Best Path Lights
It can be challenging to find lighting options that work well for a path, and we like this Hampton Bay set for several reasons. Assembling them was a cinch, taking just five minutes to put together the set of four lights. Operating them is super simple, too, since there are no controls to muddle with.
Simply place these staked lights into the ground and let them charge via sunlight. They’ll light up at dusk and turn off when dawn arrives. Once lit, they provide just the right amount of warm-hued light—not too bright but not too dim, either. On cloudy days, the light doesn’t shine quite as brightly, but it’s still plenty adequate.
The stakes are about 31 inches tall and adjust to fit multiple types of paths and landscaping needs. They’re not marked as water resistant and no water-protection rating is given. However, we didn’t observe any wear and tear after receiving rain and low overnight temperatures followed by high heat and humidity.
Although the instructions recommend moving the lights indoors if the temperature dips below freezing, we chose to leave them installed. So far, they’ve stood up very well to rain, sleet, wind, and snow. After six months, the black coating was still intact, with no chipping, and the lights worked just as well.
Product Details: Power Type: Solar | Dimensions: 4.61 x 31.61 x 3.6 in. | Water-Protection Rating: Not listed
Key Terms to Know
- Ingress Protection (IP) Rating: This code indicates whether a light will seal out dust and other particles along with water.
Best Spotlights
Lerekam Solar Landscape Spotlights
Why You Should Get It
- These lights are easy to install and allow you to choose from three different brightness levels.
Keep in Mind
- While the light is slightly adjustable, the range of motion is a bit limited and these do not have motion-sensing capabilities.
These solar-powered lights offer water-resistant illumination in spotlight form. They’re a handy pick for focusing light on key areas, such as an old oak tree or a showy display of your favorite flowers. We positioned two of them to light a gated area measuring about 10 by 10 feet, then used a few more lights to illuminate trees.
Installing them involved only four steps: attaching the mounting bracket, driving the stake into the soil, attaching the light and bracket to the stake, then adjusting the brightness level to one of three options. In fact, choosing where to place the lights was the hardest part of the process!
Adjusting brightness levels is as easy as the press of a button, making it a snap to toggle between settings. Though powered by the sun, the lights come with a USB port for charging them up on particularly cloudy days. There’s no motion sensor, but they automatically switch on and off thanks to the light sensor.
While the lights are adjustable, the range of motion is a bit limited, which could mean the lights won’t fully illuminate tall areas such as a stately tree.
We were pleased by how well the lights stood up during the Iowa winter—after six months, they were performing just like they had on day one, despite being buried in the snow several times. One of the brackets did break off the mounting stake, so we are looking to replace that one part.
Product Details: Power Type: Solar | Dimensions: 3.2 x 4.8 x 1.8 in. | Water-Protection Rating: IP65
Best Motion-Sensored
True Fine Grantham Motion Sensor Outdoor Wall Sconce
Why You Should Get It
- This attractive light fixture provides solid motion detection at an affordable price.
Keep in Mind
- Switching between modes isn’t the most intuitive.
Motion-sensing landscape lights are great when you’re expecting company after dusk and want to be sure your guests have a clear path to your door. This matte black wall sconce from True Fine is attractive, so you won’t mind placing it in a highly visible location, such as the front porch.
There are two lighting modes—one keeps the light on at 30% brightness from dusk to dawn, only brightening to 100% when motion is detected, and the other keeps the light at 100% from dusk to dawn. Since it doesn’t include a bulb, you can choose whichever style suits your preferences.
Switching modes isn’t intuitive—you need to toggle the wall switch on and off, which is outlined in the instructions but not otherwise obvious. That said, we usually kept it on auto mode; we liked that the dimmer light wasn’t distracting, and it only became noticeable indoors when motion was detected.
We were impressed by the sensor’s ability to detect movement at various distances—our dogs triggered the light when roaming in the yard, which was one of the main reasons we wanted a motion sensor. The neighbors also triggered it when walking on the other side of the fence.
Assembly only took us about eight minutes since we already had the appropriate setup, but the light is hardwired, so keep that in mind when deciding if it’s the right option for where you want to place it.
Product Details: Power Type: Hardwired | Dimensions: 12 x 13.6 x 13.8 in. | Water-Protection Rating: Not listed
Best Smart
Govee WiFi Outdoor Strip Lights
Why You Should Get It
- Controlling brightness, color, and motion-sensing capabilities with the app is easy, plus you can even sync the lights to music thanks to their smart home integration and built-in mic.
Keep in Mind
- Installation will take some time.
When you plan to use outdoor lighting frequently, it makes sense to invest in a more permanent lighting option. These strip lights from Govee come in a pack of two, with each strip light measuring just under 33 feet in length. You can connect up to three sets together for lighting larger areas.
Because they’re designed to be a long-term option, you’ll need to spend a significant amount of time installing them using the included brackets, adhesive, and mounting points. It took just over two hours to hang the lights along the soffit, but once that was done, using the lights was a breeze.
You can control the color, type, and brightness of the lights by using the app. There are plenty of customization options available, so it can take a while to navigate them all, but it’s worth the end result. Plus, you can turn them on and off from the comfort of the sofa.
The strip lighting can be activated by motion, and you control how sensitive you want it to be. Want to sync the lights with music? It’s no problem, since these integrate with smart home features and have a built-in mic.
We love how easy these lights are to use, letting us change the colors throughout the year to mark various holidays and occasions without having to wrestle with string lights. They’ve held up beautifully through winter weather and a couple of bad rainstorms.
Product Details: Power Type: Corded electric | Dimensions: 32.8 ft. per roll | Water-Protection Rating: IP65
Best In-Ground
Rayolon Solar Ground Lights
Why You Should Get It
- Assembling the lights is a simple process, and they turn on automatically once it’s dark outside.
Keep in Mind
- This light has a simple design with no options for choosing various lighting modes.
If you’re looking for in-ground lights, these are a solid pick. You’ll need to assemble three pieces together for each light, but it’s a quick process. Once assembled, you just flip the switch to turn the light on or off. And once you’ve turned on the switch, the lights will pop on when it gets dark, which saves you from having to remember to do it manually.
Overall, the design is nice and simple, which means the light doesn’t have additional lighting modes to choose from. The silver base catches the eye easily, which is something to keep in mind if you’re someone who prefers an in-ground light to blend in rather than visually stand out.
These offer a dim light, which works nicely when the lights are positioned closer together for lighting a sidewalk. You can expect these lights to power on for up to eight hours after charging in the sunlight. They kept out water during our testing process, which matches with their IP65 rating.
Product Details: Power Type: Solar | Dimensions: 5.2 x 4.72 x 4.92 in. | Water-Protection Rating: IP65
Best for Stairs
Solpex Solar Deck Lights
Why You Should Get It
- The lights offer illumination throughout the night after they’ve charged for 8 to 12 hours and are perfectly sized for deck stairs.
Keep in Mind
- The brightness isn’t adjustable and there’s no off switch.
There’s nothing like enjoying a mild evening outside on a deck. And if you welcome guests over under the stars, having the railing or deck stairs lit up offers a warm glow—not to mention a little extra safety in the form of tripping prevention.
They’re meant to be fastened to the deck or railing via screw, which may not appeal to everyone. The included double-sided adhesive can help you get the lights into just the right position before deciding where to permanently install them. Installation wasn’t particularly hard, but the instructions could have been clearer.
Once positioned, remove the tab and allow the lights to charge for up to 12 hours. After the sun sets, the lights come on automatically and provide light throughout the night.
The warm, white light offers the right amount of ambience for entertaining. However, you won’t be able to adjust the brightness or otherwise customize the look of the lights. There’s also no off switch, which means they could disturb your sleep if you position them just outside a bedroom window with no curtain.
They held up well during six months of testing, continuing to turn on and off as expected. We found ourselves continuing to wish for an on/off switch since we’d like to keep them off during the winter months when we’re not sitting outside on our deck.
Product Details: Power Type: Solar | Dimensions: 1.77 x 1.85 x 3.46 in. | Water-Protection Rating: IP44
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, we chose the Hampton Bay Clermont Light Set as the best path-lighting option because it’s simple to use and gives a warm glow that makes sidewalks feel more inviting.
If you’re after spotlights, the Lerekam Solar Spot Lights are the way to go since installation is a breeze, you can choose from three brightness levels, and you can charge them via USB on cloudy days.
Our Testing Process
We’ve been testing outdoor lighting since 2022. In that time, we’ve run 72 products through five tests, adding up to over 10,080 hours of insight. We've tested 15 types of lights: bulb, smart, solar, pathway, sconce, spotlight, lantern, garden, deck, string, floodlight, strip light, motion-sensing, pendant, and security.
We chose what products to test by researching best sellers on Amazon and Home Depot, making sure to include various lighting options like garden, solar, pathway, and flood lights in our product lineup.
We evaluated the lights to determine whether installation was easy and whether the lights were simple to use once installed. We also evaluated the look, noting whether the lights blended into the outdoor environment, and, if motion-sensing, how well that feature worked.
We observed other features and how well they worked, such as timers and brightness-level adjustment.
What To Know About Landscape Lighting Before Shopping
Style and Power Source
Plenty of styles exist within the realm of landscape and outdoor lighting, so you’ll be able to choose which best suits your style and needs. “First, consider the overall look of your home and garden. Are you going for a more formal look or a more relaxed atmosphere?” Diaz says.
Beyond aesthetics, you’ll also have to choose whether you prefer a solar option or one that needs to be wired and plugged in. You may want to consider the new outdoor smart lighting solutions that can add personalized aesthetic touches to landscape lighting.
You’ll also get to choose from spotlights or path lights when shopping. Many people looking to illuminate a tree may automatically reach for one bright spotlight. However, Lindenberger notes that a single light is often not enough to capture the full beauty and unique characteristics of a tree.
She says, “Proper lighting involves placing fixtures at various angles and positions around the tree, rather than just one at the trunk.” In this case, you may want to go with multiple spotlights that are a bit less bright rather than one bright spotlight.
Path lights, on the other hand, will light up a sidewalk or pathway through a yard or garden. Whether you choose path lights depends on the ambiance you’d like to create. Keep in mind that path lights could create a “runway-like effect,” according to Lindenberger.
Some people may not mind this style of lighting, while others may shy away from it. Lindenberger tends to recommend downlighting or ambient lighting to subtly frame walkways and enhance the overall aesthetic.
For this article, we primarily focused on in-ground lighting options, with the exception of the stair lights and the Govee smart lights. But there are other outdoor lighting options worth checking into, such as string lights or mounted lights and outdoor safety floodlights.
Installation
There are different ways to install landscape lighting, depending on the style and type of power you choose. Low voltage lighting can be a DIY project but know that it may require a bit of electrical savvy, as you’ll be connecting cables and dealing with a transformer.
“Installation is usually pretty simple. Most landscape lighting fixtures come with all the necessary hardware and instructions,” Diaz says. “If you're not comfortable working with electrical wiring, you may want to hire a professional electrician to handle the installation for you.”
Water Protection Rating
When you’re shopping for landscape lighting, you’ll come across the letters “IP” paired with a couple of numbers, known as the Ingress Protection (IP) rating. According to Lindenberger, the IP rating is a standard measure of how well a fixture is protected against solids and liquids.
The first number indicates protection against solids like dust, while the second refers to protection from liquids such as water. IP44-rated lights resist splashes of water, so they’re a good option for spaces with little exposure to water from rain or sprinkler systems.
An IP65 rating will keep out dust and will protect against jets of water, such as a sprinkler system. If you’re after lights that will stand up to heavy downpours, you may want to opt for IP67. After some underwater lighting? Reach for an IP68 rating, which will allow you to submerge the lights in ponds or water fountains.
It’s important to understand the water protection rating for a few reasons. According to Lindenberger, the water protection rating ensures that the lighting fixtures can withstand the environmental conditions they’re exposed to, which protects against electrical shorts, corrosion, and premature failure.
Your Questions, Answered
How bright should landscape lights be?
There is no hard and fast rule for how bright your landscape lights should be, as it really depends on what you’re using them for and your particular preferences. If you’re planning to illuminate a path for safety purposes, opt for at least 100 to 200 lumens to ensure adequate visibility.
If you’re looking to enhance an aesthetic feature in your yard, like a flowerbed or garden, you can get away with something between 50 to 300 lumens. Keep in mind that if you’re using landscape lights near your windows, you might want to opt for less bright bulbs in order to avoid light pollution leaking into your home.
