Why outdoor lighting is a high-return investment that takes minutes to install

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Before a visitor even begins knocking on your front door, they’ve already had a first impression of your home, starting with its exterior. Painting the facade, putting in a deck, or placing trees and bushes along the landscape are tried-and-true methods for updating the outside of a house, but they are also all labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly. One upgrade that delivers a high return on investment without these downsides is outdoor lighting, with many options installed within minutes and at a low cost.

Minus the short installation time and initial investment, there are only benefits to this practical addition for your outdoor space. Illuminating your porch, sidewalks, and fence line means better visibility at night, reducing the hazard for trips and stumbles. More lighting also means enhanced security, as it decreases the dark areas for intruders or wild animals to hide. It even offers light for security cameras without night vision technology to capture clearer images. When it comes to cosmetics, outdoor lighting simply makes the home look better and feel more inviting. Think about a haunted house on Halloween, it’s spooky because of the shadowy spaces where anything could jump out at you, but a well-lit home eliminates this uncertainty.

There are countless outdoor lighting options on the market, but for convenience and affordability, wireless, solar-powered lighting selections are going to be the best bet. These are also a better choice for renters, as they can be easily removed and used again elsewhere. You’ll want to consider your specific lighting needs, such as how it will be used and where you’ll place the light. To help you on your home improvement quest, we’ve searched Home Depot, Walmart, and Amazon to find the best outdoor lighting in terms of price, rating, and quality, so keep scrolling to find which illumination idea best suits your needs.

Floodlight and motion-detecting lights

If security is your main concern when shopping for outdoor lighting, you’ll want to look into floodlight and motion-detector lights. These powerful lights emit a “flood” of illumination with bright beams that can cover larger areas. Because of the sheer brightness, floodlights are typically placed near a garage, driveway, or backyard, rather than near a window, which could be bothersome if they kick on while you sleep. Many people also prefer using floodlights on a motion detector, so the bright light only turns on when it senses movement in the vicinity. 

The most advanced floodlights provide an additional layer of safety with a built-in security camera, like the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro Wired Security Camera, which even allows you to turn on a siren to scare away potential intruders. This is one of the most expensive options, costing over $200 when it’s not on sale, and it will require wiring, which may require hiring a professional. A more affordable solution is the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera, which is around half the price and has a battery-operated system that runs for two years without charging. 

You can also get motion-detecting floodlights that are solar-powered, requiring zero electricity, but they won’t have the built-in camera. Due to this, they’re a better bargain, costing around $30 per light at Amazon or Walmart. One of Amazon’s highest-rated options, the Tuffenough Solar Outdoor Motion-Sensor Floodlights, is outrageously bright, reaching up to 2500 lumens, making it a popular choice among shoppers.

Ring Floodlight Cam Pro Wired Security Camera

Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera

Tuffenough Solar Outdoor Motion-Sensor Floodlights

Pathway and landscape lighting

Lighting placed strategically around the sidewalks and flowerbeds gives the home a professionally landscaped look while making your yard safer to navigate at night. Pathway lights are the most commonly used option for this style, and come built on a stake, so you can insert them into the ground with a quick jab — as long as the grassy patch of dirt isn’t too dense or hard. We suggest opting for a style with a solar panel built into the top, like the ExcMark Pathway Solar Lights, which powers itself on sunlight, so you never have to mess with it again after installation. 

If you don’t like the look of pathway lights during the daytime, recessed ground lights, like the Incx Solar Ground Lights, function similarly and sit flush with the ground, making them less noticeable. These could also be a better fit for those who don’t want to remove pathway lights when mowing the yard. While these recessed lights aren’t necessarily lawn mower-friendly, if placed low enough in the ground, the lawn mower blades can safely go over them. 

These walkway lights are less bright than a floodlight, as they’re also used for decoration. You can go for a brighter option, which has the look of a pathway light, but with a more powerful bulb. Some options even offer dual mounting options, like the Auderwin Solar Outdoor Spotlights, which can be staked into the ground or fixed onto the wall.

ExcMark Pathway Solar Lights

Incx Solar Ground Light Set

Auderwin Solar Outdoor Spotlights

Other outdoor lighting options

You can also upgrade your deck, staircase, or wood fence with speciality lighting. Since they have a more custom look, these lights appear tailored specifically for your home. Compact and solar-powered, options like the SunLinkCo Solar Garden Lights are small enough to be attached directly to the stairs, but they’re also bright enough to be attached to the sides of the staircase. The Lianglome Solar Fence Lights have a wider design to illuminate a longer area, so while it will look great highlighting the perimeter of your fence, it could also be used on the walls of your patio or above your house number.

SunLinkCo Solar Garden Lights

Lianglome Solar Fence Lights

What outdoor lighting best suits your home?

Outdoor lighting is not a one-size-fits-all solution — different homes have different needs. Floodlights with motion sensors are a superior choice for adding security, as they bathe large areas in bright light. If you have an uneven sidewalk that’s poorly lit, pathway lights will provide much-needed illumination to prevent stumbles. There’s also speciality outdoor lighting for classic fixtures in the yard, including staircase lighting or fence lights. Whatever option you choose, outdoor lighting will improve the safety and security of your home’s exterior while boosting the curb appeal, making it a practical investment with a high return.