Top 5 compared
The best outdoor string lights
Strung along a fence or zigzagged over the patio, string lights make the backyard somewhere to be after dark.
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The top 5 at a glance
Outdoor string lights are a long weatherproof cable with bulbs hanging from it at intervals, hung on hooks overhead and plugged into an outdoor outlet. Round globe bulbs give a café look; Edison-style bulbs, a vintage one. Most strings link end to end, so a longer run is just a second string plugged into the first.
Every string here uses shatterproof bulbs rather than glass, so a gust of wind or a stray ball won’t leave shards on the patio, and each carries an IP65 rating, sealed against dust and rain. Every set comes with spare bulbs, too. Plug them into a covered outdoor outlet, ideally a GFCI one.
What matters
- Enough length for the run, plus the dip between hooks.
- Bulb spacing that suits the space, closer for a small patio.
- Bulbs that work independently of each other.
- A dimmer-compatible string, or a remote with a timer.
#1Brightown 55 ft Outdoor String Lights (25 G40 bulbs)
$10–$20
Twenty-five round G40 globes hang 2 feet apart along 55 feet of black cable, enough to frame a patio or run the length of a deck rail, and up to 14 strings link end to end for a bigger yard. Rated IP65, it can stay up through rain and snow.
What owners say: Owners keep them up on patios and front porches all year, cold winters included, and like a glow that’s bright without overpowering. Some find the globes too small for a big patio, and a few sets didn’t last.
A closer look: Each socket has two hooks, so clip them to cup hooks or a tensioned guide wire rather than letting the cable carry the weight. The bulbs light independently, so one dead globe won’t darken the rest: swap in one of the two spares and the string keeps shining.
- Bulbs light independently
- Links up to 14 strings
- Two hooks per socket
- Black cable
Best for: Patios, porches and deck rails
- Length
- 55 ft
- Bulbs
- 25 + 2 spare, G40 globe
- Weatherproofing
- IP65
- Controls
- Plug-in, dimmer-compatible
- Color
- 2200K
#2addlon 100 ft Outdoor String Lights with Remote (2 × 50 ft, G40)
$30–$50
Two 50 ft strings of G40 globes with one remote that runs both: four brightness levels, a 2, 4, 6 or 8-hour timer, and steady, breathing or flashing modes. It links up to 200 ft and keeps remote control of the whole run.
What owners say: Owners say they bring real ambience to the backyard, and the grommet tops on the sockets make them simple to hang. Longevity is where opinions differ: some call them heavy-duty, others had bulbs break or a string stop working.
A closer look: Set the timer as you head in for the night and the lights switch themselves off, with no trip back out in slippers. Hang the two halves end to end along a fence or around a pergola, or link a second set to reach 200 ft; the one remote still runs them all.
- One remote for both strings
- Links up to four strings
- ETL certified
- 1-year warranty
Best for: Dimming and timers from your chair
- Length
- 100 ft (2 × 50 ft)
- Bulbs
- 50 + 4 spare, G40 globe
- Weatherproofing
- IP65
- Controls
- Remote: 4 levels, timer, 3 modes
- Color
- 2700K
#3Brightown 100 ft Outdoor String Lights (30 ST38 Edison bulbs)
$20–$30
Edison-style ST38 bulbs spaced 3 feet apart along 100 feet of commercial-grade cable, and up to 24 strings link end to end. It’s IP65 rated and UL certified, and the bulbs dim with most plug-in dimmers (not included).
What owners say: The full 100 feet is what owners like most, with a warm glow that changes how the yard feels at night. Not every string holds up, though: a few came apart.
A closer look: With 3 feet between bulbs, one string spans a big patio or zigzags across a yard in three or four runs. Hang it from cup hooks or a guide wire using the two hooks on each socket, and keep the plug end close to a covered outlet.
- Links up to 24 strings
- UL certified
- Shatterproof bulbs
- Commercial-grade cable
Best for: Wide patios with spaced-out bulbs
- Length
- 100 ft
- Bulbs
- 30 + 2 spare, ST38 Edison
- Weatherproofing
- IP65
- Controls
- Plug-in, dimmer-compatible
- Color
- 2700K
#4Tenmiro 200 ft Outdoor String Lights (60 S11 bulbs)
$30–$50
One 200 ft string with 60 shatterproof S11 bulbs, long enough to wrap a whole patio, line a pool fence or light a big tree without joining strings, so there are no extra plugs or connections to keep dry.
What owners say: A single string lights a whole backyard with a warm glow, owners say, and it’s easy to put up and long enough to circle a patio. A few had bulbs that wouldn’t light.
Heads up: Plug it in and check every bulb lights before hanging the string, while they’re easy to reach, and screw in any loose ones firmly.
A closer look: Unroll the full 200 feet on the lawn before hanging so it doesn’t twist, then work out from the plug end, clipping it up as you go. With 60 bulbs over that length the light is spread wide, so it suits a big space more than a small balcony.
- No joins to keep dry
- Shatterproof bulbs
- Uses 24W in all
- 365-day warranty
Best for: Big yards in one run
- Length
- 200 ft
- Bulbs
- 60 + 2 spare, S11
- Weatherproofing
- IP65
- Controls
- Plug-in
- Color
- 2700K
#5Svater 105 ft Commercial Grade Outdoor String Lights (33 S14 bulbs)
$50–$75
Full-size S14 Edison bulbs on standard E26 bases, the kind restaurant patios use, hung from heavy-duty, ETL-listed cable. Each 1W bulb gives about 80 lumens, the glow of an 11-watt filament bulb, and up to 12 strings link end to end for a large yard.
What owners say: Owners call them sturdy and well made, with bulbs bright enough to light a backyard and spaced so they don’t glare. Putting them up is another matter for some, who spent hours untangling the cable, and a few had bulbs fail within a year.
A closer look: Unwind the whole string on the lawn before it goes up, as the heavy cable tangles if it’s lifted straight from the box. The sockets take ordinary E26 bulbs, so a dead one is easy to replace, and on long spans a tensioned guide wire takes the weight off the cable.
- Dead bulbs easy to replace
- 80 lumens per bulb
- Links up to 12 strings
- ETL listed
- Built-in hanging loops
Best for: Permanent patio lighting
- Length
- 105 ft
- Bulbs
- 33 + 2 spare, S14 Edison
- Weatherproofing
- IP65
- Controls
- Plug-in, dimmer-compatible
- Color
- 2700K
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Brightown 55 ft | #2addlon 100 ft remote | #3Brightown 100 ft | #4Tenmiro 200 ft | #5Svater 105 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best with a remote | Longest string | Best premium | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 | $30–$50 | $50–$75 |
| Length | 55 ft | 100 ft (2 × 50 ft) | 100 ft | 200 ft | 105 ft |
| Bulbs | 25 + 2 spare, G40 globe | 50 + 4 spare, G40 globe | 30 + 2 spare, ST38 Edison | 60 + 2 spare, S11 | 33 + 2 spare, S14 Edison |
| Weatherproofing | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 |
| Controls | Plug-in, dimmer-compatible | Remote: 4 levels, timer, 3 modes | Plug-in, dimmer-compatible | Plug-in | Plug-in, dimmer-compatible |
| Color | 2200K | 2700K | 2700K | 2700K | 2700K |
| Best for | Patios, porches and deck rails | Dimming and timers from your chair | Wide patios with spaced-out bulbs | Big yards in one run | Permanent patio lighting |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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