Best Outdoor String Lights
Looking for casual, charming, warm ambiance for your patio space? High-quality outdoor string lights will go a long way to creating this atmosphere. When the sun goes down and the warm lights twinkle, your outdoor area will feel magical. After reviewing several of the best outdoor string lights around, we have determined that the Proxy Lighting String Lights are the highest quality and the best option for most buyers.
With 15 sockets, 16 bulbs, and 48 feet of cord, these large string lights look great and will make your patio glow with a perfect vibe. And they’re covered by an outstanding lifetime year warranty, which is a huge plus!
Up to six of these runs can be chained together, which is great for those who don’t have a whole lot of power available on their patio.
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For more information on the Proxy Lighting string lights, please see our Product Reviews section below.
Best Patio String Lights Comparison Table
Last update on 2024-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Patio String Light Guide and Tips
In this section, we look at a few of the important considerations when purchasing outdoor string lights.
String Lights vs Christmas Lights
There are many different types of string lights, and while you probably have a few boxes of those traditional Christmas-style string lighting in the attic, those don’t really make the magic that a high-quality set of string lights with sizable, good quality bulbs will supply.
Both the small-bulb Christmas light/fairy light design and the large bulb string light design have their place, but generally, the larger bulbs push the vibe more in the “stylish modern patio” vibe, rather than the “Santa is on his way” vibe that the small Christmas lights tend toward.
How to Hang String Lights for Patio
When you hang your string lights, be sure to suspend the strings first, and then go back and install the bulbs. This gives you some additional protection against breakage, as the bulbs tend to break when they are getting installed. The glass clinks together and causes fractures during the string-up time.
Also, remove the bulbs before removing the strings for the same reason.
How to Make Your String of Patio Lights Look Great
When hanging string lights, you will get the most professional look, and the distance from a given length of string, by starting with a galvanized steel wire.
If you suspend a strong steel wire across the span you wish to illuminate, you can get a pretty straight run if it is anchored properly on both sides.
From there, you can suspend the string lights from the steel wire, which doesn’t put much stress on the string lights but allows them to rest fully along the straight run provided by the steel wire.
This gives the most length (And the cleanest look) per line of string lights and keeps the runs from sagging and looking droopy.
Patio String Light Reviews
In this section, we will look at four of the best string light options around. We’ll consider the quality and functionality of each, and pick our favorites.
1. Lampat String Lights, Vintage Backyard Patio Lights with 25 Clear Globe Bulbs
The Lampat vintage string light system is similar to many of the other options on this list, with a 25′ cord, 25 bulbs G40 bulbs spaced 1′ apart, and 6″ of lead wire on each end of the line.
Like many of the other string lights on this list, up to three sets of lights can be attached together. Beyond that, Lampat recommends using a separate plug.
Lampat does not offer many length and color options, just black wire, and receptacles with a 25′ length.
Installation
Because these lights are spaced only 1′ from each other, and the bulbs are somewhat fragile, be sure that the string gets hung first, and then the light bulbs get installed into the string. This helps prevent the lights from cracking against each other and breaking.
Beware that the only instructions for these lights are written on the box! If you tear the box open in anxiousness to get the lights strung up, you may unwittingly destroy the directions to set everything up. Setup is not difficult, but an extra set of instructions would be helpful, so don’t destroy them.
Be sure to keep light strings separated enough that the wind won’t cause them to get tangled up, or cause bulbs to impact one another.
Build Quality
The build quality of the Lampat series of bulbs is solid, and they can handle being left out in the elements for a time.
They can certainly handle rain, but if you’re looking to keep these outside in the snow for long periods, you may want to look for a stronger system.
As part of the package, Lampat includes two extra bulbs should a bulb break. Beyond that, you’ll need to order more G40 bulbs (C7 /E12 base).
That said, Lampat offers a 100% lifetime satisfaction guarantee on these outdoor string lights (bulbs excluded). This warranty is quite nice and supplies some comfort that should something go wrong with these string lights, Lampat will remedy the situation.
User Experience
The Lampat vintage patio string light system produces a pleasing glow for your pergola, porch, or gazebo at a reasonable price. The lights go up pretty easily, and the whole system is of good quality and is well thought out.
These bulbs are wired in such a way that if one of the bulbs die, the rest of the bulbs continue to shine. Replacing the bulbs is easy, and two spares are supplied should you need a quick extra bulb.
The color of the light cast by these bulbs is on the yellow/white spectrum and is pleasing to the eye.
The Lampat outdoor string lights do a great job of illuminating a space enough to see, while not making things too bright and garish.
From what we can tell, Lampat does not offer a collection of just-bulbs, so once you’ve gone through your two spare bulbs, you may have some difficulty matching new bulbs you buy up with your current selection.
It may be that Lampat will sell you more bulbs if you reach out to them, but compared to some of the other offerings on this list, buying extra matching bulbs is a bit more of a hassle.
The Bottom Line
The Lampat series of outdoor patio string lights is yet another excellent choice. This system offers fewer options than some of the other systems on this list, and no ability to easily purchase a large quantity of matching spare bulbs.
However, the Lampat build quality is high, and if the feature list is what you’re looking for, the outstanding warranty Lampat offers makes them a promising product line.
- 25 feet long string with 25 clear G40 Bulbs, end to end connectable....
- 6" lead with male plug, 12" spacing between bulbs, 6" tail with female...
- Each strand of 25 Globe lights string has end-to-end connections, so...
- Commercial Quality & great for indoor / outdoor lighting applications....
- 1-Year quality satisfaction. Backed by a 100% satisfaction (except...
Last update on 2024-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
2. Proxy Lighting Weatherproof String Lights with 15 Dropped Sockets, 48-Feet
ProxyLighting’s offering in the string light category is a solid contender, with a much more robust commercial-style design than the competition. The ProxyLighting system is made up of a 48′ cable, with 15 sockets spaced 3′ apart. Each bulb is an E26 medium base bulb. The style is S14, and the bulbs supplied are 11 watts.
Installation
These heavy-duty wires are pretty simple to string up. While it can’t hurt to hang the wire before installing the lamps to help avoid cracking any glass, the fact that these are spaced 3′ apart makes it less likely that the bulbs will be clinking together while the string lights are suspended.
The included bulbs are 11 Watts, and you could connect up to 9 strings of 11-watt bulbs in one series. If you don’t have many outdoor electrical plugs, the Proxy Lighting system is the system for you!
Unlike many of the other products on this list, you can purchase the Proxy Lighting string lights without bulbs. Should you decide you don’t want the “default” bulbs and want to go Edison bulb, you don’t need to pay for them.
When hanging these lights, make sure you keep parallel strands far enough away from each other that the light bulbs won’t come crashing into each other in a stiff breeze.
Build Quality
These lights are made up of heavy-duty 14 gauge wire, and each socket is fitted with a rubber gasket to help keep everything weatherproof, even in a Cat 5 hurricane (note: we would suggest taking these down if a hurricane is coming!).
In all seriousness, the Proxy Lighting system can take a beating and keep on glowing.
Like the Festive Patio Lights series, these sockets can support up to a 40-watt bulb each, though 11-watt bulbs are actually supplied. Should you want to, you could radically increase the brightness of the string lighting by swapping out the bulbs for 40-watt bulbs.
Like many of the other suppliers on this list, Proxy Lighting offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee for their lighting systems. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, simply contact Proxy Lighting and they will remedy the issue, or send out a refund. It’s hard to beat that when buying a product.
User Experience
The light quality produced by these bulbs is quite pleasant. It is a warm, golden-white glow, and is quite soothing to be bathed in on a summer evening. There is no harsh glow here, and the bulb brightness is just right for the light spacing.
These bulbs can be dimmed if you purchase a plug-in dimmer switch. You can fine-tune the brightness of the bulbs depending on the atmosphere you’re looking for, which is a nice feature.
The wiring on these string lights is done in such a way that the bulbs will stay lit even if one goes out. They don’t all shut off if one of the bulbs goes bad, which is obviously a good feature!
The Bottom Line: Commercial Grade Heavy Duty Outdoor String Lights
The Proxy Lighting outdoor lights for patios, gardens, pergolas, etc. work very well and are of a build quality that is very high. For these reasons, they are the best string lights for patio!
The spacing between bulbs is on the wider side, but the flexibility in bulb wattage and the ability to dim these string lights make them a great option for patio string lights.
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3. Upook Globe String Lights with G40 Bulbs (25ft.)
Upook Globe String Lights package is a great option for illuminating a backyard, pergola, gazebo, or wedding area. These string lights consist of a 25′ string (with 6″ of lead on each end to facilitate plugging the string into an outlet and into another string).
Every foot there is a bulb socket, for a total of 25 bulbs spaced a comfortable distance apart, and 24 feet of lighting per strand.
Each of the included bulbs is 7 watts, 1.5″ in diameter with a G40 base, and is designed to work inside and outside and withstand rain and inclement weather.
Upook recommends that a maximum of three strands can be connected together for additional lighting capacity. Beyond that, they suggest using another plug.
Upook offers this line of string lights in three separate colors: black, green, and white. The color options impact only the sockets and string color; the bulbs remain the usual clear glass.
Installation
Upook recommends that you hang the strings prior to installing any bulbs. This method greatly reduces the chances that the bulbs will crack or otherwise be damaged in installation.
Should you run into any issues with bulbs breaking, you can email Upook and they will send you additional bulbs free of charge. If you are concerned about getting additional matching bulbs should bulbs die in the future, Upook sells a set of 25 bulbs-only, just for this purpose.
Also, this package comes with an additional fuse, should the fuse on the string blow. There is no on/off switch for these bulbs, you just plug them in and you’re good to go.
Be sure to keep strands of lights far enough from each other that parallel strands won’t crash into each other in the wind, or otherwise become entangled.
Build Quality
The quality of the Upook Globe String Lighting system is high. Everything is well built, and these units can withstand a good deal of the elements.
That said, if you want to use them in the winter, in the snow and ice year after year, we would suggest you consider Upook heavy duty line of commercial quality string lights.
These are more expensive but are more capable of handling extreme weather.
If you aren’t planning to leave these lights up in the snow and ice, the standard string lights will likely be fine for you.
Upook offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, which is great. If you are unhappy with the product, simply contact them and they will remedy the situation, or you can return them for a refund. Upook stands by their outdoor patio string lights, which is a big plus.
User Experience
The light quality given off by these bulbs is quite pleasing, much more in the soft white tone than a harsh bluish white cast. The overall feeling of being surrounded by these gently glowing and swaying bulbs is one of wonder. The look of the filament is interesting and will serve your backyard or patio lighting needs very well.
One of the big concerns with string lights is what happens when one of the bulbs goes out. Old-style string lights were wired in such a way that the whole system would die when one bulb died, but the Upook string lights will continue to function if one of the lights goes out.
The Bottom Line
The Upook Globe String Light system is a great way to bring charming illumination and animation to your backyard, pergola, patio, or outdoor space (or indoor space too!).
They are easy to install, well built, offer a pleasing candle colored glow, and are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee by Upook. The Globe String Lights are a great choice for outdoor landscape string lighting.
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Last update on 2024-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
4. BrighTown 25Ft G40 Globe String Lights with Clear Bulbs
The BrighTown 25ft G40 Globe String Lights system is quite similar in design to the Deneve String lights system above.
These 25ft long strands of lights feature 25 G40 bulbs (included). Each bulb is about 1.5″ in diameter, and are spaced 1′ apart, with 6″ of lead on each end of the strand.
As with the Deneve string lights, up to three lines can be connected together. Beyond that, BrighTown recommends connection to another plug.
One significant difference between the BrighTown bulb system and the Deneve system is that the BrighTown comes in multiple length configurations. The one shown here is a 25′ length, but should you want to, you can buy 50′ and 100′ length strands of bulbs.
BrighTown offers these string lights in three colors: green, black, and white. Not every color offers the same length options, so you’ll have to determine the best way to get the configuration of lights you need in the color you want.
Installation
BrighTown suggests you get these strands suspended prior to installing any bulbs into the sockets. This helps keep the bulbs from hitting each other and helps keep things from breaking.
These bulbs are more fragile than common Christmas light-style bulbs because they are significantly bigger and more round, so they are more prone to breaking. Watch out!
When hanging the lights, keep the sections far enough apart that lights won’t smash into each other in a wind gust. You don’t want shattered glass raining down on your guests!
Build Quality
These landscape string lights are of similar quality to the Deneve string lights and can handle the elements pretty well. They are capable of being left out in the rain, though if it’s going to snow a lot, it is wise to bring these inside until the snow is gone.
Should you want to stock up on extra bulbs to replace any that die or break, BrighTown offers a set of 25 bulbs expressly for this purpose.
BrighTown offers a one year guarantee on its products, which helps give some peace of mind, knowing they stand behind their offerings.
User Experience
The light cast by these bulbs is a warm white, and is not harsh or grating on the eyes. The light output is significant enough to read by and is quite nice. Being surrounded by these floating globes on a calm summer night is delightful.
The bulbs don’t get particularly hot and are generally safe to use against trees, fences, and other hard objects. Each of the receptacles has a clip on it, which can be used to attach to an object.
While it may be tempting to put a paper shade around these bulbs, it is not recommended. Fortunately, the bulbs glow very nicely with no shading required.
These strings are designed in such a way that if a bulb breaks or goes out, the remaining lamps are still lit. Changing out bad bulbs is generally a pretty simple process, and doesn’t require much fiddling. There is no on/off switch for these bulbs, so you’ll need to unplug them when you want to shut them down.
The Bottom Line
The BrighTown system of outdoor string lights is a high quality, simple, and pleasant design for landscape string lighting.
The one year warranty offered is a nice extra, though it’s nowhere near as good as the Festive Patio Lights offering.
That said, the multiple length options make these a compelling candidate for best outdoor string lights, as there as a good deal of configuration possibilities.
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Last update on 2024-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Best Outdoor Lights For Patio
All of the string lights on this list are great choices to light up a patio, pergola, or garden area. They all offer nice color cast, and good quality bulbs and construction. Of course, some offer better warranties, others offer color options, strand length options, and the like. However, when all is said and done, we feel that the best all-around choice is the Proxy Lighting String Lights string light set.
The Lifetime guarantee, extremely solid build quality, extension cord, and extra bulb make these the best outdoor lights for patio, garden, and anywhere else!
Happy lighting!
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