Stacy Tornio has authored more than 15 books about animals, nature, and gardening. She is a master gardener and master naturalist.

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Over the past several years, solar lights have been improving by leaps and bound. They let you harness the incredible power of the sun right in your own backyard, on a patio, or even out on the balcony. You only need a few hours of sunlight each day at the spot you want to hang the lights. Then they pretty much do the rest of the work on their own. 

LED lights powered by the sun have so many benefits. For starters, high-quality LED lights last longer than older incandescent lightbulbs. They’re much easier to install since you won’t need any external outlets or wiring. They are incredibly efficient, adding zero cost to your electricity bill. You might pay a bit more for them upfront, but if you look at a five year time period (yes, they should last that long), they’ll actually cost about half as much compared to traditional lights. 

Here are the best outdoor solar lights:

This light has it all—style, character, and efficiency. It has a white LED Edison-style bulb, giving it a great vintage look for a porch or deck. The copper framing is waterproof and weatherproof, so you don’t have to worry about leaving it out in rain or snow.

The light is just over 14 inches long with the handle or 8.5 inches without. It has an automatic sensor, so it turns off during the day and then on at night. This is a conversation piece, whether you buy a single light or a few to frame a patio.

These motion sensors work well as spot lights or security lights, giving you peace of mind without having to run extra wires or buy an expensive system. The fast-charging solar panel converts at a rate of up to 17% to power 24 LEDs.

The sensor detects motion up to 5 meters away, which triggers the light to shine for 30 seconds. This four-pack of lights are easy to install on any fence post, wall, or flat surface.

These path lights have a crackled effect that looks sparkly at night, although one of our testers noted that this style might look broken at a quick glance. Nonetheless, Hampton Bay's solar lights earned a spot on our list thanks to their excellent durability and easy set up. They functioned well after a freeze test and getting hit by a golf ball. The lights are good and bright, and an excellent value.

There’s something about fairy lights that create a magical scene, and these definitely won’t disappoint. You’ll find seven total colors to choose from, all on strands that are 33 feet long with 100 LED bulbs. The lights also have eight modes to choose from, including waves, fireflies, twinkle, and more.

These efficient lights have a built-in 800 milliampere-hour rechargeable battery and convert at a rate of 19%, thanks in part to the rotating panel, so you can easily aim it at the sun. After a full charge, expect the lights to last between six to ten hours. They have a weather resistance rating (IP65), and our testers noted they worked just fine after being exposed to freezing temperatures.

Miniature Edison bulbs can add style to just about any space. These 27-foot LED string lights will help you create a soft, warm ambiance in any outdoor space. They are one of the most heavy-duty, weatherproof string lights on the market with shatterproof S14 bulbs, so you don’t worry about leaving them up throughout the year.

They also come with a three-year warranty, but they held up well during our durability tests. The lights will last up to six hours on a single charge. Our tester noted that although the bulbs are plastic, they fell high-quality and look nice. One of the only down sides is that you can't connect multiple strings of these lights together.

Here’s another LED light where you don’t have to worry about an on/off switch. The lights shine upwards, and sit flush to the ground. Just turn the initial switch on, and then push the spike into the ground. The stainless steel lights turn on a dusk and off at dawn, thanks to an automatic light sensor.

Each light has a 4.5 inch dimeter, and on a full charge offer 10 hours of light. You can easily pick up and move these lights anywhere you want or need. They’d be perfect for gardens, pathways, stairs, or take them with you camping. They light walkways well, but aren't ideal for uplighting trees or other taller landscape features.

Here’s another one that comes with built-in color options. Stick with the traditional, warm white (3,000 Kelvin) or change it up to one of six other colors.

Each individual light (these come in a pack of eight) is pretty small at only 4.7 inches long and 3.5 inches wide. Yet the built-in rechargeable battery packs a big punch at 1.2 volts and 600 milliamp hours. After six hours of sunlight, the light can stay lit for up to eight hours. With their vintage look and being easy to install, they’re one of the most stylish and quickest ways to light up your outdoor space.

Change the color of these LED lights depending on your mood with just a quick tap of the remote. With 13 colors to choose from (or put it on a rotation), you can choose your favorite color or create the right look based on a certain season or holiday. These flickering lights have an IP65 rating, meaning they meets high weatherproofing standards, so you can feel good about leaving them outside year-round.

The lights are available with a spike base or a flat tabletop option, so take your pick. You can also recharge them through USB in case you don’t get enough sun on a cloudy day. You should get 12-16 hours of light out of a full charge.

This kit will give you everything you need to create unique hanging lanterns. All you have to do is add the jars! You’ll get eight sets of lids, handles, and lights to go inside.

These lights have an IP68 rating, so you won’t have to worry about moisture getting in to corrode the batteries. This light recently went through a redesign, giving you a much higher sunlight to light conversion (aka, a longer lasting light). You can also use these indoors. If you don’t quite get enough sun on a regular basis, no worries. The battery is replaceable.

Decorative solar lights have definitely come a long way, and these pineapple lights are just one example of the fun solar light designs that can brighten up any space. The 60 LED lights have a built-in panel at the top of the pineapple, so you really just hang and go.

They’ll stay lit for six to eight hours on a full charge. These would be perfect for the pineapple fan in your life or just anyone who appreciates tropical garden decor. Buy a single one or fill your space with pineapples.

Our top pick for an outdoor solar light is the Pearlstar Vintage Solar Lamp. But if you’re looking for a motion sensor light that won’t stay on all night, consider Baxia’s Solar Motion Sensor Security Wall Lights. 

Our team has tested dozens of solar lights, to gain real-world insights. To make this list, we combined testing results, user reviews, and rigorous market research to find the best solar lights available. Not every product on this list has been tested, but every product has been evaluated for value and good design.

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