If your goal is to keep your home safe and secure, a high-quality security light is a must-have household item. The best security lights are motion activated and can illuminate your entire yard. These lights are ideal for several areas around your home, including the front door, garage, driveway, sidewalk, backyard, porch, deck, fence, and shed.
Many security lights include waterproof technology for use in all types of wet weather conditions, such as rain, sleet, and snow. They can be installed wirelessly and provide wide ranges of automatic lighting. We took a look at the best security lights currently on the market. Whether you’re looking for great value, durability, or versatility, read on to see which is the best fit for your outdoor household needs.
Best Overall
Mr. Beams MB3000 High-Performance Wireless Security Spotlight
Best Value
LITOM Original Outdoor Solar Lights
Honorable Mention
SANSI LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Lights
Benefits of Security Lights
- Eliminates shadows: Perhaps the most obvious benefit of security lights is that they’ll get rid of shadows around your property. This allows for clear visibility around your home at night to see any possible intruders.
- Decreases critters: Security lights can be a major deterrent for critters and small animals that invade your property at night. Motion sensors can detect and scare off small critters like skunks and raccoons to prevent any unwanted damage to your home or lawn.
- Increases property value: High-quality security lights are an important feature that will help your property stand out if you ever consider selling. Security lights increase the overall value of your property and make it more appealing to potential buyers.
Types of Security Lights
Motion-Activated
Motion-activated security lights feature a sensor that automatically turns the light on whenever it senses movement at night or in the dark. Most motion-activated security lights are energy efficient, meaning they have sensors that detect whether it’s light or dark. Therefore, the lights will be activated only when motion is detected between dusk and dawn.
Timed
In contrast to motion-activated security lights, timed security lights allow you to keep your home and property lit up during all hours of the night if desired. You can adjust the time and hours your lights operate depending on the season and how long you need the lights to be on. This type of security light may not be as energy efficient depending on how the timer is utilized.
Flood
Floodlights are the most commonly used type of security lights. This type is extremely powerful and bright enough to light up your entire property or yard. If you’re looking for an energy-efficient option, consider using a floodlight with LED bulbs. They’re brighter than comparable types of bulbs, but they use only a fraction of the energy.
Top Brands
Mr. Beams
Founded in 2006 by two friends under the original name, Wireless Environment, this reputable company expanded to the Mr. Beams line of products in 2008. After becoming available on Amazon, the company’s products soon became best-sellers. In addition to security lights, Mr. Beams produces a variety of indoor lighting and outdoor lighting products.
LITOM
LITOM was founded in 2013 and currently produces innovative lighting products to customers from all over the world. The company specializes in energy efficiency and solar power. In addition to security lights, LITOM produces landscaping lights and accessories.
SANSI
SANSI was founded in 1993 and has been dedicated to technological innovation and a wide range of LED applications for more than 15 years. With 500 in-house engineers, 2,000 employees, and three factories, SANSI has grown to more than 40 nations on five continents. In addition to security lights, the company produces LED bulbs and many other types of LED lights.
Security Lights Pricing
- Under $20: Security lights in this price range provide excellent value. They’re high-quality lights, but may not be quite as reputable or durable as comparable products on the market.
- $20-$40: This is the most common price range for security lights. These lights typically feature quality motion detectors and a large area of light coverage.
- Over $40: Security lights in this price range are the most expensive but very high quality. These security lights are energy efficient, typically feature long-lasting LED bulbs, and are extremely durable.
Key Features
Motion Detection
Perhaps the most important feature of security lights is motion detection. A security light with a high-quality motion sensor eliminates shadows around your property and provides excellent safety. In addition to being an alert to possible intruders, motion detectors prevent critters from invading your home or damaging your property.
Battery
The type of battery is another key feature when shopping for security lights. Many of the best security lights feature rechargeable lithium batteries. Rechargeable batteries can easily be removed and charged for an excellent energy-efficient option. Some security lights are solar-powered, which allows the unit to charge during daylight hours. Make sure whatever option you buy has a quality, long-lasting battery.
Weatherproof
Since your security lights will be installed outdoors, it’s important to purchase a model that’s completely resistant to water and all types of hazardous conditions. The best security lights feature ratings of IP65-certified and above. This makes the lights water-resistant and able to hold up in a variety of conditions, including rain, sleet, hail, snow, wind, and more.
Other Considerations
- Wireless: Purchasing a set of security lights that’s wire-free is another important feature to consider when shopping. With a high-quality set of wireless lights, you don’t have to worry about electrical issues with the wiring or needing to set up your lights near a power outlet.
- Smart Controls: Smart controls are a more recent consideration for modern versions of security lights. Having a set of lights that can be controlled with the touch of a button from your smartphone, tablet, or computer is an important feature to consider. Some recent security lights have apps that can be installed on your personal devices to control the lights remotely.
- Warranty: The type of warranty included with your security lights is an important feature to consider. Most brands come with some type of warranty or guaranteed lifespan. It’s important to buy from a reputable company that stands behind its products. That way, if there is some defect or issue with your lights, they can be returned or refunded with no questions asked.
Best Security Light Reviews & Recommendations 2021
Best Overall
Mr. Beams MB3000 High Performance Wireless Security Spotlight
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Best Value
LITOM Original Outdoor Solar Lights
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Best Premium
SANSI LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Lights
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Most Durable
LEPOWER 35W LED Security Lights
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Most Versatile
JJC LED Security Lights
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Honorable Mention
BAXIA Technology Solar Security Lights
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Honorable Mention
Torchstar Security Floodlight
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Tips
- When installing your security lights, make sure to choose an area that’s high enough off the ground, both for lighting purposes and for ensuring your lights aren’t tampered with.
- If your security lights have a motion sensor, it may be a good idea to try them out the first night, and then adjust your lighting radius or reposition your lights to maximize the efficiency.
- If you own a solar-powered option, make sure it’s positioned to receive enough sunlight to recharge your lights throughout the day.
- If possible, consider models that use LED bulbs. These models are energy efficient and provide long-lasting power. With LED bulbs, you won’t have to climb up to your security lights to replace them as often.
- Unless you purchase a security light with multiple heads and a large lighting radius, you may want to consider buying multiple lights or a value pack to light your entire property.
FAQs
Q: Which are the best security lights?
A: A number of high-quality security lights are currently available on the market. Depending on the size and shape of your property, the type of light you should purchase will vary. But consider lights with motion detection, LED bulbs, and rechargeable battery options to start.
Q: How many lumens should a security light have?
A: The number of lumens a security light should have greatly varies depending on the size of your property and lighting area that you need to cover. But consider a motion-detection light between 300 and 700 lumens as a good starting point.
Q: How do you adjust a security light?
A: Security lights can usually be easily adjusted manually. Consult your manual for specific instructions pertaining to your exact model or brand. There’s often a switch on the back to adjust between different lighting modes, as long as your model comes with multiple lighting modes.
Q: How do I keep my outside security light on?
A: If you own a motion-detection light and want to keep it on throughout the night, there’s usually a switch on the back that can be turned to the “on” or “always-on” mode. Make sure to double-check before buying to see if this option is available for the security light you’re looking to purchase.
Final Thoughts
For a high-quality security light, consider the Mr. Beams MB3000 High-Performance Wireless Security Spotlight, featuring coverage up to 800 square feet, or the LITOM Original Outdoor Solar Lights, with 270 degrees of illumination and a range of up to 36 feet.
Drop us a comment and let us know what your favorite security light is and what you love about it.