Best outdoor wall lights 2022: Illuminate your home and garden from as little as £16

Unless you’re some kind of nocturnal ne’er-do-well, few of us enjoy fumbling around outside after dark. Fortunately, the increasingly wide selection of outdoor wall lights provides plenty of options for illuminating your garden, patio or terrace without spending a fortune in the process. In this guide, you’ll discover the best outdoor wall lights you can buy from as little as £15.

There are good reasons to invest in some outdoor lights – and especially once the cooler spring months begin to blossom into summer. In the warmer months, it’s great to be able to kick back in the garden, throw a few bangers on the BBQ and socialise with friends and family (depending, of course, on current government guidelines). Why let the minor inconvenience of sunset stop the outdoor fun?

Security is another key attraction for external lights, especially those with movement sensors built-in as standard. Indeed, the best outdoor wall lights are as useful for deterring would-be burglars as they are in helping you find your way around your home and garden in the dark of night. And, if you’re lucky, you might even catch your local nocturnal wildlife red-handed for a live-action edition of BBC Springwatch in your own back garden.

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Best outdoor wall lights: At a glance

• Best for security: HETP 78 LED Solar Motion Sensor Security Lights
• Best for flexibility: OUSFOT Solar Light
• Best for classic looks: LASIDE Cylinder Lantern

How to buy the best outdoor wall lights for you

Which type of outdoor wall light do you need?

There are many different types of outdoor wall lights to choose from. You can take your pick of lanterns, floodlights, uplighters, downlighters and combined uplight/downlight fittings, all of which can come in both mains-connected and solar-powered versions.

If you want the maximum amount of light, you’ll want to choose an outdoor floodlight. These can be simple automatic lights which turn on as the sun goes down, while others employ passive infra-red (PIR) sensors to detect movement. Bear in mind, though, that you can usually switch them on manually if you simply want a steady outdoor light while you’re outside.

The other types of wall lights – lanterns, uplighters and downlighters – tend to focus more on style and subtlety than outright power. You can use these to light up dark corners of your property, or add attractive downlighting or uplighting (or indeed both) to the walls around your home.

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How easy is it to install an outdoor wall light?

This depends entirely on the type of light in question. Mains-connected lights are likely to require a good amount of electrical installation experience, and we’d recommend investing in the services of a qualified electrician. When it comes to extending mains cabling through exterior walls to fittings which will be exposed to the elements, you can’t be too careful.

If you want a more fuss-free option, then consider one of the solar-powered lights in our list below. These use solar panels to top up an internal rechargeable battery. All you have to do is grab your drill and mount your wall light where you want it.

It goes without saying, though, that you will need to mount solar-powered lights in an area which receives sunlight if you want the solar panels to work effectively. You can’t install them under a canopy or heavy tree cover and expect them to function well, if at all.

Do the bulbs need replacing regularly?

It depends entirely on which type of bulb you’re talking about. Lights which employ banks of LEDs won’t need replacing in the product’s lifetime, and aren’t replaceable as a result. In any case, it’s likely that the rechargeable battery will fail long before the LEDs start to expire.

If the lights have standard bulb fittings, such as the models below which use GU10 or E27 bulbs, then the service life depends on the bulb in question. For instance, LED GU10 bulbs give off less heat than their cheaper halogen GU10 counterparts, and so tend to fare a little better in the smaller sealed outdoor fittings where heat build-up may possibly cause issues over time. Regardless of the type of bulb in use, however, they’re easy and relatively cheap to replace.

Anything else to consider?

If you’re using your wall light predominantly as a means to keep opportunistic burglars and other dwellers of the dark away, then you’ll definitely want to choose a wall light with a built-in motion sensor.

These sensors can vary in their range and coverage, so you’ll need to have a rough idea of the size of the area you want to monitor and illuminate before being able to select a suitable model. You’ll also want to take care while installing them to make sure that the light’s position allows the sensors to detect movement in the area desired – if it’s easy to evade them, then they’re not going to be much use for security or practicality.

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The best outdoor wall lights to buy in 2022

1. HETP 78 LED Solar Motion Sensor Security Lights: The best outdoor wall light for security

Price: £25 (2 pack) | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re looking for some cheap, effective outdoor lights, then this fully featured twin-pack from HETP is a great option. As you’ll have gathered from the not-particularly-snappy name, each of the two units packs in 78 individual LEDs for exceptional brightness, and they’re both solar powered for a minimum of faff.

Mounting them to the wall is easy – there are screws included in the box – and once they’re in place, the PIR motion sensor will detect movement within a 120º angle and up to 26 feet away. The internal 2,000mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers up to 10 hours of illumination on a full charge, too.

The tough, black ABS case can take anything the elements can throw at it, and HETP claim that they’re heat- and frost-resistant, rust-proof and IP65 waterproof. At this price, it’s hard to argue with the value on offer.

Key specs – Light source: 78 LEDs; Power source: Solar/2,000mAh lithium-ion battery; Motion sensor: Yes; Detection distance: 10-16ft; Colour: Black; Dimensions: 18 x 12.1 x 9.7cm (LWH); Weight: 160g

2. Zenon Lighting ZLCO3 Twin Wall Light: The best outdoor wall light for modern minimalism

Price: £16 | Buy now from Amazon

The affordable, minimalist ZLCO3 wall light from Zenon is just the ticket for adding some uplighting and downlighting style to a house exterior.

These lights are mains powered, so will require some electrical work to get them installed properly, but the finished effect is worth the effort. The two GU10 bulbs in each light bathe walls above and below with an attractive fan of light, and you can take your pick of LED or Halogen bulbs depending on your preference. You can also use coloured GU10 bulbs if you want to add a little more pizzazz to your exterior lighting.

The IP65-rated fittings are completely waterproof, and the robust die cast design of its outer casing means that they’ll last for years, regardless of the Great British weather. In fact, the only minor complaint we’ve seen from users is that the two exterior steel bolts are a little prone to rust, but these are very cheap to replace.

Key specs – Light source: 2 x GU10 LED or halogen (not included); Power source: Mains 240V; Wattage: 35W; Motion sensor: No; Colour: Stainless steel/silver; Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 16cm (LWH); Weight: 640g

3. Powermaster 6 Sided Wall Lantern: The best traditional outdoor wall light

Price: £24 | Buy now from Lamp Shop Online

If modern minimalism leaves you cold, the Powermaster 6 Sided Wall Lantern should prove to be right up your Victorian lamp-lit street.

While its looks may be rooted in the past, its thoroughly modern all-aluminium build makes it lightweight and extremely robust. The light fitting accepts both LED or halogen GLS E27 screw cap bulbs, while its built-in PIR sensor has an 8m range and 120° detection field, making it both the perfect way to welcome you home and help you find your key, as well as being an effective security light.

Available in just the classic black finish seen here, the stylish Powermaster 6 Sided Wall Lantern is a great option for older properties – or for adding a classic look to modern ones.

Key specs – Light source: 1 x LED or halogen GLS E27 screw cap (not included); Power source: Mains 240V; Wattage: 60W; Motion sensor: PIR; Colour: Black; Dimensions: 37 x 23 x 23cm; Weight: 1.22kg

Buy now from Lamp Shop Online

4. OUSFOT Solar Light: The best outdoor wall light for flexibility

Price: £25 | Buy now from Amazon

The OUSFOT may not have the light emitting power of the HETP’s 78 LEDs, but its dual 28-LED arrays still go large on the lumens, and its 360-degree adjustability means that, once affixed to your wall, you can shine a light wherever required without having to move the whole unit.

It’s also supremely easy to install. Just drill the wall, screw the base plate on and mount the light. Once that’s done, each of the LED arrays can be moved independently to illuminate the desired area. This flexibility makes the OUSFOT perfect for lighting up those awkward dark nooks and crannies around sheds and garages.

It is necessary to fully charge the battery for at least eight hours before first use, but once it’s up and running, the OUSFOT is a smart sentry. It automatically turns on when darkness is detected to provide a low, constant light, and increases to full brightness upon activation of the PIR motion sensor. After 30 seconds of no motion detection, the light returns to its dim, constant setting, and turns off completely once dawn breaks.

Key specs – Light source: 2 x 28 LEDs; Power source: Solar; Wattage: 35W; Motion sensor: Yes; Detection distance: 26ft; Colour: Black; Dimensions: 16.2 x 11.6 x 9.6cm (LWH); Weight: 460g