Best Overall
FUNPENY C6 Christmas String Lights
- These festive faceted lights are available in six colors that have eight light modes.
These festive faceted lights are available in six colors that have eight light modes.
- Unlike many others on this list, these don’t have any certifications or ratings.
Unlike many others on this list, these don’t have any certifications or ratings.
The most beloved Christmas lights are cheery, festive, and customizable to your preferences. The C6 bulbs on this option are designed with classic faceting that catches the light, exuding a traditional and nostalgic look for the holiday season.
You can pick from six colors: warm white, purple, orange, red, green, and multicolor. The eight light modes, which you can activate via a setting button on the plug, include combination, waves, sequential, slow glow, flash, slow fade, twinkle, and steady on. Every time the lights are turned on and off, they reset to the default.
Each 33-foot string includes a 9.8-foot leading wire and 100 LED bulbs spaced 3.9 inches apart. Plus, you can connect up to five sets, for a total of 165 feet and 500 LED bulbs. The brand says they’re waterproof, which means they can be used both indoors and outdoors, but there are no listed certifications.
Product Details: Length: 33 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: C6 | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 100
Best Budget
The 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights on White Wire
- You get an incredible value with 115 feet of coverage, 320 LED bulbs, and eight light modes.
You get an incredible value with 115 feet of coverage, 320 LED bulbs, and eight light modes.
- There are no warm white or multicolor options.
There are no warm white or multicolor options.
It’s impossible to not get in the holiday spirit with 115 feet of 320 LED lights to decorate with—especially when they’re so affordably priced. Counting end-to-end connections, you could have up to 575 feet with an impressive 1,600 LED bulbs.
Fan favorite colors like warm white and multicolor aren’t available, which is a downside, but there is cool white, blue, and orange. At any given time, you can choose from eight lighting settings: combination, waves, sequential, slogs, flash, slow fade, twinkle, and steady on.
Even better, the transparent wire helps the string blend in with its surroundings. With a protection rating of IP44, the strings are waterproof except for the plug.
Product Details: Length: 115 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: 5MM | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 320 bulbs
Best Splurge
Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights
- There are 16 million colors, 47 lighting patterns, and four music modes to customize your lights.
There are 16 million colors, 47 lighting patterns, and four music modes to customize your lights.
- The bulbs are very spread out, with 15 on the 48 foot string.
The bulbs are very spread out, with 15 on the 48 foot string.
Techies and creatives will be impressed with the features of these lights. There are a whopping 16 million colors to choose from, and you can even upload a photo to the Govee Home app for it to pull colors from. You can control the lights via the Govee Home app, Alexa, or Google Assistant.
In addition to colors, the bulbs can also be set to 47 different lighting patterns. And there’s more: With an integrated mic, the lights can automatically sync to your music (there are four music modes).
These LED lights are shatterproof and have a waterproof rating of IP65, except for the power adapter. There's a decent distance between the bulbs, with approximately one bulb every three feet (15 bulbs per 48 foot string) so the strings do look a little sparse. The two included strings can be connected together for a total of 96 feet.
Product Details: Length: 48 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: S14 | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 15
Best for Outdoor Trees
JMEXSUSS LED Indoor String Lights
- This pick is surprisingly affordable for the length, and has eight lighting modes, a timer function, and 15 different color options.
This pick is surprisingly affordable for the length, and has eight lighting modes, a timer function, and 15 different color options.
- If you unplug these lights, the next time you plug them in, the lighting mode will reset.
If you unplug these lights, the next time you plug them in, the lighting mode will reset.
We liked these Christmas lights the best for outdoor trees for several reasons, including the fact that they’re also an impressive budget buy. You get 200 soft and bright LED bulbs across 66 feet of clear wire for under $20. (If you need more length though, you can connect multiple strings together.) Not only that, but you’re able to choose between 15 unique color options.
Once you’ve picked your color, you have one more choice: which of the eight lighting modes (waves, combination, fading, fireflies, chasing, twinkle, slow fade, and steady-on) you want to use. They’re controlled by a button on the plug, and the automatic timer function keeps the lights on for six hours and off for 18. Note that if you unplug these lights, the lighting mode will reset when you plug them in again. This feature isn’t a dealbreaker, but it could be inconvenient.
These lights are waterproof and have a protection rating of IP44. The plug, however, isn’t waterproof, though the 10 foot lead wire should allow you to keep it out of the elements. They also have a UL588 safety certification, which means there’s a reduced risk of electrical shock or fire.
Product Details: Length: 66 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: 5MM | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 200 bulbs
Best White
The 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights on White Wire
- These indoor/outdoor incandescent string lights are available as a string of 50 or 100—and for an affordable price.
These indoor/outdoor incandescent string lights are available as a string of 50 or 100—and for an affordable price.
- Incandescents usually use considerably more power than LEDs and don’t last as long.
Incandescents usually use considerably more power than LEDs and don’t last as long.
For a warm, incandescent glow, we like the ambiance that these 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights add to our space.
These lights come in a string of 50 or 100 on a white wire that matches the white bulbs. At 20 feet long, the 100-light string features bulbs that are spaced 2.2 inches apart, with an 18-inch lead from the male plug and a 6-inch tail before the female plug. The 50-bulb string is 11 feet long, with the same 18-inch lead and 6-inch tail, and 2.2 inch bulb spacing.
UL-approved for outdoor use, these lights will create an inviting atmosphere whether you hang them inside or out. The purchase also includes two replacement bulbs, and a replacement fuse, which fits the fuse compartment in the plug. Two included flasher bulbs can make the lights flash in unison if you choose to add them to the string.
While incandescent lights rarely last as long as LEDs, this Vermont Light set does come at a low price. Because of its affordable price and warm, pleasant glow, these lights are the best white Christmas lights on our list.
Product Details: Length: 11 or 20 feet | Bulb type: Incandescent | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 50 or 100
Best Color
Prextex Multicolor Christmas Lights
- These colorful incandescent Christmas lights are affordably priced and produce a bright glow.
These colorful incandescent Christmas lights are affordably priced and produce a bright glow.
- Incandescent bulbs consume more energy than LEDs.
Incandescent bulbs consume more energy than LEDs.
There’s nothing like a Christmas tree covered in bright multi-colored lights to create a festive mood. We found the Prextex multi-color Christmas to be exemplary for their warm incandescence and colorful hues.
With an end-to-end connection that can power up to six sets, a few strings of Prextex lights make for an affordable choice to light up your whole Christmas den or coat the eaves of a multi-story farmhouse.
Each string features 100 lights, spread across a cord that’s just under 20 feet. With a classic green cord, they’ll blend seamlessly against Christmas trees and shrubbery. They’re also waterproof and suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Two replacement fuses, two replacement bulbs, and two flasher bulbs are included with the purchase, which make repairs easy and will keep your string of lights twinkling for longer.
While these incandescents might not last as long as contemporary LEDs and will consume more energy, their classic appeal and solid value make them the best choice for colorful Christmas lights.
Product Details: Length: 20 feet | Bulb type: Incandescent | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 100
Best Novelty
Fairy Lights Factory String Lights
- Fairy Lights Factory makes attractive cotton globe light strings featuring lots of vibrant colors made to match different design schemes.
Fairy Lights Factory makes attractive cotton globe light strings featuring lots of vibrant colors made to match different design schemes.
- As a small business, their free personalized design service might take time to respond.
As a small business, their free personalized design service might take time to respond.
Fairy Lights Factory is a small business in Larchmont, New York, that makes custom lighting with multi-colored cotton balls fitted to Christmas lights. The brand’s ample pre-designed sets will fit any season or aesthetic—not just Christmas.
On the Fairy Lights Factory website, you’ll find over 30 pre-designed lighting sets as well as a build-your-own service that allows you to create your own color schemes. Each set gives you an option of 20, 35, or 50 lights. Among the brand’s sets you’ll find Nathan, which will look right at home among Hanukkah decorations, Vanille, which gives a traditional and neutral winter glow, and so many more.
“I would recommend choosing four or five colors that match the color scheme of your room,” says Carine Le Garrec, owner of Fairy Lights Factory. “The lights also look great when they are not lit up and can be used in a number of ways; put them around a mirror, an indoor plant or tree, in a redundant fireplace, or in a vase.”
If you’re just not sure what fits, then Fairy Lights Factory is happy to help. Its website includes a Design Help page where you can reach out for personalized advice on color picks and even send a photo of your space over for Fairy Lights Factory to match with a custom design. However, keep in mind that since it’s a small business, the company may not respond immediately.
Product Details: Length: 12, 18, or 24 feet | Bulb type: Incandescent or LED by request | Bulb size/shape: Cotton bulb cover | Number of lights: 20, 35, or 50
Best Solar
Sanjicha Solar String Lights
- These solar lights include two 72-foot strands of fairy lights and two solar panels; they’re also waterproof with an IP65 score.
These solar lights include two 72-foot strands of fairy lights and two solar panels; they’re also waterproof with an IP65 score.
- The wire on fairy lights is much thinner than other string lights.
The wire on fairy lights is much thinner than other string lights.
Even without the solar panels, the Sanjicha string lights would be good value, but as is, these fairy lights are a pretty incredible combo pack. The lights include two 72-foot strands and two solar panels, which totals to 144 feet of fairy lights, powered off the grid.
Designed for the outdoors, these fairy lights feature an IP65 ingress protection rating, which guarantees that they’ll withstand rain, sleet, and sand. Each strand attaches to a solar panel with a battery and features a mode control that will have them twinkling or glowing for hours after the sun has set.
Connected via a copper wire, the two strands of miniature glowing LEDs feature 200 lights each. While they may not be as bright as some alternatives, this is one of the best value light sets we’ve seen. The fact that they use solar power and won’t add to your electric bill is an additional plus.
Product Details: Length: Two strands, 72 feet each | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: Two strands, with 200 lights each
Best Icicle
Toodour Icicle Lights
- Not only do you get nearly 400 LEDs spread across 60 icicles, but Toodour LEDs are also waterproof.
Not only do you get nearly 400 LEDs spread across 60 icicles, but Toodour LEDs are also waterproof.
- Some users reported that unboxing these lights was a bit time consuming.
Some users reported that unboxing these lights was a bit time consuming.
There’s nothing more wintery than icicles, but icicles also don’t have to be cold. Light your house up with the warm glow of Toodour Christmas Icicle Lights—our favorite pick in this category.
Toodour’s 29.5-foot string lights feature 60-icicle strands, for a total of 360 LED lights, and the brand also offers string lights in lengths up to 100 feet. The strands are waterproof, with an ingress protection rating of IP44, though it’s important to remember that its adapter does not feature the same waterproofing and should be protected from the elements.
The lights are also available in several different color options, including multicolor, white, and white and blue. With so many energy-saving LED lights in a string, Toodour was an easy pick for the best icicle lights. Just keep in mind that you may have to spend a bit of time taking the lights out of their packaging during their first use.
Product Details: Length: 29.5, 35.4, 50, or 100 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: 360, 432, 612, or 1,224
Best Smart
Twinkly LED App Controlled String Lights
- These mappable LED Christmas lights connect to your phone to run through fully customizable color and pattern variations.
These mappable LED Christmas lights connect to your phone to run through fully customizable color and pattern variations.
- These lights are pricey and do require a somewhat technical setup.
These lights are pricey and do require a somewhat technical setup.
With so much innovation going on across tech, it’s about time someone innovated the Christmas light. And where innovation is concerned, Twinkly Strings has it. An Italian LED brand, Twinkly has opened up new avenues for what your string of Christmas lights can do, with app-controlled, multi-function effects in a variety of colors.
Twinkly Strings are available with up to 600 LED lights. Mapped on the Twinkly app, these lights can be programmed with a plethora of motion effects, gradients, and colors. To do so, the app will ask you to scan your lighting display from multiple angles. Once you’re set up, simply program away with intuitive controls. The app is capable of programming up to 4,000 lights at once.
While the potential to wow is vast, be aware that some users say programming your Twinkly Strings is a bit of a fussy business. As with most complex technology, the best results take patience and maybe a little troubleshooting. However, those who are willing to spend the time on it can achieve magical results, with hundreds of LEDs glowing in unison in real time, coiled through Christmas trees, across the eaves, and throughout your garden’s trellis or pergola.
Product Details: Length: 26, 66, 105, or 157.5 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: 100, 250, 400, or 600
Best Mini
Louis Choice LED String Lights
- The IP44 water-resistant rating means these LED string lights work inside and outside.
The IP44 water-resistant rating means these LED string lights work inside and outside.
- The remote control option costs extra, but we think it’s worth the cost.
The remote control option costs extra, but we think it’s worth the cost.
Our top pick for the best mini lights is this remote-controlled option by Louis Choice. You can use the remote to effortlessly turn the LED lights on and off as well as schedule a specific time for your lights to come on.
These mini lights can connect one to the next, linking up to 10 strands to one transformer and remote, giving you control of a vast amount of sparkles with a simple click of a button. Their IP44 rating means they can resist rain and snow, although they are not waterproof.
With an attractive copper wire, these Christmas lights are actually great for year-round ornamental garden installation. They can be purchased with or without an included remote, but we recommend springing for the remote option, as the remote offers the only way to turn the lights on and off without physically unplugging them from the socket.
Product Details: Length: 49 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 100
Best LED
Brizled Christmas Lights
- Brizled is an LED set with easily adjustable colors, a remote, and between 200 and 1,000 LED lights per string.
Brizled is an LED set with easily adjustable colors, a remote, and between 200 and 1,000 LED lights per string.
- Some users report that the remote range isn’t reliable, so you may have to get closer than the advertised 26.25 feet.
Some users report that the remote range isn’t reliable, so you may have to get closer than the advertised 26.25 feet.
Brizled’s lights include 11 lighting modes, a remote, a timer function, and waterproofing. If you’re looking for an LED light set and want a little bit of everything, then this is a versatile pick.
Easily cycle between white and multicolored lights with the press of a button on the remote, and change the brightness setting while you’re at it with four settings. While the remote provides lots of options, some have experienced an inconsistent range, which Brizled claims to be between 16.4 feet and 26.25 feet.
You may have to get a little closer than that to use the remote, but it will still prevent you from having to bend over to manually unplug and plug in the lights. The string lights also include a timer, which allows you to schedule a specific time for your lights to turn on.
With small bulbs, a green cord that will blend in with your Christmas tree, and end-to-end connections, these lights can be connected to two more strings—more than enough to fill out even the largest of indoor Christmas trees, depending on the length of strand you choose. The versatility and multiple color options that come with this light set make it the best choice for LED Christmas lights.
Product Details: Length: 82, 115, 181, 279, or 361 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 200, 300, 500, 800, or 1,000
Best Fairy
Vont Starry Fairy Lights
- You can plug them in via a USB power adapter or to any USB source.
You can plug them in via a USB power adapter or to any USB source.
- Unlike many fairy lights, these need to be plugged in and don’t come with a battery pack.
Unlike many fairy lights, these need to be plugged in and don’t come with a battery pack.
Vont Starry Fairy Lights may be Christmas lights but they’re ideal for year-round use to turn your garden, porch, or bedroom into a space that feels whimsical and cozy.
At 66 feet long, these fairy lights stand out from other fairy lights that have short wires and battery packs. Instead of a battery pack, this strand of lights plugs into a USB source, and the lights include a USB power adapter and cable. They are also durably made of three copper wires, which are sealed for waterproofing.
Product Details: Length: 66 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: 200
Best C9
Wintergreen Lighting C9 LED Christmas String Lights
- Made for outdoor adornment, these powerful LED C9 bulbs are extremely bright and are built to last with double-thick bulbs.
Made for outdoor adornment, these powerful LED C9 bulbs are extremely bright and are built to last with double-thick bulbs.
- These are more expensive than many alternatives.
These are more expensive than many alternatives.
The Opticore Large Bulb is an LED version of the classic C9 bulb that’ll help you go bigger and brighter than anyone else on your block...not that it’s a competition.
Built for the outdoors, these large polycarbonate C9 bulbs are compatible with Christmas light clips and easy to run along your home’s gutters and eaves. The ultra-bright, low-energy LEDs use 21 watts per 25-foot line, and each line is connectable up to 960 watts, or around a thousand lights. This power capability and build quality makes these a great pick for withstanding the elements.
C9 lights remind us of the Christmas light displays of our youth, and this LED set only updates that aesthetic and ushers it into the modern, low-power-consuming LED era. They’re available in a variety of different hues, including multicolor, red, green, blue, pink, and warm white. The only downside is the premium you’ll pay for that sturdy build and remarkable brightness.
Product Details: Length: From 25 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: C9 Large | Number of lights: From 25
Best Rope Light
GuoTonG LED Rope Lights
- This waterproof rope light is IP65 rated and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
This waterproof rope light is IP65 rated and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
- Some might find this rope light too bright.
Some might find this rope light too bright.
The Guotong LED Rope Light is a powerful lighting tool for decorating your porch railing, filling out the underside of the deck with light, or running your rope light along the eaves to outline your home.
With 900 LEDs lining the interior of the transparent 50-foot Guotong rope, this rope light can get very bright—so much so that it may be too much for a lot of in-home applications. The rope is fully waterproofed for outdoor use, with an IP65 ingress protection rating and thick walls that are sturdy enough to keep moisture out.
Indoors, this rope makes a great accent piece behind a recessed panel, while outside, it gives you lots of options for bright contour-defining illumination of your home.
The light’s design certainly has powerful applications for illuminating your home’s grounds throughout the dark days of the winter. We love these Christmas lights for bright pops of outdoor illumination, particularly when you’re looking to direct people along wooded paths or safely guide them along bodies of water in the dark.
Product Details: Length: 18, 20, or 50 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Rope, SMD F3 LEDs | Number of lights: 150 or 540
Best Christmas Light Projector
YUEGANG Christmas Laser Lights
- For an affordable price, this laser system douses your house in glowing Christmas patterns.
For an affordable price, this laser system douses your house in glowing Christmas patterns.
- The IP44 rating for the adapter means it’s water resistant but not waterproof. You’ll want to bring it inside or place it in a sheltered area during heavy rain.
The IP44 rating for the adapter means it’s water resistant but not waterproof. You’ll want to bring it inside or place it in a sheltered area during heavy rain.
Cover your home in a dazzling array of moving light with the Yuegang Christmas Laser Lights. Projecting snowflakes, Christmas trees, moving dots, and more, this system sets up in the front yard to envelop your home—and the neighborhood— in festive cheer.
With five patterns and two colors as well as multiple speeds and flashing modes, the lights are fairly customizable. The projector also features a slew of useful features, including a UL-approved waterproof plug, an overall IP65 rating that certifies it rain- and snow-proof, a 16.5-foot cord, timer function, and a remote control. Be aware that the adapter is only IP44 rated, meaning it’s water resistant but not waterproof. You will need to bring it inside in the event of a downpour.
Product Details: Length: Not applicable | Bulb type: Laser | Bulb size/shape: Not applicable | Number of lights: Not applicable
Best Net Lights
Lyhope LED Christmas Net Lights
- Budget priced, waterproof with an IP44 rating, and generously sized for easy draping, this is a sensible pick for easy shrub coverage.
Budget priced, waterproof with an IP44 rating, and generously sized for easy draping, this is a sensible pick for easy shrub coverage.
- Some users report that the light pattern setting doesn’t save when the power’s off.
Some users report that the light pattern setting doesn’t save when the power’s off.
Decking the halls can be time-consuming. Why not pick Christmas lights that make it easy? Lyhope’s net lights win top honors for many reasons, including their easy installation. It checks all the boxes: bright LEDs that are warmer than others, waterproofing, and a budget price. It’s also available in multiple color options.
This net light comes in a 6.6- or 12-foot option that is appropriately sized for shrubs. With 360 separate LEDs, it creates a bright shimmering surface that fills the bushes with twinkles. With a 9.8-foot lead cable, it’s easy to set up anywhere. The lights feature an IP44 water-resistant rating, but it should be noted that this doesn’t extend to the power adapter, which should be kept dry.
With eight power modes that include fairy twinkles, undulating waves of light, and steady on, you’ll be able to match your net lights to the waving Santa Claus decoration on the lawn or adjust them to match the steady twinkle with the C9 lights along the eaves. Unfortunately, some users report that this net light set doesn’t save your mode selection after being powered down, so you may need to reset it.
Altogether, we think the Lyhope net light is a solid choice for a warm LED net light that won’t cost you too much, especially with its nearly 10-foot lead power line and water (and snow) proofing.
Product Details: Length: 6.6 or 12 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 160 or 360