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Best options for outdoor lighting at home

Eufy Floodlight Camera 2 Pro turned on and installed on side of building.
Eufy
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Having the outside of your home lit up is pretty important for many reasons. You want to be able to make it to your front door without tripping on steps, ensure there’s visibility on people sneaking into your backyard, and be able to see friends arrive for a visit. Let’s go through some of the best outdoor lights available. All of the lights here are rated as waterproof and can withstand outdoor elements. Don’t be shy about leaving them out year-round.

Govee Outdoor String Lights
Govee Outdoor String Lights
Best patio lights
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GIGALUMI Solar Pathway Lights
GIGALUMI Solar Pathway Lights
Best outdoor path lights
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Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro
Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro
Best outdoor security light
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Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance Outdoor Smart Spot light Base kit 3
Philips Hue Outdoor Spot Light
Best outdoor decorative lights
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JSOT Solar Step Lights
JSOT Solar Step Lights
Best outdoor step lighting
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Globe Electric Sebastien Outdoor Wall Sconce
Globe Electric Sebastien Wall Sconce
Best outdoor wall lighting
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Govee Outdoor String Lights set in a back yard over a projector screen.
Govee

Govee Outdoor String Lights

Pros
  • Robust mobile app
  • Alexa and Google Assistant support
  • Music sync
Cons
  • Power supply not waterproof

A good set of string lights can add a whimsical ambiance to an outdoor dinner party. The Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights are well-suited to that task. These LEDs are available in either 48- or 96-foot strings, which can cover most residential areas. A dedicated mobile app provides a wealth of custom animation options. Since it's compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, you can control the lights hands-free. When the party gets going, you can turn on music sync and have the lights animate with the tunes.

Govee Outdoor String Lights
Govee Outdoor String Lights
Best patio lights
Gigalumi outdor path light.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

GIGALUMI Solar Pathway Lights

Pros
  • Premium construction
  • Beautiful design
  • Easy installation
Cons
  • Could be brighter

Solar lights are handy for pathways that are far from plugs in your home. Even if they are in range, placing wiring across a lawn can be unsightly or dangerous. The Gigalumi Solar Pathway Lights provide a nice mix of class and utility. These glass and metal lights come in a pack of six and can provide 10 hours of warm, white illumination on a single charge. They’ll automatically turn on when it gets dark and turn off when there’s enough sun to start charging them again. It helps that the pattern these lights cast is quite striking and likely to catch the eye of neighbors.

GIGALUMI Solar Pathway Lights
GIGALUMI Solar Pathway Lights
Best outdoor path lights
Eufy Floodlight Camera 2 Pro turned on and installed on side of building.
Eufy

Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro

Pros
  • Very bright
  • 360-degree vision
  • Light panels have tunable colors
Cons
  • AI camera tracking is hit-and-miss

For those seeking a little bit of connectivity and security, Eufy offers an impressive flood light that includes a motion-sensing camera. In addition to providing 3,000 lumens in a 140-degree span, there’s also a 360-degree 2K livestream camera that can send you mobile notifications of trespassers. When spotted, the Eufy Floodlight Camera 2 Pro can fire off a siren to spook those ne’er-do-wells. You can record video clips without having to pay subscription costs, which is a big leg up over other home security lights. Both Alexa and Google Assistant support is available so you can activate the lights with your voice.

Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro
Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro
Best outdoor security light
Philips Hue outdoor spotlight shining pink.
Philips

Philips Hue Outdoor Spot Light

Pros
  • Full-featured app
  • Works with all voice assistants
  • Beautiful color array
Cons
  • Limited number of extensions in same row

Philips Hue remains the go-to brand for smart lighting indoors, and they’re asserting that dominance on outdoor lights, too. The Philips Hue Outdoor Spot Light lets you light up the front of your home with whatever splashes of seasonal color you desire. You’ll need a Bridge hub already set up inside, but it will let you group all of your lights together and control them via Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa. Paired with a Hue Motion Sensor, you can have those lights automatically turn on as you pull into the driveway.

Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance Outdoor Smart Spot light Base kit 3
Philips Hue Outdoor Spot Light
Best outdoor decorative lights
JSOT solar step lighting installed on stairs.
JSOT

JSOT Solar Step Lights

Pros
  • Tough construction
  • Built-in light sensor
  • Low-profile design
Cons
  • Could be brighter

Steps are a real hazard when navigating the outside of your house at night. Picking up an eight-pack of these JSOT Solar Step Lights should provide all you need to make it up and down stairs in the dark safely. They turn off and on automatically as lighting conditions change. With between four and six hours of solar charging, you can get between six and eight hours of light from each fixture. Since they’re powered by the sun, you don’t have to run any wires to them — just screw them right into your steps. They each emit about 30 lumens, which should be plenty to illuminate nearby stairs.

JSOT Solar Step Lights
JSOT Solar Step Lights
Best outdoor step lighting
Globe Electric Sebastien wall sconce light installed by front door
Globe Electric

Globe Electric Sebastien Wall Sconce

Pros
  • Modern design
  • Easy installation
  • Fully dimmable
Cons
  • Fragile construction

Sometimes you need a full-blown fixture replacement, and the Globe Electric Sebastien Wall Sconce is a great fit. A classic style with neutral coloring makes it a versatile choice. The scone is fully dimmable and supports the standard E26 bulb socket, so you’re free to pop in whatever outdoor-rated LED bulbs you like.

Globe Electric Sebastien Outdoor Wall Sconce
Globe Electric Sebastien Wall Sconce
Best outdoor wall lighting

Those are our recommendations for the best outdoor lights available. Between these models, you should be able to keep every little nook and cranny of your yard visible at all hours of the night if necessary. Take advantage of the few smart options and you’ll be able to control the important stuff from your phone while allowing lower-tech solar options to turn on and off just when they’re needed.

Simon Sage
Former Digital Trends Contributor

Simon Sage is a green tech contributor at Digital Trends. He looks at all sorts of devices that can help reduce emissions through electrification, like power stations, solar panels, smart thermostats, and LED lighting. He's also keen on exploring right to repair and sustainable transportation.

Simon started journalism 17 years ago in the mobile tech space, covering the meteoric rise and fall of BlackBerry. Since then he's dipped his toe in mobile gaming, app reviews, and sponsored content. He's been to his fair share of trade shows, such as Mobile World Congress, the Consumer Electronics Show, E3 (RIP), the Game Developer Conference, and a smattering of smaller shows. He's done multiple TV interviews, the most surreal of which was explaining how Pokémon Go works on a morning show. Simon's also hosted over 100 podcast episodes.

Previous publications include BlackBerry Cool, IntoMobile, and Mobile Nations sites like Android Central, iMore, CrackBerry, and Windows Central.

Simon's based in Ottawa, Ontario, where he is constantly clawing against the gravitational pull of becoming a government drone. He studied English at Carleton University there, including a stint at Lancaster University in the UK. He has since levelled up his education in sustainability through the Climatebase platform. Simon spends way too much of his free time playing games, especially Magic: The Gathering.

Best Buy has a fantastic deal on light strips today
Govee Strip Lights in a box on a white background.

If you’ve just snagged one of the many Amazon Echo deals around and you’re keen to continue making your home smarter on a budget, we’ve spotted some great smart lighting deals. Today at Best Buy, you can buy Govee LED Strip Lights on slae: just $25 for a 10 foot strip instead of $30, or $41 instead of $50 for 25 feet. We’re focusing on the 50 foot Govee LED Strip Light for $55 instead of $65, as it’s the best discount and you get a huge string of lights for the price. If all that sounds exciting, read on and we’ll tell you all about how well Govee lights work.

Why you should buy the Govee LED Strip Light
While the ruler of the best smart light bulb world is Philips Hue, I’d argue Govee is the best for light strips. I have a lot of Govee lights at home, and they were much more affordable than alternatives and work very well. The only disadvantage is the app isn’t quite as simple to use, but you soon get used to it.

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My Best Buy members save $55 on a Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb 3-pack
People gather in the living room under lighting by the Philips Hue recessed downlight.

Philips Hue deals are at their best when they kit out many rooms in your home at once. Today at Best Buy, you can buy the Philips Hue A19 Smart LED Bulb 3-Pack for $55 off, provided you’re a My Best Buy member. A My Best Buy Plus membership costs just $50 for the year, so you’d still be saving $5 and a heap more over the coming year if you sign up today. The Philips Hue A19 Smart LED Bulb 3-Pack normally costs $135, but with the membership it’s down to an incredible $80, working out at just over $26 per bulb. Want to learn more? Let’s take a look.

Why you should buy the Philips Hue A19 Smart LED Bulb 3-Pack
Philips Hue bulbs are some of the best smart light bulbs. Much of my house is controlled by Philips Hue light bulbs, and it’s super useful any time you want to adjust how bright the room is, control the lighting via your phone, or set up timers for when you’re away.

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Multicolor markdown: This Philips Hue 3-Pack of A19 bulbs is $80 off today
Philips hue white and color ambiance light bulbs in box.

When it comes to smart home tech, one of the top brands that comes to mind for smart lighting is Philips Hue. Designed for plug-and-play connectivity, Philips Hue devices are easy to set up and a breeze to control. And if you’re operating a Hue Bridge, you’ll be able to control up to 50 different Hue products! Philips Hue deals can be a little hard to come by, which is why we’ve chosen to highlight this great Best Buy offer. Right now, when you purchase the Philips Hue A19 White and Color Ambiance (3-Pack), you’ll only pay $80. At full price, this model sells for $135.

Why you should buy the Philips Hue A19 White and Color Ambiance (3-Pack)
While investing in a Hue Bridge will unlock the full capabilities of your Philips Hue system, this A19 White and Color Ambiance (3-Pack) can be controlled over Bluetooth, too. Do keep in mind this introduces range and device limitations, though, so going Wi-Fi might be a top consideration regardless. Not to mention, you’ll be able to control your Hue system remotely (Bluetooth relies on a host device to be nearby).

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