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The most important thing to look for in outdoor Christmas lights is that they’re outdoor-rated.
The Spruce
This ensures they can endure snow, rain, and sun with ease.
The bulb bang out and shape are also important considerations when shopping.
C9 bulbs are large and tear-shaped.
The Spruce
These are great for outdoors and covering large areas.
are unmatched in terms of aesthetics and quality.
While testing, we loved the vintage look that the textured glass on these bulbs emanates.
PHOTO: Amazon
Since they have a green wire, they would also work well indoors on a Christmas tree.
Plus, they have a one-piece construction to avoid water seeping through and damaging the lights.
Luckily, these lights are designed to remain lit, even if one bulb goes out.
These multicolor LED lights earned our top spot for their classic look and easy installation.The Spruce
Smart lights make it easy to constantly switch between different colors and light shows depending on your mood.
We found these lights easily synced to an app and made controlling and changing the display seamless and exciting.
We wrapped these around our outdoor pillars and loved how easy it was to maneuver the rope lights.
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
Since the lights are small, we recommend using them on trees, shrubs, and railings.
They might be too tiny for rooflines, but we loved the brightness they provided.
We used small hooks to keep these up, but think they could improve with an included adhesive.
The large bulbs perfectly matched the scale of the our oversized tree.The Spruce
We plan to use these on ourindoor Christmas treeeventually, so we love the versatility of options.
you’re able to even connect the lights to your Alexa or Google Home unit for voice-controlled decorating.
It took just five minutes to hang the 9-foot string of lights on our rain gutters using hooks.
PHOTO: The Spruce
Luckily, the wind and rain during our testing period didn’t impact the lights at all.
We loved the look and brightness of these lights.
These lights also don’t include any special effects or brightness controls.
The netting and the bulbs are IP44-rated, so they’ll withstand rain and snow.
During testing, we experienced an intense rainstorm, and the lights worked like new.
One thing about net lights is that they are difficult to store and can easily get tangled.
We recommend rolling them around a cylinder-shaped object or folding them in individual bags.
This will make it easier to unfold your lights for next year.
They use 75 percent less energy to operate,allowing you to connect more strands.
We found that theyre particularly dim when the weather is cloudy or rainy.
Each strand is 29.5 feet long, and they feature 100 bulbs on classic green wire.
We thought these lights were of average brightness and liked the traditional appearance of the warm mini lights.
If you live in a particularly rainy or snowy area, consider ourbest large-bulb lightsinstead.
They have a one-piece bulb and socket to prevent water from getting inside.
Measure all the straight lines of the house and add them together.
Dont forget to measure the distance to your power source!"
The adorable lights resemble huge versions of classic multicolor Christmas light bulbs.
The pack of five lights is easy to assemble and install.
You must connect each light to its stake and then stake it into the ground.
We recommend getting a set of two for each side of your pathway.
We found them bright enough to feel safe walking in our yard during the night.
“In general, never use mini lights on a roofline, he says.
For roof lines and evergreen trees 20 feet and over, you want the larger C9 LED bulbs.”
Our best large-bulb option, theChristmas Lights Etc.
C9 Warm White LED Christmas Lights, is a great choice for decorating large spaces.
For example, we used these on a large tree in our yard.
Plus, they turn on automatically after charging in the sun all day.
But, they may be slightly too small for rooflines.
This pick features different strands of lights with large blue snowflakes hung in between.
During testing, we were pleasantly surprised by how many lights held up well in inclement weather.
PHOTO: The Spruce
you’re free to connect up to 90 strands of our best large-bulb lights, theChristmas Lights Etc.
C9 Warm White LED Christmas Lights, which is the highest amount on our list.
Smart Lights Come With Extra Features
Several lights on our list are considered “smart lights.”
We noticed while testing that the adapter on the cord wasn’t waterproof.The Spruce
This makes them extra durable for outdoor use.
If you prefer the standard look of classic Christmas lights, we get it.
Why Trust The Spruce?
PHOTO: The Spruce
Our Experts:
Led lighting,Energy.Gov.
You can give the illusion of icicles hanging from your home with icicle string lights.PHOTO: The Spruce
These cool white snowflake lights were bright enough to see from our street.The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
We recommend anchoring the lights to the fence with zip ties to secure them against high winds.The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: Amazon
These lights provide an attractive warm glow on our roof line without the need for cords or plugs.The Spruce
PHOTO: Amazon
These lights would look equally stunning on railings and shrubs as did on our Christmas tree.The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
We recommend buying two sets of these cheery lights to line both sides of your pathway.The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
Brightness and color are key when using mini outdoor lights.The Spruce
Discrete clips allow you to simply leave them on your home year-round.The Spruce
We used an app to change the color of these net lights, including this fun rainbow design.The Spruce