The main attribute of the best solar lamp post is a bright light that will last the long hours of the night on a single day’s charge. It’s also important to have a lamp post that’s tall enough to provide coverage, a versatile mounting system, and a sufficient warranty to cover any damages or issues.
While the needs of each individual will vary, some lamp posts provide better quality no matter the circumstance. The best solar lights are often the most versatile, providing superior lighting and convenience no matter the situation.
Things to Consider
The core feature of a solar lamp post is to provide light, so having a high lumen count is important to light up the desired area. This light must also last long enough to ensure a steady glow of light throughout the night that lasts until dawn. The desired brightness will also depend on whether it’s used for security purposes, aesthetics, or complementing other lights.
Considering most solar lighting products will remain outside day and night for long periods of time, it is important to have a product with a great warranty to replace the led lamp post, the light fixture, the batteries, the solar panels, and any other components inside.
These products must also balance aesthetic design with functionality. A common example has a versatile mounting system to allow the led lamp post to be installed anywhere. These solar lights need to be tall enough to do the job, can be mounted to the right surface, and remain simple to use.
Then finally, there are the standard features like the dusk to dawn sensors and durable weather-resistant design that should be included. As well as some optional extras like varying brightness settings. Then as with any purchase, the price should play an important role in deciding which outdoor solar lamp to spend money on.
Of all the solar lamp posts we reviewed, the Sebastopol Lamp Post was the best product. From its elegant design to its long lighting times and brightness, it’s everything one would expect in a high-quality solar lamp post.
Brightness & Duration
Shining at around 130 lumens while standing at 78 inches gives the lamp post a noticeable advantage. If it was brighter, its coverage would have been even more sensational. But as it is, it already does a fantastic job at eliminating dark spots.
We got about 8 hours of lighting after charging the lamp for about 5 peak sun hours. So, we estimate that a full charge should last up to 9-10 hours. Of course, that is very nice since it should be enough for the whole night.
Height & Aesthetics
As mentioned before, the lamp is about 78 inches tall, which is pretty impressive considering not many lamps are that tall. Then the design is like a midpoint between sophisticated and minimalistic. It’s neither excessive nor too bland. So, it should fit into most landscapes – modern or traditional.
Built with weather-tolerant materials – durable aluminum inclusive, we had no issues after leaving the lamp post outdoors, even when it rained. There was no rust or electrical fault.
One impressive feature for us was that this product came with monocrystalline solar panels. We associate the relatively fast charging with the high efficiency of solar panels.
Installation & Warranty
While we had to assemble the parts before installation, the whole process was largely smooth. The instructions were pretty clear, and the assembly process was intuitive.
Installation was also straightforward. The lamp post has a screw base, so we primarily had to screw it to an anchor on the ground. The installation instructions share further information on how to go about it.
The Sebastopol Lamp Post comes with a two-year warranty. While it is not the highest you’d come across, higher warranties are uncommon.
Pros
130 lumens makes it one of this list’s brightest solar lamp posts.
The LUTEC London is the brightest solar lamp post on the list, thanks to its unusually high lumen output. It can even maintain this brighter light for longer than most other solar lamps and has the best warranty.
The only downside to this product is that it’s much shorter than the other options.
The LUTEC London boasts 210 lumens, almost double the Sebastopol solar lights offer. This easily makes it the brightest solar lamp post of those reviewed on this list.
Brightness & Duration
Incredibly it can maintain this bright light for about 10 hours, putting it in the same ballpark as the top option.
Height & Aesthetics
The downside to the LUTEC London solar light is that it’s very short compared to other solar post lights. It is 21 inches tall, making it the shortest on this list.
It features a black rust-resistant cast aluminum casing in a vintage style. This makes it as weather-resistant as any other solar light on this list.
It comes with the standard concrete mounting post in the other solar post lights. It does stand out a little in breaking down to just the lamp mounted on top of a wall with the right screws.
Installation & Warranty
This solar-powered lamp post comes with a five-year warranty. The warranties on the other products pale in comparison.
Like any solar lamp post, this product comes with the standard dusk to dawn sensors.
From a pricing standpoint, LUTEC London is a bit expensive. The only option that costs more is the Gama Sonic Royal Bulb. The price is understandable with the lumen output and the five-year warranty, but the short height prevents it from being the best solar lamp post.
Pros
The best solar lamp post in terms of light output with 210 lumens.
A fantastic five-year warranty instead.
It lasts 10 hours without sacrificing brightness.
It can break down to just the lamp head, which can be mounted anywhere.
The Altrice Lamp Post gave us an experience full of elegance and function. It may not be the brightest solar lamp post we assessed, but it packs enough quality to be part of our list.
Brightness & Duration
With this device, we got just about 80 lumens of brightness from the LEDs. Of course, this is significantly short of the luminous intensity in some of the other products. But then, its height sort of helps project the illumination it offers over a long range. All in all, it could cover most of the dark spots thanks to its height.
We think the lighting duration of this product was pretty okay. We got about 7 hours out of it after charging for 5 peak sun hours. Since that was enough to last the night, it was adequate.
Height & Aesthetics
The Altrice Lamp Post stands at around 77 inches. While it isn’t the tallest, it is in no way short. Of course, as hinted earlier, its height is part of why its LEDs spread so far with their limited brightness.
The one thing we love the most about this product is its aesthetics. It has a classic design with all the curves you’d expect to see in traditional lamp posts. So, it’s not just lighting up your outdoor area at night; it adds character to the landscape.
With a powder coating on rust-resistant aluminum, there’s little to worry about in the way of water or weather damage.
Installation & Warranty
Assembling the units of this solar lamp post might take some effort, especially if you’re not used to things like this. But then the instructions are detailed and uncomplicated. So, in the end, you’ll most likely be able to pull it off.
The Altrice Lamp Post has a reasonable warranty covering defects and malfunctions. But then it could be longer.
The Gama Sonic Royal Bulb shares many similarities to our top choice. It’s the tallest solar lamp post light at the cost of being the most expensive. It may not compare well to its sister product, but it’s decent in its own right.
Brightness & Duration
The Royal Bulb puts out 120 lumens of light on its lowest setting. This is half as bright as the brightest product we reviewed. As expected, it surpasses many of our favorite alternatives when it comes to brightness.
It can sustain this output for about 10 hours.
Height & Aesthetics
It stands at 87 inches in height, making it the tallest solar post light on the list and giving the solar panels the best chance to receive direct sunlight.
The lamp post is weathered bronze cast aluminum designed to imitate the street lamps found in New Orleans. This definitely stands out aesthetically compared to other solar lamps.
Even with its unique appearance and design, the Royal Bulb street lap maintains the same ability to handle most weather conditions as the others.
Installation & Warranty
One downside to this product is that it isn’t easy to install out of the box. It has the traditional mounting design but doesn’t include the EZ Anchor system we saw in other products.
It offers a two-year warranty, which puts it above the standard one-year warranty many lamp posts offer in this review. Of course, the best so far is the product with a 5-year warranty.
Like any solar-powered lamp post on this list, dusk to dawn sensors are built into the solar panels. This ensures it won’t waste energy when the sun is out.
It is one of the most expensive solar street lamps. Largely the cost seems to come down to the height of the product and the aesthetic design. The pricing doesn’t compare with some top options regarding sheer functionality.
Pros
It is the tallest outdoor solar lamp at 87 inches.
Has a longer than the average battery life of 10 hours.
Comes with an above-average two-year warranty.
Unique New Orleans style design that stands out from the black vintage/modern designs.
The Kemeco solar lamp post is unique thanks to the planter box that acts as the mounting system. It also comes with an above-average lumen count and two power settings.
It’s not one of the best solar lamp posts, but it’ll do the job in certain situations.
The Kemeco solar-powered lamp post can produce 120 or 135 lumens, depending on whether the low or high setting is chosen. The high setting edges our top choice by five lumens, making it one of the brightest lamp posts we tested.
Brightness & Duration
Unfortunately, the higher brightness comes with a short duration. It’ll last six hours at the high setting, the smallest duration on the list.
On the low setting, it’ll last the standard 8 hours. By comparison, the Royal Bulb can last ten hours with the same 120 lumens.
Height & Aesthetics
The Kemeco is 76 inches tall, and while that isn’t the tallest, it isn’t far off the upper average. We didn’t experience any underperformance due to its height. So, the height would most likely not count for a drop in performance. It might only be an issue if you need a lamp post of a specific height.
The solar-powered lamp is black cast aluminum designed in a classic style with rippled pane windows. Like the other outdoor solar lamps, this device is weather resistant.
Installation & Warranty
The Kemeco is easy to install, thanks to the planter box built around its base. This device can be placed anywhere, unlike other solar-powered lamps that require mounting into the concrete or ground.
According to customer reviews, it can wobble if soft dirt and small plants are used in the planter box. It’s advised to use rocks and bigger plants to keep it stable.
The Kemeco has a standard one-year warranty if it falls over and breaks. The Gama products have better two-year warranties, which is fair but could be better.
As mentioned, the planter box makes installation easy but not necessarily more stable. This makes it a product suited for areas with less wind unless additional measures are taken.
It is the brightest option on the list, with an optional power setting. The other choices are the Greluna or Melunar, which at their highest settings, are less than half the low setting of the Kemeco.
Price-wise, it’s more expensive than our number one option with a shorter warranty and less duration for the light. The only reason to pursue this option is for the built-in planter box.
Pros
Two power settings
Bright 135 lumens led lights
The built-in planter box makes installation easier than other products like the Royal Bulb.
Cons
The high setting only lasts six hours, less than any other solar-powered light.
The one-year warranty is short.
The planter box must be reinforced to provide stability, or the solar-powered lamp post risks falling over
The Melunar solar lamp post is the cheapest product on this list. The lumen count is low, and the height isn’t super impressive.
The Melunar has a lumen output of 25 on the low and 50 on the high. Even at its brightest, this product has half the luminosity of most top choices.
Brightness & Duration
The high and low settings have a standard duration of about 8 hours. Only the Kemeco has a shorter duration at six hours.
Height & Aesthetics
The Melunar solar LED lamp stands at 68.5 inches, making it just a bit taller than the Greluna, which stands at 67 inches. Perhaps that extra inch and a half will put the solar panels in a better position, but it’s unlikely to make too much of a difference.
The Melunar is black cast aluminum and designed to be vintage in style with the post, glass panes, and light fixtures being very weather resistant.
Installation & Warranty
This solar-powered lamp comes with a standard base which means standard installation.
It has a standard one-year warranty. There are solar lamp posts with better warranties and other perks.
The power settings mode can’t give it a longer duration because the LED light draws power.
As mentioned, this is the cheapest product in the review by about a dollar. But honestly, for a dollar more, the user can get our top choice, which has more lumens, a longer battery life, and a better mounting system.
The Greluna solar lamp post is nearly identical to the Melunar. The only difference is that it is a dollar more and an inch and a half shorter. Even the aesthetics are practically the same, making it the inferior choice.
Brightness & Duration
The Greluna is tied for being the dimmest solar-powered post lights in the review. At the lowest setting, the led light puts off 25 lumens; at the highest, it puts off 50 lumens.
It never stayed on for more than 8 hours following a full charge. So, it will last through the night in the early days of using it.
Height & Aesthetics
The Greluna is short at 67 inches in height, but then it isn’t the shortest. It is black cast aluminum with a single led light bulb, almost identical to a few other lamp posts we’ve already discussed.
Installation & Warranty
This product uses a standard mounting system making it best suited for concrete. It would have been better to have an anchor system like an EZ-Anchor system.
This aluminum solar lamp comes with a standard one-year warranty. The company certainly can do better than this.
The multiple power setting only affects the lumen output. But the device maintains an eight-hour battery duration on either setting. Otherwise, it’s the same dusk-to-dawn performance as any other solar lamp post.
All in all, this product is pretty similar to Melunar. But then, it comes in shorter and costs a bit more. Still, its overall quality is not in question.
Pros
The cheapest product on the list.
Multiple brightness settings for customization purposes.
The Sterno solar lamp post ranks the lowest out of the best solar lamp posts on this list. This is due to average offerings on all things except the lumen output and the price. It’s far dimmer than most at the cost of being almost the same price.
The Sterno solar lamp post has a lumen output of 60. While this isn’t impressive, its brightness is above the 50-lumens solar lamp posts.
Brightness & Duration
This light will last eight hours, just like most products on this list. Even on its highest setting, it was dimmer than more than half of the other products reviewed.
Height & Aesthetics
The Sterno is average in terms of height at 76 inches tall.
It’s a black cast aluminum solar lamp post with a vintage-style design. In some ways, it’s similar to the Altrice and shares many weather-resistant features in that and other devices.
Installation & Warranty
It has a mounting system for concrete or wood, making it fairly standard. However, it’s less convenient than those with an EZ-Anchor system or a planter box.
This solar lamp comes with a standard one-year warranty on everything from the solar panels to the base. Some users may prefer LUTEC London for its superior five-year warranty.
It’s fairly standard in design and features, making it not all that different from the other post lights. It has the same energy-efficient LED lights that turn on at dusk and off at dawn like anything else on the list.
Where it differs, and why it’s ranked so low, is that it’s nearly three times the cost of the Altrice with nowhere near the same level of features and benefits. Buyers would spend three times more for almost half the lumen output and fewer mounting options to gain about ten inches in height.
To make matters worse, the best solar lamp on this list is cheaper with far better perks in every category.
Pros
Weather-resistant build.
It’s average in terms of height at 76 inches
Cons
Third dimmest option on the list.
It is somewhat expensive, considering the functions it offers
Buyer’s Guide
Brightness & Duration
The basic function of a solar lamp post is to provide enough light for an outdoor space. This could be for security purposes like a solar street light or to serve as a garden solar lamp. Whatever the scenario, the lamp must be strong enough to make the outdoor space visible.
It should also last long enough to go all night without needing a charge. Many solar lamps will automatically turn on at dusk and kick off when hit with direct sunlight. The standard is eight hours, but areas with incremental weather conditions may need longer.
Depending on the need, some solar lamp post lights will have multiple power settings to provide more light or last longer. Others are designed to adjust the light accordingly to last through the night.
Height & Aesthetics
The height of any solar lamp post must be enough to receive direct sunlight for each solar panel on top. This height can also impact the solar lamp’s effectiveness in providing outdoor lighting. For example, it may not be enough to cover the entire area if it’s too short.
The aesthetics are less important in practicality but should still be considered. Some users may prefer a warm white bulb over an led light.
The glass paneling can also impact the light emitted and should be considered. It’s fairly standard for these lights to emit a warm white light, but exceptions exist.
Installation & Warranty
The average solar lamp post has a fairly standard mounting and installation process. This is often a metal base with screws for either concrete or wooden surfaces.
A few products will feature adaptable stakes that allow the solar lamp post to be installed in the dirt or grass. Any Gama Sonic options can have an EZ-Anchor included to make the installation process on the lawn simple.
A handful of outdoor lamps will come with a built-in planter box. This allows the lamp to be placed almost anywhere without mounting it as most would require. This would be more efficient for users who need to move their light around than the EZ-Anchor system. It may also provide better aesthetic appeal as it can be paired with a plant or set of flowers.
The standard warranty for a solar lamp post is one year, but some products can come with longer warranties. Given these are designed to be in various weather conditions providing outdoor lightning night after night, they’ll see a lot of use. A long warranty can minimize costs when damages or failures occur in the product.
It’s uncommon, but some solar lamp posts sometimes have additional perks or features. The most common examples include multiple power settings or the EZ-Anchor system. Installing a second battery for a longer lifespan is a nice perk not seen in many offerings.
Final Thoughts
The best solar lamp post will depend on the intended use and the space it’ll be kept. Some users may need something taller, and others will find a short option that does just fine.
A high lumen count is a fairly standard requirement with solar lamp posts; a long enough duration to go the night is a given. The dusk-to-dawn features on the solar panels are made standard in these devices for a reason, so anything lacking this isn’t worth the purchase.
The price can also be a major factor in choosing the best product, and the user needs to ensure they are getting the best deal for their dollar. Some options may be a tad more expensive but offer better features that make the additional cost worth it.
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Charles Noble
Here at Spheral Solar, I’m a hands-on solar power enthusiast, constantly exploring and experimenting with DIY solutions. I’m dedicated to sharing my discoveries, insights, and even the bumps I hit along the way, all in the pursuit of a more sustainable future.
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