Best Solar Pool Lights for 2024

Solar pool lights are an excellent way of adding a little color and illumination to your pool.

They also have the added benefits of being an environmentally-friendly form of illumination and mean you don’t have to run any trailing cables or wire up grid connected electronics that sit in a pool of water.

So, if you’d like to know how solar pool lights can benefit you during a hot summer night, and discover the best solar pool lights on the market right now, read on!

Best solar pool lights for in and around your pool

As usual, we’ve broken our reviews of the best solar pool lights down by the outstanding factors of the solar pool lights in question.

1. Best overall up – BRIGHTRIGHT Colorize Colorful Pathway Solar Lights

Even with some stiff competition (as you’ll see in the mini-reviews below), we deemed these the best solar pool lights overall. The Colorize Pathway Solar Lights don’t actually sit in the pool, but can be installed on a surface or staked into the ground, either around your pool or as a way of lighting the way to it.

The ultra bright LEDs have four color options and two modes that you can change using a switch under the light itself. 

The lights themselves are IP65 waterproof, and the 1000mAh rechargeable battery gives them around 6-8 hours of light after charging in direct sunlight for a day.

It should be noted that, despite being IP65 waterproof, these lights are not suitable for being placed directly in the pool.

What we like:

• The waterproofing – IP65 waterproofing is ideal for any outdoor electronics that need to survive for long periods of time.
• The color options – The lights are switchable between different colors both as a group and individually. 

What we don’t like:

• Not submersible – These lights are not designed to be put in a pool and are not submersible.

Easy to install, easy to use, and nice and bright, these lights are an excellent addition to the area around your pool, even if they can’t go in it.

2. Best floating – HAPIKAY Solar Floating Pool Lights

The HAPIKAY Solar Floating Pool Lights are an unusual design, with color changing LED lights inside inflated balloons. These are the best solar pool lights for anyone looking to inject a bit of fun and into their outdoor aesthetic!

As you might expect these 14-inch inflated balls are IP68 waterproof, and the colors change automatically every 25-minutes. In addition to white light, the balls will also glow pink, red, purple, blue, aqua, green, and lime.

The charging time for these lights is around  6-8 hours in bright sunlight, which translates into 6-8 hours of light in the dark.

The balls are weighted at the bottom and have a loop at the top so they can be hung instead of floated. 

If there are any issues with your pool lights, the manufacturer will replace or refund the product without any question.

What we like:

• The design – These ball lights are a bright and cheerily colorful addition to your pool, even when switched off.
• The waterproofing – As you might expect for something that goes in a pool, these lights are IP68 waterproof. 

What we don’t like:

• The design – Even though we like it, the child-friendly design won’t be to everyone’s taste.

If the floating balloon style of solar pool light appeals to you, then these lights are easy to use and simple to install. Just turn them on and put them in the pool.

3. Most stylish – DeeprBlu Solar Outdoor Lights

If you liked the solar ball design of the HAPIKAY Solar Floating Pool Lights, but are put off by the circus balloon aesthetics, then the DeeprBlu Solar Outdoor Lights are an excellent alternative. These are some of the best solar pool lights in terms of sheer style – because they look absolutely stunning!

Designed to look like flickering candles or paper lanterns with a clear plastic dome over them, these lights have a few different settings, including steady, pulsating, and simulated flames

The ABS shells of these lights are IP68 waterproof, as you might expect from something designed to float around in a pool. 

the shells can also be removed, which is a nice touch, and the bases are flat, allowing you to use them as basic solar lights outside of the pool.

What we like:

• The look – As you might expect for our ‘most stylish’ pick, we really like the simple but elegant look of these lights.
• The utility- It’s nice to see something designed to be multipurpose, and the fact that you can use these lights in and out of the pool gives them a little more utility.

What we don’t like:

• The number of lamps – With only two lamps per package, these lights can be a little pricey.

Elegant and stylish, these flickering flame lamps can be used anywhere in your garden, as well as the pool.

4. Best for color – GAME Solar Underwater Light Show

If you’re looking for something a little showier than the standard floating lights look, then the GAME Solar Underwater Light Show might be right up your alley!

Basically a pool-based disco ball, this solar-powered pool light works for around 6-8 hours on a full charge and creates a cycle of multicolored light patterns that projects onto the bottom of your pool.

The light also comes with a hook, so it can be hung from a patio cover, umbrella, tree, or ceiling fan for a true disco ball effect.

What we like:

• The light show – This projection unit produces a flash and an exciting light show.
• The quality – The full enclosed shell is both waterproof and dustproof, making it nicely durable.

What we don’t like:

• The single function – Unfortunately, this light only has one speed, party! That’s fun when you want to party, but a more sedate option would have been nice.

The GAME Solar Underwater Light Show is ideal if you want to host a lot of even garden parties and want the pool to be an added light feature.

5. Best for pool parties – Westinghouse Solar Pool Light and Bluetooth Speaker

Everyone loves a summer pool party, and the Westinghouse Solar Pool Light and Bluetooth Speaker means the party doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down, and you can bring your favorite tunes into the pool with you. This is without doubt one of the best solar pool lights for parties!

Despite the speaker mesh on the top, the light is IPX7 waterproof, so fully submersible. The light itself can be set to bright white or a color changing setting to add a bit of atmosphere. 

While this speaker/light combo will charge using its solar panel, it can also be charged using a micro USB cable if you run into battery issues.

You can also pair two of these lights together for double the lights and double the volume.

What we like:

• The quality – The  Westinghouse Solar Pool Light and Bluetooth Speaker is IPX7 waterproof and has a quality durable feel.
• The multiple charging options – The addition of micro USB charging gives this light/speaker combo more utility.

What we don’t like:

• Muffled – Fully submerging the speaker makes the sound come out a little muffled, and it takes a while to dry out.

A Westinghouse Solar Pool Light and Bluetooth Speaker or two make an excellent addition to any pool party.

What to look for when buying solar pool lights?

Now that you’ve got a better idea of what’s on the market, here is our guide to buying your own pool lights.

Color and design

A color changing option for your pool lights is always a nice addition, especially if it can be switched on and off. In our list of the best solar pool lights above, half of the products have color changing options; which goes to show how popular color is when it comes to pool lighting

When choosing a design for your lights, it’s also important to differentiate between lights designed to go around the outside of your pool, and those that are designed to float in it.

Materials

You’ll want your pool lights to be made of a durable material, like ABS, and ideally have a decent waterproofing rating, something around the IP68 or IPX7 standard.

Extra functions 

Extra functions are the icing on the cake. These include light shows, alternate charging options, speakers, and a range of other options. Which ones you’ll need will depend on your specific situation.

Brightness and solar function

Slightly more important is figuring out how long your battery will last after a full day of charging. Not all solar lights have the same sized battery or the same function time. Make sure you check before you buy.

Warranty 

As with most outdoor electronics, we do suggest you prioritize getting models with a warranty that covers you for at least 6-months, just to cover any manufacturing faults.

The best solar pool lights for 2024

Solar pool lights are a great way to add some illumination and atmosphere to your pool without having to worry about installing complex electronics. Even better, because they use solar energy, they’re also an environmentally friendly option, so you can do your bit for the planet and still light your pool.

In our list of the best solar pool lights – we found the BRIGHTRIGHT Colorize Colorful Pathway Solar Lights to be the best overall, due to the fact that they have more than one use, but the others on the list are still strong contenders. Be sure to check those out when you’re ready to upgrade your outdoor aesthetic!

Wondering if you can heat your pool without spending a fortune? Check out our posts on the best solar pool heaters and solar pool covers on the market.