Best Post Cap Lights
For safety reasons, your house should always have outdoor lighting. This ensures that you can see outside, and others can identify your property in the dark. The easiest solution to brighten up your patio, garden, or porch is to use post-cap lights.
These lights will make sure that your perimeters are well lit and identifiable, regardless of the time of day. There is a wide variety of options out there which is why we’ll be going through a handful of quality cap lights along with some pointers as to what makes them worth the investment.
| Rank | Product | Highlights |
| #1 |
 Siedinlar Solar Post Lights |
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| #2 |
 Grenula Solar Post Lights Outdoor |
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| #3 |
 MAGGIFT 15 Lumen Solar Post Lights |
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| #4 |
 SUNWIND Solar Post Cap Lights Outdoor |
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| #5 |
 Home Zone Security Solar Post Cap Lights |
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Table Of Contents
- What is Post Cap Lights?
- Brightness
- Light Color
- Sizing
- Lifespan
- Advanced Features
- Solar Panels
- Run-Time
- Best Post Cap Light Reviews
- 1. Siedinlar Solar Post Lights
- 2. Grenula Solar Post Lights Outdoor
- 3. MAGGIFT 15 Lumen Solar Post Lights
- 4. SUNWIND Solar Post Cap Lights Outdoor
- 5. Home Zone Security Solar Post Cap Lights
- Conclusion
What is Post Cap Lights?
Post cap lights are used to light up the driveway and property for yourself and others. It makes late-night lounging and pulling up into the driveway easier. These lights will also tell others that the house is occupied rather than having your home nestle in pitch-black darkness.
That said, there are a couple of features to consider before you make a final purchase, as post-cap lights are supposed to be investments, not a monthly expense.
Brightness
The brightness of light bulbs refers to the area its light is capable of illuminating. This brightness is measured in lumens. The higher the lumen, the stronger the brightness.
Commercial lights which are made as garage lights or spotlights in front of the house range around 100 to 300 lumens. These lights are made to create light as bright as daylight for complete vision in a certain area.
But this is not what a light cap is for. These lights are not as strong and are used for easy light and aesthetic purposes. If you’re trying to turn your posts into streetlights, then you’re not looking for post cap lights.
The lumen range you’re most probably looking for in post cap lights is 15 – 30 lumens. These lights create a mellow, gentle, and enjoyable light that doesn’t attract too many insects.
Light Color
There are different light colors to choose from, though this is most directly affected by the bulb type. There’s warm orange, which delivers a comforting touch to the evening’s dark. Another option is yellow with a softer white bulb which helps light up the area, without disrupting the calm nature of the night. Finally, there are bright white lights that aim to illuminate their surroundings to the best of their ability.
Daytime lights are brighter white lights. These stick out against the natural sunlight. If you’re looking to only use your lights during nighttime hours, then it’s better to stick to warmer, dimmer colors. These will attract fewer bugs and provide a more natural glow to your home.
Sizing
Sizing of the post and post cap is extremely important. You don’t want to purchase a beautifully crafted post cap only to find it’s too big for your post. So, before even searching through your options, measure the post.
Posts come in standard sizes of 3” x 3” up to 6” x 6”. Most post caps will come in 4” x 4” so they’ll fit on all standard posts, but it’s best to check with the manufacturer instructions regardless.
Another issue you can encounter is the material of the post. Most premade post caps in the market are made to fit and install easily on top of wooden posts. While many people do have wooden posts, other materials could be PVC or vinyl. In these cases, there are more specific post caps. Always check what the post cap is compatible with before you buy.
Lifespan
Post caps are meant to be long-term investments, not temporary solutions. You should be looking at a long-lasting life of 10 to 20 years. The bulbs themselves, of course, will have to be changed much more often. You can expect proper outdoor bulbs to last one-to-two years before they need to be changed.
Advanced Features
There are some vital features your post lights should have to survive in the outdoor climate.
- They should be weather resistant. In this case, rust, sleet, and water are the primary obstacles to conquer. Rust and sleet will be the death of your solar panels, and if your cap lights are not water-resistant, they’ll never survive in rain or snow.
- You also want environmentally friendly materials without toxins and chemical exposure as this will be outside. You also don’t want to encourage an unethical purchase.
- There are some models which come with energy-saving modes. You can swap different light types for dimmer or brighter lights. Dimmer lights will save energy and power but will reduce the visibility outside.
Solar Panels
You’ll note when going through our selection of reviews that all the options are solar-powered. Post cap lights being an outdoor piece, will more than often be solar-powered, not only for energy efficiency but also for convenience.
Most solar paneled lights will have automatic on and off settings. They’ll turn on at dusk when the sun sets and turn back off for charging at dawn when the sun begins to rise.
Here, the type of panel used is important, as this can determine their efficiency and safety.
- Monocrystalline panels are 20% more efficient with a higher lifetime but they come at higher costs.
- Polycrystalline panels are the second-best option with 15% efficiency as well as a lower price, but they have a considerably lower lifespan.
- Amorphous Silicon is 7-10% efficient with a much lower price but once again, a shorter lifespan.
- Concentrated PV Cell panels are 41% efficient, the highest-ranked efficiency. The issue with these panels is that they heat up very quickly which can become dangerous.
Run-Time
Seeing as these post cap lights use solar power, the next important factor to consider is the run-time. Mind you, solar power is not the most stable energy source out there, so the performance of any solar-powered cap lights will fluctuate.
The first thing to do; place it somewhere it’ll get the lightest possible in your yard. This should be somewhere shadows won’t overcast the panels, preventing them from catching direct sunlight.
The manufacturer will give you an estimate for how long the lights will last, but these estimations are made under the impression that your lights are getting consistent direct sunlight all day, which isn’t always the case.
There can be cloudy days, or days when the sun isn’t strong, and of course seasonal changes. Also, the day and sun exposure won’t be as long in the winter as compared to summers.
The realistic run-time you’re looking at during any night is 6-8 hours, though manufacturers may claim otherwise.
Best Post Cap Light Reviews
1. Siedinlar Solar Post Lights
SPECS:
- Shade Material: ABS Plastic
- Light: LED bulbs
- Voltage / Wattage: 1.2v
- Brightness: 10 lumens
- Dimensions: 6.3” x 6.3” x 2.76”
Best Overall Post Cap Lights
Siedinlar’s Solar Post Lights come in two options of black and white, depending on your decorative preference. There are also two lighting modes: warm white and cool white. The lights used are LED bulbs for a stronger and more energy-efficient lighting solution.
There are four post caps in one purchase. You install these light caps with the supplied screws upon delivery. They work only on wooden posts which measure from 3.5” x 3.5” to 6” x 6”. You can place these on patio decks, posts, fences, or whatever works for you.
Constructed out of tough and durable ABS plastic, they’re weather resistant and can withstand harsh conditions. Rain, snow, or shine, they’ll retain their quality condition and provide the same performance.
For them to work throughout the whole night, it’s recommended to have them charge under sunlight for 6-8 consistent hours. If this and more are provided, your lamps will gladly shine for 10 hours or even longer. They automatically turn on at dusk and shut off at dawn.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who Should Buy This?
Coming in bulk with a sleek, stylish, and modern construction these post caps from Siedinlar is the best overall pick. They’ll stay attractive and effective with their sturdy plastic construction and solar-powered performance.
2. Grenula Solar Post Lights Outdoor
SPECS:
- Shade Material: Plastic
- Light: LED bulb
- Voltage / Wattage: 3.2v / 0.39w
- Brightness: 15 lumens
- Dimensions: 5.4” x 5.63” x 7.89”
Premium Pick
Grenula’s Post Lights come with unbeatable aesthetic and unique stylization. Using higher quality plastic and glass panels, these post caps will stay beautiful, rain or shine.
These upgraded solar LED lights provide 15 lumens each and use solar-charged AA batteries. They’re energy-efficient and convenient with their dusk-till-dawn automatic schedule.
There are two solar garden porch lights in each purchase. To install them, there are 4 plastic grooves for the screws and 8 inclusive screws. There’s no wiring required to minimize the chances of accidents.
These lamps are made to fit over posts measuring 3.8” x 3.8”. With any substantial amount of direct sunlight during the day, they’ll shine for 6 to 8 hours during the night. There are four solar panels, one on every side of the post cap to assure maximum solar charge before the night falls.
The unique design of this garden porch light has stimulated raindrops carved into the glass for an elegant and simplistic look to your garden décor.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who Should Buy This?
These post cap lights not only do their job justly, but they provide your home with much-deserved beauty and grace in their creative design. It’s an ideal fusion of style and functionality for your home.
3. MAGGIFT 15 Lumen Solar Post Lights
SPECS:
- Shade Material: Plastic
- Light: SMD LED bulbs
- Voltage / Wattage: 0.4v
- Brightness: 10 lumens
- Dimensions: 4.95” x 4.95” x 2.4”
Budget Pick
There are three purchase options with these MAGGIFT lights. You can either buy them in a pack of 2, a pack of 4, or a pack of 6, depending on your needs. If you’re trying them out, stick with two as a test run. If you intend to replace all your lights with these, then 6 is a bountiful number that should do the trick.
They’re sealed tight to ensure rust-resistance. The SMD LED lights are used in these post caps to provide 10 lumens each for a bright yet mellow atmosphere for your home’s lighting.
These solar-powered lights require 6 to 8 hours of proper and consistent sunlight to work for 8 to 10 hours at night. They automatically turn on at dusk when the sun has set and turned back off when the sun begins to rise at dawn.
There is no wiring required for these post lights, as they simply need to be screwed into place. They are compatible with wooden posts sized 4” x 4” to 6” x 6”.
These lights are also weather-resistant, capable of handling snow, frost, sleet, rust, and rain with no issue. Problems may occur in harsh rainstorms where winds are high and harder droplets have a possibility of falling.
MAGGIFT provides its customers with a 180-day warranty in which their concerns and problems can be solved. You can even return these for a replacement or refund if you’re not satisfied with their performance.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who Should Buy This?
Sometimes, investments can be cheap as well. Quality is not determined by the price tag, and MAGGIFT’s Solar Post Lights remind us all of that. With the same commercial level performance as its competitors, these lights will provide you with the service you desire.
4. SUNWIND Solar Post Cap Lights Outdoor
SPECS:
- Shade Material: Plastic
- Light: LED bulbs
- Voltage / Wattage: 1.2v
- Brightness: 5 Lumens per Light
- Dimensions: 5.63” x 5.63” x 4”
Value Pick
These light post caps from SUNWIND are a splendid deal to invest in. They use 4 AA rechargeable batteries and are solar-powered. Each bulb provides 4.8 lumens of subtle, amber light. The internal light reflector gives off a mesmerizing effect on the light.
There are four cap lights offered in one purchase for a matching change to your old posts. These post lights will only fit over 4” x 4” posts which are made from wood. Other materials will not accommodate these lights properly.
There’s no need for electricity or wiring for these lights to work. Simply screw them down with the stainless-steel screws provided and two wall plugs given upon delivery.
For these lights to work 6 to 8 hours consecutively throughout the night, they’ll need 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight exposure. They will turn off automatically at dawn and begin to charge underneath the sunlight. Once the sun sets at dusk, they’ll turn on and shine.
With a durable plastic body, they’ll survive through rain and snow. For any concerns, SUNWIND always has quality customer service ready to help you with any issues.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who Should Buy This?
Great value is hard to miss out on, especially when it comes to such an appealing design. SUNWINDs post cap lights are guaranteed to last you their money’s worth or they can be safely returned.
5. Home Zone Security Solar Post Cap Lights
SPECS:
- Shade Material: Glass
- Light: LED Bulbs
- Voltage / Wattage: 1.2v / 1.08w
- Brightness: 12 Lumens
- Dimensions: 5.6” x 5.6” x 6.0”
Best Decorative Post Cap Lights
Finally, we have the post lights from Home Zone. These post-cap lights are bound to create quite the appeal in your home. With decorative rigged glass and strong LED lights, your porch, garden, or patio will illuminate the beauty of your humble home every night.
These post caps use crystalline solar panels for a longer, more sufficient performance with every passing day. The LED lights give off a delicate and warm tone. They’re ideal for porches and decks where modest lighting is often required.
Installation is quick and easy, with mounting screws included in your purchase and a simple switch to start these lights in their work. They fit best on 4” x 4” posts made out of wood.
There’s no wiring required to control or power them, as they have an automatic dusk-till-dawn system. The lights will turn on at night when there’s no sun outside and turn off immediately once the solar panels detect natural sunlight.
These post caps have been tested and approved for outdoor weather resistance. If you’re not satisfied or have inquiries, Home Zone has a 1-year no-hassle product support service.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who Should Buy This?
Your post lights shouldn’t only be functional, but fashionable as well. Turn heads as these lights automatically turn on every night to reveal their beautiful lighting and design, while bringing appreciative eyes to your own house.
Conclusion
There is no doubt about it, post cap lights come in handy. Being able to see in the dark, enjoy the outdoors when the sun isn’t out, and generally having a well-lit home is nice. With the right cap lights, you’ll have years of better nights worry-free.
Feel free to choose from our selected picks and share this information with anyone looking for some quality post-cap lights.