Solar vs Rechargeable Lights: Which Should You Buy?
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Solar lights and rechargeable lights both run without a cable to the wall, which is why people often weigh them up together. They solve different problems, though. Solar lights are for outside, where they charge themselves every day. Rechargeable lights are for anywhere you want to carry light to, indoors or out, and you charge them from a USB port. Here is how to decide.
Solar lights: set and forget, outdoors
A solar light has a small panel (built in or on a short cable) and a battery. It charges in daylight and switches on at dusk, usually with a motion sensor so the battery lasts through the night. There is no wiring, so you can fit one on a boundary wall, a gate pillar, a garage or along a path without an electrician.
Choose solar when:
- The light is outside and the spot gets direct sun for most of the day.
- You want security or path lighting that comes on by itself every evening.
- Running a cable would mean digging or chasing walls.
What to look for: a motion sensor for security lights, an IP rating of IP44 or higher for weather, and a separate panel on a cable if the light itself will sit in shade. Our solar range runs from 4W sensor wall lights and garden spike lights to a 50W–150W solar floodlight with a separate panel, a 20W solar street light for driveways and the SPAZIO Sunflower solar post top.
Keep in mind: a solar light is only as good as the sun it gets. A panel under a roof overhang or a tree will give a short, dim night. Wipe the panel clean every few months, and expect shorter run times in winter when days are shorter.
Rechargeable lights: portable, indoors and out
A rechargeable light has a built-in battery that you top up from a USB charger, the same way as a phone. Because it does not depend on the sun, it works anywhere: a bedside table, a patio dinner, a tent, a toolbox or a cupboard with no socket nearby.
Choose rechargeable when:
- You want to move the light around: table lamps for a patio or restaurant table, a torch or headlamp, a work light.
- The light will be used indoors or under cover where a solar panel would never charge.
- You want to change the light to suit the moment. Many of our rechargeable table lamps offer a choice of warm, neutral and cool white, and several have touch dimming.
Our rechargeable range includes SPAZIO and K-Light table lamps, torches (some double as a power bank), headlamps, work lights, a clip fan with a light, and kids' night lights.
Keep in mind: run time depends on the brightness setting; a lamp on its lowest setting lasts many times longer than on full. Check the mAh rating on torches and work lights if run time matters to you, and charge lithium batteries before storing them for a long period.
Quick comparison
| Solar | Rechargeable | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Outdoors, in sun | Anywhere |
| Charging | Automatic, from daylight | USB, by you |
| Best for | Security, paths, gates, gardens | Tables, bedsides, camping, tools |
| Installation | Screw to wall or push into ground | None |
| Weak point | Shade and winter sun | Needs you to remember to charge it |
Can I use both?
Yes, and many homes do: solar sensor lights on the outside walls and gate, and a couple of rechargeable lamps inside for the patio table and the bedroom. For a large garden or a long driveway, a solar floodlight with a separate panel mounted in full sun is usually the better buy than several small lights.
Shop the range
Solar lights · Rechargeable lights · Rechargeable table lamps · Torches and headlamps
Free delivery on orders over R2,000 across South Africa. Questions about a specific spot? WhatsApp us on 081 696 3851.