THE best solar lights are a great way to brighten up your garden for summer.
As well as creating a nice ambience, they can also add an extra layer of security around your home.
And as they are powered by the sun, they are eco-friendly too.
Solar lighting can, however, be a little hit and miss, shining brightly one day, but looking dull as the great British summer the next.
Lynsey Hope has tested a selection of this year’s most affordable solar lights to see if they are worth your hard earned cash.
Here’s what happened:
Not only were these attractive, they gave off a really generous amount of light after being left in the sun for an afternoon.
The design created a lovely ambient mood and gave off a decent amount of light without being too overpowering.
You get two in the set, so I thought they were pretty good value for money working out at less than £18 each. Very pretty. I’d buy again.
Light: 9/10
Durability: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Overall score: 9/10
A stylish design, this lamp gave a touch of elegance to my garden.
It’s made using wood and steel and gave off a gentle glow, creating a warm ambience, in the evening.
The light was crisp and white and not too much.
It’s meant to be easy to control with a simple on and off switch but I did have some initial issues getting it to come out at all so I think it needs a decent amount of sunlight to work.
Be aware it’s only meant to withstand splashes of water so you’ll need to move it inside during bad weather.
It’s quite pricey, but seems robust, so hopefully it will last.
Light: 6/10
Durability: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Overall score: 6/10
Cheap and cheerful, this looks pretty but wasn’t the brightest of solar lights in our test.
I found the level of light was a bit hit and miss and you really needed a decent amount of sunshine to get any light from this.
The quality is good for the price though.
It’s light and easy to move around but more for ambient mood lighting than if you actually need it to see what you are doing.
Whether it will withstand a less than average UK summer, only time will tell.
Light: 4/10
Durability: 5/10
Value: 6/10
Overall score: 5/10
Bigger than expected and great value for money, this light gives off a good amount of light.
It’s actually battery operated and not solar powered so it’s not as good for the environment but at least you can use it even when it’s not sunny.
Ideal for any garden, you just need somewhere to hang it. It is made of rattan and has weathered well in the garden since the start of our test.
Light: 7/10
Durability: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Overall score: 7/10
For a fiver, this is super pretty and it actually gave off a lot of light.
It has to be in the sun for six hours to work but once we achieved that, it worked really well.
There are three different colours to choose from and my favourite was the blue.
It’s light and easy to move around the garden as you please and the metal seemed durable, though it’s not advised to leave this outside in harsh conditions.
Overall for the price I was very happy.
Light: 8/10
Durability: 7/10
Value: 10/10
Overall score: 8/10
A great bit of kit that not only provides light but also gets rid of pesky midges that plague us all summer.
It has four hours charge, recharges itself in the sunshine and has three different levels of light to choose from.
It was bright enough to provide enough light for a tent or to see what you are doing if cooking outside.
It also has a self-cleaner brush that sweeps the zapper wires every morning leaving dead bugs in the tray at the bottom.
It’s not the cheapest but it’s robust, dual purpuse, and will last you many summers. I’d recommend.
Light: 10/10
Durability: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Overall score: 10/10
