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7 Best Solar Christmas Lights of 2022, According to Engineers

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When December rolls around — alright, for some it’s as soon as that Thanksgiving turkey is picked clean — it’s time to decorate for the holidays. And if you’re stepping up your festive outdoor game, step one is probably outdoor Christmas lights. You can hang them around trees, windows, bushes or any other part of your home that you want to brighten up and give that warm glow. And while traditional Christmas lights are great, especially for decorating your Christmas tree, you still do need to plug them into an outlet, which not everyone has outside. Nor does everyone want to run an extremely long extension cord from the inside to the outside just to turn on lights. That’s why solar Christmas lights are a great alternative — plus, they’ll save you some money on your electricity bill!

The Good Housekeeping Institute has tested all sorts of solar gadgets, including solar phone chargers not to mention holiday gear like artificial Christmas trees. To test solar Christmas lights, we used the darkroom in our Lab to simulate daylight and nighttime conditions in order to determine how effective each set of light was. We also evaluate how easy it is to set them up, how easy the controls are to change the settings, how bright the lights are and how well-built they are. Ultimately, we set out to find solar-powered lights that work well, produce bright lights that hold a strong charge and are built well enough to last multiple seasons.

Our top picks:

Continue reading to see our solar Christmas light picks, all rated for outdoor use. After our picks, you can learn more about how we test solar Christmas lights. And while you’re in the holiday decorating spirit, check out our roundup of the best Christmas decorations.

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1

Best Overall Solar Christmas Lights

Dazzle Bright

2-Pack Solar String Lights

Product Specs

Length 46 feet
Amount of Bulbs 120
Working Time 10 to 14 hours fully charged
IP Rating IP44
Color Multicolor
2

Best Solar Christmas Lights for Inclement Weather

Brightown

Outdoor Solar String Lights

Product Specs

Length 33 feet
Amount of Bulbs 100
Working Time 8-10 hours fully charged
IP Rating IP65
Color Warm White
3

Best Long-Lasting Solar Christmas Lights

Lalapao

Solar String Lights

Product Specs

Length 72 feet
Amount of Bulbs 200
Working Time 8-12 hours fully charged
IP Rating IP65
Color Solar White
4

Best Solar Christmas Lights with a Warranty

Vmanoo

Solar Outdoor String Christmas Lights

Product Specs

Color Blue
Length 72 feet
Amount of Bulbs 200
Working Time 8-12 hours
IP Rating IP65
5

Best Solar Christmas Lights with Alternative Charging Method

Vmanoo

Solar USB String Christmas Lights

Product Specs

Color Multicolor
Length 72 feet
Amount of Bulbs 200
Working Time 8-12 hours fully charged
IP Rating IP65
6

Best Solar Christmas Lights with Multiple Length Options

Joomer

Solar String Lights

Product Specs

Color Multicolor
Length 72 feet
Amount of Bulbs 200
Working Time 8 hours fully charged
IP Rating IP65
7

Best Uniquely Shaped Solar Christmas Lights

Brightown

Solar String Lights

Product Specs

Color Multi-Color
Length 26 feet
Amount of Bulbs 40
Working Time 8 hours fully charged
IP Rating IP65

How we tested solar lights

At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we have a special room that we can program to display specific wavelengths of light. With this equipment, we were able to simulate a day of sunlight to effectively charge up these solar-powered lights. We then tested the continuity and strength of each string lights by removing and attempting to break the bulbs. If a light set had multiple modes, we tested each one for brightness and consistency. All of this was done in a dark room after charging in order to get an idea of how bright these lights would be at nighttime and how effective their auto-on capabilities were.

What to look for when shopping for solar Christmas lights

✔️ Length: Typically, the longer the light string, the more LED bulbs per set. Shorter sets are great for trimming doors and windows but if you’re decorating trees or shrubs you may want to opt for the longest option available. Most brands sell multipacks of lights or several different length options.

✔️ Modes: While most solar lights have a similar number of modes, a few don’t have as many options. If you want to really spice up your decorations, take a look at what flashing or pulsing modes are available.

✔️ Working Time: You want a long working time — how long the lights will stay on after a full charge. There’s nothing worse than setting up great decorations only for them to turn off prematurely. Look for a working time of 8 to 10 hours if you want them to last all night.

✔️ IP Rating: Outdoor lights need to last against the elements, and an IP rating will tell you how durable your lights will be in that regard. An IP rating is a professional standard that classifies how protected electrical equipment is from external waste — practically speaking, that means dirt and water. Each rating is read as IPXX, where the first “X” represents solids, and the second “X” represents liquids. The higher the number, the more resistant it is to that matter. The numbers for solids go up to 6, and the number for liquids goes up to 9. Look for lights with IP ratings of IP65 for outdoor ruggedness designed to withstand winter weather.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Good Housekeeping has been testing Christmas lights for many years. Test Engineer Alec Scherma is a mechanical engineer whose testing experience ranges from artificial Christmas trees to binoculars. He was the lead tester of solar Christmas lights, and with the help of Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping’s Chief Technologist, their combined experience provided the necessary knowledge to determine which picks in a crowded market will last the longest and light up your house the brightest.

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Scoop Sky is a blog with all the enjoyable information on many subjects, including fitness and health, technology, fashion, entertainment, dating and relationships, beauty and make-up, sports and many more.

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