Installing garden lights is one of the easiest ways to take your landscaping to the next level. There are a lot of options out there so you’re sure to find something that suits your style but choosing the right one can be tricky.
There is a lot to consider when searching for the best LED landscape lighting kits. Do you prefer solar-powered or something wired? How many lights do you need to create the look you want? What about installation?
We answer all these questions and more to help you find the right landscape lighting for you.
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The Best LED Landscape Lighting Kits For Your Yard & Garden
There are a lot of LED landscape lights available but choosing the right one isn’t always easy. With many designs and styles, it helps to take a good look at them side by side. Here are some of the top landscaping lighting kits available.
1. VOLT Brass LED Outdoor Spotlight Kit with Transformer
This complete landscaping kit from VOLT is perfect for highlighting trees and other architectural features in your garden. It comes with six solid brass spotlights, six hammer stakes for installation, a 150-watt transformer, and bulbs.
It also comes with a Pro Junction hub, a conduit, and 100 feet of cable. Everything needed for installation is included. The lights emit warm, white light that adds a welcoming touch to your landscaping. It also brings out the true color of everything it illuminates.
The brass spotlights, screws, and knobs will never corrode or rust. Installation is easy, too. The slimline transformer and clamp-style with connectors are much easier to work with than traditional designs.
This kit is covered by a lifetime warranty on the brass fixtures, bulbs, and transformers. The convex lenses reduce puddling which prevents water buildup and leaks. A silicone plug prevents groundwater and insects from entering the fixtures, too.
2. Linkind 16 LEDs Solar Landscape Spotlights
These landscaping lights from Linkind feature 16 bright LEDs and an adjustable angle. They’re made of high-impact plastic and have an IP67 waterproof design that stands up to all kinds of bad weather.
A powerful solar-powered lithium battery powers these lights and lasts for a long time. On high light mode, you will get about six hours from a full charge; run low light mode, about 12 hours. Best of all, the lights automatically detect changes in light and adjust accordingly.
A cool thing about these lights is you have some versatility when installing them. Simply use the included stakes to stick them in the ground or mount them to the wall using the included screws. Keep in mind these lights need to charge in direct sunlight for at least six to eight hours for best results.
3. Nekteck Solar Lights Outdoor LED Landscape Lighting
Another great set of solar landscaping lights is this one from Nekteck. The 200 lumens LED lights efficiently use solar power to produce bright output at night. They’re great for lighting up pathways, trees, driveways, or landscaping around the yard.
You can set these lights so they’re always on or use the automatic setting to have them turn on automatically when the sun goes down. Choose from high and low light modes to balance battery life with the amount of illumination you need for your space.
Each light in this four-pack can be adjusted up to 180 degrees so you can aim it where you need it. Solar panels can be adjusted up to 90 degrees to ensure maximum sun exposure at all times.
For installation, you can use the stakes to simply press the lights into the ground or use the included screws to mouth the light to the wall, depending on your needs. This kit comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee, two-year warranty, and lifetime technical support.
4. DBF LED Waterproof Solar Landscape Lighting
Next up is this two-light kit from DBF. One of the things that set this kit apart from what we’ve seen so far is the colorful lights. There are seven different colors total and nine different lighting settings so you can add a lot of visual interest to your landscaping.
These lights are solar-powered and have an integrated light sensor so they turn on automatically at night and off when the sun comes up in the morning. After a charge time of about six to eight hours, the battery is full and can last up to eight hours overnight.
With two-way install, you can choose the perfect way to use these lights for your space. Use the included screws to mount them to the wall or simply use the stakes to anchor them into the ground. The light is adjustable to 120 degrees and the solar panel between 150 and 360 degrees.
This set comes with a 30-day refund as well as a 12-month warranty if there are any quality issues.
5. GIGALUMI Solar Pathway Lights Outdoor
This six-piece set from GIGALUMI is one of the more stylish options we found. The bronze metal finish looks elegant and adds a touch of class to your lawn or garden. These lights also feature ripple glass lenses for a clean light and fun pattern on the ground below.
These lights are really easy to install, just use the stake and push them into the ground along a garden path, throughout a flower bed, or around the pool. The top-mounted solar panel should be placed in direct sunlight for the best results.
When the batteries are fully charged, these lights can run for more than ten hours. They’re weatherproof, too, designed to withstand rain, harsh sunlight, and light snow.
6. Solar Lights Bright Pathway Outdoor Garden Landscape Lighting
With the eight packs of solar lights from Beau Jardin, you can set up a gorgeous design for your outdoor landscaping. These lights are made of stainless steel and feature watertight diamond glass shades for extra durability.
Installation is super simple; all you have to do is stick the stakes into the ground. No additional tools are required. They turn on automatically when the sun goes down and turn off in the morning at dawn.
Because they are solar-powered, the top-mounted solar panel should be placed in direct sunlight to fully charge the battery. These lights can last for up to 12 hours with a full charge. They come with a 30-day full refund so you can return them if you’re not satisfied for any reason.
7. Enchanted Spaces Solar Path Light
Next up is this beautiful design from Enchanted Spaces that will add a lot of whimsy to your space. This set includes six lights, each with a warm rubbed bronze finish. The real glass lens is not only durable but also creates an eye-catching star effect on the ground.
These solar-powered lights don’t require any wires. The top-mounted solar panel charges the battery and the lights turn on automatically at night. Installation is simple; just use the real metal stake to install each light into the ground in the perfect location.
These stakes are exceptionally durable and designed to last for years. That said, if anything goes wrong, they’re covered with a hassle-free one-year warranty for replacement parts as well as a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
8. LEONLITE LED Landscape Light with Aluminum Lamp Housing
This landscape lighting kit from LEONLITE comes with 12 lights so it covers a lot of ground. Each is made with durable aluminum housing that’s corrosion-resistant and waterproof. That’s not all, the material also helps dissipates heat which helps the lights last as long as possible.
If you’re looking for a bright light that performs well even in heavy rain, this is a great choice. The shade design reduces light interference and, combined with the frosted glass, creates a nice, warm glow.
Each light has a 50,000-hour lifespan and is covered by a five-year warranty, one of the best that we found. Since these lights are not solar-powered, you don’t have to worry about them dimming or not lasting through the night.
The total length of the power cord is about five feet which makes installation easy. For safety, the manufacturer recommends wattage of 60 to 66W.
9. ZGWJ Solar Ground Lights
If you’re looking for something a little different, take a look at this set of lights from ZGWJ. Rather than sticking up from the ground, these lights are designed to lay almost flush with the ground. This set comes with eight pieces and will cover a lot of ground.
Each light has a solar charging panel. It takes about eight to 10 hours for the battery to fully charge in direct sunlight. These lights turn on automatically when the sun goes down and can last anywhere from eight to 10 hours.
Because these lights lay nearly flush to the ground, they create an entirely different look than the other lights we considered. The stainless steel construction won’t corrode or rust. Plus they’re waterproof so they’re safe to use in rain, snow, sleet, or frost and covered by a one-year warranty.
10. Pandawill Color Changing Solar Powered Glass Ball Led Garden Lights
This color-changing glass ball LED light is the most unique product on our list. It really adds something extra special to your outdoor space. The glass ball is covered with a colorful mosaic that really catches the eye.
There are two lighting modes. The first is a single-mode with soft, white light that really makes the mosaic design pop. For even more color, use the color-changing mode to shift from red to green to blue.
The solar battery powers the light for up to eight hours when fully charged. It turns itself on at dusk and off when the sun rises to conserve as much battery life as possible. This beautiful light is waterproof and safe to use outdoors but can easily be used indoors.
Types of Landscape Lighting
There are a few different types of lighting to consider when choosing the right kind for your yard or garden. Here are the main things you need to think about when deciding which is the right kind for you.
One of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether you want lights that are solar-powered or wired for electricity. There are pros and cons to each.
The best thing about solar-powered lights is that they’re so convenient. You don’t have to worry about wiring or anything, all you have to do is decide where you want each light placed and insert it into the ground.
Some solar-powered lights even come with mounting screws and brackets that allow you to mount the light to the wall. This gives you even more versatility when putting together your design.
It can be tricky to fully charge solar lights, especially if you live in an area where it is frequently cloudy or rainy. These lights require direct sunlight for the best performance and that can be hard to find.
Not all solar panels are created equal. Some of them are adjustable and can be angled so that they catch as much sun as possible. Others are mounted on the top of the lamp. This limits your options a bit because you can’t change the angle to take advantage of the sunlight.
Wired lights are more reliable. While solar lights usually last between six and ten hours, wired lights don’t dim or turn off until you actually turn them off yourself.
The downside is they’re a little more difficult to install because you have to worry about the wiring. Plus, you are somewhat limited as to where you can place them.
There are a few different styles of landscaping lights, too. Most are set on stakes and sit above the ground about 10 or 12 inches. We also found some that lay almost flush with the ground as well as an orb-shaped design.
How Many Lumens For Landscape Lighting?
How many Lumens for Landscape Lighting?
Lumens refers to the amount of light that comes from a bulb and tells you about how bright the bulb is and how intense the light is. How many lumens you need generally depends on where you’re planning to use your landscape lighting.
If you plan to hang your lighting, anywhere from 50 to 185 lumens is ideal. Landscape lighting along the ground should be between 50 and 300 lumens, depending on where you place them. Spotlights should be about 120 lumens and path lights 100 to 200 lumens.
When putting lights in an area that’s really dark, aim for higher lumens because you’ll need more to illuminate the space. If you’re using a lot of lights close together, you can use likely use fewer lumens.
Landscape lighting covers a variety of uses. There are pathway lights, garden lights, spotlights, and more. They can be used to add pops of color or as a security light. Determine where and how you are going to use your landscape lighting kit before determining how many lumens you need.
These lights are the easiest to install. All you have to do is push the stake into the ground and you’re done.
If the ground is particularly hard, dry, or rocky, you may have some trouble getting the stake to go in. It’s really important not to force it. Some of these spikes are made of plastic and can break quite easily.
In this case, it can help to wet the ground a little bit. This could help loosen the soil and make it easier to push in the stake. Alternately, you can dig a hole in the ground before inserting the stake.
It’s important to consider sun exposure when deciding where to place this type of light. Because they require direct sunlight for a full charge, placing them under trees or in an area with a lot of shadows in the morning won’t deliver the best results.
Wired Lights
Each product is different so make sure you follow the instructions that come with your wired landscaping lights. That said, here are some general guidelines to follow.
1. Layout the fixtures on the ground first so you get the layout you want. Once you have them in position, lay the cable out along the path.
2. Move the light fixtures off to the side and grab a flat-blade shovel. Start about 12 inches away from the spot where you want the lights to be. Use the blade of the shovel to lift the grass away from the soil and fold it over, leaving the soil exposed.
3. Use the shovel to create a small trench about three inches deep where you want the wire to go. Don’t go any deeper than this because it will be too hard to access the cable later.
4. Set the cable in the trench, leaving a little bit of slack you can easily attach the lights later on. Then, cover the trench leaving some of the cable sticking up where the lamps are to go.
5. Run the cable all the way to the closest outdoor electrical outlet. Strip about ½ inch of the coating from the end of the wire and attach them to the terminals at the bottom of the transformer. Tighten the screws.
6. Mount the transformer to the wall or attach it to a stake and insert it into the ground.
7. Place the lamps into the ground and connect them to the cable. Commonly, you will slip connectors over the cable and pinch them into place, making contact between the light and the wire inside the cable.
8. Continue installing all of the lights in the same way. Once you’re finished, smooth the sod over and visible connectors.
Conclusion
Adding landscaping lights to your garden or yard can make quite an impression. It takes an ordinary-looking flower bed, tree, or walkway and turns it into something special.
Because there are so many options to choose from, we put together this list of top-rated LED landscape lighting to help you find the right set for you. Whether you’re looking for something solar-powered or wired, there are plenty of great options here to consider.
We all prefer sturdy solar lights that are built to last. This is especially important when I intend to use the solar lights outdoors. Hope that they are durable enough to tolerate rugged weather conditions outside. 🙂
Good post to share. I will make it by myself and no need for electrician about installing some lights outside.
We all prefer sturdy solar lights that are built to last. This is especially important when I intend to use the solar lights outdoors. Hope that they are durable enough to tolerate rugged weather conditions outside. 🙂