5 Cheap(ish) Solar Lights to Brighten Your Home (2025)

The BioLite Luci Charge 360 has been a top pick in Wirecutter’s guide to the best outdoor and backyard lighting for more than five years. I normally associate lanterns with camping, but this one is so cute and lightweight (it looks and feels like a giant marshmallow) that I end up using it frequently around the house, too. It comes in handy for backyard bonfires, nighttime dog walks, and the occasional power outage.

It’s relatively easy to inflate and deflate, akin to blowing up a beachball. And since it’s smaller than a Frisbee when deflated, it’s easy to stash in a drawer or on a shelf until you need it.

The light has an inviting, warm cast. It’s rated for 360 lumens, which is too dim to comfortably read a book by but is still plenty bright (for reference, a candle emits about 12 lumens).

The lantern has two straps — on the top and one on the bottom — which are useful if you want to hang or carry it. Its Ingress Protection rating of IP67 means it’s completely protected against dust and can tolerate getting rained on for brief periods, and it’s backed by a one-year warranty.

It has four modes: low, medium, high, and flashing. Pressing the power button turns it on and cycles through the modes, and holding it down turns it off. Helpfully, a row of battery-status lights lets you keep track of how much charge it has left.

In addition to relying on the solar panel on top, you can recharge the lantern’s battery using the USB-C port. This is handy if the sun isn’t out, or if you’re short on time; fully recharging the battery from its USB-C port takes about six hours, in contrast to about 28 hours with the solar panel.

This lantern has a few drawbacks. For example, I don’t love that the moisture from my breath sometimes leaves smudges on the inside surface. There’s also a risk of tearing or puncturing the material (similar to an air mattress or inflatable neck pillow). But overall its positive qualities greatly outweigh those quibbles.

In my experience, hanging a string of lights instantly adds a cozy warmth to a gloomy balcony or porch. And solar-powered string lights are especially convenient, since they don’t require you to have an outlet nearby.

After trying a few different options, I’ve grown fond of the Addlon Edison Solar Outdoor String Lights. The set I have is 54 feet long with 16 bulb sockets, though depending on the size of your space, you might prefer one of the other variations: 33 feet with nine sockets, 54 feet with 24 sockets, 78 feet with 24 sockets, or 102 feet with 32 sockets.

The 54-foot set comes with 17 Edison-style S14 LED bulbs (one extra), a USB-A–to–USB-C cable, a remote control, and a detachable solar panel. Each socket has a built-in loop, which makes the lights much easier to hang. We have a separate guide on how to hang string lights, if you want some tips.

The lights are powered by a small solar panel, which you can either stake into the ground or mount to a flat surface (the set includes the necessary hardware for both options). I especially like that the panel has a hinged base, so you can adjust its angle to face the sun.

Two buttons on the back of the unit power it on and off and allow you to toggle between three brightness settings. The remote control also has those functions, as well as a timer to turn the lights off after two, four, six, or eight hours.

The built-in battery has a rated capacity of 2,500 mAh, which is enough to keep the lights lit from dusk to dawn. And if you’re unable to glean enough solar power to recharge it, you can also use the USB-C port on the side.

The bulbs of this string light have a warm cast, and since they’re plastic you don’t have to worry about stepping on glass shards if they break. The brightness is comparable to that of other LED string lights I’ve used, both solar and non-solar.

This set has an IP65 weatherization rating, which means it’s fully dustproof and able to withstand jets of water, such as from a sprinkler or hose. It’s also backed by a one-year warranty.

Another set of string lights I love is the Addlon Globe Solar Outdoor String Lights set. It’s nearly identical to the Edison-bulb version but with a few key differences. It’s shorter (25 feet) and comes with 13 globe-shaped G40 LED bulbs (one extra), though like the other set it’s also available in a variety of other lengths, including 35 feet, 50 feet, 100 feet, and 200 feet.

Instead of loops, this version has small clips on each socket to hang the lights. It has slightly worse battery life, with a rated capacity of 2,200 mAh, but provides one additional brightness setting, as you can choose from 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% brightness.

This set also has a sensor that automatically turns the bulbs on when it’s dark and off when it’s light. You can override this feature by covering the solar panel, which is where the sensor is located.

I prefer this set’s more diminutive round bulbs for a small balcony that I have, whereas the proportions of the Edison bulbs on the other set are better suited to my back patio. I also think this set would be great for brightening up a bedroom or other indoor space, as long as conditions are sufficiently sunny to recharge the battery.

I adore burning scented candles, palo santo, and incense to create an aromatic ambience at home. But sometimes I want to enjoy the vibey, flickering light of a candle without having to babysit an open flame. In these instances, a set of solar-powered flameless candles offers an ideal way to create an inviting atmosphere.

You can artfully arrange them on a porch or patio, or perch them on your windowsills for a cozy glow indoors. Conveniently, rather than having to plug them in or pop in a new battery when they run out of power, you can leave them to their built-in solar panels, which constantly recharge them during daylight hours.

The Nurada Solar Pillar Candles and Salipt Solar Pillar Candles are identical sets of three solar-powered flameless candles, and they’re equally great. I recommend getting whichever set is cheaper at the time of checkout.

Each candle has a small on/off switch on the bottom and a built-in solar panel. The solar panel is internal, so you can’t see it. I’m not sure how this works — magic?! — but it’s wonderful, since it helps sustain the illusion that they could be real candles.

Both sets come with three rechargeable (and, conveniently, replaceable) AA batteries that are charged by the solar panels to power the candles. They turn on automatically in the dark and turn off automatically in the light.

The candles are 3.25, 4.5, and 6 inches tall. They give off a warm glow and flicker faintly. Thanks to a wavy edge on top and a matte texture, they feel more like wick-and-wax candles compared with some others I’ve tried.

Disappointingly, neither set has a listed warranty. Also, while these candles are reportedly safe for outdoor use, they’re not IP-rated, and after a heavy rain I found that some moisture had made its way into the battery compartments of a few candles.

If a daintier faux-flame candle is called for, I like to use the PChero Solar Tealight Candles. They’re a great alternative to traditional tealight candles, whether you want something to light up a jack-o’-lantern on the front porch, for instance, or to complete a wedding tablescape.

Each candle in this set of six has a built-in AAA battery and a solar panel on top, which is more noticeable than the pillar candles’ internal panels but still fairly unobtrusive. The plastic “wick” on top has a warm cast and realistic flicker.

These candles have an IP65 weatherization rating, and since the on/off switch on the bottom has a rubber covering, it’s unlikely to let in moisture. Their “dusk to dawn” sensor allows them to turn on automatically in the dark and turn off when it gets light.

The biggest drawback of this set is that it doesn’t list a warranty. The owner manual in the box says “12 months service life for normal use” but doesn’t specify the terms beyond that. The box also lists an email address (info@apex-ce.com), but that domain name is no longer in service.

After tripping one too many times on the unlit and rocky terrain between my detached garage and back door, I decided to install a set of solar-powered path lights. Since they lack the confinement of a power cord, you can place them anywhere you need a bit of extra light, such as an outdoor path, alleyway, or staircase.

A top pick in Wirecutter’s guide to the best outdoor and backyard lighting for more than five years, the Smart Solar Charleston Pathway LED Lights set is sturdy and sleek-looking. The set I have is encased in stainless steel, though it’s also available in pewter, copper, and antique bronze finishes.

Each light in this set of six is 3.5 inches in diameter, with the stem raising it an ample 16 inches off the ground. Rated for 5 lumens apiece, the built-in LED bulbs cast a soft, cozy, warm light.

These lights are durable and well made. The square solar panel on top blends in well with the metal topper and saves up power during the day in a rechargeable AA battery (included).

Like most solar-powered path lights I’ve used, this set turns on automatically at sundown and off at daybreak. It’s safe for outdoor use (though it’s not IP-rated) and has a one-year warranty. At this writing, a set of six costs less than $50.

Even though I prefer the appearance of these solar-powered path lights the most of those I’ve used, they might be somewhat diminutive for some yards, especially if you have a wider walkway. If you want something a bit bigger, and you don’t mind having a network-connected device that costs more, consider the Ring Solar Pathlight, a top pick in Wirecutter’s guide to the best smart outdoor lighting.

I’ve owned the Anker 548 Power Bank for about a year, and although I’ve taken it with me on several outdoor excursions, it also gets a lot of use at home. It’s shaped like an ordinary lantern, but it’s much more. It has five charging ports—two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a solar input port—and a built-in battery that’s powerful enough to charge a laptop and phone simultaneously.

The power bank comes in handy when I’m using a laptop or other device on my back porch, and during brief power outages. Also, if I’m working on a project in the basement or anywhere else outlets are scarce, it’s helpful to have an extra light and charging ports nearby.

The battery has a rated capacity of 192 watt-hours, which is higher than that of any of Wirecutter’s portable laptop charger picks and enough to fully charge most phones up to 15 times. An easy-to-read LED display offers useful information, such as the wattage flowing in and out of each charging port, as well as the remaining battery life (shown as a percentage, a circular icon, and estimated time up to the minute).

The lantern sits on top of the power bank, and it has a collapsible rubber shell. It has two brightness modes (the low setting gives off a soft glow and the high setting is bright enough to read by) and a flashing emergency mode.

I usually leave mine plugged into a wall outlet so that it’s fully charged when I need it. Although it comes with a USB-C charging cable, you have to supply your own wall charger or solar panel to keep it juiced up.

The BigBlue 28W USB Solar Charger and other Wirecutter-recommended portable solar battery chargers have USB ports, so they’re compatible with most phones and other devices. But if you already have a solar panel you like that requires an XT60 connector (commonly found in solar accessories), this Anker power bank conveniently offers both input options.

Weighing just over 5 pounds, it has a nylon handle that makes it comfortable to carry around the house. I have the olive-green version, but it also comes in dark gray.

It’s sturdily built, though it does not have an IP weatherization rating, so I wouldn’t leave it outside for long periods. Its three-year warranty gives you plenty of time to confirm that it works properly.

This article was edited by Erica Ogg and Jason Chen.