Outdoor Christmas lights
238 sets rated for use outside, from £5 to £120. Every one is marked outdoor or indoor and outdoor by its maker, which means sealed bulbs and cable to at least IP44 and a low-voltage transformer. The sets cover gutters and eaves (icicles), trees and shrubs (cluster and tree lights), hedges and walls (nets), paths (stake lights) and places with no socket (battery sets).
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Premier
Premier Ultrabright 960 LED Garage Door Cluster Garland, Warm White
960 warm white LEDs
£29.99
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Noma
Noma 360 LED Fit and Forget Battery Cluster Lights, Multi Coloured
360 multi coloured LEDs
£15.99
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Festive
Set of 20 Petal Multi Coloured Christmas Lights Battery Operated with Timer
Battery lights
£12.99
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Noma
240 Multi Colour Fit & Forget Battery Powered LED Multi Action Net Light
240 multi coloured LEDs
£23.49
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Premier
480 Warm White Supabrights Multi Action LED String Lights with Timer
480 warm white LEDs
£24.99
What makes a set suitable for outdoors
Three things. The bulbs and cable are sealed to IP44 or better, which means they shrug off rain and splashes; IP65 sets take driving rain and a hose. The set runs at low voltage, usually 24V or 31V, through a transformer that drops the mains supply, so the cable in the garden carries a small voltage. And the set is marked for outdoor use by the maker, which is the rating we show on each listing. What is never rated for outdoors is the transformer and the plug: those stay indoors, or in a weatherproof enclosure such as a Dri-Box, off the ground.
Choosing by where the lights go
| Where | Set type | How to size it |
|---|---|---|
| Gutters, eaves, porch roof | Icicle lights | Measure the run, add a tenth for corners and drape |
| Outdoor tree or large shrub | Cluster lights | 720 to 2,000 LEDs by tree size |
| Hedge, wall, fence panel | Net lights | A net slightly smaller than the surface |
| Path, drive, border | Stake lights | One stake per metre |
| Door wreath, gate, far corner | Battery sets | Timer runs 6 hours a night |
| Porch or doorway | Twig and microdot trees | A pair at 4ft to 6ft |
Getting power to them
Count the lead length, which is the plain cable from the transformer to the first bulb, against the distance from your socket to the start of the run; 5 to 10m on most sets. An outdoor socket with RCD protection is best. Failing that, run the lead through a window and keep the transformer inside, or use an outdoor-rated extension lead into a Dri-Box. Connectable sets join end to end from one transformer up to the maker's stated limit, which saves on sockets for a long roofline.
Timers and running cost
Nearly all the mains sets have a 6 hours on, 18 off timer, so the display comes on at dusk and switches itself off. A 500 LED set draws around 15W, which at the current price cap is roughly 0.4p an hour, or about 2.4p for a six-hour evening. The outdoor lights guide covers IP ratings, fixing and safety in full.
Common questions
What IP rating do outdoor Christmas lights need?
IP44 is the minimum for sheltered outdoor use; IP65 for fully exposed rooflines and fences. Every set here is rated outdoor or indoor and outdoor by its maker and the rating is in the specification.
Can the transformer go outside?
Not in the open. Keep it indoors, or in a weatherproof Dri-Box enclosure off the ground, and keep the plug connection dry.
How much do outdoor Christmas lights cost to run?
A 500 LED set uses about 15W: roughly 0.4p an hour at the current price cap, or about 2.4p a night on a six-hour timer.
Can I join outdoor light sets together?
Only sets sold as connectable, up to the number the maker states. Standard sets each need their own transformer and socket.