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Best solar garden lights, tested and reviewed
Matt has been putting products through the mill for more than a decade, from complex heating systems, to his true passion, bikes and bike accessories
We've been testing garden solar lights continuously in all weathers for five years, and we've found that particularly harsh winters can easily spell the end for sub-standard solar lights.
Whether you're after atmospheric fairy lights or solar post lights to illuminate your outdoor space, we've got you covered.
How our tests find you the best
Weathering
Each solar light is left hanging in our test garden over multiple winters to reveal which ones last, and more importantly which ones don't.
Deep freeze
As if the great British winter isn’t bad enough, we also douse each light with water and put them in a freezer at -16°C, to see if they survive.
Brightness
Solar post lights should shine bright in the dark, but not all do. We test the lumens and check how long it shines after minimal sunlight.
We also test...
durability - we tug on wires, drop them, knock them over and even bash them against a garden fence.
Solar garden lights from our tests
Only logged-in Which? members and free account owners can view the garden solar light test results.
Register for free to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Garden solar lights | Price | Score | Waterproof | Survived a winter outside | Survived bashing and pulling | Light colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to unlock for free Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews and advice by Which? experts, when you sign up for a free account Unlock tableAlready have an account? | 100% | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| 100% | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| 100% | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| 100% | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| 100% | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| 92% | No | Yes | Yes | |||
| 88% | Yes | No | Yes | |||
| 84% | Yes | Yes | No | |||
| 84% | Yes | No | No | |||
| 84% | Yes | Yes | No | |||
| 69% | No | No | No | |||
| 59% | Yes | Yes | No | |||
| 59% | Yes | Yes | No |
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Date tested: we first tested some of these lights in February 2020, and they've been hanging in our test garden ever since. Each time we retest, we add more new lights, so some haven't been out in the cold and rain for as long as others. They have all been tested through at least one winter, though. Page last checked: June 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
The garden solar lights we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best garden solar lights from our tests.
Argos Home 200 Warm White LED Solar String Lights
Available from Argos (£15)
Most recently tested April 2022
Need to know 200 lights, 10 metres long, battery life is unstated, two light settings, warm white light.
Camden USB Solar Cluster Fairy Lights - 640 LEDs
Most recently April 2025
Need to know 3 meters of cable followed by 7.8 metres of lights, USB charging available, 640 lights in total.
Elan Solar Dandelion Lights
Most recently tested April 2022
Need to know 2 metres of cable to the first bulb followed by 9 metres of bulbs, 30 bulbs, warm white light
Elan Solar Fairy Lights - Warm White 200 LEDs
Most recently tested March 2022
Need to know 200 lights, 20 metres long (2 metres to the first light, then 20 metres of lights), USB chargeable as well as solar, claimed battery life of up to 10 hours, two light settings, warm white light.
Lights4fun 200 Warm White LED Solar Fairy Lights Clear Cable
Available from Lights4Fun (£19.18)
Most recently tested April 2022
Need to know 200 lights, 19.9 metres long (3 metres to the first light, then 19.9 metres), claimed battery life of up to eight hours during the summer, It's recommended you store the lights away over the winter, eight light settings, warm white light.
Lights4fun 20 Warm White Carnival Solar Festoon Lights
Most recently tested April 2022
Need to know 1.75 metres of cable to the first bulb, then 3 metres of cable, 20 bulbs, warm white light.
Lights4fun Bubble Solar Fairy Lights
Most recently tested April 2022
Need to know 3 metres to the first bulb followed by 3.9 metres of bulbs, 40 bulbs, warm white light.
Lumify USB Solar Fairy Lights - Warm White 300 LEDs
Most recently tested March 2022
Need to know 300 lights, 30 metres long (2 metres to the first light, then 28 metres with bulbs evenly spaced), USB chargeable as well as solar, eight light settings, warm white light.
Lumify USB Solar Vintage Bulb Lights - set of 20
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know 20 lights, 14.4 metres long (1.9 metres to the first light, then 14.4 metres, with bulbs spaced at 80cm), USB chargeable as well as charging from the sun, claimed battery life of 12 nights from a full USB charge, eight light settings, warm white light.
Powerbee Endurance Solar String Lights 200 White
Available from PowerBee (£59.99).
Most recently tested April 2023
Need to know 200 lights, 20 metres long (2 metres to the first light, then 20 metres), claimed battery life of 8-12 hours in the summer and 3-10 hours in the winter, eight light settings, white light.
Shoreham USB Solar Rope String Light - Powered by Leaf
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know 10-metre rope light with a natural white glow, can be charged by USB, turns off automatically after seven hours, white light.
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Smart Solar Firefly Solar-Powered Warm White 100 LED
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know 2 metres of cable to the first bulb followed by 100 LEDs, warm white light.
The Range 300 LED Solar String Lights
Available from The Range (Out of stock)
Most recently tested April 2022
Need to know 31.9-metre length, 300 lights, warm white.
The best solar post lights from our test
Only logged-in Which? members and free account owners can view the garden solar light test results.
Register for free to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Garden solar lights | Price | Score | Brightness | Survived a winter outside | Battery life | Pack size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to unlock for free Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews and advice by Which? experts, when you sign up for a free account Unlock tableAlready have an account? | 95% | Yes | ||||
| 90% | Yes | |||||
| 85% | Yes | |||||
| 75% | Yes | |||||
| 60% | Yes | |||||
| 48% | No |
Sign up to unlock for free
Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews and advice by Which? experts, when you sign up for a free account
Unlock tableAlready have an account?
Log in
Date tested: October 2024 to April 2025. Page last checked: June 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
The garden solar lights we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best garden solar lights from our tests.
Gardenwize Pack of 4 Solar Powered
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know Pack size 4, white light (blueish)
Lavenham Solar Garden Lights
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know Pack size 4, warm white light
London USB Solar Post Lights
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know 2 pack, warm white light
Nipify LED Solar Lights
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know Pack size 4, warm white light
Solar Centre 365 London XT Solar LED Post Light
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know Pack size 1, warm white light
Solar Centre 365 Dartington Solar LED Stake Light
Most recently tested April 2025
Need to know Pack size 1, warm white light
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How we test solar garden lights
We know that solar garden lights have an issue with longevity. They just don't last long enough, and too many end up in landfill too quickly.
That's why our tough tests simulate the types of conditions that solar fairy lights and solar post lights might endure over a few harsh British winters.
We regularly revisit the solar garden lights on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do so.
Water ingress
This is a common cause of failure. We subject each set of lights to a 10-minute deluge in a shower and submerge them in a bucket of water for an hour. Some bulbs and chargers fill with water and stop working.
Freezing temperatures
After each of the water ingress tests, the lights are put dripping wet into a freezer overnight, at -16°C.
Weathering
Our Best Buy lights have been working perfectly well in our test garden for the past three years. In September 2022 and October 2024, we added a new batch of lights and solar post lights, and the best of those are still working. While lots of solar fairy lights fail this test, the solar post lights are mostly quite hardy – we've only had one failure to date.
Rough treatment
We tie one end of each set of lights to a fence post and bash it against a fence 20 times. We also give the lights a tough tug along the length of the cable and where the cable enters the charging station. This is the biggest cause of failure in solar fairy lights, so make sure you don't tug them while putting them up.
For solar post lights we drop them, knock them over, and 'accidentally' kick them, to test their hardiness.
Brightness
For each of the solar post lights, we measure the amount of light they produce in lumen. Some give off enough light to softly illuminate a path in your garden, but others are fairly weak and purely decorative.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
Do solar lights work in the winter?
Yes. The best solar lights will still give you light in the winter, although how long the battery lasts will vary.
Some of the lights we've tested are good enough to shine all the way through to the morning after charging on a short, sunny winter day. But some lights will only last for about an hour after a full day of charging in the sun.
Do solar lights need direct sunlight?
Ideally, yes. Your lights will only be charging properly if they're in direct sun. To get the best from your solar lights, find a spot for the charger that's in direct sun for at least part of the day.