Here are a few things to keep in mind when you go shopping for outdoor lights.
Power: For most outdoor lighting, you need to run a cable to a power outlet, so you will want an outdoor socket. If you don’t have an outdoor socket, it’s usually a pretty cheap and quick job for an electrician to install a weatherproof one. Just be aware that large power adapters and awkwardly shaped plugs will not fit in outdoor sockets, so you will likely also want some kind of weatherproof box. I like the large Dri-Box ($42) because it has plenty of space and scores an IP55 rating. I have also used the smaller Masterplug Weatherproof Electric Box ($45), and it’s fine. If an outdoor socket isn’t possible, consider running a cable indoors, but it can be tricky and messy if you have to drill through a wall. Solar-powered lights are a good alternative. You could even consider using a portable power station in a shed or other outbuilding. Whatever way you go, always plug the lighting in and connect it via the app before you install it in any outdoor areas.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Control: Most smart backyard lighting connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and is controlled by an app on your phone. You need a decent Wi-Fi signal or to be within Bluetooth range. While it might seem desirable for simplicity to have lighting connected directly to Wi-Fi or to use Bluetooth, there are advantages to systems with dedicated hubs. With Philips Hue, for example, lights are much faster to connect and react to commands using the Hue Hub than through Bluetooth in the app. Hubs can also allow for better group control and greater range. Most smart lighting can be controlled by smart voice assistants, like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, but ensure you check compatibility before you buy.
Lumens: The brightness of lighting is measured in lumens. To give you an idea, a standard 60-watt light bulb puts out around 800 lumens.
Color: RGB (red, green, blue) is standard and mixes those three to make other colors. RGBW includes a proper white alongside red, green, and blue, which offers greater flexibility and is important if you want high-quality white light. Color temperature is measured in Kelvins (K) and listed as a range (for example, 1200K to 6500K). This range dictates how warm or cool your lighting can get. Reds and oranges are at the lower end of the scale, and blues are at the higher end.
IP Rating: IP stands for Ingress Protection and determines how well a device stands up to water and dust, giving you a clear indication of how weather resistant it is. We have an IP rating explainer that focuses on phones, but all devices, including outdoor lights, use the same IP scale. We have listed the IP ratings for every light we recommend. While an IP44 rating might be durable enough for a wall-mounted light that only has to cope with rain, you will want IP65 or higher for a light on the ground that may be submerged or covered in snow.