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Christmas lights add a festive glow and warmth to various areas of your home during the holiday season. Whether you’re looking to accent your Christmas tree, eaves, front yard, windows, or something else entirely, we have you covered.
To help you find the perfect lighting, our team took a close look at some of the best Christmas lights available this season. Here are our top recommendations.
Top 5 Christmas Lights
- Most Durable: JMEXSUSS LED String Lights
- Best For Trees: Prextex Christmas Light Set
- Best Length: SANJICHA Extra-Long Lights
- Best White Lights: 612 Vermont Clear Christmas Lights
- Most Eco-Friendly: Joomer Solar Christmas Lights
Compare Top Christmas Lights
| Product | Number of Bulbs | Bulb Color | Wiring Color | Other Colors | Light Modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JMEXSUSS LED String Lights | 200 | Warm white | Clear | Yes | 8 |
| Prextex Christmas Light Set | 100 | Warm white | Green | Yes | 1 |
| SANJICHA Extra-Long Lights | 200 | Warm white | Clear | Yes | 8 |
| 612 Vermont Clear Christmas Lights | 100 | Warm white | White | No | 1 |
| Joomer Solar Christmas Lights | 200 | Multicolor | Black | Yes | 8 |
| Product | Number of Bulbs | Bulb Color | Wiring Color | Other Colors | Light Modes |
Most Durable
JMEXSUSS LED String Lights
- $18.99
- $25.99
- 27% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Includes a built-in memory chip that saves your last setting
✔ Can withstand heavy rain and snow
✔ Comes with a one-year warranty
✘ Can turn off randomly, according to some customers
✘ Has been described as too dim by some customers
Key Features
- 200 bulbs
- Warm white light color
- Clear wiring
- Also available with blue, multicolor, and cool white bulbs
- Eight light modes
What Customers Are Saying
Most reviewers we found stated that they enjoyed the various modes that these lights offered. Some customers also commented on their beautiful glow. Those who were unsatisfied with their purchase said that the lights turned off randomly.
Best For Trees
PREXTEX Christmas Lights
- $12.99
- $13.99
- 7% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Comes with two extra bulbs and fuses
✔ Can connect to five other sets to cover an entire tree
✔ Also safe for outdoor use
✘ Some customers had dead bulbs upon arrival
✘ The bulbs sometimes get overly hot
Key Features
- 100 bulbs
- Warm white light color
- Green wiring
What Customers Are Saying
We found that several reviewers stated that the lights were well-made and had a lovely, warm hue. Many also complimented the versatility of the lights. However, some said that the lights were too short for larger trees.
Best Length
SANJICHA Extra-Long Lights
- $18.98
- $22.99
- 17% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Designed to be super bright
✔ Has clear wiring to stay hidden
✔ Has eight lighting modes
✘ Stopped working for some customers after a few years
✘ Has arrived in the wrong color for some customers
Key Features
- 200 bulbs
- Warm white light color
- Clear wiring
- Also available with blue, multicolor, purple, and cool white bulbs
- Eight light modes
What Customers Are Saying
Customers that we found complimented these lights’ ease of installation and sheerness. Most customers agreed that the lights were beautiful and offered unique settings. Customers who weren’t satisfied with their purchase said the lights didn’t work well in uncovered outdoor areas.
Best White Lights
612 Vermont Clear Christmas Lights
- $12.49
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Has a UL certification for indoor and outdoor use
✔ Includes two replacement bulb
✔ Available in single packs or multipacks
✘ Has a short 20-foot total length
✘ Was too bright for some customers
Key Features
- 100 bulbs
- Warm white light color
- White wiring
- Also available in a two-pack or with 50 bulbs per string
What Customers Are Saying
Customers said that these Christmas lights were long-lasting and bright. However, we saw disappointed reviewers who noted that the bulbs burned out quickly, forcing them to use the replacement bulbs included in their purchase too soon.
Most Eco-Friendly
Joomer Solar Christmas Lights
- $29.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Can be purchased in other color options, including blue and purple
✔ Comes in a pack of two
✔ Has an on/off button and a mode button to cycle through the eight settings
✘ Has to be used outdoors
✘ Has to absorb enough sunlight during the day to work at night
Key Features
- 200 bulbs
- Multicolor bulbs
- Black wiring
- Also available with blue, green, purple, red, warm white, cool white, warm white, and multicolor bulbs
- Eight light modes
What Customers Are Saying
Reviewers said they enjoyed the brightness and ease of installation of these lights. Many also complimented their various modes. However, we also found that some customers said the bulbs died quickly.
Buying Guide to Christmas Lights
Christmas lights are a beloved holiday decoration for many families. Some choose to go all-out in their display for maximum holiday spirit, lining their yards and windows with colorful outdoor Christmas lights, while others prefer a more reserved display.
When deciding what Christmas light display is best for your home, it’s important to consider several factors, such as the bulb type and color, the length of the lights, the safety features, and more. Read our buying guide below for more information.
Bulbs
Christmas light bulbs vary from string to string. The main ways Christmas lights differ are the design and the color.
Bulb Type
Christmas lights can come with either incandescent or LED bulbs. Most customers prefer LED lights over incandescent bulbs because they’re brighter and more energy-efficient. Incandescent bulbs also produce more heat, creating a potential fire hazard.
Color
Standard Christmas lights have a warm or cool white color to them. However, you can also find multicolored lights or lights in many different colors if you want your decorations to be more festive.
Shape
You can choose between having traditional white Christmas lights or colored Christmas lights or adding more festive Christmas characters such as Santa Claus, snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, wreaths, or a Christmas tree. Determining a theme will help you select which lights best fit your vision.
Length
Christmas string lights can be as long as 100 or more feet and as short as 20 or fewer feet. Often, you can connect multiple strings of lights if you need to cover a larger area.
Setup
You’ll also want to think about how you’ll power and control your Christmas lights. Outdoor smart plugs that connect to WiFi are ideal for controlling multiple strands of lights via an app or voice control. Be sure that you have sufficient outdoor-rated extension cords as well for setting up lights. You can also set your lights to automatically turn on and off with a timer for added convenience.
Safety
Some strings of light are UL-approved or -certified. This certification signifies that the lights don’t present a fire hazard.
Customers who want to ensure their lights are safe should avoid incandescent lights and look for UL-certified LED lights.
How to Install Christmas Lights
If you want to ace your outdoor Christmas decor like a pro with DIY lighting, following these steps can help:
- Prep the area in advance: Decide where you want to place lights on your house or lawn before setting them up. Measure the areas to determine how many light strands you’ll need.
- Use plastic clips: Plastic clips or insulated staples can attach lights securely to your home. Space them about 12 inches apart. Don’t use metal nails or screws, as they can cause damage to the cords.
- Hang lights neatly: Carefully hang each strand of lights neatly and straight. For rooflines, start at the top and work your way down. For tree lights and lights on bushes, zigzag the lights back and forth from the base of the plant.
- Use a GFCI outlet: Plug all lights into a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet or a portable cord-connected GFCI for protection against electrocution.
Learn more about GFCIs and safety measures with this GFCI Fact Sheet, courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
- Ensure the lights are installed safely: When installing your lights, make sure that the strands are not damaged, loose, or faulty and are plugged into outdoor-safe outlets. Check out our experts’ Christmas light safety tips for more guidance.
For additional pointers, you can also check out our guide to hanging Christmas lights outside.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do LED bulbs last?
In our experience, as long as they are well cared for, LED Christmas lights should be able to last for years, sometimes even decades, before they begin to wear down.
How far apart should the bulbs on my Christmas string lights be?
The bulbs should be less than 12 inches apart. This ensures that they’re visible from the street.
Where can I buy Christmas light bulb replacements?
You can buy bulb replacements at most home improvement stores and online retailers. However, most string lights come with a few replacements in the package that you can use when needed.
How We Selected the Best Christmas Lights
To provide our readers with the best recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process.
Initial Research: Our research process began by generating a list of holiday lights with a significant number of verified buyer reviews and an average customer review rating of 4–5 stars. We looked at positive and negative reviews alike, focusing on information from both satisfied and critical buyers.
Expert Insights: Through our years of experience, we’ve learned that listening to what others have to say is key to building accurate, well-rounded articles. To complement our in-house expertise, our team looked at reviews and videos from trusted publications and independent testers, spoke with subject matter experts, and drew insights from reader contributions.
Final Product Selection: We then began fine-tuning our list by replacing older models with the latest versions and eliminating any discontinued models. From there, we pared the list down further by comparing each model’s feature set and selecting the best-in-class options for various buyers, budgets, and scenarios.
Why You Can Trust Us
This Old House has empowered homeowners and DIY-ers for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement advice in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content.
Our team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published over 1,600 reviews on products in the home space, from doorbell cameras and backyard fencing to pool vacuums and snow blowers.
Once we conclude our research, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.
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