8 Best Solar Path Lights
Updated: Jun. 14, 2024
Functional and eco-friendly, here are the best solar path lights to help you find your way around at night.
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Solar-powered path lights require minimal effort and no complicated setup, making them a smart outdoor lighting choice. By going solar, you’ll avoid electrical cords, digging up your yard for underground wiring and — best of all — costly utility bills.
When you’re in the market for the best solar path lights, there are a few key factors you should keep in mind to ensure you make a great purchase. “First and foremost, consider the brightness, measured in lumens,” says Ben Price, a renewable expert at Heatable. “Generally, you’ll want lights that provide between 100 to 200 lumens to ensure your pathways are well-lit. Battery life is another crucial aspect.” Price also says to opt for lights with “high-capacity batteries, preferably lithium-ion, as these tend to perform better and last longer.”
Keep reading to shop the best solar path lights.
Sunco Lighting Dusk2Dawn LED Solar Path Lights
Sunco Lighting’s Solar Path Lights are sleek, modern and unobtrusive, laying flush with the pathway so there’s less threat of tripping over them.
Each small light includes a built-in solar panel, a rechargeable (and replaceable) battery and a dusk-to-dawn photocell sensor to turn lights on and off automatically. Super easy to install, they have a waterproof rating of IP65 and come with a one-year warranty.
RetroDesignzz Garden Solar Path Light
If you’re looking to create a romantic ambience along your garden path, we suggest the RetroDesignzz Garden Solar Light. Handmade of stainless steel, crackled glass and ABS (a common thermal polymer), when lit these lights look like golden, shimmering bubbles.
These lights can be staked into the ground along a pathway or placed on a deck, even atop a patio table. They look great individually, but even better in a cluster. When charged, the light offers an impressive glow time of eight to 10 hours.
Threshold Pathway Spotlight
Threshold LED Spotlights let you point the light where you need it most — on dimly lit walkways, a gate, entryway or driveway. Aim them in any direction. They’re also great for highlighting plants and water features. These couldn’t be easier to install — just stick them in the ground!
Ring Solar Path Light
The smart Ring Solar Path Light connects with your Ring Bridge or Amazon device to get notifications, customize settings, control brightness and react to easy voice commands from anywhere. It even has a motion detector. These path lights are simple to set up and use — just download the free Ring app and ask Alexa to do the rest.
TomCare Solar Lantern
Want to have a little fun with path lighting? The TomCare Solar Lights Solar Lantern produces a crackling flame effect without the fire hazard.
Place the playful, dancing lights along garden paths, walkways or stairs. You can also use the clamp and ring to suspend it from a shepherd’s hook (not included). Each lamp comes with a large, fast-charging solar panel. The casing has an impressive waterproof rating of IP65.
Gigalumi Solar Powered Path Lights
Inspired by the 19th-century Arts and Crafts movement, Gigalumi Solar Powered Path Lights are especially flattering near homes with traditional or vintage aesthetics. As one Amazon reviewer writes, “I live in a Craftsman style home and these lights complement the architectural style perfectly.” The solar-powered lamps give off an amber-tinged luster for up to eight hours on a full charge.
Twinkle Star Solar Path Lights
When you’re looking for a “less is more” approach to outdoor lighting design, these simple matte black Twinkle Star Solar Path Lights work with most landscape styles. They’re versatile too. The slim tube lights can be installed in two ways: staked directly into the ground or with the round base and screws.
Take Me Metal Solar Path Light
For something distinctive and decorative, we like the Take Me Garden Solar Lights. These pretty lights, shaped like inverted cones, cast interesting flower patterns along paths, walkways and edges of lawns. They’ll give your garden an ethereal feel.
Writes one Amazon reviewer, “These beauties put off plenty of decorative light to ensure safety and light the pathway all while being absolutely gorgeous.”
What to Look for When Buying Solar Path Lights
Before heading to shop for solar path lights, focus on these features:
- Light output (lumens): This indicates brightness. The Home Depot recommends 100 to 200 lumens for path lighting. Use fewer lumens for decorative purposes and more for increased illumination.
- Light temperature: Measured in Kelvins, 3,000K offers an excellent middle ground between cool and warm light.
- Recharge time: These systems’ solar cells/panels convert sunlight to electricity, which is stored in batteries until nighttime. The average recharging time is about eight hours.
- Battery run time: This is the time the batteries will work on a charge. According to Energy.gov, the “nightly run time” is based on specific sunlight conditions. The more sunlight solar cells receive during the day, the longer they’ll provide power at night.
- Battery life: We know batteries don’t last forever. Expect to replace them after a year or so or when they no longer hold a charge. Pro tip: Make sure the bulbs and batteries in your path lights can be easily replaced.
- Materials: Look for powder-coated metal for better rust and corrosion resistance. Plastic (ABS) is lightweight and durable.
- IP Rating: This stands for Ingress Protection (against rain, snow, dust, etc.). Look for an IP rating of IP44 or higher.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our team of experts, including Toni DeBella, who penned this story, have years of experience covering the best products to add to your home. DeBella is a culture and lifestyle writer and reviews expert with years of experience reporting on subjects ranging from pest control to pool cabanas to painting and gardening. Toni also owned a successful faux finishing, mural and children’s furniture business for over a decade before transitioning her career into writing. Now you can catch Toni’s work on Family Handyman, The Telegraph, Fodor’s, Italy Magazine, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides and Orvieto or Bust.
Ben Price is a renewable expert at Heatable, an MCS-accredited solar installer with 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot and a popular YouTube channel on renewables.
How We Found the Best Solar Path Lights
Our team started by researching the most popular products and new finds on the market to land on the best solar path lights. From there, we compiled the most impressive ones on a list and tested each one to learn about its functions, durability, lighting time and charging capabilities. We also combed through customer reviews to ensure our picks were worth the money.Â
FAQs
Are solar path lights worth it?
Since these lights do not require electricity, you can effectively light your outdoors without adding to your monthly energy bills, making it worth it to many shoppers. The lights also last longer than traditional lanterns that require light bulbs.Â
Do Solar Path Lights Wear Out?
“Yes, solar path lights do wear out over time, but their lifespan can vary depending on several factors,” Price says. “The batteries in these lights typically last between one to three years. Over time, the battery’s capacity will diminish, leading to shorter illumination periods. Solar panels themselves can also degrade, losing efficiency after several years of exposure to the elements. The materials used in the lights, such as plastics and metals, will also experience wear and tear due to weather conditions like UV exposure, rain, and temperature changes.”
Price also notes that the LEDs used in solar lights tend to “have a long lifespan, often up to 50,000 hours, so they are unlikely to be the first component to fail. Regular maintenance, such as cleaning the solar panels and checking the battery connections, can help prolong the life of your solar path lights.”
How long do solar path lights last?
Solar path lights span two to five years, depending on the materials they’re crafted from. The update of the lighted also dictates their longevity.
What is the downside of solar path lights?
The only downside to solar-powered lights is that when seasons begin to change, and darkness sets in earlier, the lights can lose their charge, which normally lasts for eight to twelve hours. Once the weather changes, the light’s performance can also change temporarily.
Originally Published: June 15, 2022
