This post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.
Want to add that magical touch to your walkways and patios without the hassle of wiring? Solar path lights promise an easy solution. But with a dazzling array of options, how do you separate the duds from the diamonds? We were determined to find out! So, we put ten popular solar path lights through the paces, from their initial glow to overall style, to give you a no-nonsense guide to the best choices for illuminating your outdoor spaces.
From left to right: Double Hood Jar Vintage Path Light | Gama Sonic Matte Black Path Light | GIGALUMI Solar Outdoor Lights | Harbor Breeze Path Light | Pro Series VI Solar Path Light | Alfiot Solar Pathway Lights | Solar Ground Lights | Alexia Solar Path Light | Better Homes & Gardens Corbyn Path Light
When to use solar? Well, when you’re trying to create up-lighting for your home or trees, it’s best to go with hard-wired lighting. It’s pretty easy for a beginner electricity project, if you’re so inclined. We opted to have them installed in our front landscape last year, and they’ve made coming home that much more inviting.
But when it comes to path lights that add a little illumination to your sidewalk or backyard patio, there are so many amazing options for solar-powered path lights.
How Do Solar Path Lights Work?
The path lights include a battery, and the solar panel on the top. You want to place them in a location where they’ll get at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. To maintain your solar lights, you need to wipe a damp microfiber cloth across the solar panel every once in a while to remove any pollen or build-up so they can fully charge properly. In a few years, you may need to replace the battery, but that’s usually just an AA or AAA battery easy swap-out.
Shop Solar Path Lights
The Test
Last week, I installed each of these in the backyard behind our pool in a row, let them absorb the daylight throughout the day, and started watching them around 7:45 p.m. (our sundown was 7:56 p.m.). One by one, the lights turned on—but the differences were startling! From brightness and warmth to height and style, there are a lot of factors at play to find something that fits our moody modern traditional aesthetic. It’s also hard to find something that stays in stock, so if you’re eyeing one, grab it quickly!
Without further ado, here is my roundup of the best solar path lights!
This took the longest for the solar panel to charge and turn on—it finally turned on at 8:05 p.m., even though the sun set at 7:56 p.m.! It gives a nice, even, glowy light: I like the warmth and color of the light. With this design, even when you’re standing up, you get a little uplighting, which adds to the outdoor ambiance. Chris and I are both fans of this one.
Price per light: $7.50
Height: 14.65″
Material: Plastic
Lumens: 15
Battery: 6 AA Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries, Included
I love the style of this one. It’s really traditional in style and the light is really clean and warm. It also lights the path evenly in front of it. This is a tie with the first one for my favorite! The warm white LED bulbs, with 50 lumens of light each, last up to 10 hours after the battery has fully recharged. There’s a space for two AA batteries, but they’re optional and not included—which is probably to support the longevity of the solar lights. It’s also a great price.
Price per light: $8
Height: 21.75″
Material: Resin
Lumens: 50
Battery: Lithium-ion battery pack
This one is cute, but it’s not giving off almost any light. It’s not doing its job! And it’s very diminutive in size. Though it says it can last up to 8 hours, it’s not winning any awards in my book.
Price per light: $2.50
Height: 15″
Material: Plastic
Lumens: 6
Battery: 1 AAA Ni-MH rechargeable battery each, included
On a similar note to the last one, this one gives off very little light. I thought it wasn’t on, so I told Chris to put his hand over it to help the sensor, but it was already on. The wavy glass creates a firework-like pattern on the ground unlike the others. So if you want something a little more artistic, go for this one.
Price per light: $9.98
Material: Metal frame and plastic lens
Fixture height: 22.68″
Lumens: 9.6
Battery: 1 NiMH AAA battery each, included
This was is more cool-toned light in person, a true white white. It does light the ground quite a lot! It gave off the most light of any of the path lights, so if you need more light, this might be your pick. It’s too cool-toned for me, and the price per light is the second-highest.
Price per light: $54.50
Material: Cast aluminum
Height: 20-1/2″H (including 5-1/2″ stake)
Lumens: 60
Battery: 1 advanced lithium-phosphate battery each, included
This path light is modern and contemporary. If you have a modern house, this might be for you! I’m impressed with the bulb in there—it looks almost like an Edison-type bulb. The light it gives off is pretty! It’s not super bright, though. If you’re going for a glow, this would be fine, but if you want safety lighting, then steer clear.
Price per light: $7.50 (though often on sale!)
Material: Plastic
Height: 24″
Lumens: Doesn’t specify
Battery: 1 AA battery required each (included)
This strip is more of an uplighting-style light. You could use this to line a driveway so you’re not backing into things, but I wouldn’t use this as path lighting. When you’re walking by, it’s shining up in your face, which is not ideal. The light has good brightness and a nice warm color.
Price per light: $3.17 (though often on sale!)
Material: Stainless steel
Height: 5.2″H
Lumens: Doesn’t specify
Battery: Built-in 600mAh Ni-MH battery each (non-replaceable)
This path light only lights down, but it provides really even light. This solar light is very tall, giving off no shadows or patterns. It gives off nice even light downward—Chris said he likes the look of the light that’s given off this one the best. It’s a statement path light but it is the most expensive.
Price per light: $129
Material: Aluminum
Height: 28 5/8″ (including stake)
Lumens: Unknown
Battery: Unknown
This gooseneck style gives off good light downward. I would use it to light a pathway. It’s nice! This one would work well for traditional, farmhouse, or rustic homes in that matte black finish. It went out of stock, but I’m hoping it returns!
Price per light: $14.48
Material: Metal
Height: 17.32″
Lumens: 20
Battery: 1-400mAh 14430 Lithium-LiFePO4 solar rechargeable battery, included
This comes in quite a long strip. Do you have a winding pathway through a garden that you want to be lit up as people walk through? These solar string lights might work for you. Because the light is very cool, it feels more commercial to me—almost like a runway.
Price per light: $2.90
Material: Polycrystalline silicone
Height: 2.6″
Lumens: 20
Battery: Built-in, non-replaceable
My No. 1 Solar Path Lighting Pick
Drumroll please…it was actually a tie for me, but Chris chimed in with the deciding vote!
The Double Hood Jar Vintage Path Lights from Target ($45 for a set of 6) came in first and the Gama Sonic Matte Black Path Lights from Wayfair ($32 for a set of 4) came in second!
Why did this one win? They both checked all of the boxes for me in terms of path lighting. The price per light is slightly better on the Double Hood path lights at $7.5 each vs. $8 each on the Sonic Matte Black Path Lights, and the glow of the double hood provided a little more of that ambiance that we love.
However, many other picks here might suit you better, depending on your style or lighting needs, so scroll back up if you skipped to the reveal!