These Outdoor String Lights Can Add Instant Charm to Your Backyard and Patio (2024)

This set of stylish Edison-style bulbs is an excellent deal with 50 bulbs spanning 50 feet for less than $40. The incandescent G40 glass globes are roughly 1.5 inches each and cast soft white light over your dining table or large patio.

These bulbs have an E12 base—the same base you might see in your chandelier lightbulbs—and an estimated 1,000-hour lifespan. They’re spaced 12 inches apart on the wire and have a six-inch lead so you can take advantage of all the lights, with clips on each light for stringing these along a wire or tent.

You can buy this model in lengths up to 100 feet, and the set is both waterproof and dimmable. The two spare replacement bulbs included with the string lights are a nice bonus.

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The main advantages of using LED outdoor lights is that they’re energy-efficient and don’t need to be replaced as often.

This set comes from LA-based Brightech, known for its high-quality, affordable, designer-style lighting. These lights have a 48-foot-long cord with 15 Edison glass bulbs strung three feet apart, and they can be connected to up to seven additional strands.

The set is waterproof and dimmable, making it a great pick for your outdoor eating area, and the eyelets overtop each bulb make it easy to string these up.

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This set has a weather-resistant wire that’s 24 feet long, with 25 incandescent glass Edison bulbs spaced one foot apart, making it an excellent value at under $20.

The strand is dimmable, and you can connect up to three sets end to end for a maximum of 432 watts. The G40 bulbs are five watts each and have an E12 base, but there aren’t any replacement bulbs included.

White wire string lights always look elegant outdoors and are often used for summer weddings and showers. Several additional wire colors and lengths are available to match your party vibe.

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These trendy frosted globes bring an upscale vibe and a warm glow to any space. There are 50 incandescent G50 bulbs spaced one foot apart on the 50-foot, heavy-gauge wire which can be connected end-to-end with other sets for a 959-watt maximum.

The bulbs are said to have a 3,000-hour lifespan and the set is available with a green or white wire in addition to the black that’s shown. The green wire option is perfect for stringing these through a tree for year-round twinkling lights.

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No need to worry about finding an outlet for your outdoor string lights with this solar-powered set. The 27-foot wire has 12 plastic LED bulbs strung 20 inches apart. You can easily hang them underneath a patio umbrella thanks to the six-inch lead from the first light to the solar panel.

Expect five to six hours of light if the panel is charged for six hours in direct sunlight, and less in indirect light. The S14 LED bulbs are replaceable and said to have a 20,000-hour lifespan. Although there aren’t any extras included, the set does comes with a clip and stake to attach to the solar panel.

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Romantic fairy lights work best when clustered or wrapped around landmarks like tree branches and poles. This set has 100 bright LED bulbs on a 33-foot-long bendable copper wire.

There are eight options for illumination, from twinkling to waves to flashing, plus they’re solar-powered and have a built-in rechargeable battery. This comes with two sets, which makes it a great value for the price, but they may not last as long as the bulb lights we recommend.

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These industrial-style outdoor lights look sleek and their metal cages help protect the bulbs if you accidentally drop the wire. The 20-foot waterproof wire is strung with 12 clear incandescent glass bulbs that give off a warm, soft glow.

They’re spaced 20 inches apart, with a 10-inch lead on both ends. The set is dimmable and waterproof, with G40 bulbs that have an E12 base. No extra bulbs are included, but it does come with 10 metal hooks and four plastic clips.

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This classic outdoor string light set features 10 mini white lanterns strung on a 9.8-foot-long wire. They’re illuminated with warm white 0.6-watt LED bulbs, which look great in any outdoor setting (but don’t provide a ton of light, so grab some tabletop lanterns for extra visibility).

The globes are roughly three inches in diameter and made from nylon to hold up in the rain. They’re strung 5.5 inches apart on the water-resistant wire, which can be connected with additional sets end-to-end with a 216-watt max.

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These irresistible, oh-so-summery novelty outdoor string lights are as festive as they come. You can never go wrong with pineapples, but the pink flamingos are equally appealing.

There are 10 incandescent light fixtures placed nine inches apart on a nine-foot-long white wire and an 18-inch lead before the first bulb. They’re sold in single strands, but you can connect them end-to-end, so your best bet for value is to buy the two-pack linked here.

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