thinks these will spruce up your outdoor area: "Aside from being stylish and durable, this 10-pack from Hampton Bay is a great value. We loved the ‘sparkly effect’ these lights display on the ground, as well as their unique crackle look on the glass. We also found these lights to be as durable as they were aesthetically pleasing, holding up well during watering, freezing, and being impacted with a golf ball."

"These Hampton Bay solar path lights will illuminate walkways, driveways, flower beds, and more, all while adding a sophisticated look. This pick, which is designed to turn on at dusk and stay on until dawn, remained lit for 8 hours and 2 minutes in our testing on a full charge. They’re easy to assemble with just three simple parts, including a plastic stake that secures them into the ground," Real Simple says.

Better Homes & Gardens highly recommends them: "These cracked glass solar lights add a stylish sparkle to sidewalks and garden paths. When the lights are on, the cracked glass lends a sparkling quality to the light. Their weather-resistant aluminum material is to thank for the sturdiness of these lights. They were given a rating of IPX4, meaning they’ll withstand some sprays or splashes of water from all directions."

These lights have the potential to "light up the room." And that wouldn't be cliché at all because they light up when you’re around, using motion-sensing technology.

Wirecutter raves about them: "The Ring Solar Pathlight provides light anywhere you need it — and, thanks to an integrated solar panel, it doesn't need to be connected to power. It offers scheduling, snooze options, and the ability to link with other Ring lights and devices. And you can directly control it using an app, or set it to turn on and off automatically through a built-in motion sensor. It requires the Ring Bridge (usually available as a bundle) or a compatible Amazon Echo device."

"The Ring Solar Pathlights are far and away the most durable, feature-rich lights that we tested. They’re made of the sturdiest plastic, and they were also brighter than all of the other lights — combined. Through the Ring app, you can turn the lights on and off, network them together, adjust the brightness, and tweak the motion sensitivity. If budget isn't a concern, and you’re looking for all of those features, then the Ring Solar Pathlights are the absolute best option on the market," USA Today writes.

Tom's Guide also recommends the Ring lights: "The Ring Solar Pathlight is the best solar light for anyone who has other Ring products. These lights provide downward-facing illumination for your walkway, have adjustable brightness settings, work with Alexa, and can send you notifications when they detect movement. We really liked their motion sensors, which we could set to turn on only when they detect a person's presence."

Not only are these lights functional, they’re also stylish. Ecavo ranks them highly for their design: "It is one of the best-designed solar pathway lights. If you are looking for a light to make your pathway gorgeous, this is the perfect light. The size and dimensions of these lanterns are larger than most. This makes it a more prominent decorative feature in a garden or along a pathway, and the design is lovely."

"The Gigalumi lights will provide you a decent amount of light without additional electrical output or extra expenses. By day, they charge themselves and automatically turn on at night for their working mode. All year-round, these lights can withstand the drastic weather changes in your location. You will get your money's worth as a set will give you 12 pieces of path lights. The body is made of durable stainless steel that won't overheat," Clean Energy Summit claims.

These are an excellent choice, according to GearLab: "The Gigalumi Solar Pathway Lights are an excellent choice for anyone seeking stake-style lights. This stylish and functional model comes in a high-quality bronze finish that we love — they look awesome situated beside a sidewalk or along a driveway. Not only do the devices themselves look good, but they earned some bonus points for the unique light pattern they cast onto the ground. During our assessment, these lights turned on right on time every night."

Ready to light up the night? Let us know which solar pathway lights you end up loving!

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.

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