As the holiday season approaches, this is finally going to be the year that you will take a good look at the best solar Christmas lights on the market. If you’re tired of spending hundreds of dollars on electricity due to your Christmas decorations, then we’ve put together a guide tailor made for you. Brought to you through hours of research and testing, here is your 2020 solar Christmas light review guide.
Summary of Best Solar Christmas Lights
Best Overall |  |
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Runner Up |  |
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Best Budget |  |
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Best Holiday Decorative Light |  |
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Best Projector Lights |  |
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Best Lights for Bushes |  |
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Best Lights for Fence |  |
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Best Lights for Windows |  |
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Best Lights to Highlight Decorations |  |
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Best Lights for Tree |  |
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Best Lights for Nativity Scene |  |
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Best Solar Star Lights |  |
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Best Icicle Lights |  |
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Best Multi-colored Lights |  |
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Already set on which solar Christmas light is best for you? Awesome!
If you want to dive a little further in the details, we’ve put together an exhaustive review of each option for you.
Before we jump into the reviews, you should hear more about how we ranked and reviewed each of these decorative solar lights.
How We Review Each Option
In order to properly review the dozens of solar holiday lights out there, we thought hard about the benefits of using solar Christmas lights over the traditional lights. Here are the benefits we took into consideration:
- Low energy costs. It’s estimated that outdoor string lights in a decently decorated house will cost $378 for the 45 day holiday season. Outdoor tree lights could run you $529 and Icicle lights would top them all at $686 on average. Solar could bring those costs near $0.
- No outlets required! It’s always a struggle to position solar lights strategically around your house, sometimes snaking the end through windows. Solar Christmas lights are powered by the sun and can be placed anywhere with access to sunlight.
- No extension chords. This is often the solution to the second benefit, but not without its own issues. The extension chords are unsightly and can be a tripping hazard for anyone walking around your house.
After taking in these considerations, we decided to find the best holiday lights based on the 15 categories mentioned in the review summary table. Then we took a systematic approach to reviewing the products in each category.
First, we started with hundreds of solar yard lights and filtered them down based on the following review types: ease of use, brightness, warmth, sheerness, value for money, and remote control.
Then we reviewed the specs and features of every product. We removed any product that wasn’t IP44 waterproof, didn’t have long battery life, or didn’t have at least 8 hours of lighting.
Lastly, we carefully combed through the best reviews and worst reviews for each product. We removed any of the reviews that seemed spammy or illegitimate. Then we took out the bad reviews that had nothing to do with the product. And then we teased out all of the common positive and negative themes that bubbled up in the remaining reviews.
Detailed Solar Christmas Light Reviews
Best Overall Solar Christmas Lights
Overall Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 different modes with memory (combination, in wave, sequential, slow- glow, chasing/flash, slow fade, twinkle/flash, and steady on)
- 197 feet of string light (10 foot wire from solar panel to light string)
- Auto on/off based on daylight and switch for manual on/off
- 5 hours of charge time provides 12 hours of light
- Includes 3 AA rechargeable batteries
Customer Review Summary: The extra length makes it easy to cover the entire house with these lights. The 10 foot of slack between the lights and the solar panel allow you to hide the solar panel from view while keeping it in direct sunlight. The handful of negative reviews mention broken lights, but other reviews highlight a customer friendly return and exchange policy.
Runner Up Solar Yard Christmas Lights
Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 2 pack with 8 different modes plus on/off switch
- 66 feet of string light (7 foot wire from solar panel to light string)
- 8 hours of charge time provides 12 hours of light
- Includes 1,800 mAh rechargable battery
- Includes 2 backup 1,800 mAh rechargeable batteries for overcast days
Customer Review Summary: People used these lights for their deck railing, outdoor trees, and house. The lights are bright enough to provide all the light you need to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa on your deck at night. The extra batteries come in clutch when you don’t get enough sun. It’s easy to replace the batteries, too. The one complaint some people had was that the string lights were a bit bulky and hard to install.
Best Budget Solar Holiday Lights
Overall Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 different modes with memory (combination, in wave, sequential, slow glow, chasing/flash, slow fade, twinkle/flash, and steady on)
- 2 pack with 76 total feet of string light (9 foot wire from solar panel to light string)
- Available in warm white, green, blue, white, or multicolor
- 5 hours of charge time provides up to 12 hours of light
- Rechargeable 800 mAh double A battery
Customer Review Summary: People loved using these lights to decorate trees and their house for Christmas. Some found it difficult to decorate some parts of their house that didn’t get enough sunlight for the solar panel, but were able to attach the panel to their roof as an alternative. Several reviewers mentioned that they were taken care of by the seller if they had issues, which led them to increasing their initial bad review. If you upgrade the small battery from the 800 mAh to a 2400 mAh rechargeable double A battery, you can increase the amount of time they can stay on by threefold.
Best Solar Holiday Light Decoration
Overall Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- Includes 4 fairy light mason jars (on/off switch on each jar)
- 30 LEDS per jar (50% more than standard 20 LEDs per jar)
- Jar Dimension: 3.2″ Dia. x 5.3″H
- 6 hours of charge time provides 10 hours of light
- Comes with 1 year warranty
Customer Review Summary: These are beautiful hanging on trees. People comment on how thick and heavy the glass jars feel. They each come with a handle to make it easier to hang on something. Some customers mention seeing them still lit in the morning after turning on at dusk the night before. The only caution is to make sure you are careful storing and transporting them. Though sturdy, they are made of glass and can break if dropped.
Best Solar Projector Lights
Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 2 pack with 7 different switchable colors (red and green for Christmas)
- Auto on/off based on daylight and switch for manual on/off
- 4 hours of charge time provides 8 hours of light
- Built in 2,200 mAh rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: Easy to install and turn on. They advertise 8 hours of light, but many customers noticed over 12 hours on a full charge. Toggling between colors is simple and quick. Customers mention that you should try to keep the object that you’re trying to light up within 20 feet to make sure the light is bright enough. For shining it on your house, you many need up to 4 depending on the size of your house.
Best Lights For Bushes
Overall Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 different modes (fireflies flashing, waves, fading, chasing/flashing, fading slowly, twinkle/flashing and steady on)
- Each net covers as area of 9.8ft x 6.6ft with 200 LEDs
- 1 foot wire from solar panel to light net string
- 6 hours of charge time provides 8 hours of light
- Built in 1,200 mAh rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: People rave about how beautiful they are when installed and how easy it is to install on bushes. The largest complaint is storing it without getting it tangled. If you ball these lights up between holidays, you’ll spend half an hour trying to untangle them before throwing them over your bushes. This takes away a lot of the time saving you would get from the ease of install over sting lights.
Best Lights For Fence
Overall Rating: 4.2 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- Fairy lights designed for 360 degree enchanting look
- 33 feet of string fairy lights
- 8 modes and two switches (on/off and mode)
- 2-4 hours of charge time provides 14 hours of light
- Includes 1 AA rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: Due to using small, but powerful light emitting diodes, customers rave about how long these lights stay on with as little as 2 hours of sunlight. It’s easy to install with most people choosing to put them in their trees or on their fences. The only downside is that the color starts out yellow/gold with a hint of green and warms up to the white/gold light.
Best Lights For Windows
Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 different modes with memory function
- 9ft x 9ft of coverage for curtains or windows
- Two switches (mode select and on/off)
- Provides up to 10 hours of light
- Built in 1,400 mAh rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: People talked about how quick these solar Christmas lights charge and how easy it is to install. They love the light sensor so that they never have to turn them on or off. It will automatically come on when it gets dark and turn off when they lose power. Some customers mentioned that it isn’t as bright as in the pictures, but still bright enough to look good.
Best Lights To Highlight Decorations
Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- High mode for better visibility and low mode for longer lasting
- Rotate solar panel up/down by 180 degrees and light by 90 degrees
- Auto on/off based on daylight and switch for manual on/off
- 6 hours of charge time provides 6-12 hours of light
- Comes with 18650 3.7V 2200mAh lithium rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: People noticed that the build quality is higher than other options. The solar panels are larger and the battery pack is well protected against the weather. A couple customers complained about the the ability to swivel the light only in the vertical plane, which means you have to reposition it if you wanted to focus the light on something else.
Best Lights For Tree
Overall Rating: 4.2 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 2 pack of 30 lights 20ft long
- Auto on/off based on daylight and switch for manual on/off
- 6-8 hours of charge time provides 8-10 hours of light
- Includes a 600 mAh rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: People are happy with how bright the lights are compared to the pictures. The biggest complaint is how long the lights last on a full day of charge. Some people noticed that it takes a couple of days of charge for the first use. Since the battery included in only 600 mAh, you could buy a rechargeable battery with a larger capacity (2,800 mAh) to instantly triple the length of time your lights stay on.
Best Lights For Nativity Scene
Overall Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- High mode for better visibility and low mode for longer lasting
- Rotate solar panel and light up/down by 180 degrees
- Warm light for softer light on nativity scene
- 5 hours of charge time provides 10 hours of light
- Includes 18650 solar panel and 2200mAh lithium rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: This spot light creates a warm and inviting ambiance. One reviewer mentioned buying these lights three years ago and not seeing any reduction in brightness or length of time that the lights stay on. The biggest issue people had was how the color is yellowish on white walls
Best Solar Christmas Star Light
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 different modes to toggle between with on/off switch
- 40 feet of string light (4 foot wire from solar panel to light string)
- 8 hours of charge time provides 12 hours of light
- Built in 1,600 mAh replaceable rechargeable battery
- 2 year 100% money back warranty
Customer Review Summary: Some customers noticed that the lights only lasted a couple of hours the first night, but commented that it would last for 8-12 hours a night after the first use. People say that they look classy and petite once they’re hung. A couple customers highlighted how well the solar panel worked even during rainy days. It looks great in a crisscross pattern over patios and can be used to decorate the inside of your house, as well. Some customers didn’t like how the battery was connected to the lights instead of the solar panel, so you could detach the solar panel to move it into more sunlight and reattach it later.
Best Solar Icicle Lights
Overall Rating: 4.1 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 icicles included in each pack
- 24 feet of string light (13 foot wire from solar panel to light string)
- Auto on/off based on daylight and switch for manual on/off
- 7 hours of charge time provides up to 12 hours of light
- Ability to string multiple packs together
Customer Review Summary: People found that they worked great hanging from trees in their front yard or from their gutters. They were easy to daisy chain together and install. One of the common downsides were the waterproofing of the charging box. A couple of customers found evidence of water seeping into the box, which could risk short circuiting the lights. This seemed to happen in 7 out of 948 total reviews.
Best Solar Multi-colored Lights
Overall Rating: 4.2 out of 5 Stars
Features and Specs:
- 8 different modes with memory of last mode
- 72 feet of string light (6 foot wire from solar panel to light string)
- Auto on/off based on daylight and switch for manual on/off
- 6 hours of charge time provides 8 hours of light
- Built in 1,200 mAh rechargeable battery
Customer Review Summary: Most of the good reviews highlighted how bright the lights were for how small the actual light bulbs were. Some reviewers in Canada mentioned that the lights performed well in -30 degree weather. The downsides were the lights wouldn’t last as long a year down the road. This is likely due to the smaller battery size. However, the customers that complained about the lights not staying on as long did mention that the lights would stay on well past 3-4am.
How Solar Christmas Lights Work
There are four main components to making solar lights work:
- Solar panel – These photovoltaic panels convert beautiful sunshine into electricity through the power of silicon. The solar rays excite the electrons in the silicon, which causes them to move (or flow). Flowing electrons is another way to say electricity.
- Battery – The battery perform two functions. It stores the energy from the solar panels to be used at night. It also helps stabilize the current coming from the solar panels. The sun can be covered by a cloud for a couple minutes. It could be really bright in the middle of the day and less bright towards dusk. All of these conditions impacts the electricity being generated by the solar panels. But the LED lights need consistent electricity or they will flicker on and off. The battery helps smooth out the electricity between the solar panels and the LED lights.
- Switch – This allows electricity to flow from the batteries to the LED lights. The switch could be a manual button that is toggled on/off or it could be controlled by a photosensor. This measures how much light is surrounding the sensor. When there isn’t a lot of light, it will automatically turn on the LED lights.
- LED lights – We can thank the efficiency of the light emitting diode for being able to have solar lights. Older lights require too much power to be powered by a solar panel. The LED lights are super energy efficient and can last 8+ hours off a couple rechargeable batteries.
How to Power Solar Christmas Lights Without Sunlight
Do You Need Direct Sunlight to Charge Solar Lights?
Though sunlight is the best and most cost effective form of energy for solar lights, it’s not needed to charge solar lights. If there is limited sunlight due to trees or other brush, the solar lights will trickle charge. If they have enough time with limited sunlight, it will still be enough to charge the batteries to 100%.
Of course, the more sunlight a solar panel has the faster it will charge the battery to full capacity.
How Do You Charge Solar Lights Without the Sun?
Want to keep your Christmas lights on, but haven’t seen a lot of sun recently? You can also charge solar lights artificially by shining light on the solar panels. This isn’t super efficient, but it could help create a charge in a bind and want to keep the lights on at night.
You can either set the solar panel under a lightbulb inside or near your house or you could set a flashlight up to shine on the solar panel.
You could also replace the rechargeable batteries with fully charged batteries if you need the lights to come on after an overcast day.
How To Troubleshoot Solar Lights
Replace Solar Light Batteries
The primary issue you’ll face with solar lights over time is a battery that has lost capacity. A battery that might have lasted 12 hours four years ago now only provides enough power to get through 3 hours. Luckily, replacing the batteries is one of the easiest problems to fix with solar lights.
Most of the solar Christmas lights we reviewed need between 1 to 4 batteries, while 2 seem to be the most common. You should remember to get rechargeable batteries since they will need to be charged by the solar panels daily.
Typically, most solar holiday lights take AA batteries. We recommend sticking with either of these two options:
- NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) | 1.2V | 500 to 900mAh
- NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) | 1.2V | 1,000 to 2,000mAh
If you are looking for more runtime, try a 2,200 mAh battery since it will be able to hold more charge. More charge = keeping the Christmas lights on for a longer period of time.
Once you have the batteries, follow the steps below to change them out:
- Hold the solar panel with the panel facing down and you are looking at the back. You should notice small screws holding the battery plate in place.
- Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the battery plate.
- Carefully remove the old rechargeable batteries without damaging the connection wires.
- Place the battery plate back on and use the Phillips head screwdriver to tighten the screws back in place.
- Test to make sure it works. Position the solar panel where it is getting direct sunlight. Wait 30 minutes and then turn the lights on. If your lights turn on automatically when it is dark, put your hand over the photosensor to simulate night time.
Other Solar Light Issues
If the rechargeable batteries weren’t the issue, try working through some of the troubleshooting options below:
- There may be a break somewhere in the wire powering your lights. Visually inspect the wires from one end to the other to try to find a tear in the line. If you find one, remove the batteries. Then twist the wires back together and use electrical tape to protect the exposed wire from weather.
- An easier issue to resolve is to make sure the lights are turned on. Is the switch in the off position? Is there some dirt blocking the photosensor? If so, simple wiping the smudge off could do the trick.
- The last major issue could be poor placement of the solar panel. It might not be getting enough sunlight to fully charge the batteries. Try moving the solar panels to an area with more direct sunlight and fewer obstructions.
Don’t have your solar holiday lights yet, check out our top 15 options based on a rigorous five step review process.