Solar lights can be a sustainable way to light a backyard. They offer free-to run, automatic, beautiful lighting.
However, the market is flooded with cheap, knock-off brands of solar lights that don't provide enough light, or break in a couple of months.
I've tested lots of solar lights over the years, and a handful of brands stand out among the others for their quality, value, and performance. These are the very best solar light brands you can buy.
1. Brightech
Brightech lights are the gold standard for solar string lights. You can tell the brand by the plastic loops on top of each bulb, to allow you to screw them into a wall or chain them with wire.
Brightech's lights appear in lots of roundups of the best solar lights, and they have thousands of five-star reviews. While some people have found that their lights only lasted a couple of years, others report that their solar lights have lasted for five years or more.
The only drawback with Brightech is that they only make string lights. They don't offer any other type of lighting, so you'll have to look elsewhere for your security or landscape lighting.
The Ambiance Pro string lights are Brigtech's best-selling set, with tens of thousands of 5 star reviews.
These beautiful Edison bulbs are remote controlled, so you can turn your lights on and off whenever you need them, saving energy.
Brightech's heavy-duty lights, these hard-wearing lights have brass sockets for extra protection from the elements.
2. Brightown
I've tested some Brightown string lights and I love them. They've lasted for years of sun, snow, and sandstorms, and every night for the past three years they've given out a soft, golden glow.
Unlike Brightech, their lights are a little cheaper, and often include helpful extras like mounting kits.
The only thing to bear in mind with Brightown is that they appear to be a Chinese company with a virtual address in Raleigh, NC. This likely means that that the company itself doesn't manufacture the lights, but buys them from factories in bulk to sell online. This means that 'their' products appear under other names. I've seen the lights below listed under the brand names 'Usboo', 'Imve', 'Ledander', and 'XVDOIZO', so they are not exclusive products.
That doesn't effect the quality of the lights, however. I can't stress enough that the Brightown lights I've used are very effective, but you may not get the best customer service if anything goes wrong.
These are still my favorite solar lights. I tested them years ago and they're still going strong. They're nowhere near bright enough for practical lighting, but they look amazing as atmospheric lights.
These lights aren't as robust as the Brightech lights above, but they're much better value, with a mounting kit and remote control included as standard.
Solar ropes are an ingenious way to light a garden. They're less intrusive than string lights and can easily be wrapped around trees for a subtle effect.
3. Volt
Unlike most other solar light manufacturers, Volt's lights are all made from brass. This means that their lights are much more hard-wearing than other brands, because brass is much tougher and more weather-resistant than plastic. In turn, this means their products tend to have an excellent two-year warranty, much better than the 90 days for most plastic solar lights.
Volt also has a wider range of products compared to the two brands above. They have path lights, wall and decking lights, as well as landscaping lights for uplighting trees and garden features.
The problem with Volt, however, is that you get what you pay for. Their lights are much more expensive than other brands, so you need to be prepared to spend a lot for these quality lights.
This light turns on automatically at dusk, providing gentle solar lighting for decks and walls.
Path lights are notoriously flimsy, but this Volt's latest light can stand up to the elements and gives off a gentle golden glow.
If you want to save a little money, this kit of four lights might be the answer. It has two path lights and two spotlights to help you light your yard.
Solar light FAQs
Can solar lights be repaired?
Yes, some solar lights - like those from Volt - can be repaired with replacement parts.
It's worth learning how to buy good solar lights before you order a set. If you don't know about lumens (the higher the better) or IP ratings (also the higher the better) you may be stuck with inferior solar lights. Keep an eye for the warranty, too - some lights have very short guarantees.
