If you’ve found yourself wondering what the best low-voltage landscape lighting options for your garden are, you can rest assured that you’ve come to the right place.
We’ll be reviewing and weighing up multiple options so that you can make an informed decision about purchasing the best low voltage landscape lighting.
What Exactly is Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?
Low voltage lighting can be defined as lighting that carries a current of 50 volts or lower. When it comes to low voltage outdoor or landscape lighting, the voltage can either be 12, 24, or 48 volts, as opposed to the standard household voltage of that, which is 120 or 240 volts.
Low voltage is attained through a transformer and a structured wiring network and generally lowers the risk of electrical injury, even in cases where moisture and dampness may be present.
You also don’t need a licensed electrician to see off on the installation of low voltage setups, so it can make for a fun DIY project. But if you’re a complete newbie to electrical features, a professional is recommended just to be safe.
Why Low Voltage Lighting?
Low voltage lighting in your home is a much safer option than traditional line voltage, it’s easy to install and has the potential to be more energy-efficient and cost-effective over the long term.
Low voltage landscape lighting is popular because it is often challenging to run full standard-voltage electrical conduit and wire throughout the garden.
A major benefit is that lower voltage allows for the use of smaller wattage bulbs, usually LEDs.LED technology enables the bulbs to shine the same amount of lumens as incandescent bulbs at a much lower wattage, resulting in energy and cost savings.
The bulbs and fixtures that can be used are smaller and the lighting designs can be more varied and creative.
The smaller fittings also allow for the lighting of smaller, tighter spaces that would otherwise be difficult to light safely or efficiently. This provides a lot of versatility in the lighting design aspect.
Compare to solar landscape lighting, which is another alternative to traditional landscape lighting, low voltage lighting’s brightness, and quality are a lot better.
You will just not find the same with solar lighting – at least not for the time being – as the solar does not have the power to provide bright light.
Types of Landscape Lighting
There are various reasons why homeowners would choose to install landscape lighting. They range from functionality to improving aesthetics, to safety and security.
At the same time, there are numerous types of landscape lighting and it’s imperative to know what type of landscape lighting is required for certain parts of your home or garden.
Spotlights
Spotlights are the most common type of light in landscape lighting. They’re designed to highlight specific features in your landscape. It’s a general term because spotlights become a certain type of light when used in a certain way.
Spotlights can range in brightness and amount of area they cover and they are generally used to illuminate statues, plants, walls, patios, and anything you can, or want, to have a focus on.
Floodlights
Slightly bigger in stature and brighter than spotlights, floodlights are for much larger, general areas. They are often used for lighting driveways, entertainment areas, or patios.
Path lights
Path lights double up for functionality as well as add a flair to the aesthetic of a garden. They often are used as guiding lights to illuminate walkways and pathways, increasing safety where there might be a lot of traffic.
They can also be used in large flower beds to illuminate areas with lots of ground vegetation.
Up and downlights
Uplights and downlights are spotlights are lights that are orientated specifically to be in an upwards or downward position, to cast a sharp focus on something specific.
They’re great from a design standpoint and can bring just about anything to life, while creating patterns on walls, and beautifying your yard.
Bollard Lights
These are posts with lights right on the top and they do not have a light shield or cover above the light. Bollard lights are one of the only types of outdoor landscape lights that can shine in all directions at once.
Thus, they can be used for something like lighting up a pathway and shedding light on a plant or feature in the vicinity at the same time.
Zuckeo 10W Low Voltage LED Landscape Lights
Pros
- Thick aluminum body and lens cover that is weather-resistant for maximum durability and longevity.
- Beautiful white and bright light
- Easy to set up and install.
- Easy to adjust and set lighting at different angles.
- Long-lasting.
- Value for money.
Cons
- Moisture tends to build up or seep through the fixture.
- Setting up, although easy, can be time-consuming.
- The light bulbs are only available from the manufacturer.
The Zucker 10W Landscape Lighting system is a stellar choice for low voltage landscape lighting at home. Made from aluminum, it’s highly durable in all sorts of weather.
The layer of glass over the bulb acts as a worthy barrier for withstanding water, frost, heat, and humidity. With a brightness level of 500 lumens, each LED emits a bright and warm light that consumes only 5W.
The lights can operate on a range of 12 to 24 Volts, and they are compatible with various lighting kits, including voltage transformers. Each pack comes in 8 lights with protective packaging. The fixtures are easy to install.
Users can adjust the head part within the range of 270 degrees to fit the lighting plan.
One slight drawback is the light bulbs in this system are exclusively available from the brand themselves. Should a user need a replacement, the only way to do so would be via the manufacturer and its, likely, lengthy, shipping process.
All in all, the system serves as a flawless yet effortless landscape lighting setup and packs a big punch for its price.
Even though technically classed as spotlights, these lights can easily double up as pathway lights or feature lights, depending on how you want to set them up.
Tremendous light output coupled with efficient energy use and solid construction makes this set of LED landscaping lights a top pick for highlighting a home’s natural and architectural features. This six-pack set of lights uses 3 watts each, producing 300 lumens.
The quality of the aluminum casing of the lights is just as impressive as the amount of light it projects. It’s bright enough without being overbearing.
The casings are well-insulated, and the lights are adjustable to 270°, making it simple to shine on the fixture that needs lighting.
The GreenClick 6-in-1 landscape lighting system can operate at 12v. It consists of an IP65 waterproof rating and has spike stands that make it easy to peg into the ground.
The warm white lighting makes it great for landscape lighting, pathway lighting, lawns, and even patios.
The length of the chords that come with the set can hinder the placement of the fixtures if you have a large garden, as it is a bit on the short side. This can be countered with the purchase of additional lights in sets of twos.
With the waterproof connector between each light, extension cords and extension lights can be connected to extend increase the setup from 6-in-1 to 8-or 10- in-1 and extend the overall length from 21m to up to 35m.
This Leonlite landscape lighting set was designed with both durability and looks in mind. The modernly designed casing is solid and sturdy and will ensure protection for these pathway lights from accidental trips and/or harsh weather.
The aluminum shell gives these lights excellent corrosion and rust resistance while the IP65 waterproof rating allows for rest assured use in outdoor areas with heavy rain and humidity conditions.
Their cool, white light casts a starburst pattern on the ground and allows for enough brightness to see landscaping, without any glare. And though, because of this, they are slightly dimmer than some other lighting options, they are versatile enough to use for other applications than just pathways, such as in flowerbeds.
They can last up to 50000 hours which means much less replacing compared to conventional lighting, which will make up for the initial high pricing.
Even though technically “pathway” lights, these lights serve just as well in the garden, as they’re both attractive on the eye and functional, thanks to durable construction and a simple yet sophisticated look.
These lights are made of cast aluminum capable of withstanding the elements with a sturdy stake that ensures they’ll stay upright.
The fixtures shout quality, and the bowl-shaped hoods offer a streamlined look that makes the fixture versatile for any style of home.
They cast a 139-degree beam angle with 3,000K soft white light and have an IP65 waterproof rating, making it suitable for all types of climates. The LED lights use only 3 watts but provide a decent brightness of 150 lumens.
With six lights in each set, it provides ample lighting for a path or illuminating large parts of flower or plant gardens.
Its 15-inch cables with quick-connect wire connectors make installing the lights to a low-voltage transformer a relatively easy job to do yourself.
The GKOLED Outdoor LED floodlight is everything you could ever ask for in a low-voltage landscape floodlight. It’s sufficiently bright, energy-efficient, and made from a quality material that is made to last.
The LED light is powerful and comes in at 550 lumens which is inadequate lighting for building facades, trees, wall washing, and many more traditional flood applications. Though on the bright side, the light still creates a soft, white radiance.
The heavy-duty aluminum housing makes it durable and rust-resistant with an attractive finish. Even though the initial cost may seem expensive, the fixture is much more energy-efficient than traditional options and will be cost-saving over the long run.
A peculiar potential drawback can be the lack of mounting equipment that comes with the fixture.
Best Lightning Overall?
In our view, the Green click 6-in-1 Landscape Lighting system is the best option, for several reasons. It’s a good-quality lighting system that serves its purpose more than adequately and comes at a reasonable price.
The easy installation of the initial setup and additional lights along with the versatility it provides makes it a great choice.
The brand is also known for its great customer service, which is also a big plus. So much so that its small drawbacks can be overlooked and makes it the clear winner.
If you had set out to find the best low voltage landscape lighting for your garden, this list will at the very least steer you in the right direction, if it did not provide you with the ultimate option in a landscape lighting solution.