Landscaping is a great way to add some curb appeal and beauty to your home.
Some people are able to create whole worlds in their gardens with the amount of detail and design they put in. Both flowers and lights come together to make a beautiful garden.
Garden enthusiasts love to use outdoor spotlights to showcase areas in their yards. The best outdoor solar spotlights are easy to install, affordable, and effective. Where can you find lights that combine all of those things?
This article dives into several different outdoor spotlights. Based on these reviews, you can find the best lights for you.
You might be wondering if solar spotlights are even necessary. While you can make a garden without them, they really do elevate the looks of your foliage.
There are several benefits to using outdoor solar spotlights.
Firstly, it allows you to illuminate your garden during the evening times. No one can see how spectacular things look if there’s no light.
Secondly, outdoor solar spotlights give you control over what you want to highlight. If you’ve spent a lot of time designing a certain flower section, these lights help focus on that. You can also adjust how large or small of a light you want, so it’s truly customizable.
Finally, solar-powered outdoor spotlights are more efficient compared to other outdoor lights. This is for two reasons.
Solar-powered products save more energy and money for their users than electric-run lights. Because they’re powered by the sun, you don’t have to pay a monthly electricity bill to keep them running.
These lights are also more efficient than electric ones. They save their energy and use it only at night. So, you don’t have to worry about dulling lights since they’re not used continuously.
Solar-powered outdoor lights are also better for the environment because of their design. They don’t rely on detrimental methods of obtaining energy. They also don’t leave behind harmful chemicals or emissions.
All things considered, solar-powered outdoor lights have a lot to offer to users. Whether you want to use them inside or outside, these lights are a great tool to have.
The Best Solar Spotlights For Gardens & Outdoors
If you’re thinking about using solar-powered outdoor lights, you might be overwhelmed. There’s a huge market dedicated to just these lights. Luckily, this compilation of products is a good place to start your hunt for the best.
First up are the Nekteck solar lights. These lights are the perfect combination of practicality and affordability. The installation process is also a breeze.
The Nekteck lights come with two in one package. Unlike many solar lights, these lights have the solar panel already attached to them. Both the panels and the lights are heatproof and waterproof, so you can even use them around a pond or stream.
To install these lights, all you have to do is stick the spike firmly into the ground, and you’re good to go! Because they are solar-powered, you don’t have to worry about wiring or cords.
Probably the best feature for these Nekteck lights is the fact that they have an on/off button. If you don’t need to use the lights one night, you can just turn them off. This still saves power from the day to be used the next day.
One negative feature of this product is that the white light advertised is more yellow. The color is still beautiful, but it’s not really a soft white.
Pros
Heatproof and waterproof
Easy installation with spike
Includes on/off button
Cons
Yellow light instead of soft white
Only get two in a pack
2. URPOWER 2-in-1 Solar Powered Adjustable Spotlight
Next are the Urpower Solar LED lights. These lights are some of the brightest ones on the list. They also come with two in one pack.
The Urpower lights offer users a great number of options. For starters, it has the useful option of turning the lights on/off during the day. This can help save even more energy when you’re not using them.
This product also has an automatic power function that turns on in the evening and turns off at dawn. You don’t have to worry about turning it on yourself unless you don’t want it to be on at a certain time.
The Urpower solar lights can be either stuck into the ground, or they can be mounted. There are screws and back plates included to help set up the mounted lights wherever you want. Whether you mount them or not, they have a durable design that’s tough enough to survive harsh weather.
One negative feature of this product is that it doesn’t come in a variety of colors. The best color for outdoor lights is definitely white, but there should be more tones. Colors like warm white, soft white, and others are missing.
Pros
Mountable or insertable
Energy-saving options
Automatic power timer
Cons
Comes with only one shade
No variety in color designs
3. LITOM Upgraded 12 LED Solar Landscape Spotlights
Next are the Litom solar spotlights. These are the perfect option for someone who wants to buy an affordable, yet durable product.
Starting with durability, these are made of high-impact ABS plastic. This allows them to survive harsh weather and any impacts made from small rocks or animals. They’re also waterproof, so rain or snow isn’t an issue.
A great feature of this product is that it’s much taller than other solar lights. That means you can reach further distances with the lights than for others. It also has a larger solar panel to collect more energy than competitors.
These Litom lights are both solar and battery-powered. Initially, they use solar energy from the day to light up during the night. Once that energy runs out, the lights then switch to the battery power, allowing you to always have light.
One negative feature of this product is that there’s no motion sensor for lighting at night. That’s something that most spotlights and LED lights have, especially for nighttime use.
Pros
Highly durable product
Taller and wider design
Powered by both solar and battery energy
Cons
No nighttime motion sensor
Slow to switch from solar to battery energy
4. MINI 50X Twin Solar-Powered Cast Aluminum Warm White LED Spotlight
The Mini 50X solar-powered lights have several great features. With hundreds of positive reviews, this seems like a good place to start when using solar lights.
First of all, this product has a bright 100 lumen per light brightness rate. That’s more than many on this list. On top of that, it’s equipped with a special magnifier lens that more than triples the bulb brightness.
A great feature that you don’t find in many spotlights is the ability to control the brightness. This product comes with three different levels, so you can make it as bright or dull as you want.
Additionally, this product can run for 15 hours on a single charge, making it extra efficient. It surpasses the rate for many other products on this list.
One negative quality is that the Mini50X solar lights have separate panels and heads. The solar panels are different, so you would also have to install them separately. This adds to the workload and increases the time it takes to get them running.
Pros
Bright lights at 100 lumens per head
Has different brightness levels
Runs for 15 hours in one charge
Cons
Head and solar panels are separate
Increased time for installation
5. DBF LED Waterproof Solar Spotlights
Let’s say you’re looking for an LED solar light that travels far. The DBF solar lights are perfect for you! Here are a few things that make these lights so great.
The DBF lights can reach up to 33 feet in terms of how far the light travels. This long-distance means you save more money than you would be spending on more lights.
What’s also really great about these DBF lights is that they have a fully adjustable head. You can turn the solar panel around to get the best access to sunlight. This also allows you to aim the light wherever you want when it’s on.
The big negative quality of these lights is that they don’t really hold up when they’re placed in the ground. Several users complained of the spikes getting very brittle and tough to remove. Your lights might break when you try to take them out, so just be wary of that.
Pros
Bright light travels far
Fully-adjustable head
Dual installation options
Cons
Lose structure underground
Can be hard to remove
6. Solar Yard Lights Outdoor LED Solar Spotlights
The Leknes LED solar light is a great average light for users. For starters, this light has a good brightness level with 19 LED lights. That’s a pretty standard figure in this field of outdoor lighting.
With a fully adjustable head, the Leknes lights help you save energy, as well as utilize the lights how you want. You can save more energy by directing the panel at the sun more efficiently. You also have more freedom to move the head in the direction you want the light to shine on.
This product has low and high light modes that differ in brightness. It can run for six hours on the low mode and for eight hours on the high mode. That’s a little less than other products, but it gets the job done.
One negative quality this product has is that the solar panels aren’t as strong as others. They take more time to collect enough energy to work properly. This also takes away from the product’s efficiency at nighttime.
Pros
Solid, dependable product that’s long-lasting
Efficient light head design
Two brightness levels
Cons
Slightly weak solar panels
Lights may be affected during the night
7. ROSHWEY Solar Spot Lights Outdoor
If you’re not afraid to splurge a little, these lights are for you. The ROSHWEY Lighting products are a bit more expensive than the others on this list. However, they offer lots of cool and unique features.
ROSHWEY Lighting lights have four different levels of operation. The first mode is a dim mode, and this is when the light maintains a dim brightness. Then when motion is detected, it switches to 100% brightness.
The auto mode is when the light stays off completely. When motion is detected, it goes up to 100% brightness.
The third mode is when the lights stay at 50% brightness the whole time without any motion sensing. The last mode is when the lights stay 100% bright at all times. These different modes allow for lots of customization that other products don’t offer.
One negative quality for these ROSHWEY Lighting lights is that you need to have an initial solar panel charge. Some products allow you to use them as soon as they’re open. But these lights need at least five hours of an initial charge to get started.
Pros
Four levels of brightness
Motion sensors
High brightness at 1,000 lumens
Cons
Five-hour charge is required to get started
Extends wait time for product use
8. Solar Powered Upgraded Amphibious Pond Lighting
The Lc-Smarts lights take outdoor solar panel lighting in a new direction. Instead of just focusing on land illumination, they also focus on water illumination.
These lights are designed to work both on land and in the water. The solar panel attachment is separate and is inserted or mounted on a dry area. The light heads can be fully submerged to light up the water in beautiful colors.
These colors also have a lot more variety than the others on this list. You can pick from red, blue, or green. On top of that, you can choose a light design and style to add cool effects to the lights.
This Lc-Smarts light also has a long life. It can last for 10 hours of continuous use with the right amount of charging beforehand.
One negative quality for these lights is that they require wires to get set up. Wires may not be a hassle for everyone, but they do increase the installation time quite a bit.
Pros
Variety of light colors
Can choose different light effects
Can use on land and in water
Cons
Wire setup is required
Increase wait time for product use
9. Sunba Youth Outdoor Solar Spotlights
The Sunba Youth solar panel lights are great because the solar panel lights have a wider panel. These lights have 17% greater energy collection efficiency than other big names. This gives users a greater bang for their buck.
Aside from that, you have the standard options for installing these in two ways. You can mount them on the wall or fence, or you can insert them with the spike end.
There are a few important notes from the manufacturer when using these lights. The solar panels need to be kept away from an open flame. There is a risk of the battery exploding at close distances.
When the lights are not in use, they still continue to collect solar energy. However, users have to be careful when they don’t plan on using them for a long time. They need to be charged every three months while they’re not in use.
Finally, high heat and humidity can affect the efficiency of the Sunba Youth lights. Keeping them away from those external problems is the best way to keep them working well.
Pros
17% greater energy collection rate than others
Two options for installation
Easy installation guide is included
Cons
Big list of dos-and-don’ts
Need to recharge when not in use
10. SmartYard LED Solar Spotlight
The last candidate is the SmartYard LED solar spotlight. These lights look the most different from the rest on this list. But they still function at a great rate.
For starters, these lights are designed a little differently. Each light head has a stronger and longer bottom than the others listed. This allows these lights to reach a much wider area.
The plastic-covered stems also mean they’re more durable than other products. Others have shorter spikes for installation, so they’re more susceptible to breaking.
These long spikes are also adjustable, and that’s a huge plus. Other products just come with a short spike, so there’s no room for change. This leaves the height up to the user.
One negative quality, however, is that the battery power for this product isn’t that great. Other solar-powered lights last at least four hours. But many consumers have complained of these barely lasting two hours.
Pros
Long spike
More durable design
Less chances of spike breaking during installation
Cons
Low battery power
Batteries don’t hold a charge well
How to Choose the Best Outdoor Solar Spotlights?
Even with all of these products, you may still be having a tough time deciding between lights. There are a few important things that should influence your final decision.
Purpose: Firstly, think about what you want to light up with your solar-powered lights. Are you looking for an option that works underwater, or is it just land fine? This broadens or shortens your list of prospective products.
Amount: Do you need multiple lights or just a few? Depending on how many you need, you’re going to be looking at different models.
Run-time: Also, consider how long you want to use your lights for. Solar-powered lights have different run-times, so you may buy one model over the other.
Access to the Sun: Another important thing you should think about is how you plan to get solar energy into your lights. You can’t power the lights without any sun!
Think about where the best areas for getting solar energy are in your yard. If you have lots of shaded areas, you may need a light head with a long spike. If you have lots of sunshine, you can probably get away with buying a shorter panel spike.
Experience: Finally, consider how much experience you have with solar-powered products in general. These products rely a lot on the sun, but they also have batteries in case the sun’s not out. Some products rely on wires to get the energy passing.
You may not be comfortable with connecting wires, or you might want something easier. Either way, these preferences affect your decision.
How to Install Outdoor Solar Spot Lights?
There are two main methods of installing outdoor solar-powered lights: spikes and mounting. When inserting your solar lights, it helps to first dig into the ground. Start by digging about three inches into the earth.
Once the hole is made, insert the spike firmly. Then, cover it up with the dirt, and pack it down. Your lights and panels should have an on/off button on the back, so just flip the switch there.
An important note to remember is that not all spikes are built the same. Some may be stronger than others, so make sure the earth is soft where you plan to insert it. If it’s too hard, wet it a little with water, and then insert it to avoid breaking the spike.
If you want to mount your solar lights on the wall or a fence, start by locating the brackets and screws. There should also be indications on the back of your solar panels as to where they get attached.
Once you’ve located the areas, attach the back of the solar panel with the bracket to the wall. Screw-in the nails, but don’t go too deep as this can hinder its adjustability. Once you’ve screwed in all four parts, check to ensure that it’s leveled and not too tight.
That’s it! Your solar panel light is ready to go! Just be sure to charge the solar panel once before using it consistently.
Conclusion
Looking for the best solar spotlights outdoor can be a challenge. But once you do your research on why you want to use them and what options you have, you’re halfway there! All that’s left is to go buy your fabulous solar spotlights and get your shine on!
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