If you are looking for a way to add some atmosphere and ambiance to the exterior of your property, while at the same time providing a safe and sound way to navigate your way after dark outdoor solar pathway lights are just what you need.
When night falls, decorative warm white light from solar path lighting comes alive and provides you with an attractive outline of your path and driveway. Deck step lights are another way to bring ambiance to your backyard.
Customers also read: How do solar panels work?
The best solar path lights provide your property with an additional safety element (in fact it’s one of our recommended tips for outdoor lighting) as well as a decorative illumination for both look and feel of your home.
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Top 10 Best Outdoor Path Lights
This is where LED Light Guides come in, to help homeowners whittle those thousands upon thousands of different solar landscape lights down, we will shortlist what we feel are the top 10 best solar pathway lights.
Other Ideas: If you’re looking for outdoor lighting that’s a bit more prominent and will truly make your outdoor areas a cut above the rest, be sure to check out our post on the best solar lamp posts.
1. Cinoton Solar Landscape Lights Torches (Pack of 4)
We start with something a little bit more extravagant and probably some of the best solar path lights not just for looks but for brightest, on our list, these realistic dancing flames are also one of our favorites as they are wonderfully decorative but still a practical garden light solar powered so energy efficient and simple to install.
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These black powder-coated Cinoton solar lights for gardens are extremely stylish, complete with a cylindrical tiki torch look. If you want to turn your backyard into an island paradise or just need something a bit funkier than your everyday lantern light, these should be your go-to outdoor LED path lights.
The fun doesn’t stop with just the design, as the actual light dances to mimic a real flame. They come in packs of 2 and last up to 10 hours in summer and 5 hours in winter on a single charge of the battery with 8 hours sunlight.
They feature setting for Auto, On/Off and Dusk to Dawn and have waterproofing of IP65 rating so they can handle all weather conditions. This has to be the best outdoor path lighting, what’s not to love?
Why We Chose It
- Very tall – 31 inches
- Fun realistic dancing flame light
- Each light can last fully from the end of the day through to the start of the next
- Settings for, Auto On/Off, Dusk to Dawn
2. Voona Matt Black LED Solar Path Lights
These Voona matte black lantern-style LED outdoor path lights to emit a beautiful warm white pattern that creates a comfortable and romantic atmosphere as well as lighting your way.
Very sturdy and robust as the material used for construction is stainless steel for strength and longevity with the classic plastic lens for durability. They are contemporary and feature a ribbed light cover to dilute and spread the glow which mimics starlight but without sacrificing the brightness.
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The Voona solar sidewalk lights have a 6 Lumen output with one warm white LED which illuminates for up to 8 hours after being fully charged.
Sold in packs of 8, so you can make a significant saving by not having to purchase individual solar path light. It is worth noting, that as with all solar path lights, you do need a decent amount of direct sunlight to fully charge these during the day. Providing you get that, you can expect up to 8 hours of light to see you through until morning.
Why We Chose Them
- Cost-effective
- Sturdy and robust design
- Plastic instead of glass means light cover won’t shatter so easily
- Sunburst warm white color illumination
3. Garden Bliss Outdoor Solar Pathway Lights (Pack of 10)
Homeowners, transform your outside environment, walkways, gardens, and patios with this option from Garden Bliss.
Here we have an elegant and highly-efficient outdoor lighting set. These simple yet effective classy lantern-style solar powered lights come with the NiMH rechargeable batteries pre-installed and a choice of 12- inch or 8-inch stake, so you simply choose the best for your use then simply push them into the ground.
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With a sleek black casing and white light, these will shine for around 8 hours when the battery capacity is fully charged. You are getting premium value with these 10 solar lights garden pathway units which are made to a high standard.
Why We Chose Them
- Choice of two height options
- Waterproofed
- Buying in a pack of 10 results in a massive saving per light
- Ready to install out of the box
4. Moonrays Solar Walkway Lights (Pack of 2)
Moonrays have been in the lighting industry for a number of decades, so they know their stuff. These solar walkway lamps in this pack of 2 are just another example of their expertise.
They come pre-installed with high powered AA NiMH rechargeable batteries and have the wider solar panel on the top to catch maximum sunlight. Installation just involves pushing the stake firmly into the soft ground in your garden.
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With a light that is capable of 30 Lumens of warm, white-colored brightness from the LED bulbs, they are 25 times brighter than other 1.2-lumen solar path lights and the ribbed glass lens provides 360 degrees display and 120 degrees of beam angle.
As standard for this kind of lighting, a full charge all day gives you a run time of around 6 to 8 hours. Although they are still very simple in design, these elegant garden lights solar style go stand out a bit more because of the brightness which puts them on our best solar path lights list.
Why We Chose Them
- Wider solar panel means the lights charge quicker
- Brightness of 30 lumens
- Tulip-shaped cover for a quaint decorative touch
- Weatherproofed
5. TomCare Waterproof Flickering Flame Torches
Now homeowners can get the feel of real torches but in a much safer way with these LED lights designed by TomCare. These lights are designed to mimic real flames dancing around in the metal cage.
Feeling both modern with a tropical mood, reviewers comment that the way the light flickers inside the torch is extremely close to real flames.
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They’re great solar pathway lights to add mood and ambiance to your backyard with the lights giving a wonderful warm glow during the long winter months.
Why We Chose Them
- Beautiful design
- Long run time at full charge
- Waterproof
- Comes in a variety of pack sizes
6. Solpex Solar Path Lights (6 Pack)
This pack of 6 Solar lights is just lovely for outdoors. They require no maintenance, just a quick wipe for the solar panel to keep it dust-free and efficient. A great yet simple way to give your path, garden or driveway a wonderful glow while keeping your home and garden energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
This wonderfully elegant, but durable design is made to be sturdy and robust, with a black metal finish that fits with any building style and garden design.
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Using the premium SMD led bulbs that improve the output of luminosity. The lamp heads made from glass to allow for even more illumination, compared to the plastic alternatives, but of course, that does make these lamps more fragile.
This, like the others, is easy to install and as simple as 1-2-3 you don’t even have to put the battery in. All you need to do is attach the bottom spike to the head, remove the tab, flip the on the switch and then place it anywhere you want along your walkway, driveway or just in your flower bed.
Once this solar light is in place you don’t need to give them a second thought. Make sure you turn them on and they will automatically turn on at dusk and turn off again when the sun rises.
Why We Chose Them
- Very easy to install
- Solar powered
- Durable
- Elegant design
7. Plow & Hearth Solar Path Lights (Pack of 4)
The Plow & Hearth Set of 4 solar-powered lamps is an elegant and simple design.
Thanks to the powder-coated cast aluminum and stainless steel material used in the construction mean each solar light is extremely durable and able to withstand all manner of weather conditions and are robust enough to be hammered into the ground.
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One of the biggest selling points of these LED lights over others is the super-bright white light for brilliant illumination, in fact, that they have a very impressive output of 50 lumens brightness and stands at 23 inches.
The faceted glass reflects the light wonderfully and has an extra-large solar panel for speed and efficiency to charge the battery.
Why We Chose Them
- High brightness output of 50 lumens
- Quality Glass Housing
- Great weather resistance
- Tough and durable aluminum construction
8. Gigalumi Solar Powered Path Lanterns
Gigalumi presents us with a fantastic and different path light design that looks like hanging lanterns. This gives a romantic vibe to the house and garden, perfectly complements any flower beds or shrubbery.
You don’t just get one solar panel on these solar path lights, on the cap of these there are 3 small solar panels that capture enough daylight to charge the battery and keep illuminating your house and yard at night.
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The sides of the lantern are a frosted off-white that creates a wonderful soft glow when the lights automatically turn on at night. Again, like all on this list, easy to install by pushing into the ground. Since the design reaches a little higher than other path lights, you can hide away the stake among some tall flowers or bushes, not just for pathways.
This product is available in packs of 2 and 4 and comes with all the necessary parts to get it working. Since it is such a charming design, we recommend getting more than one of the 4 packs to spread them around the yard, lawn and paths.
Why We Chose Them
- Beautiful eye-catching design
- Solar-powered
- Very easy installation
- Automatic on/off function
9. Beau Jardin Bright Stainless Steel and Glass Outdoor Lights
The penultimate set of the best solar path lights are these very elegant, simplistic and modern design lights. If you are after the sleek modern feel then these have to be the best solar path lights option for you.
Made from stainless steel material with a watertight diamond glass light shade you can use this bright white light outdoors with no worry about durability and weatherproofing.
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With dusk till dawn automatic on/off switch, they will switch on automatically when it becomes dark outside and off when the sun comes up. With the battery fully charged these will give you a cool white light for 8-12 hours.
These are put straight into the ground and as with all solar lighting do not place near strong artificial light as this will affect the sensor.
Why We Chose Them
- Solar-powered
- Very bright
- Strong stainless steel design
- Long run time
10. Enchanted Spaces Bronze Solar Path Lights
These LED Path Lights will make an attractive and elegant addition to any garden. They feature heavy-duty powder-coated aluminum and are made to last.
These modern style lights by Enchanted Spaces will be a wonderful detail to your garden path. The light rays appear as starry patterns from the fragmented pattern on the glass lens which is designed to spread the light but also give you a fairytale-like feel. shine brighter, longer and stronger
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With a larger solar panel and a longer battery life, they will shine brighter, longer and stronger with the extra bright LED. Designed to last for years!
The material the stakes are made of is stainless steel with a brushed bronze finish so sturdy and durable and the bronze finish adds a warmness to the lights.
Why We Chose Them
- Glass lens
- Short recharge time
- Lovely pattern
- Strong metal stakes
- Good customer service
For a quick recap, here’s the 3 most popular choices:
- Pack of 6
- 10 Hours Light
- Batteries Supplied
- 14 Inches Tall
- Tiki Style Torches
- 12 Hour Charge
- Pack of 2
- 250+ 5* Reviews
- 6 Pack
- Stainless Steel
- 8 Hour Charge
- Under $20
How To Choose The Best Solar Path Lights
If you need some inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to view beautiful examples of other people’s solar path lights and landscape lighting ideas, as is Google Images.
But whilst you’re here, in the following sections we’ll highlight the most important factors you should take into consideration when choosing the best outdoor solar lights for your property, paths, and garden.
Landscape Light Pack Size
It doesn’t take much browsing for the best solar path lights to realize that they are available in a multitude of different pack sizes. You will find that sometimes the larger the pack the better the price point, make sure you work it out though as it is not always the case.
You need to define not only the type that you need but also how many.
You need enough light to illuminate the area, so pay attention to the Lumen count. The higher the number, the brighter the light (just like a gram is a unit of weight, a lumen is a unit of brightness), don’t get too caught up just in the style as you might end up with a unique design but with not enough light especially if your main purpose is home security, lighting your way or preventing accidents.
Body Construction
You need to pay attention to what materials have been used in the construction as this will determine just how long they will actually last.
Lights made from materials such as aluminum and stainless steel are likely to fare better.
The price of solar lights will be affected by the materials used in their construction, and although plastic is good it is not quite as robust but with modern-day technology, it is strong and durable. so that is worth looking at if you have a tight budget.
Installing Your Solar Walkway Lights
How outdoor lights that are solar-powered are installed obviously has to be taken into consideration, particularly if you do not have DIY skills, in which case you would just want something quick and easy like stake lights that insert into the ground.
Fortunately, thanks to the type of solar power they use, the ones listed on this page require little to no real installation and require no more than a hammer to tap them in.
It’s probably also worth using an electric string trimmer to clear the pathline before you stake them into the ground, as removing them will make the hole loser next time you insert them.
If you have gravel or similar, it is best to make a small hole first and avoid the risk of bending or breaking the pole.
Which Light Color Is Best?
It’s worth paying attention to the color temperature, which is measured in Kelvins.
Some of the best solar path lights are available in anything from warm yellow glows, warm white lights to ice white, so depending on the atmosphere you are trying to create will depend on what color is best. Modern and minimalistic or practical lighting would usually be the ice white or daylight color, whereas, for ambiance and a cozy feel go for the warmer and softer yellow.
We have done a whole guide on understanding LED color temperatures which will help explain everything you need to know about LEDs and their color temperatures.
Dimensions and Size
The dimensions and size of solar lights for outdoors should match the area you need to illuminate.
Consider the size and type of bulb being used. LEDs are the brightest options for garden solar lights, but depending on the area size what you need can vary, look for something between 3 to 6 lumens for path lights and you should be ok. But you can get options that are 50 lumens which if you need a lot of light would be the best.
The height of the light, taken from the top of the light down to the beginning of the stake that goes in the ground, is the height you should be taking into consideration. Not the overall height including the stake as the last thing you need is for the lamp part to disappear into the middle of the shrubbery and be hidden.
Solar Landscape Lighting Appearance and Design
In addition to the lighting benefits you get from your LED solar lights outdoors, the actual model and design you choose will play a big part in the mood and ambiance that you set for your garden, yard, path, and even your driveway.
Some are more elaborately designed, purely for the aesthetics, than others. Why not go check out our special Christmas solar path lights if you fancy something a bit crazy for the festive period.
If you are looking to add decorative touches to your patio area, garden or any of the exterior areas of your property it is important to choose the solar garden light that has the style and warm white light, for lighting your way then the brighter whiter lights are better.
Charge and Run Time
You need to realize that when you first buy a new set of outdoor solar-powered lights for your garden and paths, you do need to make sure that they are fully charged before you use them. When placing any solar light you must ensure that you have ample sunlight and that if it has a sensor for automatic dusk to dawn on and off that you do not place it near another bright artificial light source as this will mess the sensor up.
Not all solar powered garden lights are created equally, each will have different charge times and run times, so always take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions about Solar Path Lights
There is no denying that outdoor solar-powered LED lights are a great addition to any path, driveway or garden; but navigating and browsing through the choices available can be something of a nightmare.
Hopefully, we have made it a lot easier for you though with our list and buying guide. To help you even further, we have answered some frequently asked questions about solar path lights.
What are the brightest solar pathway lights?
The brightest lights for solar pathway lights are going to be the ones that have a higher lumen count.
Most path lighting has a lumen count of between 3 and 6, however, there are models that have 30 or 50 lumens which are really bright and make the best solar walkway lights if you need them to really light your way in the dark.
How do I choose a solar path light?
Before you rush out to choose a solar path light there are few things to consider.
- Decide if you want them for lighting effect or do you actually need them as a lighting solution for your dark pathway or steps. The best solar path lights can be both practical and very stylish.
- Take into consideration the amount of sunlight the solar panel receives to charge the battery capacity fully. There are some options out there that will charge without direct sunlight.
- Do you want dusk to dawn lighting, good for aesthetics, or sensor lighting to ensure they still have enough charge left for when you arrive home?
- Have they got the right fixture, a lot of lights come with a ground stake to put into the flower bed or lawn, etc. obviously no good if you have a solid wood or concrete area to light.
- Lastly, decide on the type of light bulb. Most solar lights will have LEDs as they are super energy efficient. Consider the brightness and color, they average between 3 and 6 lumens which is plenty adequate for pathways. But you can get up to 50 lumen options. LEDs are a lot brighter and come in a large range of colors.
Are solar pathway lights worth it?
Solar pathway lights are worth every penny you invest in them. There are plenty of good affordable options on the market, that look great at night and give you plenty of illumination to light your way all with no extra cost on your electricity bill.
1 comment
Thank you for writing this article. It helped me a lot. Choosing to go solar makes excellent sense. It helps the consumers in saving some money on electricity bills. And it is safer due to the small possibility of these solar driveway lights to ignite a fire.