Our Favorite Outdoor Lanterns to Illuminate Your Backyard
Updated: Mar. 02, 2021These outdoor lanterns provide a charming ambiance for your backyard or patio, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the great outdoors.
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Maggift Hanging Solar Lantern
This pair of solar-powered hanging lanterns melds style with affordability. The round lanterns feature ornate cut-outs that cast a pretty pattern when illuminated, and they provide up to eight hours of light when fully charged.
“The lamp itself is beautiful, and combine that with the pattern it creates on my patio, it is fabulous!” writes one reviewer. “During the day, try to keep it in an area where it will get as much sun as possible, makes huge difference in the brightness.”
LED Color Changing Glow Balls
For a fun modern vibe, place these color-changing balls around your patio or pool area. The lanterns come in four sizes, and you can choose between a gentle white light, colored light or color-changing pattern. The Glow Balls come with a remote control and charging station. Thanks to their waterproof design, they can even be placed in the pool for a fun floating display.
Solar Garden Lantern
For a more classic style, these Solar Garden Lanterns are traditional and versatile. These lanterns come with a copper exterior finish and diamond panes. You can set them on a table or hang them up. The solar-powered battery delivers up to eight hours of light per charge with a candle-like glow.
“They flicker like my indoor LED candles, yet they are very bright and give an amber glow that is beautiful,” writes one reviewer. “I have one on my patio table which is partially covered and it recharges even on cloudy days and stays lit all night long.”
Outdoor Wall Sconce
If you prefer a wall-mounted outdoor lantern, this Bowery Wall Sconce has a sleek, simple design that will blend well with a variety of aesthetics. This weather-resistant lantern must be hardwired during installation, and its clear glass panes are perfect for displaying a cool vintage-style light bulb.
“I really liked the look of these fixtures,” says an Amazon reviewer. “They’re really simple in a good way and give off a lot of light due to the clear glass. I ordered some 60 watt Edison bulbs to give them a little more pizzazz.”
Basket Solar-Powered LED Outdoor Lantern
For a budget-friendly option, consider this Basket-Style Solar-Powered Outdoor Lantern that comes with a flickering LED candle. These basket-style lanterns are made from lightweight plastic, and they’re great for casting gentle light across your outdoor space at night.
“Charged up (through the very cool solar charger), it looks fantastic and lends a warm glow to an outdoor space,” says one happy reviewer.
Floral Lace Solar Lantern
You can turn your patio into a bohemian oasis with the help of these Floral Lace Solar Lanterns. They come in blue and white, and the lanterns are covered with a synthetic, all-weather lace fabric that can be left outdoors year-round. They feature white LED lights to give off a gentle glow. When charged fully in sunlight during the day, they’ll provide five to seven hours of light.
Hampton Bay Outdoor LED Candle Pineapple Lantern
These quirky pineapple-shaped lanterns are sure to earn you compliments from guests! The lights, which run on AAA batteries, are crafted from mouth-blown glass and corrosion-resistant metal with an aged bronze finish. These trendy, tropical lanterns are pricey, but they’re a beautiful statement piece for your outdoor space.
Normandy Lantern
You can display real pillar candles inside the stately Normandy Lanterns, which come in three sizes. These outdoor lanterns are crafted from cast aluminum for durability, and they’re available in black and bronze finishes. The sides feature a gallant cross-brace design, and the doors open to allow you to insert a candle (not included). Plus, reviewers say the Normandy Lanterns are extremely high-quality and will last for years.
Maggift Hanging Solar Lights
Looking for lanterns to line your walkway? These Maggift Hanging Solar Lights are the perfect choice, coming in pairs and including 34-in. shepherd hooks. These solar-powered lights can be used year-round, and they stay lit for eight to 10 hours per charge.
“They stay lit all night after charging all day,” notes one reviewer. “They also come on automatically so when we’re away from home, the lights come on at dusk anyway!”
Stansport Small Hurricane Lantern
The Stansport Hurricane Lantern is an oil lamp that will lend an old-fashioned vibe to your outdoor space. The red lamp comes in eight- and 12-inch sizes, and it features a metal body with a glass globe and adjustable wick. You can use it with kerosene or standard lamp oil, and reviewers love the budget-friendly price.
