# The 6 Best Outdoor String Lights on Amazon in 2026 > Best outdoor string lights in 2026: plug-in G40 globe and Edison bistro strands, a remote-and-timer set, two solar strings and an incandescent Edison set. Guide: https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/ · Updated 2026-10-02 · By TwelveTabs · Search it live: https://twelvetabs.com/?q=outdoor%20string%20lights&guide=best-outdoor-string-lights As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are independently researched, written by TwelveTabs AI and never sponsored. Prices and ratings change often: see the guide for today's. ## The top picks - **A plug-in G40 globe set with 24 inch bulb spacing:** Brightown 29FT G40 Outdoor String Lights. A plug-in set whose listing gives 12 shatterproof plastic G40 LED bulbs plus a spare on 24-inch spacing, IP65 weatherproofing, UL588 certification for year-round outdoor use and end-to-end connection. - **A plug-in Edison bistro strand with 15 sockets:** addlon 48FT Edison LED Outdoor String Lights. A plug-in strand whose listing gives 15 hanging sockets with shatterproof E17 LED Edison bulbs 3.11 feet apart, ETL-listed commercial-grade construction, dimmer compatibility and connection of up to 28 strands. - **A plug-in G40 set with a remote, timer and four brightness levels:** addlon 100FT G40 Outdoor String Lights with Remote. A plug-in 100 foot G40 set whose listing gives a remote with four brightness levels, a 2, 4, 6 or 8 hour timer, three lighting modes, ETL certification with IP65 weatherproofing and connection up to 200 feet. - **A solar strand with a detachable panel and a stake:** Brightech Ambience Pro Solar String Lights, 27 ft. A solar string whose listing gives 27 feet with 12 LED bulbs 20 inches apart, a detachable solar panel with an on/off switch, a stake and clip, and WeatherTite weatherproofing rated for winds up to 50 MPH. - **A solar strand with USB charging and a remote:** addlon 52FT Solar Edison String Lights. A solar string whose listing gives solar charging with a USB option, a remote with three brightness and three light modes, and 16 sockets with 17 shatterproof Edison bulbs including a spare. - **A plug-in incandescent Edison set with 15 bulbs three feet apart:** Brightech Ambience Pro Incandescent String Lights, 48 ft. A plug-in string whose listing gives 48 feet with 15 hanging 11 watt Edison bulbs three feet apart, old-fashioned filaments for a warm glow, WeatherTite weatherproofing and approval for residential and commercial lighting. Our top pick is the **[Brightown 29FT G40 Outdoor String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-1)**, a plug-in set of 12 shatterproof G40 LED globes on 24-inch spacing. We read 124 Amazon search cards for “outdoor string lights”, set aside the 28 sponsored ones and compared ten contenders on their own pages, plus three Feit listings we checked against Wirecutter's pick. Six strands stayed. The [addlon 48FT Edison LED Outdoor String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-2) are a bistro-style plug-in strand with 15 sockets, and the [addlon 100FT G40 Outdoor String Lights with Remote](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-3) add a remote and a timer. Two strands run on solar: the [Brightech Ambience Pro Solar String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-4) have a detachable panel and a stake, and the [addlon 52FT Solar Edison String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-5) add a remote and USB charging. The [Brightech Ambience Pro Incandescent String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-6) use old-fashioned Edison bulbs. A string light here is a cord with bulbs on sockets spaced along it, powered by a plug or a solar panel. LED strip tape, rope lights, fairy-wire sets and color-changing smart strips are not picks. For lamps that sit on a table or the ground, see our [outdoor lamp guide](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-lamps/). ## How to choose outdoor string lights **Plug-in or solar.** The Spruce says a plug-in strand suits you if you have an outdoor outlet, and a solar or battery strand suits you if you do not. It adds that plug-in lights have limited placement and their plugs are often not weatherproof, while a solar panel with direct sun turns the lights on every night at dusk. The [Brightown G40 String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-1), the [addlon 48FT String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-2), the [addlon G40 String Lights with Remote](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-3) and the [Brightech Incandescent String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-6) plug in, and the [Brightech Solar String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-4) and the [addlon Solar String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-5) run on solar. **Bulb type and light color.** The Spruce calls LED the most common bulb, with the longest life and best energy savings, and Jessica Welling Interiors says incandescent strands use far more electricity and need glass bulbs. She recommends warm or soft white light. The [Brightech Incandescent String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-6) are the one incandescent pick here, and its listing describes old-fashioned filaments for a warm glow. **Bulb spacing.** Jessica Welling Interiors found spacing ranging from 8 to 38 inches in the strands it compared, and some strands carry only 15 bulbs on a 50 foot cord. Spacing sets how much light you get. The listing for the [Brightown Outdoor String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-1) gives 24 inches, the [Brightech Ambience Pro Solar](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-4) gives 20 inches, and the [addlon 48FT Edison String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-2) and the [Brightech Ambience Pro Incandescent](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-6) give about three feet. **Timer and remote.** The Spruce quotes a landscape designer who suggests a 3 to 5 hour window from sunset and says a timer makes that automatic. Only the [addlon 100FT G40 String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-3) lists a built-in timer, at 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours, and the [addlon Solar Edison String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-5) list a remote with brightness and light modes. ## Our picks in detail ### 1. Brightown 29FT G40 Outdoor String Lights: best for a plug-in G40 globe set **Why it made the list** - Its listing describes 12 shatterproof plastic G40 LED bulbs with a spare, each a 1.5-inch E12 base bulb, on a plug-in cord. - It lists 12 hanging sockets on 18-inch leads with 24-inch bulb spacing, and end-to-end connection. - The listing names IP65 weatherproofing and UL588 certification for year-round outdoor use. - Amazon's own summary describes a warm glow and easy hanging. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary flags durability, saying bulbs break easily and do not last. - A 3-star snippet says the bulbs are very widely spaced and the light output is fairly low. **Watch for this:** the page we read opened on the 29 ft size in black, and the same line in other lengths shares this rating total. **Skip it if** you want closely spaced bulbs: 24 inches between sockets leaves gaps on a short strand. ### 2. addlon 48FT Edison LED Outdoor String Lights: best for a plug-in Edison bistro strand **Why it made the list** - Its listing gives 15 vintage-inspired hanging sockets with shatterproof E17 LED Edison bulbs, 3.11 feet apart. - It lists ETL-listed, commercial-grade weatherproof construction with dual parallel wiring. - The listing says up to 28 strands connect together and the strand works with a dimmer, which is not included. - Amazon's own summary describes a warm glow and a look of real glass. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on durability and bulb life, with some reporting burned-out bulbs. - A 1-star snippet says it needs a wall plug, not USB as the writer expected. **Watch for this:** the same Edison title is sold in 24 ft with the same rating total, and one snippet mentions both 48 ft and 72 ft strands, so the figures span lengths. **Skip it if** you want light from a solar panel or a USB source: this strand plugs into a wall outlet. ### 3. addlon 100FT G40 Outdoor String Lights with Remote: best for a plug-in G40 set with a remote and timer **Why it made the list** - Its listing gives a remote that switches between 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent brightness. - It lists a 2, 4, 6 or 8 hour timer and three lighting modes: steady on, breath and flash. - The listing names ETL certification and IP65 weatherproofing, and says up to four 50 ft strings connect while keeping full remote control. - Amazon's own summary describes good ambiance and easy installation, with grommet tops that make attaching simple. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on durability and functionality, with some reporting that bulbs break easily and lights stop working. - A 3-star snippet says the bulbs were 5000K white, not the 2700K warm light in the description, and a 1-star snippet says the set it received was not dimmable. **Watch for this:** two critical snippets say what arrived differed from the description, so check the bulb color and dimming when the set comes. One snippet praises a 48-foot length, so the rating total spans lengths of this set. **Skip it if** you want a strand with a fixed, known warm color: the color is the point where the snippets disagree. ### 4. Brightech Ambience Pro Solar String Lights, 27 ft: best for a solar strand with a detachable panel **Why it made the list** - Its listing gives 27 feet with 12 LED lights 20 inches apart and a detachable solar panel with an on/off switch. - The panel can sit almost anywhere with the included stake and clip, so no outlet is needed. - The listing names WeatherTite weatherproofing that withstood winds up to 50 MPH, rain and snow, and shatterproof S14 bulbs. - Amazon's own summary says it comes on as soon as it gets dark. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on brightness and on how long it stays lit, from several hours to only an hour or two. - The Spruce notes that solar strings need direct sunlight on the panel to run every night. **Skip it if** you need a bright, even wash of light: a solar strand with 12 bulbs gives a soft glow. ### 5. addlon 52FT Solar Edison String Lights: best for a solar strand with USB charging and a remote **Why it made the list** - Its listing gives a remote with three brightness modes, soft, bright and super bright, and three light modes: breathing, flashing and constant. - It lists solar charging from eight hours of sunlight plus a USB charging option. - The listing describes 16 sockets with 17 shatterproof Edison bulbs, one of them a spare, and all-weather construction. - Amazon's own summary describes a good appearance and a cozy look for a backyard. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary is mixed on brightness, reliability and durability, and some say it did not last one season. - A 3-star snippet says it was too dim and the brighter remote setting made no visible difference. **Skip it if** you want the brightest option for lighting up a path: a 3-star snippet calls it too dim for that job. ### 6. Brightech Ambience Pro Incandescent String Lights, 48 ft: best for an incandescent Edison set **Why it made the list** - Its listing gives 48 feet with 15 hanging 11 watt bulbs spaced three feet apart, approved for residential and commercial lighting. - It lists WeatherTite weatherproofing that withstood winds up to 50 MPH, rain and snow. - The listing describes vintage Edison bulbs with old-fashioned filaments for a warm, old-time glow. - Amazon's own summary describes a soft glow that is not overpowering and an easy hang. **Drawbacks** - Amazon's own summary says some bulbs stopped working. - Jessica Welling Interiors says incandescent strands use far more electricity than LED ones. **Skip it if** you want shatterproof plastic bulbs: the listing text we read does not say these are shatterproof. ## What we left out, and why Of the 124 result cards, 96 were not sponsored, and 106 different products showed up. We opened ten product pages and kept six strands, then opened three Feit listings to check Wirecutter's pick. Seven listings were left out: - **Outdoor String Lights, 200FT Smart RGB+IC Patio Lights (B0GGZZB3MM).** Its summary and snippets describe adhesive LED strip lights, not a plug-in socket string, so its rating total is not this listing's and it fails the definition used here. - **Brightown 108FT 52LED Solar String Lights (B0DW8LG5X5).** A third solar strand with a remote and a USB port, the same type as the addlon solar pick, and a 2-star snippet says no remote came in the box. - **Brightech Ambience Pro Solar Powered Outdoor String Lights, 48 ft (B07XC78KJC).** The same solar line as the 27 ft pick in a longer length, and a 3-star snippet says the bulbs are very far apart and pretty dim. - **100FT Outdoor String Lights 52 Bulbs (B0B4NT4J28).** The listing text we read names no brand, and a 1-star snippet says many bulbs did not work on first use. - **Feit LED String Lights (B0CP4JV5LF).** The listing text we read repeats only its title, so it gives no reasons to rank it. - **Feit Electric 48 ft. LED String Lights (B0FTG4QBQ9).** The listing text we read gives five short lines with no spacing or certification. - **Feit Electric Outdoor String Lights (B07GH7RKB9).** A 1-star snippet calls it an imitation not made by Feit, and its page shows no Prime delivery. Wirecutter names the Feit Electric 48' LED Filament String Light Set its top pick for string lights, and we could not match it to one Amazon listing, so there is no Wirecutter entry in the comparison table. Three Feit 48 ft listings exist. B0FTG4QBQ9 and B07GH7RKB9 both match on brand, length and filament LED bulbs, so the match is not unique, and B0CP4JV5LF matches on brand and length only. ## Questions people ask ### What are the best outdoor string lights? It depends on power and bulb type. The [Brightown G40 String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-1) are the plug-in globe pick, the [Brightech Ambience Pro Solar](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-4) strand is the solar pick, and the [Brightech Ambience Pro Incandescent](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-6) strand is the old-style Edison pick. ### Are solar or plug-in outdoor string lights better? The Spruce says a plug-in strand suits you if you have an outdoor outlet and a solar or battery strand suits you if you do not. It also notes that solar panels need direct sunlight. The [addlon Solar String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-5) add a USB charging option. ### How long do outdoor string lights last? The Spruce calls LED the bulb type with the longest life, and its designer source advises against leaving string lights on all night, suggesting a 3 to 5 hour window. The [addlon G40 String Lights with Remote](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-3) list a timer for this. ### Are incandescent string lights worse than LED? Jessica Welling Interiors says incandescent strands use far more electricity than LED and need glass bulbs, which are easier to break. The [Brightech Incandescent String Lights](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-outdoor-string-lights/#pick-6) are the incandescent pick here for the warm, old-style look. ### How did TwelveTabs choose these outdoor string lights? We began with Amazon's own results for “outdoor string lights”, read each contender's page and set aside listings that were not plug-in or solar socket strings, pooled rating totals, repeats of a type and Feit listings we could not match to Wirecutter's pick. The six that remain are described from their listings and Amazon's summaries of them. ## How we researched On October 2, 2026 we read the first two pages of Amazon's results for “outdoor string lights”: 124 result cards, 28 of them sponsored, and 106 distinct products. AI compared them, read the Amazon pages of ten contenders plus three Feit listings, set aside a listing whose reviews describe adhesive LED strips, a third solar strand, a longer length of a solar pick, an unbranded strand and the Feit listings, and chose six. AI wrote this guide from that research. Listings change: we read them on October 2, 2026, and a length, color or seller may differ today. Several strands show one rating total across lengths, so a figure may cover a length other than the one shown. Our reading kept about the first 200 characters of each listing bullet, so a feature may exist that the text we read does not name. ### Sources - [The Spruce: The Best Outdoor String Lights](https://www.thespruce.com/best-outdoor-string-lights-4163491) - [Jessica Welling Interiors: The Best String Lights](https://jessicawellinginteriors.com/the-best-string-lights/) - [Wirecutter: Outdoor and Backyard Lighting We Love](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-led-lantern/)