Small Solar Security Lights Make a Big Impact

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Rating: 4.3/5

I’ve been using the Aootek Solar Security Lights for about 9 months, and they’ve completely changed how I feel about outdoor lighting. Before, I didn’t give much thought to lights along driveways and walkways or around decks and porches. 

Honestly, I assumed they were expensive, complicated to install, and not durable enough to make it through all four seasons. Now, I notice not only the sparkle and finished look they provide alongside our gravel parking pad, but also the sense of safety they offer—especially since that’s where my daughter parks.

What drew me in about these lights initially was how easy they were to set up. Since they’re solar powered, I didn’t have to bother installing disposable batteries or dealing with rechargeable ones. They also provide three modes: always-on, motion-sensing (light turns on high when activity is detected), and motion-sensing dim-to-bright (dim always-on light brightens to high for 15 seconds with motion). 

I simply set out the lights, tried each mode, and moved them around for a couple of weeks until I figured out exactly where I wanted them. After using them on our deck stairs, over our shed door, and around a landscaping bed in the yard, I ultimately settled on installing them on railroad ties that separate our parking pad from a relatively steep swale alongside our home.

It turns out that taking the time to choose which mode I wanted prior to installation was a smart move. Though it’s easy to toggle between modes with a button on the back, once mounted, that button becomes inaccessible. However, Aootek now sells 2-packs, 4-packs, 6-packs, and 8-packs with front buttons, which might be more convenient.

Now screwed in place with the included hardware, the pleasantly dim lights automatically click up to bright any time they detect motion within 26 feet. After charging all day in the sun, they retain enough power to stay on until well past my daughter’s midnight (or midnight-plus) curfew. With her off to college, I’m considering switching to motion-sensing mode so they’ll last the full 9 hours the manufacturer advertises, or I may move these to our backyard and order a front-button set I can adjust as needed. 

After nearly a year of outdoor exposure to snow, rain, hail, extreme temperatures, and plenty of wind, one of the IP65-rated lights did get water inside its housing and eventually stopped working. (My parents have had a set on their converted camper van for even longer than that, though, and all four lights have held up perfectly.)

Even with one light down, these lights provide exceptional value at about $35 for four. They’re bright, reliable, easy to install, maintenance-free, and add both safety and a nice glow to my outdoor space.

 

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