Solar Lanterns Outdoors
Lanterns are a way to transform one’s night into something more magical, romantic, or elegant. They brighten up the place and can easily make any location look more beautiful. However, having lanterns turned on all night may not be very economical. While LED lights are energy savers, it can take a number of lanterns to cover an entire garden, for example. This is when solar lanterns outdoors can be especially useful.
They are self-sustaining and durable and they make use of free solar energy. This is just one of the many uses of solar power, but it’s an effective one, and households (or even business facilities) can benefit from the cost, time, and maintenance fee savings that it can provide. This article will discuss this sun-powered light device, provide tips on the features to watch out for when looking for a new lantern, and a list of the best brands out there so you don’t have to look any further.
What Is an Outside Solar Lantern?
Whether you want the light on your porch or as a hanger in your garden, there’s a solar outdoor lantern that’s perfect for you. But, what exactly is it? Lanterns are used to illuminate or brighten up a given space. They are either fixed onto a pole or hung from a stable structure. A solar-operating lantern is just like a regular one except that it works not through outlet-sourced electricity but through the sun’s power.
Sunlight gives off photons, which are absorbed by the panels attached to the lantern, allowing that energy to be used for charging the battery in the device and keeping the light turned on when needed. With the help of sensors, most of these sun-powered lamps are now equipped with a light detection feature and automatically turns on when it’s dark and off when the sun is up. That said, it not only helps you save on utility costs but also saves you time in turning them on and off manually.
They also help transform the overall look of a space. Since they come in various designs from rustic to modern, there’s a perfect lamp for various garden themes. Whether the purpose is to design a wedding venue or just to showcase your garden blooms, they can work just fine. This is, perhaps, why most restaurants opted to replace their traditional bright lights with the warmer lantern lights as it can highlight certain elements of a location without costing more.
They also have an improved safety feature as most of them do not require wires and are stand-alone. This makes them the perfect decoration at a reduced cost. They also increase the security of your home by increasing the visibility of its corners and allowing you to easily spot any trespassers.
You don’t need to worry about not having sunlight during the night as these lanterns effectively charge your power cell during the day, so they can function well as a night light. Charging these devices may take only 6-10 hours, so with the sun shining all day, they are ready for overnight operation.
How to Choose Outdoor Solar Lantern
Now that you understand how solar lanterns outdoors work, let us now look at the aspects you have to consider when spotting the best one for your needs.
Brands
It is true that branding doesn’t equate to quality, but this doesn’t also mean that popular brands aren’t worth investing in. Since popular brands are well-advertised, many people have tried them, and you will find a lot of reviews about them that can tell you how good the product is. Branded products also usually offer a warranty, so you get a good guarantee that the product will last. TomCare’s lanterns have a 12-month warranty, so they are a great deal. There are also brands that specialize in certain designs. For example, Maggift lanterns are best with Arabic-designed ones.
Design
If your main purpose for getting lanterns is for your garden landscape, then the design is a vital factor. You want to make sure that the structure of the lantern matches your garden theme. If you’re more into Arabic style, Maggift lanterns may be the best fit. There are also vintage types like Aobik mason jars. You also want to check out their structure and whether they can be hung or placed on a flat surface. It’s always nice to have these options. No matter your preference is, there’s always a sun-powered lamp for your taste.
Lumens
Lumens are the unit of measure for brightness and they measure the illumination capacity of your lantern. You may need intense brightness if your purpose is to use it as a street lamp. The device’s lumens can range from 5 to 40, so the higher, the better. White lights are also usually brighter, so they can be the preferred type for street lights. If the lanterns will be garden hangers, then you may opt for dimmer, yellow, or warm white lights as they add more sophistication to your landscape.
Battery
The power cell is important in making sure that your lights are always up when you need them at nighttime. High-capacity batteries can last longer, but they may also take a while to charge. If your lights only require a small amount of energy and the solar power at your location isn’t very consistent or strong, then you can go for low-capacity ones, and they will work just fine in keeping your garden bright.
Top 3 Best Outdoor Solar Lanterns
Browsing for lanterns online can be tricky and can take time. Therefore, we looked all over the web for you, checked out consumer reviews, and came up with the top three best brands we found out there so you won’t have to look.
3. MAGGIFT 2 Pack Hanging Solar Lights Outdoor
Are you a fan of the Arabic style? Or do you just want to beautify your garden with pretty hangers that will illuminate your front yard’s landscape? Maggift’s solar garden lanterns are perfect for this purpose. These solar lamps are made of iron material with a white finish, giving your porch a rustic feel. Packed in twos, they use warm white 5-lumen LED lights for a romantic glow. The light switches on and off depending on the absence or presence of light.
However, to charge it, it needs to be turned on. The charging process takes about 6 to 8 hours, and at full capacity, it can last for about 10 hours. The good thing is the lamps come with a triple-A 400 mAH NI-MH battery each, so you won’t have to bother buying one. The design comes with a hanger, but it can also be placed on the ground since its bottom is flat. It’s definitely portable with its 6 by 6 by 6.7-inch dimensions. What’s even more awesome is that it comes with a 180-day warranty so you can feel at ease that the device will last.
Pros
- Has a rustic design
- Very portable
- Comes with batteries
- Comes with a manufacturer warranty
- Has a standard charging time
Cons
- Needs to be kept far from street lights or it will impact performance
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2. Mason Jar Solar Lights Lanterns
If you’d like a classy look on your porch or want your garden to be perfect for romantic events, then go for Aobik’s mason jar. The 30 LED lights inside each jar make it look like fireflies in a fairytale. It’s got an automatic on/off feature with the help of its built-in light sensor on its lid, which allows it to turn on during nighttime and off as soon as the sun rises. It only takes 6-8 hours to fully charge for high-sunlight days and 10-12 for low-light days.
You have the option to hang the lights or place them on your garden paths to brighten them up since the jars come with stainless steel hangers for easy decorating. This product is purchased in a 4-jar set with each jar containing 30-lumen, steady warm white lights. The package also includes triple-A batteries for each jar. Since they are waterproof, you won’t have to worry about rainy days, so they are the perfect outside solar lantern.
Pros
- Has good aesthetic value
- Durable
- Has an automatic on/off feature
- Has included batteries
- Can be hung if preferred
Cons
- Does not have a warranty
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1. TomCare Solar Lights Solar Lanterns
Would you like to have dancing flames on your porch without causing an actual fire? Tomcare’s sun-powered lanterns do this trick perfectly. With its flicking flame design, it makes it interesting and gives off a welcoming vibe. Since it’s sun-powered, you don’t have to worry about complex installations or short circuits as it is convenient to install and safe to use. With only 6 hours of charging time due to its high-efficiency panel, it can last for 12 consecutive hours, keeping your porch stunning throughout the night.
It also comes with a 1500-mAh rechargeable battery, so you won’t have to worry about extra costs. Since it’s got a built-in light sensor, it detects its environment’s light levels and turns off at will. You can either hang it by its clip or place it on the ground, so it’s totally portable this way. You can guarantee that it’s got a good quality as it is made of withstanding ABS plastic that is weatherproof, and its manufacturer offers an entire warranty year, which is a testament to the company’s confidence in its product.
Pros
- Not hefty
- Economically priced
- Has an included warranty
- Low impedance
- Has an included battery upon purchase
Cons
- Doesn’t provide a strong shock
- Is not as long-lasting as other brands
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Conclusion
With the world trying to perfect the great outdoors, lanterns can add to a home’s aesthetic value. They can transform a plain porch into a classy exterior. They can beautify a landscape to make them more romantic and magical. Light has the power to exude elegance to a space. However, with utility costs increasing almost every year, it may not be the most practical move to add several lights to your backyard. It is also time-consuming if you have to turn each one of them on and off before night time and during day time. That is why solar-powered lamps are the best for this purpose.
They are not expensive, and they also save you time and effort. With their solar panels, they can absorb enough energy to charge the device’s battery just enough for it to last the night. With their light sensors, they won’t need to be turned off and on manually since they automatically detect the light levels in their environment and adjust accordingly. This is to add to the fact that they will save you a few hundred bucks a year on electric bills.
More importantly, they lessen your carbon footprint as they are eco-friendly and sustainable, making them the wise choice. When selecting your sun-powered lamps, make sure to consider the brand and unique features it offers, the lumens of the light, the design and how it matches your garden theme, and the battery life, charging time, and type. You also want to watch out for manufacturer warranties as they are a great way to assess the durability of a product. Choose from the list we’ve provided above and you’ll definitely transform your yard from now to wow.
