Putting up Christmas lights is always fun for the whole family. More importantly, it makes everyone feel happy, neighbors get to see some beautiful lights, and these things have even been shown to help relieve stress and anxiety too.
Something you might want to consider is using solar-powered LED lights which are charged by the sun, instead of going for normal ones that you have to plug in which can be a big hassle.
There are many great outdoor Christmas lights out there, and this goes for styles, colors, shapes, and everything in between. Most solar lights, especially ones made for Xmas, will work in the winter, and they help to lower your electric bill too.
Let’s take a look at the 15 best solar Christmas lights which the market has to offer today.
Top 10 Best Solar Christmas Lights Recommendation
- Best Overall: Toodour Solar Christmas Lights
- Best Snowflake Style: Inngree Solar String Lights
- Best Budget Buy: Sunlitec Starry Solar String Lights
- Best Multicolor Mode: Kalokelvin Solar String Lights
- Best Christmas Spotlight: MagicPro Solar Spotlights
- Best Starry Night: Topspeeder Wind Chime Blue Star
- Best Insect Style: Honey Bee Solar String Lights
- Best Flower Style: Gigalumi Flower Solar Fairy Lights
- Best Yard Tower Light: Exhart Garden Solar Tower Lights
Key Benefits of Solar Powered Xmas Lights
You might be wondering why exactly you would ever bother with solar Christmas lights instead of normal ones that you can just plug right into a socket. There are many reasons why you might want to go solar for your next Christmas decorations. Here are some of the biggest benefits of using solar powered Xmas lights.
With normal Christmas lights, to get them where you want them, because they are heavily wired, you will most often need a long extension cord. Extension cords are expensive, you will probably need many of them, and they always get in the way. These cords are ugly and they don’t like nice. With solar decorative lights, you don’t have to deal with extension cords. With solar lights, there’s no need to try and hide these cords from sight, since there are none.
One of the biggest benefits that comes with using solar Christmas lights has to do with cost. Simply put, if you have a lot of lights up, like a serious amount, then your electricity costs are going to be massive. This is the nature of lighting, but with solar powered lights, the sun is paying the cost. The initial cost might be higher than with normal electric lights, but in the long run, they help you save money.
Of course, related to that above benefit, not only do you save money by using renewable energy, but you also save the environment too. Instead of drawing power from the grid, power probably generated by nuclear, oil or coal, you are using the natural sunlight to power your Xmas lights.
Solar Christmas Lights Buyer’s Guide
Before you buy your first solar powered Christmas lights, there are some main considerations to keep in mind. Of course, they work by using a solar panel to absorb the sun’s energy, and they also use battery packs to store that energy. Most decent-quality solar lights will then have a feature that automatically makes them turn on when it gets dark, and off when it gets light again. However, what exactly should you be looking out for when choosing the best for your home?
Functions
Before you go and buy solar Christmas lights, one thing to consider is what kind of functions they have. Some lights are either just on or off, others blink or flash, some fade, some chase each other, and more. It all depends on what kind of look you are going for. Also, another good feature for them to have is an automatic on/off function, so they turn on and off on their own according to how dark it is outside.
Location
The next factor to keep in mind is that some solar lights are meant to be put on trees, others in open spaces, others in driveways and walkways, and others can be hung from various places. You need to decide where you want the lights to go. Moreover, the location is important because this will determine how much the solar panel is exposed to direct sunlight, which is important for charging.
Length and Number of Lights
Another factor to keep in mind is how long the light string should be, that is if you get a light string. Not all solar Christmas lights are on strings, but many are. Just consider how much space you need to cover and how densely packed you want those lights to be. It’s really a matter of personal preference more than anything else.
Material and Durability
One of the more important considerations to keep in mind when buying solar Christmas lights is how durable they are. Now, this is not a big deal if you plan on having them indoors, but when it comes to being outdoors, you want flexible and durable copper wire that has been coated for protection. Whatever the case may be, Xmas lights need to stand up to cold, wind, and snow.
LED Bulbs
Simply put, you want to look for LED bulbs, nothing else. For this kind of thing, they tend to last the longest, be the toughest, and consume the least energy.
Charging Time and Battery Life
Yet another important consideration to keep in mind is how long the lights take to charge. Generally speaking, being out in the sun all day should be enough for any light string, but you don’t want charging to take more than 6 or 7 hours. If you can find lights that will last all night long on a single charge, you are in luck, although most will realistically top out at around 8 hours.
Ease of Installation
You will want solar Xmas lights that are easy to install. For the most part, this simply means placing or hanging lights where you see fit, and then installing the solar panel where there is lots of sun, which usually involves no more than planting it in the ground.
Cost and Warranty
You probably also want to consider the cost of the solar lights in question, especially if you are on a budget. These things can be pricey, so choose wisely, and if you go for more expensive ones, they better have a pretty decent warranty.
Solar Xmas Lights Roundup Reviews
The Toodour Solar Christmas Lights are a total of 72 feet long and feature multiple colored lights, with some string being available in single colors. There is a good 2V solar panel included, which takes these lights about 6 hours to fully charge. On a full charge, we think that they should last all night.
What I like about them is that they come with 8 different lighting modes, including various flashing and blinking modes, plus they have a convenient memory function. This means that when you turn them on, they go back to the same mode they were on before you turned them off. They have a good waterproof rating and can stand up to substantial amounts of rain and snow.
2. Binzet Solar String Lights
I like this option because it’s a 2 pack of solar Christmas lights, so you can cover a lot of ground with them. Each string is 36 feet and made of bendable copper, so the strings are quite durable, plus I think they should last all winter long if you leave them outside, as they are durable and built to withstand some pretty harsh weather.
In terms of the color, they are white/yellow Christmas lights, which I like a lot because this kind of thing doesn’t always need to look like a rainbow. What’s nice here is that the solar panel allows these lights to charge in something like 4 or 5 hours, with full sunlight, and it provides this light string with enough juice to last for up to 12 hours.
Another option I really like, the Inngree Solar Christmas String Lights are shaped like snowflakes, so they definitely put the whole family in the Christmas mood. It’s nice because here you can choose from multiple colors of snowflakes, white ones, and yellow ones too.
I really like how they are easy to install. Simply put the solar panel stake in the ground somewhere, hang the lights up, and you are good to go. It’s also neat because they come with 8 different light modes including flashing, twinkle, waves, sequential, slow-glow, chasing, slow fade and steady on. These lights are also waterproof, wind resistant, and quite durable overall, so they can withstand some harsh weather. I like how they have an 8-hour battery life.
4. Topspeeder Wind Chime Blue Star
I really like this option, mainly because it looks like a windchime, one where the chimes are colored and glowing stars. No, it doesn’t make that classic windchime noise, which is actually totally fine with me, because that can get annoying.
The Topspeeder Wind Chime Blue Star Christmas Lights steadily change between 7 different colors. What I also like is that the lights only turn on when it’s dark out, and will shut off when it’s light. Although I find that the solar panel is not the best out of all here, it does work enough, if there is good sunlight for most of the day. With a full day’s charge, these Christmas lights should last for between 6 to 8 hours, which is decent.
Come Christmas time, I always feel like lighting up my whole house. I love creating a beautiful and colorful wall of light on my home for everybody to see, which is where these MagicPro Solar Spotlights come in handy. You can simply stake them into the ground, point them at a home or garage, and let them cascade some beautiful light onto the walls.
It’s very simple, but also very beautiful, and best of all, you don’t have to hang up a bunch of lights. Of course, they are solar powered, so they charge when the sun is out, quite quickly I might add, and they last for about 10 hours on a single charge, although they do start to dim after like 5 hours.
6. URPOWER Solar Lights
Here is another solar spotlight option I really like, the URPOWER Solar Lights. The reason why I like them so much is because once again, there is no rigorous hanging or mounting involved. They are simple spotlights that have a stake at the bottom, so you just have to plant them right in your lawn, point them at the house, turn them on, and they are good to go.
They feature red, green, yellow, and blue lights, to create a nice effect on the side or front of a home. That said, they also come with mounting hardware, so if you choose to do so, you can put them right on a wall. What’s also nice is that they turn on and off on their own according to how dark or light it is outside.
When it comes down to it, I think these are some of the most beautiful solar Christmas lights out there right now. They look like beautiful little orbs that come in multiple different festive colors and feature some neat patterns, that almost look like some kind of snowstorm. They are very beautiful indeed.
Moreover, they charge during the day using the included solar panel, and they feature around 6 hours of battery life, which is OK, not the best, but pretty decent. Keep in mind that this is a 21-foot strand of lights, complete with 30 solar powered light orbs. What is also convenient is that they are totally waterproof and are fine to use outdoors, even in the dead of winter.
8. Lemontec Solar String Lights
When it comes to fun and unique-looking Xmas lights, these Lemontec Solar String Lights look like water drops. You get a 21-foot string of lights complete with 30 LEDs of various colors. Here you get some red, green, blue, and other colors to work with. I like how the leader cable going from the lights to the solar panel is pretty long, as it helps make mounting a lot easier.
The solar panel can be jammed right into the ground, another convenient aspect. I also like this option due to a very high level of durability and water resistance, although the battery life could be a bit better. Also, they have a built-in sensor so they turn on when it gets dark out.
This is an option I often go with to light up my driveway and walkway, a fun option, not just boring lights. They are great for Christmas, parties, and all sorts of occasions. They are walkway lights, but they feature multiple colors, and they move around like a disco ball too. It’s just something really fun that creates a colorful and inviting atmosphere no matter where you put them.
All you have to do is plant them in the ground, let them charge in the sun, turn them on, and they are good to go. They are completely waterproof, which is of course a bit time bonus, as they are designed to be outside all the time. The GIGALUMI Solar Lights will turn on all by themselves when it gets dark outside.
10. GIGALUMI Hanging Solar Mason Jar Lid Lights
Now, this makes for some pretty good Christmas lights, but they are not too colorful. I use these GIGALUMI Hanging Solar Mason Jar Lid Lights to decorate my patio or other semi-outdoor space where people gather and hang out. Here you get 6 mason jars full of yellow Christmas lights, and they come complete with a convenient hanging mechanism.
Now, what is pretty cool about them is that each of the 6 mason jar lights comes with its own solar panel for charging. Placing them properly so they can get as much such as possible during the day can be a challenge, but that said, they do have great battery life to say the least. These might just be my favorite Xmas decorative lights out there.
Alright, so these are not exactly Christmas lights per say, but I still use them as such. They look kind of like Ferris wheels or large circles of light. However, what is really neat is that all the arms are made out of flexible copper wire, which is not only durable, but can be moved around and bent to shape. You can make some pretty cool shapes with them, and I appreciate that.
The Forlive Outdoor Solar Garden Lights have two modes, constantly on and flashing, which adds some more wonder to the mix. What I also like is that these lights take only 5 hours to charge, granted with strong sunlight, and they can stay lit for up to 12 hours during the night, which is not too bad at all.
12. Sunlitec Starry Solar String Lights
I like stars, I like yellow light, and I like lots of Xmas decorations, which makes these Sunlitec Starry Solar String Lights a great option. Here you get two strings of starry lights, each with 100 LED lights that look like little stars. What I like is that the wire here is thin and flexible copper, so you can easily bend the strings to shape and mount them any way you see fit.
Each of the strings comes with its own solar panel, and it takes roughly 6 hours for a full charge to be achieved, and they can stay brightly lit for around 8 to 10 hours on a single charge. Moreover, they are totally waterproof and weatherproof, so they should last even in harsh winter conditions.
When it comes to really bright, beautiful, and color solar lights, these Gigalumi Flower Solar Fairy Lights are some of my favorites out there right now. Here you get 2 strings of the fairy lights, each of which are just over 20 feet long and feature 50 LED lights. These lights look like little flowers, each of which is colored, whether red, green, blue, yellow, purple, or in between.
They create a very magical environment. No, they are not exactly Christmas lights, but they still look very nice, nonetheless. They have a waterproof design, so rain or snow should not damage them. They have a steady on mode and a flashing mode, they charge quickly, and last a long time on a single charge.
14. SEMILITS Honey Bee Solar String Lights
Once again, not exactly Xmas decorations, but they still look nice, and it’s something that the kids always love. These are solar lights that look like little honey bees. Each string comes complete with 20 LED solar honey bees that glow brightly. The lights and the strings are made with highly durable materials which can easily survive being out in the rain or snow, plus they have a decent level of impact resistance.
Now, the SEMILITS Honey Bee Solar String Lights come with their own solar charger, and they do charge quite fast, but that being said, their overall battery life on a single charge is not the best, but they certainly do look quite cool!
This is the final option on my list today, but still quite a neat one, nonetheless. These are 27.5-inch towers complete with little orbs on the inside. The entire towers glow brightly and they change between red, green, and blue for constantly changing lighting. They are pretty large and heavy, so you really need to drive them into the ground, but once there, they are not going anywhere.
The each come with their own solar panel, they charge during the day, and have enough battery life to last all night long. They make for a perfect front yard or back yard decoration to really liven things up.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, the solar lights you choose for your Christmas decorations are the ones you like the most. Maybe you like water drops, snowflakes, bumblebees, or anything in between, and maybe you like white, yellow, or colored lights. At the end of the day, which solar Christmas lights you go with are more a matter of personal preference than anything else, but we have provided you with 15 of the best options around.
If you want some super classic and colorful Xmas lights, we would probably recommend the Toodour Solar Christmas Lights. If you want something that has a different shape to it, such as water drops or snowflakes, either the Lemontec Solar String Lights or the Inngree Solar Christmas String Lights make for great options. Always be careful when using this kind of thing, as we are still talking about electronics.
