If you’re looking to add a layer of security to the outside of your home, installing a solar motion light - or several - can be a great way to achieve some peace of mind.

  • Best smart bulbs 2022: Philips Hue, Ikea, Osram, Nanoleaf and more

Since most outdoor solar lights come with a motion sensor, you’re able to gain an idea of whether someone (or someone’s pet) is potentially sneaking around your four walls without having to splash on a smart security camera.

Put simply, the best solar motion lights act as a great deterrent and can be run efficiently in all weather conditions.

To help you decide which set is right for your home, though, we’ve gathered some of the top picks - explore the outdoor solar lights below and take your home security up a notch.

Best outdoor solar motion lights available now

For

  • Value pack Good lighting Great features

Against

  • Not that pretty

If you’re looking to surround your home with the power of solar motion lighting, Aootek’s four-pack is a great place to start.

The best feature of this set, undoubtedly, is the three optional modes for users to pick between. ‘Security Mode’ will show the light for 15 seconds when it detects motion, ‘Smart Brightness Mode’ keeps the light dim continuously and shines brighter if motion is detected, while ‘Permanent Mode’, well, shines permanently.

The rechargeable light can detect people up to 26 feet within a 120-degree angle, with the 120 LED design also remaining IP65 rated for waterproofing.

  • Good sensor Strong lighting Weatherproof

  • Also ugly

Litom’s pair of solar motion lights are a top consideration for large spaces, offering a powerful 300 LED array and a 270-degree beam range.

The motion sensor can detect activity within the 26 feet and 120-degree sensing angle, with three light modes to pick between (strong, medium, and dim).

Thanks to the IP67 waterproof design, you can also freely place this anywhere outside your home, while the solar panel and LEDs mean the whole operation remains incredibly efficient.

  • Two in one pack Wide-angle sensing Bright lighting

  • Stays on a bit long

HMCity offers a great mix of specs and affordability, making this duo a top consideration for those on a budget.

With the PIR motion sensor detecting movement up to 26 feet and within the 120-degree detection angle, they’re a viable option for any area around your home.

When motion is detected, the lights spring into action and shine for 30 seconds (and then an additional 30 seconds if motion is detected again in that time), with the 120 LED array lighting up a 270-degree angle.

As is standard, the HMCity pair are also waterproof, thanks to their IP65 rating.

  • Good pricing Decent sensors

  • Brightness could be better

Mpow serves up another budget-friendly two-pack with its 140 LED solar lights, which are great for back gardens and side entrances.

While the brightness isn’t top-end, it’s more than enough to light up the surrounding 16 square meters and 270-degree angle with ease. It’ll also do this automatically when it spots motion within 26 feet and the 120-degree viewing angle.

Like other lights on this list, there are also three modes of light to choose between (strong, medium and dim), as well as an IPX7-rated design for waterproofing.

  • Four in one pack Good for bigger areas

  • Middling brightness Limited modes

Four-packs of solar motion lights can sometimes be a bit of an expensive proposition, making Luposwiten’s set a very viable consideration for those who need to light up several areas cheaply.

The 28-LED array of each light isn’t the brightest on the market, but the 400 lumens it pumps out when motion is detected (within 16 feet) should be more than enough for most driveways, gardens, and side entrances.

Just be aware there’s also not a great variety of modes, compared to other lights, with just a simple on/off switch existing in the IP65 rated lights.

How to choose solar motion lights

There are huge numbers of different solar motion lights that you could pick from on the market - here are some questions to help you narrow your choices down.

How many lights do you need?

Many of the lights that we’ve highlighted come in packs with two, four or even six lights in one go, and this is a great way to get a package that lets you light more than one area in one go, rather than having to buy multiple of one light. If you have need of multiple, be sure to check how many come in your choice of pack.

How big a space are you covering?

If you’re hoping to light up a big yard or driveway, something to pay attention is the lumen output that a light offers - this will determine how bright its light is, and therefore how much space you can expect it to effectively light up. In broad terms, the bigger that number is, the better.

What level of brightness is required?

However, it’s worth saying that brighter won’t be better for everyone - many of the lights we’ve looked at offer lower brightness modes in case you’re hoping to light under some stairs, for example, or just want a more muted and chilled-out look. That’s ideal as an option, so if you think you’d like to play around with your brightness be sure to check what you can do with the light of your choice.