The Best Outdoor Security Lights

You’re looking for two things when it comes to a bulb for your outdoor security light: energy consumption and brightness. You want to keep your home and property safe, but you don’t want outdoor security to put you in the poorhouse.

At the same time, you don’t want to skimp on illumination to save a buck. It can be a delicate balance, but we’ve got the highlights about each lightbulb option below.

LED lights
These are the most cost-efficient bulbs for outdoor security lighting. LEDs deliver bright light without eating up electricity—and they can last up to five times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. But they do cost more up front (between three and five times more than incandescent bulbs), which leads some folks to pass them up.

If you pick up an LED floodlight bulb, it’s even more expensive—about $5 per bulb compared to around $2 for standard LEDs. It’s important to weigh your long-term savings against the more expensive upfront cost before skipping LEDs.

Incandescent bulbs
These are the lightbulbs that appear above a cartoon character’s head when they have an idea—and probably the kind you grew up with. You’ll pay less for incandescent bulbs at the checkout counter, and they’ll get the job done, but they do it at a much higher energy cost. About 90% of the energy it takes to turn on an incandescent lightbulb generates heat instead of light, which translates into more dollars on your power bill.

Plus, you’ll probably change out an incandescent bulb about 20 times before you’d have to swap out an LED bulb. It comes down to what matters more to you—cheaper upfront cost or long-term energy efficiency.

This might seem like an odd question to ask, but it’s not always simple to provide power to every outside location on your property that needs security. Many outdoor security lights require hardwiring into an electrical supply box, which can make installation complicated or impossible.

Depending on where you want to put outdoor security lights, the power source can be a big factor. We line up the options below to help you pick the right light for your situation.

Hardwired lights
The main benefit of a hardwired security light is that as long as the power to your home is on, you’ve got light. You don’t need to worry about dead batteries or an uncharged solar cell. The only time you’d be left in the dark is during a power outage.

The downside is that you need to wire it into your electrical system. Many security lights come preconfigured to make installation easy for those of us who aren’t electrical engineers, but others can be more tricky. If you have your heart set on a hardwired light but fear the installation, look into hiring a pro to install your light. That way you can blame them when the electrical box gets fried. (Not that I know anything about that!)

Battery-powered lights
If you need security in a spot without easy access to your electrical system or you don’t want to hardwire something, battery-powered lights are a solid choice. There are many outdoor security lights that come with long-lasting batteries, so you don’t have to worry about changing them out every other week.

We found battery-operated lights that last a whole year before you need to worry about swapping them out. But you do run the risk of dead batteries, so this option requires some diligence.

Solar lights
Solar lights are one of my favorite options because they tick all the right boxes—they’re environmentally friendly, they’re energy-efficient, and you can put them just about anywhere (no electricity of any kind required). Almost every outdoor light at my house uses a solar panel, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by their brightness and their reliability even when the days grow shorter.

Some caveats, though. Outdoor solar lights aren’t going to put out 5,000 lumens, and you can get interference from clouds and other pesky environmental factors. You also need to be able to place the solar panel in a spot that will get a consistent amount of sunlight every day. Make sure to evaluate where you want to place solar lights before going this route. If it’s on a north-facing lawn or another shady area, it might not provide the consistency you need from a security light.

Your outdoor security light needs to be able to withstand all kinds of weather. One of the best ways to know if your light is up to the task is to check out the IP (Ingress Protection) or UL (Underwriters Laboratory) rating.

IP ratings
The first number in an IP rating shows how difficult it is for things like dust and water to enter the camera enclosure. The second number shows how tamper-proof the enclosure is. An IP65 rating means the camera enclosure is protected from dust as well as low-pressure water spray, which means the camera should stand up to rain and snow. A rating of IP67 means total dust protection and the ability to withstand full immersion in water up to about three feet.

UL ratings
Underwriters Laboratories is an independent organization that tests and rates products for safety. When it comes to how well a product stands up to Mother Nature, UL rates products based on what type of location they can safely operate—rated from dry to wet.

Products rated for wet locations can be used in places where water may splash, drip, or flow onto the electrical components. UL identifies outdoor wet locations as uncovered or open-air porches, decks, and patios, as well as exterior walls, walkways, gazebos, and pergolas.

The jury's out on light bulb cameras for now. We haven't seen any manufactured by brands we trust, and we haven't had a chance to test any of the generic models. Check out our favorite cheap security cameras or look for battery-powered doorbell cameras for vetted alternatives.