Outdoor lighting can accent your garden, help features stand out, or make pathways safer by illuminating them. Unfortunately, many plug-in choices are difficult to place throughout a property due to their need for a power outlet. And not all solar garden light options are bright or long-lasting enough.

Disk lights are an excellent alternative for landscape lighting. The following disk lighting options are amongst the most popular based on their durability, brightness, and additional features. They're excellent choices if you want to transform your yard each evening.

Backyard Boss Top 5 Disk Lights for the Summer of 2021

PRODUCT

FEATURES

Solpex Solar Ground Lights - $$title$$

Solpex Solar Ground Lights

  • LEDs: 8
  • Illumination time: 8 hours
  • Warranty: 90-day full refund return

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Biling Solar Disk Lights - $$title$$

Biling Solar Disk Lights

  • LEDs: 8
  • Illumination time: 10 hours
  • Warranty: 1 year

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GIGALUMI Solar Ground Lights - $$title$$

GIGALUMI Solar Ground Lights

  • LEDs: 8
  • Illumination time: 8-10 hours
  • Warranty: 90-day full refund return

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INCX Solar Ground Lights - $$title$$

INCX Solar Ground Lights

  • LEDs: 8
  • Illumination time: 8-10 hours
  • Warranty: 120 guarantee

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OurLeeme Solar Powered Disk Lights - $$title$$

OurLeeme Solar Powered Disk Lights

  • LEDs: 8
  • Illumination time: 8-10 hours
  • Warranty: 360 days

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Why You Can Trust Us

I’ve been researching, studying, testing, and using solar energy products for nearly twenty years. All this research and experience has given me a firm grasp on what makes an excellent solar-powered product, whether it’s a floodlight, disk light, or lantern.

I personally use solar spotlights for my garden and patio in all seasons in Chicago – meaning heavy snowfall, lots of rain, cloudy skies, and hot direct light during summer months. I know every light needs to be durable, well-made, come from a reliable manufacturer, be energy efficient, and consistently work without a lot of hassle. I only recommend solar products that meet all of these qualifications and meet the specific needs of particular settings – like low light climates, extreme heat, or budget-friendly needs.

Best Solar Pathway Disk Lights

    Powerful, bright solar disk lights for practically any setting.

      Pros:

    • Exceptionally bright
    • Incredibly easy to install
    • Install on provided stakes or with adhesive on flat surfaces
      Cons:

    • lights not dimmable

Why We Like It: The small, yet bright solar disk lights from Solpex use eight LEDs per disk for bright pathway lighting for up to eight hours after charging, in low to bright daylight.

The lights charge quickly in four to six hours. They come in a pack of twelve, meaning your pathway will be well-lit every inch of the way. They use an auto on/off setting to automatically recharge and turn on at dusk and off at dawn.

Who Should Buy It: These lights are an excellent choice for anyone needing brightly lit solar pathway lights, as well as those in low-light climates.

Best for Long Nights

    Biling solar disk lights keep a steady bright light all night.

      Pros:

    • Waterproof and dependable
    • Bright and illuminating
    • Easy to install
      Cons:

    • Plastic stakes are a little flimsy"

Why We Like It: With eight bright LEDs set in a stainless-steel shell, these lights will brighten any place you put them, for up to ten hours on a full charge.

Designed to be easily installed, they have a light sensor for automatic use and are considered worry-free. They are also highly durable with pieces screwed together rather than snapped for improved waterproofing.

Who Should Buy It: The bright, durable lights work great for those who need to keep their yards lit in winter months or in climates with low light year-round.

Most Durable Solar Disks

    Gigalumi disk lights are a long-lasting, durable disk light option with eight vivid LED bulbs.

      Pros:

    • Bright and excellent for walkway illumination
    • Easy to install and use
      Cons:

    • May need to replace the battery for brighter, longer-lasting light

Why We Like It: These lights charge in as little as four to six hours and can provide light for up to ten hours with eight bright built-in LED bulbs.

With the ability to withstand any inclement weather, the stainless steel housing is also strong enough to avoid breakage with up to 220 lbs on it. This makes them a perfect choice for in-ground lighting throughout your property even in areas of high traffic.

Who Should Buy It: Great for folks in inclement weather climates and those with a lot of foot traffic.

Best Disk Lights for All Weather Types

INCX Solar Light Disks

    The INCX disk lights provide bright white light for up to 10 hours after a full day's charge.

      Pros:

    • Great for narrow pathways
    • Bright and dependable
    • Easy to install
      Cons:

    • Stakes are a little flimsy, though they will do the job"

Why We Like It: The INCX disks are dependable, bright, durable, and highly weather-resistant, thanks to their excellent manufacture and high IP rating.

The INCX disks fully charge with six to eight hours of direct sunlight and can stay illuminated for eight to ten hours. Easy to install, their stakes can be used in narrow walkway crevices, or be planted more firmly in open spaces since they come apart to fit your needs.

Who Should Buy It: These lights are great for anyone who has a narrow pathway to light or lives in rainy, snowy climates.

Best Disk Lights for the Swimming Pool

    The OurLeeme multicolored, color-changing solar disk lights provide continuously changing, vivid colors for your backyard entertainment spaces.

      Pros:

    • Vivid colors
    • Long-lasting
    • Great for outdoor entertaining
      Cons:

    • You cannot choose a color to stop on"

Why We Like It: These vibrantly colored lights are the perfect way to dress up the pool area while relying on solar energy. Solar lights are much safer around the pool, but the color-changing mode makes them fun for your entertaining space. They create a great vibe for that pool party you’ve been dying to throw all year.

As these are well-built, easy to install, and, of course, uber fun, they’re a great addition to your patio, deck, or anywhere else they’ll get some sunlight to charge up for the night ahead.

Who Should Buy It: Anyone looking to add something a bit "more" than regular warm or cool white disk lights in their yard – especially anyone who loves entertaining outdoors.

What Is a Disk Light?

A disk light is a solar-powered, circular disk-shaped light that can be mounted either vertically or horizontally on any surface, or pushed into the ground using a short stake. Like solar string lights, they are charged by the sun via a built-in solar panel and provide enough energy to LED bulbs for up to ten hours of illumination.

Some have various features as well, such as dimmable controls, color changes, and on/off switches. Due to their low profile, they are ideal for lighting walkways, driveways, and providing garden effects. They are considered lawnmower safe and are able to work in all weather conditions, although partial blocking of the solar panel may affect how long it stays on.

How Disk Lights Work

Solar disk light shown at night and day.

Disk lights are powered by solar energy via a solar panel. This power is created when sun energy is converted into an electrical current via the cells used within the panel. This process, called the photovoltaic effect explains how usable energy is created.

The cells within a solar panel are designed as layers of crystalline silicon and chemicals. When they work together, they create a semiconductor in which negatively-charged electrons are pushed into positively charged spaces when activated by sunlight. As the electrons get excited they move around and travel as a current through embedded wires to storage batteries.

How Disk Lights Can Be Used

Solar disk lights illuminating a pathway at night.

This type of lighting can be used in many different ways. The unique shape, low profile, and overall design are one of the best for various outdoor options. Some favorite ways they can be used include:

Motion Sensor Lighting

Some lights come equipped with motion-sensing features that you can use for areas of your property that are often shrouded in darkness. This is also great for security purposes.

Pathway Illumination

Light up your sidewalk, garden paths, driveways, or decks with these lights. They can help guide and provide safety on dark nights. Since you can also hang them, you can place them along fences and walls as well.

Garden Lighting

Accent lighting throughout your garden helps showcase your work in a whole new ‘light’. Enjoy your garden at any time when it is all lit up. They are also a great way to show off water features or statuary.

Spotlighting

These types of lights are generally very bright and can be placed at the base of porch pillars, trees, bushes, etc that you would like to be illuminated from below as a spotlight effect. You can also get creative in their placement if you need them angled.

Why You Should Consider Disk Lighting

There are many advantages to using disk lighting over other landscape lighting sources. Since they are solar powered they are dependent upon sunlight, but can still gather a decent charge on a cloudy day. They just might not shine as long. You also would need to keep the solar panels free of debris and snow in order for them to charge each night.

Easy Installation

Incredibly easy to install, disk lights can be staked to the ground, hung, or mounted anywhere the panel can receive sunlight for charging purposes. No tools required unless you decide to get creative.

Wireless

They can be placed ANYWHERE you get sunlight. No more worries about having an electrical line or outlet within reach.

Automatic On/Off

Lights can turn on automatically with a low light sensor, allowing you to have a worry-free experience. You also can generally control the lights or even dim them depending on the brand you purchase.

Cost-Efficient

With no electricity to worry about, you have no added charge for the lighting. The upfront cost is all you need to deal with! If they start to become dim on their own, you may also need to replace the rechargeable battery within.

Increases Property Value

Any type of landscape lighting increases your property value, and why not add it in an affordable, dependable manner?

Can You Mow Over Disk Lights?

Lawn mower running over a solar disk light.

Disk lights are specifically designed to be durable and capable of handling rough dealings. Those that are made from stainless steel are durable enough to handle all kinds of challenges, including being run over with a lawn mower. If the framework for the disk lights is plastic, however, they should not be mowed over.

The Spotlight on Solar Disk Lights

If unique, dependable lighting is what you need, a solar disk might be your answer. These compact lighting options are powerfully charged by the sun to power bright LEDs that last for tens of thousands of hours. Consider the Solpex Solar Grounds Lights for your all-around best option for your yard. Their creative placement can transform your property, illuminate your walkways, and add ambiance wherever you desire.