5 Best Solar Spotlights to Light Up Your Outdoor Space

Note: Durability Matters is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.

Whether for security or aesthetics, many people choose to light up important areas of their properties, such as pathways, stairways, and doorways. In the past, that meant installing power outlets near where the light would go or running extension cables to the required place. Thankfully, due to the miracles of modern technology, neither of these solutions is necessary anymore.

The best answer these days is to buy yourself a good quality solar spotlight. They require no power but the sun, which makes them eco-friendly, budget-friendly, and power-efficient. Many are automatic, built either to come on at dusk and turn off at dawn or with motion sensors, which allows them to turn on only if something moves in their line of sight. These lights are similar in performance to electric lights and they are extremely versatile, useful for both residential and commercial applications.

Our Top Picks

1. Vont LED Outdoor Solar Lights

Brightness Modes: 2 | Lumens: 100 | Mounting Options: Ground & Wall | Battery Life: Up to 12 hours | All-Weather Resistant: Yes

Read our hands-on review: Vont LED Outdoor Solar Light Spotlights

These Vont LED Outdoor Solar Lights are IPX7 water and heatproof and are built to handle -4 to 140°F, perfect for lighting your porch, patio, yard, walkway, or driveway in any weather. These wireless solar-powered outdoor lights put out a cool white light at 100 lumens, from 16 LEDs. Two brightness modes allow you to choose between brightness and battery life, with the low mode lasting up to 12 hours, and the high mode lasting for 6 hours. The lights are also smart, and will turn themselves on at dusk, and off again at dawn, should the battery still have a charge by then.

The solar panels are adjustable and very durable, and the device is made from strong, high-impact ABS. The long battery life is due to the high quality of the solar panels, as well as the integrated 2,000 mAh lithium batteries. Installation couldn’t be simpler, either stake them into the ground, or attach them to the wall with the screws provided, and if necessary, one of these lights can easily double as a flashlight.

To top it all off, they come in packs of 2 or 4, and with a lifetime warranty for your peace of mind.

2. Xibolar 32 LED Outdoor Solar Spotlights

Brightness Modes: 2 | Lumens: 320 | Mounting Options: Ground & Wall | Battery Life: Up to 12 hours | All-Weather Resistant: Yes

Read our hands-on review: Xibolar Solar Spotlights

The Xibolar Solar Outdoor Spotlights come in packs of 6 or 10 and put out a cool white light at 6500k and 320 lumens. Each light contains 32 LEDs, which function with a spread of 120° to ensure a broad output. Choose between 2 lighting modes, depending on the brightness you require, and for how long. On low, this light will last up to 12 hours, and up to 6 hours on high. They are controlled by an ambient light sensor, which will turn the lights on at dusk, and off again at dawn. IP65 waterproofing and high-quality ABS casings will ensure that these lights get you through the roughest of nights, and allow the lights to survive temperatures between -4 and 174° Fahrenheit.

Install these staked into the ground or mounted to the wall, and adjust them to suit your needs, as they are vertically adjustable. The 1200 mAh, 5.5-volt batteries will charge fast during the day, as long as they are exposed to full sunlight, and will offer 6 to 12 hours of light for your property at night.

Whether you’re throwing a party, night swimming in your pool, walking to the house from the street, or wandering the garden on a hot night, these lights will offer all you need.

3. Linkind 16 LED Solar Landscape Spotlights

Brightness Modes: 2 | Lumens: 650 | Mounting Options: Ground & Wall | Battery Life: Up to 12 hours | All-Weather Resistant: Yes

These dusk to dawn solar garden lights are built for brightness, offering up to 650 lumens from 16 LEDs, which is a much higher output than most of their competition is producing. They come in various color temperatures, including daylight white, warm white, multicolor, and dual color. Be sure to choose the color temperature that suits your needs best.

You can also buy the Linkind Solar Landscape Spotlights in packs of 2, 4, or 6. There are 2 brightness settings on these lights, allowing you to choose your lighting solution based on how long you need the battery to last. Low mode will keep the lights on for 12 hours, and high mode for 6. A 90° beam angle allows for a bright and well-distributed light output.

These strong and durable lights are made from anti-UV ABS and can withstand temperatures from -4 to 122° Fahrenheit. They are water, dust, cold, and heat resistant, with an IP67 rating. Their ground pegs are strong and stable, and they can also be mounted to the wall should you not be looking for landscape lighting. The angle of the lights is fully adjustable, with a 180° horizontal adjustment ability, and 90° on the vertical. The low charging time of these lights, and their surprising battery life, considering the brightness, are due to the 18650 lithium batteries with auto-stop charging capability.

4. LEREKAM Solar Spot Lights

Brightness Modes: 3 | Lumens: 650 | Mounting Options: Ground & Wall | Battery Life: Up to 18 hours | All-Weather Resistant: Yes

Looking to light up your yard at night with bright white light? (Rhyming intended). Look no further than the pack of 2 LEREKAM Solar Spot Lights with 650 lumens output. Of course, you’ll want a few packs if your yard is big. These lights come in cool white, warm white, and even multicolored if you’d like to have some fun.

Fitted with auto on/off switch, as well as 3 lighting modes, these outdoor landscape lights are perfect for setting up your garden with exactly the lighting you want, so you never have to fumble around in the dark again. They also feature an IP67 waterproof rating, so no need to bring these in when it rains. They are resistant to heat and snow, and are made from durable materials that will last for years.

The lights charge quickly in full sunlight, and should be placed in such for best results, especially if you are looking to leave them in place permanently. Depending on the brightness setting you choose, the lights can run for anywhere from 6 to 18 hours before needing to recharge, and because of their auto on/off switch, they will only run from dusk till dawn, even on the lowest setting, saving battery life.

5. Nekteck 10 LED Outdoor Solar Lights

Brightness Modes: 2 | Lumens: 260 | Mounting Options: Ground & Wall | Battery Life: Up to 10 hours | All-Weather Resistant: Yes

The Nekteck Solar Outdoor Lights come in either warm or bright white, and put out 260 lumens from 10 LEDs. 2 Brightness modes allow you to choose your brightness and battery life, with low mode lasting up to 10 hours, and high mode keeping the lights on for about 6 hours. The dusk to dawn sensor will ensure that after installation and the first full charge, you can pretty much forget about them, except to enjoy the illumination of your property at night.

These can be bought in packs of 2, 4, 6, or 10, so be sure to plan your lighting layout well, so you don’t buy too few the first time!

Recently upgraded, these lights now contain a more efficient solar panel, which allows for higher sunlight absorption, and the lights and solar panels are independently adjustable, so you can set them to exactly the right angles for your situation. High impact ABS and IP66 waterproof technology ensure that these lights will see you through just about any weather, including rain, snow, and frost. Install these on the ground with their extended stakes, or mount them on the wall – no matter where you use them, their sunflower shape is likely to create a decorative look for your property.

What to Know Before Buying Outdoor Solar Spotlights

Before you decide to go and buy your outdoor solar spotlights, there are a few things to consider. Start by making a list of all the things you think you may use the lights for, and then consider the following tips while choosing the right lighting solution for you and your situation.

Brightness

You need to decide what brightness you need for your intended purpose for the lights. If you will be using them at home, for example, to light your garden path, accent a tree or decoration, or light up your barbeque area, lights between 120 and 600 lumens will be sufficient.

If you want the lights for more commercial use, such as lighting up the parking lot of your shop or lighting a large yard for security reasons, you may want to look for stronger lights of 1000 lumens or higher.

Other things affecting the brightness of the lights are the type and number of LEDs used. Be sure to read through the technical specifications of your prospective lights before making your choice.

Type

These lights are generally built with ambient light sensors and can turn themselves on at dusk, and off again at dawn. However, others do exist – some will come with motion sensors, only turning on when something moves in front of them, and yet others may be timer controlled, allowing you to set the time for them to turn on or off. Choose well, for while the dusk to dawn lights may seem like the easiest solution, they are the least likely to make it through the night on their battery charge, because they will be on from the minute the sun goes down.

Battery

Most of these lights are made with lithium-ion batteries, which are very low maintenance, and far more affordable than their fancier counterparts, but they do not last quite as long. Luckily, most manufacturers make their lights with easily replaceable batteries, and will sell you the batteries should you need to replace them. Both lead-acid batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries are more durable and reliable than lithium-ion, but certainly more expensive, as well.

Charge and Run Time

How long will you be needing your lights to run for? That is the question you should be asking yourself while choosing a set of LED outdoor spotlights. Most of these lights will last through the night on their lowest setting, and if that will be sufficient for your needs, then the choice should be fairly simple. If not, then you have some more research to do, and you should perhaps look at larger lights with more lumens and bigger batteries.

Light Color

What sort of light are you looking for? Do you want the cozy feel of a warm home, or do you want the brightest white you can find, to light up your whole yard? If you know the answer to this question, then go ahead and find the right light for you, but if you’re at all unsure, look for a light with dual colors, so that you can play with the temperature, and decide which look fits your situation, or your specific event.

Now, you should be armed with all the information you need, so go out there (into the great wide world of Amazon) and choose the right lights for you and your home. We all love shopping, and searching for the right solar lighting solution should be all the retail therapy you need.