LED torches with battery & solar for the garden: 10 models from 5 euros in the test

Summer temperatures invite you to linger in the garden – even long after sunset. Candlelight and torches provide a cozy flair. Nevertheless, there is no risk of fire, at least if you use LED torches with an integrated battery and a small solar panel. Apart from the safety factor, the cost of the LED solution, which can be used for years, also speaks for itself.

If you are looking for solar or LED torches, you will find hundreds of different offers, which often only differ in price and packaging. But are there actually quality differences here, or does it not matter which model you buy?

For this guide from our garden theme world, we tested ten different solar torches and revealed what to look out for when buying and which models did particularly well in the test.

Although we already own a handful of different flicker lamps, we selected ten currently available models for this comparison test. One of them comes from the discounter, the rest is available on Amazon. A low price and the typical flame and flickering effect were important to us.

Solar torches have light sources consisting of several LEDs that flicker in a fixed rhythm and thus simulate the dancing of a flame. A small battery serves as the power source, which is charged during the day using a mini solar panel.

Daily switching on and off is unnecessary. A small light sensor registers when it is dark and activates or deactivates the flickering light. In addition, a power button or switch is integrated, with which the lamp can be switched off over the winter months. It is advisable to fully charge the lamps before using them for the first time.

Apart from the design of the lights, both the number of LEDs used for the flickering effect and the size of the battery and solar panel differ.

Although design is a matter of taste, there is one crucial difference in appearance: the material used. While eight out of ten lamps are made entirely of black plastic, the actual torch in two models is made of bamboo. This makes it look authentic as it is reminiscent of classic kerosene torches, potentially reducing plastic waste. The LED module with integrated battery and solar panel is simply placed on the wooden torch from above. Unfortunately, this is neither particularly stable nor does it look high-quality. It’s a shame, because we really like the idea behind it. Those who like it modern will tend to use torches made of plastic. Here the lamp unit is inserted into the torch body from above and firmly connected to it by twisting.

The smallest lamp in our test field is the torch from Iso Trade with a height of just 51 cm. For comparison, the largest models, such as the Noname lamp, the Flowood torches and the Kesser torches, are around 75 to 78 cm tall. At 68 cm, the Spetebo model is not quite as high, but it is particularly wide. The lamps from the Moxled set of 6 are the narrowest.

Unfortunately, it is not clear in all product descriptions how many LEDs are responsible for the flickering effect in the individual torches. The lamp from Flowood offers the most LEDs with 96 pieces. The torches from Kesser have 33 LEDs, the lamps from Iso Trade only have twelve LEDs on board.

The lights sold as torches can all be stuck into the ground, but some models, such as the Noname model, also offer the option of being set up or screwed to the wall.

Except for the two bamboo torches, the solar lamps have to be put together after unpacking. This works with all models without any problems. Quality differences are not yet recognizable here.

In order to be able to compare the different torches, we first switch off all the lamps and charge them for two days in the best sunshine. Here are the first differences. With the bamboo torches or the Iso Trade, Spetebo and Everbeam models, the switch is placed next to the illuminant inside the torch. To get here, the lamp must first be disassembled. The torches from Kesser, Moxled and the Noname model have the power switch placed on the outside instead. This is significantly more comfortable.

Since all providers promise a burn time of at least four to six hours, we first wait for the onset of darkness and check whether all the torches turn on. That works reliably. As dusk falls, all ten torches are gradually switched on. To check how long the batteries actually last, we start a time-lapse video from 11 p.m. To our surprise, the battery of the small torch from Iso Trade is already very weak at this point and the lamp is glowing rather than flickering. However, the other nine torch models still shine with full luminosity. The next surprise came when the video was evaluated. The faintly smoldering torch from Iso Trade still lasted until the morning hours in the low brightness. The batteries of the remaining torches even survive the whole night and so the lamps are deactivated at sunrise, even before the battery is empty.

There are differences in the brightness and the flame effect, but overall they are significantly lower than expected. Basically, the torches are intended more as a pretty light effect, less for lighting. Set up in sufficient numbers, the light is sufficient to illuminate a path, for example. The lamps from Flowood, Everbeam, Gearlite and the two bamboo torches are subjectively the brightest. By far the weakest torch, even with a full battery, is the Iso Trade model.

Even the Iso-Trade torch with only twelve LEDs flickers, but the flame effect is less realistic than torches with more individual LEDs. However, the differences between the torches with 33 and 96 LEDs are only visible on very close inspection. If the torch isn’t on the table in front of you, but flickers in the background, it doesn’t have to be 96 LEDs.

The modern torches from Moxled and Gearlite offer the best value for money from the test field. At 4 to 6 euros per torch, these are not only particularly cheap, but also sufficiently bright and equipped with a long-lasting battery and external power switch.

If you want a less modern variant, we recommend the inexpensive Noname torch, the wide lamp from Spetebo or the bamboo torch from Hapro. The models from Flowood and Everbeam also performed flawlessly in the practical test, but they are clearly too expensive compared to the other torches.

The author has been using such solar lamps and torches privately for years. Past experience shows that the durability and service life of the lamps vary greatly. We have had the worst experiences with cheap lamps from discounters and hardware stores. Such models, which are available for less than 2 euros and have only one small LED, often only last for one season.

Our privately purchased torches (noname models from Aliexpress) also have a few failures after more than three years. Out of 16 torches purchased, eleven are currently still working. The remaining torches work and flicker throughout the night, although they have been in the garden throughout the winter months. Apart from the gray plastic and the solar panel becoming cloudy, there are no major drawbacks.

Other colleagues have to complain about significantly more failures. Unfortunately, practice shows that even a high price is no guarantee of better quality. With prices starting at less than 5 euros, this is at least bearable.

With one exception, the torches we tested are available on Amazon.

Anyone looking for an alternative model should pay attention to the product specifications. Lamps with fewer than 33 LEDs don’t flicker quite as nicely. You should also pay attention to the size information when making your selection. The product photos can quickly lead astray here. If you order the torches on Aliexpress, for example, you should pay attention to the shipping costs and shipping location.

If you want to bring atmospheric torchlight into your garden, you don’t have to invest a lot. Our comparison test shows that cheap does not automatically mean bad. The differences in the flame effect are smaller than expected, despite the different number of individual LEDs. Solar torches in the lower price range are sufficient for a pretty and safe flickering in the summer garden.

It is best to buy the torches in sets of two, four or six pieces, then you get a fair price even with decent quality. If you want to pay attention to the environment, you should use a bamboo solar torch, as it simply uses less plastic.