The best outdoor Christmas lights make your home look festive and can stand up to inclement weather so you can use them for many holiday seasons to come. We spent weeks testing and researching outdoor Christmas lights from the top home and decor brands to find the best option to add to your Decorate the Best Grinch Christmas Tree Celebrations.
The most important thing to look for in outdoor Christmas lights is that they’re outdoor-rated. Experts recommend looking for a certification from Underwriters Laboratories Inc., commonly abbreviated as UL, to ensure the lights have undergone rigorous testing to confirm they are outdoor-safe. This ensures they can endure snow, rain, and sun with ease.Outdoor decorations.
We also recommend looking for LED bulbs rather than incandescent ones, which we don’t feature on this list. Not only do LEDs use 75 percent less energy to operate,princeprincessm Home Improvement,
allowing you to connect more strands, but they also stay cool to the touch, which makes them safer to use around potentially flammable objects and last longer than incandescent bulbs.
The bulb type and shape are also important considerations when shopping. C9 bulbs are large and tear-shaped. These are great for outdoors and covering large areas. T5 mini lights and mini LEDs are much smaller,Gardening, so they work best around railings or small My First Christmas Tree: 10 Easy Tips for a Magical Holiday Look. and other greenery.
Best Overall
LED Christmas Lights
LED Christmas Lights — Looking for a bright and colorful outdoor display? These lights, which are nearly every color in the rainbow, from classic white and red to blue and multicolor. These lights are colorful mini LED bulbs 200 per pack on a66ft wire, and the colors where nice and rich (they look especially nice in the evening).
The fire-proof lights have a traditional green wire, so these are also perfect for stranding around your Christmas tree. Not quite as brilliant for trees and houses, they are tiny enough to fit on thin railings and branches.
We also set up the Christmas lights, which are UL-listed and waterproof; during testing, they survived multiple days of torrential rainfall and winds without any issues. They offer a Stay Lit design that keeps the whole strand from going out when one bulb burns, but we did find the build quality to be more fragile than other options.
Also, we love that you can link 30 strands to one outlet — perfect for DECORATING— and that the lights offer six extra bulbs and two fuses so you can remedy any problems quickly.
Bulb Type: LED | Bulb Shape: T5 mini | Length: 66 feet | Maximum Connected Strands: 30
Best Budget
Home Accents Holiday LED Mini Warm White
If you want to get the most your money, the Home Accents Holiday LED Mini String Lights are a classic choice for your Christmas Tree or surrounding area. These indoor-outdoor lights are not the sturdiest but they are super inexpensive, and you can string up 30 strands of lights for a really grand deal. Each strand is 29.5 feet long, with 100 bulbs on traditional green wire.
The warm mini lights had a more traditional look, although we also felt the brightness of these lights was pretty much average too. They do have a bit of a strobing effect due to the fact that there are no rectifiers on the LEDs, but it is minimal and hardly noticeable when ON and hung up.
They are not commercial quality lights, so there is always the potential for moisture to enter the bulbs, but they are a great buy if you are decorating on a budget. For particularly wet or snowy places, go with our best light. The bulb and socket form a one-piece unit to protect against water entering. Other-How to Decorate the Best Grinch Christmas Tree
Bulb Type: LED | Bulb Shape: T5 mini | Length: 29.5 feet |
Best Large Bulb
Wintergreen Lighting C9 LED Christmas String Lights
For big outdoor features—like your roofline or an oversized tree—you’ll want large bulbs for balance, and when it comes to looks and quality, you can’t beat Wintergreen Lighting C9
OptiCore Commercial LED Christmas Lights.
With large, intricate C9 bulbs made of tough polycarbonate, these lights are extremely bright (and gorgeous) in our testing; they illuminated our entire yard. They can be even dimmed with a compatible switch if you want them not so bright.
The large lights are available in lengths from 25 to 100 feet. However, the bulbs and wires come individually packaged, so you’ll need to do a little hand-screwing of all the bulbs in. Offered in multiple colors, these lights also come with a clip on each socket which makes it super easy to hang them around your roofline.
LED | Bulb Shape: C9 | Length: 25, 50, 100 feet | Maximum Connected Strands: 1,000 feet.
Best Extra-Long
MZD8391 Christmas Lights
For full-yard decorating, these Christmas lights come in 105-foot lengths (by far the longest on our list) allowing you to cover a lot of ground with one strand. There are 300 little LED bulbs in each strand, and the lights come in multiple different color schemes.
These lights really appealed to us because of their vibrant colors and the fact that they can provide eight different lighting effects to choose from (such as chasing, slow fade and twinkle). They’re waterproof and do well in less-than-welcoming weather, the lights can be connected as many as four strands at once, which extends over 400 ft of coverage.
Remember, they are tiny, which means not the best choice for large-scale decorations such as eaves. For that, try our instead.
Bulb Type: LED | Bulb Shape: Not listed | Length: 105 feet | Maximum Connected
Best Solar
Touch of Eco Color Changing LED Mini Solar String Light
Touch of Eco Solar String LightsHow many times do you have this problem at Christmas time, that you want to put up some Christmas lights but there is no electric outlet nearby to plug in the lights?Scratch that itch easily when you find out about these strings lights from Touch of Eco. The string includes 125 mini LED bulbs, measuring 68 feet from end to end with a small solar panel you can clip to a nearby object or stake into the ground.Solar-powered,
Since they use a solar energy source with varying charge levels throughout the day, these lights aren’t the brightest around. They are especially dim during cloudy or rainy conditions, we discovered.
They automatically turn on at dusk and can stay on for up to eight hours, with solid or flashing light modes selectable from the back of the panel. But the strand includes a lead wire measuring 12 feet in length, which we felt was excessive, leaving you with only 56 feet of lighted length.
LED | Light Bulb Shape Size: 5mm wide angle| Length | Total Strands that can be connected
Best Waterproof
Christmas Lights 5mm LED Pro Christmas
Christmas lights made by professionals like the Pro Christmas 5mm Wide Angle Conical LED Lights come with one-piece bulbs and sockets. This helps to keep the water and debris out of the bulb from rusting or corroding which should help your displays not blow prematurely. We really were blown away by how bright and brilliantly beautiful those particular pro lights were.
Pro Christmas lights are 35 feet long with a total of 50 5 mm bulbs on green wire, you can plug in a staggering 60 strands end-to-end on one outlet! They tested well in rainstorms and windy days, rated report UL for outdoor use. They’re available in multiple color options, and each LED light may last 75,000 hours (though you can’t swap out those one-piece bulbs).
Style: LED | Bulb Shape: 5-mm wide angle | Length: 26 ft | Maximum Strands Connected Together: 60
Best Smart
Twinkly Strings Multicolor Smart Light String
This year, don’t just decorate completely one color/design. It is the easiest way to switch on to different colors and light shows according to your mood when you have smart lights. Twinkly’s string lights link to an app on your smartphone via Bluetooth.
From there, you can customize the hue, set up light shows and music syncing, group multiple strings together for a coordinated appearance and more. Their life span exceeds 30,000 hours, you will have decades to play with settings for rigging outdoor Christmas light displays.Say goodbye to forgetting to plug in your lights each night: Create timers and presets from your phone in the comfort of anywhere, light up your home! You can even plug the lights into your Alexa or Google Home device, so you can decorate by voice.
This IP44-certified weatherproof string lights will work for indoors or outdoors, but tiny bulb size is probably best for trees, branches, and railings rather than roof lines. Customization only continues from there, with options for green or black wire and four different sizes from 26 feet all the way to 157.5 feet long.
Bulb Style: LED | Bulb Shape: 4.3mm | Lengths Available: 26, 65.5,105, and 157.5 feet-long strands |
Best Net Lights
AWQ Christmas Net Lights
Net lights should be your choice if you have an area that needs to be decked out in sparkles. These mesh lights would also look beautiful wrapped around patio chairs or stairs, or even stuck in the ground for a full yard covering on your front lawn, making them perfect for bushes and shrubs. Available in two sizes, depending on your desired coverage, but can be connected up to five strands for extra-large spaces.
While the netting and bulbs are rated IP44 to hold up against rain and snow, the power adapter is not intended to be exposed to water so keep it in a sheltered place. Fortunately, the power chord extends over 16 feet, which means you can set these lights anywhere in your area. Like most string lights, these net lights have eight light modes and include a 6-hour timer, so your string will automatically turn on at the same time each night.
Available in warm white, cool white or multicolor. The trouble with net lights is that unlike them, they are so hard to save as they readily get caught up. We suggest that they be rolled around a cylindrical object or folded in separate bags. Hence, makes it easier to screen out your lights next time.
The illusion they create is also quite wonderful and even on shrubs and small trees, we love the equally disbursed illusion (replacing net light bulbs can be more difficult and will most likely take)
Type of Bulb: LED | Shape of Bulb: Not mentioned | Length Size: 9.8 x 6.6, 13.1 x 6.6 feet |
Best Icicle Lights
Knonew Fairy Curtain String Lights
Icicle string lights will help create the look of icicles hanging from your home, whether you live in an area where snow melts to create them or not. The hanging strings can vary in length and have lights dispersed along them to make bright icicle shapes reminiscent of roof lines.
Knonew has these in three lengths and they have LED bulbs that are energy-efficient and safe for the outdoor. The easy-to-mount, waterproof end-to-end connector for connecting up to 3 strands (990ft total length) with1600 bulbs in large areas.
There are 8 to 11 lighting modes (depending on the color you choose), and an automatic timer so they will only shine for six hours before taking 18 hours off during the day. Select either warm white or cool white for a neutral, harmonious appearance, or multicolor or even red and green for bright seasonal festivity. Just like the net lights, these can become tangled from year to year, so be sure to take special care this season in safely storing these in a bin to make it easy to untangle and hang next Christmas.
Type of bulb: LED | Bulb shape: Not classified | Lengths available: 33, 108, 164 ft |
Best Strip Lights
Govee WiFi Outdoor LED Strip Lights.
If you want to keep the light long, strip lights are an ideal choice since they provide a consistent glow across your house’s lines without having to worry about one of your bulbs goes out halfway through the season. We put this smart one from Govee to the test, which is another added convenience since everything is app-based so you can just control it all from your phone. Although it took more than two hours to install the strip light across the entire front of a house, installation instructions were fairly straightforward and configuring the app took under five minutes.
Like our favorite smart lights, you can change the colors/brightness of the lights which means you’ll be able to leave them up year-round and swap them with the different seasons and holidays via the Govee app. It removes the tedious task of stringing up the same lights over and over again every single year. You can also make timers, pair the lights with your Amazon Alexa or Google device and set up the light to catch music.
Unlike traditional string lights, we adored how the strip was almost invisible when not lit up! So you don’t have to go for the wrong color of white or green either. Use the color wheel that fine-tunes if you are going to need as exact a match on your coloring as possible. Although its pricier than basic string lights, leaving thes
Final Verdict
Yuletime Multicolor LED Christmas Lights Our choice for the best outdoor Christmas lights are these multicolor LED lights by Yuletime, a classic option for your exterior decorations. They are super durable in the elements, available in many colors, and are some of the brightest & boldest lights you will find. An unbeatable value, the Home Accents Holiday LED Mini String Lights are the best budget pick. Just remember, they may not last as long as the ones you would find at a commercial store.
How We Tested the Outdoor Christmas Lights:
In compiling our recommendations, we researched outdoor Christmas lights to buy—and the brands at the top of all lists for trusted lighting equipment. Afterward, we placed an order for a light panel and tested every single lighting product at home over three weeks. Prince Albert Queen
To test outdoor Christmas lights, we looked at brightness, quality, length of the lights and how easy they are to install. We hung them over outdoor railings or Christmas trees and kept them plugged in the whole time we tested each. After weeks of evaluating how each performed outside, we hand-selected her top choices paired with additional editors’ finds through research.
How to Choose the Right Outdoor Christmas Lights
Make Sure Your Outdoor Lighting Can Take The Heat When choosing ideal outdoor Christmas lights, look for phrases such as UL certified, UL listed or commercial grade. This allows the lights to work outdoors without rust, sparks, or burnouts since they are waterproof. Be sure to also watch out for the waterproof label, such as this one in our best waterproof section: PROCHRISTMAS 5MM Wide Angle Led Christmas Lights.
Variety is the spice of life, and there are many different shaped bulbs to create a different look with your arrangement.
Christmas lights are offered in so many shapes and sizes these days that this is largely a matter of taste, but Matthew Martoccio, the founder of The Christmas Guys, has some suggestions for size depending on outdoor applications.
“Never use mini lights on a roofline, in general,” he says. “C9 LED bulbs — for roof lines and evergreen trees 20 feet and over, you want the bigger lights.” For a more modest yet still large-bulb option, go with our top pick for big-but-not-gigantic bulbs—the C9 OptiCore Cool White LED Commercial Outdoor Christmas Lights runner-up.
For bushes microwave wrap and any evergreen not over 20 ft mini lights is the perfect choice,” he says. The Touch of ECO Solar String Lights, our pick for the best solar lights and great along these smaller areas of your front yard. They also automatically switch itself on when charged in sun for the full day.
T5 mini lights are ideal for small bushes, branches, and trees like our overall best pick Yuletime Multicolor LED Christmas Lights. However, they might be a touch on the small side for rooflines.
Find Lights That'll Last
Because outdoor Christmas lights are often exposed to rain, snow, wind and freezing temperatures these plastics must be heavy-duty to withstand winter conditions. Testing revealed just how many lights remained resilient through adverse weather—especially our top pick for extra-long string lights, the MZD8391 Christmas Lights.
Most of our experts advised seeking out pro- or commercial-level Christmas lights (which you often won’t find in major retailers) because they’re constructed from stronger materials. Also, most pro-grade lights such as our best waterproof option, Pro Christmas 5MM Wide Angle Led Christmas Lights. have one-piece bulbs and sockets to prevent moisture, dirt, and dust from entering and killing the light.
The easier it is to Install the Better
Where you are putting your outdoor Christmas lights makes all the difference in how best to hang them. For a fence, rail, or tree branch where you just are wrapping them around the surface to hold tight, this is as easy as that. You can use a couple of zip ties to ensure that the lights do not move, if necessary.
But getting them installed on the outside of your home can be a bit more complicated. Gutter or shingle clips — a common choice for hanging lights along the roofline, or Q-hangers for other locations A lot of these clips are subtle enough that you can just keep them on your home all year long, meaning less hassle putting those up every holiday season.
However, there are a few options left to make your home look more festive if you do not have the possibility of plugging Christmas lights outside. The easiest of all is to instead buy patio lights that are solar- or battery-powered and do not depend on an outlet at all, like our pick for best solar lights, the Touch of ECO Solar String Lights.
Otherwise, you can use an outdoor extension cord from an indoor outlet out to your yard, or if you have a light fixture outside you can find adapters that change a light socket into a two-pronged polarized outlet.
To decorate a large area with only one outlet, find lights that can be connected together in longer lengths. Our Best Pro Waterproof Lights– the Pro Christmas 5MM Wide Angle Led Christmas Lights –can be used to link up to 60 strands, giving you the most capacity on our list.
Why Trust The Prince Princess ?
Julia Fields has been covering holiday decor for The Spruce’s lifestyle team since 2020. She sifted through expert recommendations, testing insights, and product research to develop this list of the best outdoor Christmas lights available now based on factors such as durability, bulb shape and performance.
Even though her NYC apartment isn’t a space she could hang anything off the roof of, she prefers icicle lights (think Knonew Christmas Lights for your bar cart) and warm white to cool white. As a child, she recollects lights like our best budget pick to be used around her outdoor railings, shrubs and trees and enjoyed how festive the front of her house appeared during the season.
