Over recent years, solar power has grown hugely in popularity – and for good reason. Solar technology has evolved tremendously, as has the wealth of variety and performance along with it. In particular, pathway lighting is an increasingly sought-after solution to help bring your outdoor space to life, and make your home safer, all while making cost savings and reducing your impact on the environment. What’s not to love?
We’ve had a look at different types of lights to try and understand the pros and cons of each so you know what the best solar pathway lights are for you.
Before we dive in, it’s probably useful to quickly recap how solar pathway lights work. In the same way that solar panels on a roof function, pathway lights draw energy from the sun’s rays and convert that energy into power. This can then be used for powering lights in your outdoor space.
There are many types of pathway lights that you can buy, varying from functional, and decorative, to specialized.
While they do share common advantages and disadvantages, such as wireless installation, reduced costs, and a requirement for sunlight to work, there are some unique aspects to each, depending on what you purchase. Let’s take a look.
- Best Solar Pathway Lights – Functional
- Best Solar Pathway Lights – Decorative
- Best Solar Pathway Lights – Specialized
Best Solar Pathway Lights – Functional
Functional lights are just that – functional. They’re designed to emit a brighter light than other types of light, to illuminate your pathways and walkways in your garden. They generally consist of types such as stakes, bollards, and step lights.
Solar Stake Lights
The good
Solar stake lights are one of the best solar pathway lights. You can simply stick stake lights in your desired part of the ground and move them wherever you like, should you change your mind or want to shuffle things around in your garden. That ease of installation is a big selling point.
The not-so-good
With that portability and ease of installation, however, there comes a drawback: these types of lights might be less durable than other types, meaning that if they’re exposed to the elements, they might not last as long.
Solar Bollard Lights
The Good
Taller and sturdier than stake lights, bollard lights provide a larger area of illumination for your pathway, brightening up your landscape effectively. If you prefer brighter light, solar bollard lights stand out as the best solar pathway lights.
The Not-So-Good
With their sturdy and robust design, you might find the prices to be a bit higher with this option, but the quality justifies the cost.
Solar Step Lights
The Good
Step lights are specifically designed to improve the safety of your home by illuminating steps and walkways effortlessly. Due to their design, they can be installed on any surface with edges. They serve as the best solar pathway lights for both functional and decorative purposes.
The Not-So-Good
As the name suggests, these lights require steps, stairways, or edges for installation, limiting your placement options.
Best Solar Pathway Lights – Decorative
Decorative lights bring a charm to your landscape, giving you an opportunity to inject some personality and your own taste into your walkway. There are many types, including flowers, lanterns, hanging, and firefly lights.
Solar Flower, Lantern, and Firefly Lights
The good
If you’re looking to add a bit of flair and unique design to your pathway, flower, lantern, or firefly lights are a solid choice. Flower-shaped lights are designed to mimic real flowers, making for a nice aesthetic – a lot of them even have a color-changing option. Firefly lights mimic real fireflies, which can be a very charming complement to your walkway, while lantern lights tend to be very elegantly designed. Due to their charming appearance, they are considered the best solar pathway lights for decorative purposes.
The not-so-good
These types are designed to be exclusively decorative, however, so you’ll notice minimal illumination of your pathway. Also, flower lights generally have a more intricate design, resulting in a need for more careful and regular cleaning.
Solar Hanging Lights
The Good
Hanging lights, such as mason jar or crystal lights, offer a vast range similar to flower, lantern, and firefly lights. They add versatility and verticality to your space. Hang them from trees, pergolas, or a water feature along your pathway to introduce unique visuals that other lights can’t.
The Not-So-Good
Much like flower and firefly lights, hanging lights are also one of the best solar pathway lights for decorative purposes but you’ll need to be mindful that they don’t do so well in adverse weather conditions, making them a less desirable option for those who live in rainy or windy locales. Crystal lights in particular might be eye-catching, but they’ll need to be handled with more care than others.
Solar Water Feature Lights
The good
Do you have a pond or fountain along your pathway that could do with some visual enhancement? Water feature lights are a great addition to consider. They can float or be submerged to add a magical atmosphere, while still being very easy to install.
The not-so-good
These lights may make your space look pretty, but they won’t offer any significant illumination for your walkway – so they’re not ideal for anything other than decoration. The charge on them might not last as long as other types too.
Best Solar Pathway Lights – Specialized
Specialized solar pathway lights offer specific features beyond just illuminating your property – usually security.
Solar Motion Sensor Lights
The good
If you’re looking for lights specifically to improve the security of your home and illuminate your pathway at the same time, motion-sensor lights are worth considering. They only come on when activated through motion, which is great for home security and conserving the battery life of the light.
The not-so-good
The drawback to these types of lights is that they will be triggered by any motion in their radius, so you may experience a false alarm or two. They also tend to be a bit more expensive, as you’re paying for the additional features.
Solar Spotlights
The good
Spotlights can bring specific areas of your garden to life with their adjustable heads offering you flexibility to accentuate chosen garden features and illuminate your walkway as well. Much like motion-sensor lights, they’re also a great way to enhance your home security.
The not-so-good
As one of the best solar pathway lights, while spotlights do offer a brightness that outperforms other solar lights, you will still find that they’re not as powerful as electric lights. If reduced costs are an integral factor for you, you might be okay with that. Alternatively, if you’re used to the brightness of electric lights, the dimmer solar option might be a dealbreaker.
Final Thoughts
There are tons of great options for pathway lights available on the market, likely to meet your needs for any situation. Traditional lighting certainly still has its place, of course, but with the increasingly evolving range and technology offered by solar lighting, there’s fierce competition. Hopefully, you’re now confident to make an informed decision and have chosen the best solar pathway lights for your garden – good luck!
