Buying the Best Outdoor Solar Lights for Your Needs

Bollard Style Solar LightThinking about outdoor solar lighting for your home, cottage or office? Wondering what separates good solar lights from bad? Here’s a solar lighting check list you can use when evaluating solar lights. 

Want to see free-light in person? Visit our 2020 Home Show page and find out where we'll be exhibiting this season.

March Home & Garden Shows you'll find free-light:

March 7: London Middlesex Master Gardeners Seedy
Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre, 656 Elizabeth Street, London

March 26-29: Toronto Cottage Life Show
The International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga

March 28-29: Barrie Spring Home & Garden Show
Saldon Arena (Molson Centre), 555 Bayview Drive, Barrie


What Makes a Great Solar Light Great! 

  1. Number of LEDs. This relates to brightness. For comparison purposes, free-light solar lights use 18-24 LEDs in 6V Solar Light models (compared to 1 LED in competitive products) and 36 LEDs in 12V Solar Lights models (compared to 5 LEDs maximum in competitive products). If the solar light isn’t bright enough, it won’t illuminate your pathways or walkways for safety and ambience. Dare to compare! Browse our collection of high-performing column, pillar and post solar lights for more bright ideas. 
  2. Type of LED. free-light uses natural daylight LEDs that enhance the beauty of your property. Other solar lights typically use glaring blue-white lights or dingy yellow lights. What’s the point of those? Check out all of our Stair and Deck Solar Lights including the Solar Rope Light and Borealis Solar String Party Lights for railings, fences or trees. Beautiful natural coloured light where you want it! Trust free-light to do solar lights right! 
  3. Charging speed. Check the specifications for the length of time to fully charge the solar light. free-light solar lights charge up to 4 times faster than others and deliver the appropriate amount of solar light with as little as 3 hours of direct sunlight per day. Surplus sunlight is then stored in the battery for the next night’s use. Here are some terrific examples of Courtyard and Patio Solar Lights to choose from. Fast and free light from the sun... that's the free-light way! 
  4. Lighting time. How many hours of light will the solar light fixture produce? Are there auto on/off switches? free-light solar lights use microprocessor controlled electronics to prolong lighting time. Competitive products use crude or basic electronics that are inferior. See all of our Driveway Parking Solar Lights with long lasting light. That's the free-light way! 
  5. How wide an area will the solar light broadcast light? Three feet? Ten feet? This is important to know as it will affect the number of solar lights you'll need and where to place them for maximum impact. For example, our RA80 - Fully Adjustable Solar Driveway Parking Light. When mounted at 11' it will produce a 60' wide pool of light. Brilliant! 
Next week we’ll feature 5 more characteristics to look for when choosing solar lighting solutions for your home, cottage or office. Until then, take a look at the newest additions to the free-light solar light family, Retrofit Solar Lamp Kit, APOLLo Solar Flood & Sign Light, GEMINi Solar Bollard Pathway Light and MUSKOKA Solar Wall Light. Solar lighting at its best! Take a tour of the free-light premium quality solar light catalogue and step into the (free) light today!