Solar powered flood lights have a myriad of benefits for homeowners. They are typically lightweight, easy to install, don’t need any wires or electricians to get up and running, and can be placed nearly anywhere. Those traits make these lights very popular, but it also means there are dozens of products available online, and not all of them are worth your time and money.
This guide identifies seven of the best outdoor solar flood lights available right now, plus a buyer’s guide to help make the decision that is best for you and your home. All of this ensures that you make a purchase you feel comfortable with and won’t be disappointed in.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  |  | SIDSYS Solar Outdoor Lights | CHECK PRICE | |
Best Value  |  | MIHANI Solar Lights Outdoor | CHECK PRICE | |
Premium Choice  |  | ieGeek Solar Floodlight Camera | CHECK PRICE | |
 | OTDLIGHT Solar LED Security Light | CHECK PRICE | ||
 | AmeriTop Solar Lights Outdoor | CHECK PRICE |
The 7 Best Outdoor Solar Flood Lights
1. SIDSYS Solar Outdoor Lights – Best Overall
| Brightness: | 7300 lumens |
| Weight: | 2.77 lbs. |
| Count: | 2 lights |
SIDSYS Solar Outdoor Lights is the best overall outdoor solar flood light. It has everything you want out of a solar powered floodlight. This light is adjustable, easy to install, bright, has a long-lasting battery that charges quickly during a sunny day, and features multiple lighting modes. This light can be used as a general purpose landscape light or as a motion activated security light. You can set the lights to remain pleasant and dim for illumination or crank up the settings to blind potentially dangerous critters trying to get onto your property.
The motion sensor is reactive and covers a large area. It can track motion up to 40 feet away, which is considerably farther than some competing products. Putting it all together, you get a solid solar powered floodlight for a great price that does everything well.
Make sure the solar panel is placed properly, that you take any security tabs out of it, and that the cord is nice and snug in the light. Some people reported having charging issues out of the box and these are usually due to a connection issue between the panel and the light itself.
Pros
- Bright solar lights
- Can be used as general lighting or security lighting
- Easy to install
- Easy to adjust
- Affordable
Cons
- Minor charging issues for some users
2. MIHANI Solar Lights Outdoor – Best Value
| Brightness: | 2500 lumens |
| Weight: | 2.29 lbs. |
| Count: | 1 light |
MIHANI Solar Lights Outdoor is one of the best deals online when it comes to solar powered flood lights. This is a great light to get if you are unsure about using solar flood lights or if you are on a tight budget. This light will provide you the ability to try, test, and enjoy the benefits of a solar floodlight without having to shell out very much money at all.
These lights derive their power and brightness from over 200 tiny LEDs, which are very energy efficient and allow them to get plenty of power from the sun. MIHANI Solar Lights Outdoor has three lighting modes, including all night mode (though the light usually won’t last that long on a single charge) and motion detection mode. Lastly, the LEDs are protected by a pane of real glass, which is a nice upgrade from the usual plastic found on lights like this.
Honestly, MIHANI Solar Lights Outdoor is not the most reliable or most powerful floodlight on the market, but it is more than enough to get the job done for the price. It will work for many people who need a quick fix or a cheap option, which is why it’s our pick for the best outdoor solar flood light for the money.
Pros
- Super affordable
- Fairly bright
- Powered by energy-efficient LEDs
- Includes a glass pane instead of plastic
Cons
- Some reliability issues
- Not a great permanent option
3. ieGeek Solar Security Cameras – Premium Choice
| Brightness: | 800 lumens |
| Weight: | 2.10 lbs. |
| Count: | 1 light, 1 camera |
One of the most widespread uses of outdoor floodlights is to complement outdoor security cameras. Many cameras claim to have night vision, but nothing beats a camera that records in bright light. The ieGeek combines the power of a typical outdoor floodlight with the security features of an outdoor camera.
When the motion light goes off, the camera starts rolling and records any motion so you can see what happened after the fact. This improves the functionality of a basic security floodlight by adding a deterrent camera and recording capabilities. The camera and the light can run off of the included solar panel, which saves you money on wiring, subscriptions, and expensive cameras.
It is important to note that the camera only works when it is tripped by the motion detector. If you are looking for a continuously filming camera, you will need to look elsewhere. Cameras use too much energy to be completely powered by the sun if they run continuously.
Pros
- Good quality HD video
- 800 lumen floodlights are effective
- No security service needed
- Self-installation
Cons
- Only records when motion is detected
- Not a continuous camera
4. OTDLIGHT Solar Outdoor Lights
| Brightness: | 2700 lumens |
| Weight: | 2 lbs. |
| Count: | 2 lights |
Some people feel comforted by the presence of a very bright security light. That is exactly what you get with the OTDLIGHT Solar Outdoor Lights. This light provides over 2000 lumens of bright light and delivers as advertised. Some lights advertise a “potential maximum” brightness instead of what you can expect, but users report that this light is as bright as it claims to be, which is great news.
The brightness is possible thanks to an interlinking system of 300 individual LED cells which provides tons of light for very little power. This light also has a very wide angle of illumination, allowing you to hit a large area. It has a motion detector that lights up movement in a flash. It is also easy to install and weighs just 2 pounds.
Some people report that this light is not waterproof. That means that you should keep it in areas that do not get a lot of weather or rain. LEDs are fairly resistant to weather but having this light fill with water would be a huge bummer.
Pros
- Extremely bright
- Works as advertised off purely solar power
- Wide angle of illumination
- Super lightweight
Cons
- Not waterproof
- Can fail if exposed to heavy weather
5. AmeriTop Solar Lights Outdoor
| Brightness: | 800 lumens |
| Weight: | 2.3 lbs. |
| Count: | 2 lights |
One of the biggest upsides to solar floodlights is the fact that they are generally easy to install. However, some solar lights are still easier to install than others. The AmeriTop Solar Lights Outdoor is one of the easiest solar lights to install on the market, hands down. All you need to do to get this light up and running is screw it in using two screws. This light can be attached to nearly any surface, including wood and metal.
The light provides a respectable 800 lumens of brightness, can be easily adjustable for multiple angles, and can sense motion up to 25 feet away. All of these features make the AmeriTop Solar Lights Outdoor a great option for an easy-to-install solar light that doesn’t need any complicated brackets, wires, or tools.
The biggest complaint regarding this particular light is the motion sensor. Some units seem to have very obtuse sensors that are hard to get to trip. These lights are not going to be spotting a mouse moving along your fence line. It is only going to pick up big movements like cars and people. If you are looking for a sensitive motion detector, this light is likely to disappoint.
Pros
- Super easy to install
- Light and adjustable
- Hang on nearly any surface
- Effective light
Cons
- Motion sensor is finicky
- Not the brightest light on the market
6. Linkind StarRay Solar Spot Lights Outdoor
| Brightness: | 16 LEDs, 3.7 volts |
| Weight: | 2.88 lbs. |
| Count: | 2 lights (available in packs of 4 and 6) |
The Linkind StarRay Solar Spot Lights are the perfect combination of fun, bright and affordable. Some people want outdoor flood lights that illuminate their favorite spaces in a way that is not overpowering or harsh. These lights are solar powered, can last for up to 12 hours on a single charge, and can display light in eight different colors. That means that these lights can be used as accent lighting, general lighting, and decorative lighting.
Each pack contains two lights, and it is easy to upgrade and get up to six at a time to completely kit out your outdoor spaces. You can stake these lights into the ground or mount them on the wall with an included bracket. The solar panel and the light fixture are both easily adjustable to meet your individual needs. Soon, you can light up your garden in a variety of fun colors that add character to your space.
Some users have reported reliability issues with these lights saying that they do not last very long as some units short out in less than a year. Other users report dimness issues where the lights will not power up to full brightness. Neither of these issues appears to be widespread, but if you decide to order a pack of these lights, you might run into one of these issues.
Pros
- Can illuminate in eight different colors
- Easy to install in multiple ways
- Perfect for general illumination, landscape lighting, or accent lighting
- Affordable
Cons
- Some longevity issues reported
- Some lights are not as bright as others
7. Ring Solar Floodlight
| Brightness: | 1200 lumens |
| Weight: | 3 lbs. |
| Count: | 1 light |
The best security floodlights are bright, customizable, and specifically focus on and target interlopers and trespassers. That is exactly what the Ring Solar Floodlight does. Designed to work in conjunction with their Ring cameras, this floodlight is hardwired, can give you alerts about motion, and can be programmed to turn on on a schedule as well as be turned on and off via your phone. The solar panel provides enough power for a bright light. The light stays on in intervals of 30 seconds up to 15 minutes, depending on your settings.
Much of the functionality of this light is linked to a Ring Bridge, which is a separate product that links your smart lights to your Ring app on your phone. Without the bridge, the light cannot be tweaked or customized; it will only be motion activated. The bridge is an additional purchase that not everyone will be thrilled about making if they don’t already have one given the price of this light. If you already have a Ring Bridge, this light will fuse seamlessly with your system and integrate with Alexa for an excellent solar powered security floodlight.
Pros
- Very bright for a solar light
- Tons of customization options
- Clean and professional look
- Can give you alerts and be integrated with Alexa
Cons
- Requires a Ring Bridge for full functionality
- Pricey
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Outdoor Solar Flood Lights
What Are You Using Your Floodlight For?
Determining what you want your floodlight to actually do is an important part of the decision-making process. Floodlights can serve multiple purposes for a homeowner. Floodlights can be used for security purposes, general lighting, and decorative lighting. A good security floodlight might not be good for general lighting, and decorative flood lights might not be the best for security lighting, and so forth. Deciding what type of illumination you want for your home will help you narrow down your selections in a meaningful way.
Security vs. General Purpose Lighting
Security lighting is usually brighter than general purpose lighting, only comes on when activated by motion, and is often used in conjunction with a camera. General purpose floodlights typically stay on for longer, are used to light up hazardous or highly trafficked areas, and are softer than security lights. Each one serves a different purpose. If you want the area around your trash cans to be lit up at night, you might not want to be blinded by a security light when you take out the garbage. Similarly, you don’t want a potential criminal to feel delighted and welcomed by a nice general-purpose light if they enter your yard uninvited.
Pick An Appropriate Brightness
There are varying levels of brightness that come with solar flood lights. Pick a brightness that will work for you. The brighter the light, the larger the area it will generally illuminate. You do not need a large 3000-lumen floodlight if you just want to keep your side door illuminated. Similarly, you don’t want a dinky 600-lumen light if you are trying to keep your driveway well-lit for late night parking.
Brighter lights use more power and will drain their solar battery faster than dimmer lights. Bright lights need more time in the sun and bigger solar panels to power them for longer. Dimmer lights do not light up areas as well, but they will last longer on a single charge than larger lights.
Consider Installation
Another thing to consider is the ease of installation. Some lights are very easy to install, needing just a couple of screws to get right. Other lights are more complicated, with brackets and angles that need to be fiddled with to get them to work. Solar panel placement is critically important to your floodlight getting enough power to last through the night, so make sure that your installation location has room and sunlight for the solar panel.
The Solar Panels Are Key
Speaking of solar panels, they are the key component of solar floodlights. Bad solar panels will leave you in the dark – literally. When researching your solar floodlights, you want to pay attention to the size of the solar panel, any posted illumination times, and charge times. If a panel takes all day to charge the solar light, it will be affected by a lack of sunlight or a cloudy day. If users report bad experiences with their solar panels, it will cascade and affect the whole light fixture. So pay attention to the type, size, and quality of solar panels when you can.
Conclusion
All of these solar floodlights are excellent choices and are available right now. Each of these lights will serve a specific purpose, requires no complicated electrical set up, and can be installed easily. These lights are a great way to add aesthetic illumination or extra security to your home without breaking the bank and without having to hire an electrician. All you have to do is decide what kind of floodlight will best suit your home.
For example, the SIDSYS Solar Outdoor Lightsis the best overall pick, it has everything you want out of a solar powered floodlight. If you’re on a budget, the MIHANI Solar Lights will ensure you don’t have to compromise.
Finally, ieGeek Solar Security Cameras are the perfect way to upgrade your home security with the most premium pick on the market.
Featured Image Credit: Matheus Santana, Pexels
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