The 10 Best Garden Lights
Garden lighting is not only a must-have from a practical point of view, but it’s also one of the best ways to warm up your outdoor space and create an ambiance.
Garden lights are a great design feature for any exterior space, from a garden or backyard to a patio and balcony. Whether you’re looking for a more traditional lighting solution or a solar power alternative, our list includes the 10 best garden lights for all occasions.
These outdoor lights are available to buy on our website and they were carefully reviewed by our team of lighting experts so that you know what lights are best for your home.
So, let’s get straight to it!
Click here to jump to the best-rated garden lights list for 2023.
How to choose the best light for your garden?
Outdoor Lighting Type
The most important factor to consider when buying garden lights is the right lighting type to accommodate your property features.
For example, if your garden has electrical outlets available then you can opt for mains-powered lights. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more sustainable solution, then solar-powered lights are a great alternative.
There are 3 main types of garden lighting:
- Mains-powered lights
- Battery-operated lights
- Solar-powered lights
Mains-powered garden lights are recommended if you’re looking for a reliable high-brightness source all year round.
If you’re on a low budget, battery-operated lights are an ideal alternative and they’re usually easy to install too. These lights also require low maintenance.
However, this is not a good solution in the long term as these lights require new batteries every few days or weeks.
Finally, solar-powered lights for the garden are the most sustainable solution. These lights are perfect if you live in a hot place or if you’re looking for a lighting solution specifically for the summer.
Installation Style
Another important factor to consider is the installation style. Garden lights often require different installation methods depending on their build.
Outdoor string lights are very popular and they’re very easy to install. If you have fences in your outdoor space, then string lights are a great solution.
These lights can also be wrapped around tree branches, garden furniture, and other garden features.
In-ground solar lights are another popular solution due to their easy installation.
Usually, you can easily install these lights around pathways and driveways. All you need to do is to dig up a hole in the garden and then put it there. This solution is ideal for both large yards and backyards.
Last but not least, you can opt for electric lights. These lights include wall lights, mains-powered floodlights, and street lights.
The installation process for electric lights is more complex because they require an electrical connection to your house. However, these lights can still be a good choice if you require a reliable lighting solution all year round.
Brightness
Once you’ve determined the garden lighting type and installation style that you’re looking for, you need to consider how much brightness you require for your exterior area.
Light brightness can be measured in lumens. This is one of the most important tech specs that you need to look out for when shopping for garden lights.
But, what are lumens?
Lumens represent the amount of lighting output that a lamp puts out in any given direction per second. As a rule of thumb, a higher number of lumens means a higher lighting output or brightness.
Therefore, if you have a large yard or patio, you should opt for garden lights with a high amount of lumens. The exact number for your yard will depend on how large it is and how many lighting devices you’re using.
This number will usually vary between 1000 lumens and 2000 lumens for a large outdoor space.
If you have a small backyard or balcony, you can get away with outdoor lights that emit a low number of lumens. In this case, you can opt for lights with less than 50 lumens.
Best Garden Lights of 2023
200 Warm White Fairy Lights
These warm white fairy lights are solar-powered and they’re perfect to add a cozy ambiance to your garden.
What makes these lights the best garden lights in 2023 is their easy installation, versatility, and great value for money.
Each pack comes with 200 solar fairy lights, which allows you to cover a large outdoor area while adding a relaxing atmosphere to your space.
In addition, these string lights are 100% powered by solar energy, which means they’re not only free to run but they’re also environmentally friendly.
Best for: Multiple-Use Garden Lights
Features:
- 200 solar-powered LEDs
- IP65 rating
- Low maintenance and 100% free to run
- 20m total string length
In-Ground Solar Lights
In-ground solar lights are perfect to illuminate pathways and walkways in your garden or backyard.
These lights are extremely easy to install. You only need to dig a small hole for each in-ground light.
These lights are also very efficient. They use powerful micro solar panels to absorb sunlight during the daytime. The lighting output is bright at night, making these lights a great security feature for your yard.
Finally, these lights are also very popular because they don’t require drilling as well as they’re easy to maintain.
Best for: In-Ground Garden Lights
Features:
- Lights are waterproof, wireless, and stainless
- They come with auto-on dusk to dawn sensor
- Easy to install and low maintenance
- Renewable energy solution and 100% free to run
- Automatic and manual on/off switch options
Anti-Bug Pathway Light
The anti-bug solar light is universally considered the best solar pathway light in 2023. Therefore, if your main goal is to illuminate paths, this is the go-to garden light.
Moreover, this outdoor light includes an anti-bug feature which will help keep annoying insects away from your home and garden.
“The anti-bug solar light is the best solar path light currently available in the market”, says lighting specialist Katie O’Brien.
She adds “it not only emits a powerful lighting output for a long time but it is also built with good quality metals, which make this lighting solution a good long-term investment.
Best for: Pathway Lights
Features:
- Solar path light comes with an anti-bug system
- Each pathway light includes a powerful solar panel
- Includes a smart light-switching system
- Rainproof and dustproof
- 10h Lighting duration
100 Bright White String Lights
If you’re looking for an affordable solution for your garden, then the 100 bright white string lights are perfect.
These lights will be ideal for covering a small outdoor space, such as a backyard or balcony. Additionally, these lights offer great value for money, considering their high-quality solar panel.
Lighting expert James Morrison recommends these lights specifically for summer evenings: “these are some of the best garden lights at this price range and they are best for summer months due to their smaller solar panel”.
Best for: Summer Outdoor Lights
Features:
- 100 Glowing micro LEDs
- Each light has a steady 360-degree viewing angle
- 8 Different lighting modes: fade, slow fade, fireflies flashing, waves, chasing, twinkle, combination, and steady on
- IP65 Rating
OutdoorLights Walkway Solar Lights
The OutdoorLights Store walkway solar lights are a mid-range garden lighting solution.
These lights will illuminate the walkways in your garden and add a warm ambiance to your outdoor space.
Each lighting device features a subtle floral design that emits a warm white light. Available in a pack of 4 lights, you can save money on each device, which makes these walkway lights great value.
All in all, these lights are an ideal choice if you want to light up driveways and walkways on a budget.
Best for: Budget Walkway Lights
Features:
- Walkway solar light with a classic design
- Each light features a powerful solar panel
- Lights are waterproof, dustproof, and wireless
- Easy to install and low maintenance
- Renewable energy solution and 100% free to run
- Great lighting duration of over 12 hours
Wireless Solar Decking Lights
The wireless solar decking lights are an optimal solution to illuminate decks. These lights are wireless, easy to install, and don’t require drilling.
Each decking light comes with 8 LEDs, which will give you decent brightness levels. In addition, these lights feature a high IP rating, which means they can withstand rainy and windy conditions.
James Morrison recommends these lights due to their easy installation: “traditional decking lights often require drilling and electrical work, but solar-powered decking lights are super easy to install and they also require little to no maintenance.”
Best for: Decking Lights
Features:
- White wireless solar decking lights suitable for any outdoor setting
- Available in both warm white and cold white
- Lights are wireless without drilling required
- IP65 Rating
- Easy to install and low maintenance
Outdoor Security Wall Light
This outdoor security wall light is a potent solar-powered garden light, which the main objective is to improve the security of your property.
These garden lights will help you see where you’re going at night. Moreover, these outdoor lights can also help to deter intruders as it gives them fewer places to hide.
Senior lighting expert CaliKlim recommends this garden light to add security to your outdoor space: “the outdoor security wall light is one of the best garden lights to increase the safety of your house, plus it includes a motion sensor, which can help you save money on energy bills.”
All in all, these lights are some of the best yard lights available for brightness and security.
Best for: Outdoor Security Lights
Features:
- Solar-powered LED security wall light with motion sensor
- Easy to install and low maintenance
- Renewable energy solution and 100% free to run
- High brightness levels of up to 1000 lumens
- IP65 Rating
200 Colored Solar Fairy Lights
If your main goal is to throw outdoor parties, then the 200 colored solar fairy lights are the ideal solution.
These colorful lights are 100% powered by solar energy and they feature 200 LEDs in a dark green cable. These garden lights will make your outdoor space a great place to spend time with your friends or family.
Whether you like to throw BBQs or have a glass of wine outside in summer, these lights will add a fun atmosphere to your backyard.
Best for: Outdoor Party Lights
Features:
- 200 Colored solar lights
- Colors included: red, green, blue, and yellow
- Environment-friendly lighting solution
- 8 Different lighting modes
- Automatic/manual switch options
Solar Flower Stake Lights
Solar flower stake lights are the best outdoor lights to add a subtle focus to your garden at night. These lights are waterproof and weatherproof, which makes them suitable for exterior use.
While the lighting output is not as powerful as the other lights on this list, these colorful garden lights are great for enhancing your existing space.
The OutdoorLights Store's solar flower stake lights can be placed among your favorite plants or along the edge of a garden path to guide you in the dark.
Best for: Design
Features:
- Beautiful flower stake lights
- Perfect to add sparkle and color to your garden!
- Each pack comes with 2 flowers
- Available in 5 colors: red, pink, blue, yellow, and white
- Weatherproof and water-resistant lights
- IP68 Rating
Remote Control Wall Light
If you have walls near your garden, then the remote control wall light is the perfect solution for you.
This high-end wall light is easy to install with no wiring required. In addition, it is powered by solar energy, which means it doesn't require electricity to run.
Its functional design allows you to rotate each wall light up to a 180 degrees angle so you can illuminate specific areas of your outdoor space.
Moreover, you can use a remote control to move the lights and change the brightness levels.
Katie O’Brien adds “this is a contemporary garden wall light that uses the latest cutting-edge technology. The remote control allows you to easily switch between different lighting modes, and the PIR motion sensor mode turns the light on automatically when movement is detected.”
Best for: Wall Lights
Features:
- 100% Solar-powered
- IP rating: IP68 (waterproof)
- 3 Lighting modes
- PIR motion sensor
- The remote control is included
Solar Garden Umbrella
Whether you use it for garden parties or family days, the solar garden umbrella comes with solar-powered LED lights, which allow you to carry on entertaining into the night, long after the sun has started to fade.
This is one of the most popular garden lights of the past 2 years. The combination of luxury furniture with solar-powered lights makes this a very efficient product.
In addition, the foldable design also allows you to easily fold the garden parasol when not in use, making this product easy to store and use.
Best for: Garden Furniture
Features:
- Beige Waterproof Solar Umbrella
- Embedded solar-powered LED lights
- Foldable, easy-to-use design
- High-quality, durable materials
- Manufacturer's 1 Year Guarantee
10 Best Garden Lights Comparison Table
| Garden Light | Number of Lights | Color | IP Rating | Manufacturer's Guarantee |
| 200 Warm White Fairy Lights | 200 | warm white | IP65 | 1 year |
| In-ground Solar Lights | 1-16 | warm white and cold white | IP65 | 1 year |
| Anti-bug Pathway Light | 1 | white and blue | IP65 | 1 year |
| 100 Bright White String Lights | 100 | bright white | IP55 | 1 year |
| OutdoorLights Walkway Solar Lights | 1-4 | white | IP65 | 1 year |
| Wireless Solar Decking Lights | 3-16 | white | IP65 | 1 year |
| Outdoor Security Wall Light | 1 | white | IP65 | 1 year |
| 200 Colored Solar Fairy Lights | 200 | red, green, blue, and yellow | IP65 | 1 year |
| Solar Flower Stake Lights | 2 | blue, white, yellow, pink and red | IP55 | 6 months |
| Remote Control Wall Light | 1 | bright white | IP68 | 1 year |
| Solar Garden Umbrella | 30 | white | IP65 | 1 year |
FAQs about the Best Outdoor Lights
What are the brightest outdoor lights?
The brightest outdoor lights are lights that emit a high number of lumens.
Lumens are a measure of the total amount of visible light to the human eye from a lighting source. In simple terms, the higher the amount of lumens, the brighter the lighting source is.
The brightest garden lights usually have between 1000 lumens and 2000 lumens. You need to check the tech specs in the manufacturer’s booklet to find how many lumens each light emits.
Are all garden lights waterproof?
Though all garden lights are weatherproof, not all lights are waterproof. This means that while most garden lights can withstand light rain, not all lights can be submerged in water.
To find out whether your outdoor lights are waterproof, you need to check the IP rating of your lights.
The IP rating stands for "Ingress Protection", and it is a metric to determine the level of protection of lighting devices against dust and water.
The IP rating required for minimum protection against rain is IP45, whereas your outdoor lights need a rating of IP48 for complete waterproof protection.
What are the benefits of using solar-powered garden lights?
Solar lights have many benefits. Solar lights use photovoltaic panels to absorb solar energy to produce electricity.
These lighting devices provide outdoor lighting during the evenings and night-time, and they don’t require traditional energy to run.
The 6 benefits of using solar garden lights are:
- Solar lights require very little maintenance
- Solar-powered lights are a great long-term investment
- Using this solution will result in lower utility bills
- They help reduce pollution
- Solar lights are easy to install
- They are a modern and efficient solution
Related article: 10 Best Outdoor Lighting Ideas