Best Outdoor Motion Sensor Security Lights – Reviews 2021

One of the latest methods of enhancing your home security involves adding the best motion sensor light to your outdoor lighting.

As the US News and World Report explains, the motion detector lights can help scare away potential burglars.

How?

When they start walking toward your house and the lighting automatically turns on, they’ll get scared as hell thinking you’ve spotted them and put on the lights.

And the result?

They’ll run away—saving you from the painful burglary experience.

When looking for a good motion sensor light, however, you can easily get intimidated by the numerous options out there.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the key things you need to know about these automatic lights before making a purchase.

Along the way, we’ll also look at some of the top-rated motion sensor lights currently available for you.

Let’s get started…

Can I Add Motion Sensor To an Existing Outdoor Light? Will it Be Wise?

Yes, it’s possible to add a motion sensor to existing outdoor light. If you really love your existing light bulb but still want to upgrade to motion sensor light, you can do so by using a screw-in motion sensor switch which works just the same way as the motion sensor light bulb itself.

The screw-in switch usually looks like a USB power adapter, with the sensor hanging below, and is incredibly easy to install.

All you have to do is screw the base directly into the fixture socket of your existing light and then screw in your existing light bulb.

NOW…you might be battling with an inner conflict on whether it’s really a nice idea to add a motion sensor to your outdoor lighting system.

The truth is, it’s a REALLY wise decision!

This is even truer when you keep in mind that you’ll significantly save on electric costs—by having a bulb that lights only when it detects moving objects instead of lighting throughout the night.

Other key benefits of using these special lights include increased home security, reduced light pollution (no more getting at loggerheads with your neighbors), and keeping off bugs which love playing in lights.

If you want to replace the existing outdoor lights with motion sensor bulbs, we’ve found some of the top-rated bulbs you can get today…

Our Best Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights:

1. LITOM Original Wireless Motion Sensor Light

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If you’re looking for a motion activated outdoor lighting which is solar powered, LITOM Original Wireless is an ideal option. For those who don’t know, LITOM is a leading brand in the lighting industry who have sold millions of solar powered lights that are loved by homeowners all over the world.

This particular light is ideal for installation on the front door, garage, deck, yard, and any other suitable outdoor spot of your choice.

It comes fitted with an enhanced PIR motion sensor which easily detects movements up to 8ft (26ft) at a detection angle of 120 degrees. On detecting motion, it lights with an illumination range of up to 270 degrees, thanks to its wide-angle lighting design. In other words, it has a coverage area 3x that of typical solar powered lights.

The solar-powered light also comes equipped with a high-efficient solar panel. This enables it to charge 25% faster than most of its competition—assuring you the battery will always be in good condition.

Above all, the light is made using premium ABS & PP material, with excellent weatherproof properties against all the terrible weathers like a rainstorm, extended daily heat, blizzard, etc. The strong durability translates to an extra-long lifespan of over 30,000 hours.

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2. URPOWER Wireless Waterproof Motion Sensor Outdoor Light

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Next in the line, we have another solar powered motion sensor outdoor light that you can install in your patio, yard, deck, aisle, porch, garden, or driveway.

Because it’s a motion sensor light, it automatically turns on when it detects motion within a range of 10ft and 120-degree sensing angle.

The wireless light installs in seconds.

And once set up, it harnesses the energy of the sun to make your nights brighter. It boasts of a total of 8 super-bright LED lamps. This enables it to deliver a brighter illumination that lets you clearly see in the dark. As you can easily guess, an 8 LED lamp works brighter than the 4-LED lights and lights longer than the 12-LED lights.

Just as we’ve seen in our previous light, this model also comes with a weather resistance design. It has IP64 waterproof and heatproof rating—meaning it can easily withstand the harsh outdoor weather elements for maximum longevity.

Keep in mind that the solar panel alone has a maximum lifespan of years while the LED has a lifespan of 50000 hours. Charging the light fully will take around 6-8 good hours.

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3. LITOM Premium Solar Lights Outdoor

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Another solar powered motion detector light from Litom, the dependable brand, shows up on our listing. This light is priced a bit higher than its sister above…but it compensates this with an improved list of features and performance.

Let’s start with its motion sensing capabilities. This outdoor light comes with an UPGRADED PIR Motion Sensor which can sense movements as far as 26ft and within an angle of 120 degrees around your garden, patio, garage, etc.

Motion detection automatically triggers the bulbs to deliver a cool white lighting that impressively lights up your dark yard or driveway. For your info, this bulb has a total of 30 LED beads (with a total of 550 lumens) which makes it 10x brighter than most of the other outdoor lights, including its sister above from Litom.

If it’s from LITOM, then it’s weather ready! This outdoor light comes with IP67 waterproof rating which enables it to survive various weather conditions including rainstorm, snowstorm, extremely hot weather—name them!

Installing the bulb is easy and quick for everyone; no special skills needed. The 30 beads of LED lights are well contained in a premium material shell for a lifelong night lighting experience of over 30000 hours.

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4. Aootek New Upgraded Outdoor Motion Sensor Wall Light

If you’re looking for a motion detector light which easily hangs on the wall, you just found Aootek New Upgraded Outdoor light! The light comes with a wall plug and screws for easy and fast set up. The two keyholes at the back let you easily hang this light on or off the screws.

Once you have it set up, it begins charging the included 2200mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery. It features a high-efficient monocrystalline silicon solar panel which converts up to 20.5% of sunlight into electrical energy.

At night, the wall light does what it does best—lighting up when it detects people and animals as far as 26 feet away and within an angle of 120 degrees. Keep in mind that the bulb comes armed with a total of 48 LED light beads which combine with the light wide angle design to deliver a larger coverage illumination.

You’ll find the 3 light modes—sensor, dim light sensor, and medium light—quite handy when it comes to customizing this bulb to match your desired lighting needs and preferences.

Just like the previously discussed lights, this wall light from Aootek is also weatherproof (IP64 waterproof), meaning it can hold up to extreme weather conditions for maximum longevity.

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5. Mr. Beams MB360XT Battery-Operated Outdoor Motion-Sensor LED Spotlight

Halfway our listing of the best motion detector lights, we have this battery-operated light from Mr. Beams. Based on the manufacturer's original MB360 spotlight, this light presents you with an instant and affordable solution to your home security lighting.

The battery operated motion sensor LED comes with all the necessary mounting hardware to allow you to easily and quickly install it anywhere. This light can sense motion up to 30 feet, which is a bit more extended than in the other lights we’ve discussed above.

It comes equipped with 200 lumens LED lamps which translates to a bright outdoor spotlight.

What’s more, it has a unique reflective face which projects the light to light wider spaces—including your doorway, driveway, garage, deck, fence, shed, etc.

To fully qualify it as outdoor light, this LED bulb comes with a bold, durable, and weatherproof (IPX6 rating) design. It’s well protected from water damage and has a durable shell that can survive the harsh outdoor elements.

The motion action and 30-second auto-shutoff ensure the light is on only when it’s needed, helping prolong the battery life.

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6. LEPOWER 3000LM LED Security Light

LEPOWER 3000LM LED is the perfect security light for use in your entryway, yard, stairs, workshop, and any other large area lighting requirements. It features a unique 2 light head design, both delivering high brightness output of 3000lumens to meet your illumination needs.

The highly sensitive motion activated bulb has a remarkable sensing range that extends up to 48 feet with a sensing angle of up to 180 degrees. Mind you; this is the best sensing capability we’ve witnessed so far on this list.

Keep in mind that it’s also possible to adjust the motion sensor to various angles depending on your requirements.

You don’t have to worry about the security light getting damaged by harmful weather elements. It features IP65 waterproof rating to ensure it stands strong and unaffected in the event of rains, snow, or sleet.

Similar to the other lights we’ve featured on this post, this security light comes with a durable, long-lasting construction. It features a die-cast aluminum casing for the ultimate longevity. The LED light itself has a lifelong rating that spans up to 50000 hours.

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7. BAXIA TECHNOLOGY Wireless 100 LED Solar Motion Sensor Lights

Straight from Baxia Technology, we have this solar powered light which lights up on detecting motion from arrange of 10-16ft and within an angle of 125 degrees. The LED then turns off after 30 seconds to help preserve battery life.

This light comes ready to meet your illumination needs at night. It boasts of a total of 100 LED lights which deliver a super-bright light (rated up to 2000 lumens). This makes it just the perfect light for security or other night lighting requirements.

Since it draws its energy from the sun, it comes with a 2600mAh high-capacity battery and a high-efficiency battery with up to 17% conversion rate. It charges for approx. 6-8 hours, after which the light works for 8-12 hours.

Don’t forget that this motion sensor light is seriously durable. It’s designed using high-strength ABS plastic material to enable it to withstand most, if not all, the harsh outdoor weather elements for maximum longevity.

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8. JUSLIT 74 COB LEDs Motion Sensor Light

If you want value for your money, JUSLIT 74 COB LEDs Motion Sensor Light will give you just that. This sensor comes at an affordable cost but provides you with high-end features in exchange.

Unlike the other lights we’ve discussed above, this light comes with the NEW COB LED technology which means super-bright illumination (2x brighter than the regular LED lights!).

It draws its energy from the sun. It comes with a high-quality solar panel and a built-in 2000mAh rechargeable battery for storing the electrical energy.

The light can sense motion up to 26 feet away with the integrated Juslit’s wireless PIR sensor. This motion activation truly takes your home security to a new level while helping you save on your electric bills.

Unlike most of its competitors, the bulb offers you up to two light modes—the dim light and bright light sensors. This enables you to customize your light so that it matches your specific lighting needs in every situation.

The durable construction with IP65 waterproof rating enables this light to hold up to the extreme weather elements and serve you an exceptionally long period of time.

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9. LEONLITE 2 Head LED Outdoor Motion Sensor Security Floodlight

LEONLITE 2 Head LED is one of the most popular outdoor motion sensor floodlights on the market today. Dual-headed lights are suitable for lighting large outdoor areas due to their wide area lighting angle.

The 20W security light provides you with high brightness output the equivalent of 150 halogens while consuming much less energy than the halogen bulbs.

It has an AUTO mode in which the built-in sensor detects motion at night or daytime and turns on and then turn itself off after a certain amount of time to help preserve the battery power. Keep in mind that this floodlight can detect motion over an extended distance of 20 to 70ft, within an angle of 180 degrees.

Designed using rugged die-casting aluminum plus IP65 high waterproof, this floodlight can survive the most extreme weather conditions and will not get damaged by rainwater.

The LED light itself has an outstanding maximum lifespan of 50,000 hours. This effectively reduces the frequency of replacing fixtures, saving you even more money!

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10. GLORIOUS-LITE 39W LED Security Light

Closing our list of the best outdoor motion sensor lights is the GLORIOUS-LITE 39W LED Security Light. This light features 3 heads whose angles you can easily adjust according to your preferences. It’s great for use in your backyard, walkways, entries and exits, dark alleys, fences, porch, and so on.

It senses moving objects as far as 48 feet and within an angle of 180 degrees. The motion then triggers the light to produce an ultra-brightness of up to 3500 lumens. Like most of the previously discussed models, this light goes off 30 seconds- 2 minutes of lighting to help save the battery life.

The joints connecting the light heads and the entire light to the motion sensor are fully movable and flexible. This lets you easily customize the light in your preferred angle to direct the light to the specific area(s) you want to illuminate.

Like all the other lights that made it to this list, this model also comes with a weather-resistant construction (with IP65 waterproof rating). This means it will not give in to rainwater, snow, sleet, etc., translating to maximum lifespan.

Examine the back of the 3 heads of this light system closely and you’ll discover fish scale-like design. This plays a crucial role in dissipating the heat away, protecting the light from overheating. Installing the light is pretty simple; no plug and no switch, and no special skills needed.

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Things To Consider Before Buying

There are loads of motion sensor lights out there (think hundreds of thousands) which can make it quite overwhelming to pick best outdoor motion sensor lights for your home.

Below, we have outlined a quick list of the KEY features which will guide you into choosing the perfect light for your home outdoor lighting.

Location

The location (or simply the amount of area) you wish to illuminate should always come into play when looking for an outdoor motion sensor security light.

If you plan to illuminate a small area such as the front porch, entryway, exit, etc., then you should consider looking for a security light with motion sensor range of a few feet.

For a larger area illumination such as the backyard, however, consider looking for a floodlight with an extended sensing range of up to 50 feet and above.

Alternatively;

You can use the number of lumens to guide you into choosing the right bulb. Small areas can be served by up to 40 lumens while the larger areas will need up to 3,400 lumens.

Purpose

Motion sensing lights can be used for various purposes such as visibility, decoration, or security.

What do you plan to use your light for?

If you’re like most people, you might be planning to install the lighting for security reasons.

And in this case, you should look for the brightest models to light up your backyard and front parts to eliminate all the potential hiding spots for burglars.

For decorative lighting and visibility, the battery-operated will be a good option as they don’t require any attachments.

You can easily arrange the battery-operated lights to line your path, surround a given structure, or even illuminate a dark stairway.

Power source

When looking for a motion sensor security light, you’ll encounter lights with three main sources of power—battery operated, hard-wired, and solar powered.

Most homeowners prefer the solar powered and battery operated models since they don’t need to be installed near an electric source. They’re also extremely easy to install and you don’t need an electrician for the job.

However, the two sources of power can disappoint you in the event of a dead battery or cloudy weather. They might also not be as bright as the hardwired lights.

If you go with a hardwired power source, then you’ll need to prepare in advance in case you’ll need to run wires through walls or secure the extension wires.

Type of bulb

When it comes to the type of motion sensing light, you’ll have a choice between the LEDs and the traditional incandescent bulbs.

Again, most homeowners prefer using the LED type bulbs since they’re great energy savers, don’t overheat like their incandescent counterparts (which can cause fire), and have a longer lifespan.

Unfortunately, some LEDs might not deliver a lot of brightness especially if you want to light a bigger area or scare away the burglars.

The incandescent light, on the other hand, consumes more energy, meaning bigger energy bills. They also need regular replacement.

But keeping in mind that this light system will light up when they detect motion, you shouldn’t worry about overheating or huge energy consumption.

Price

For the pricing part, we suggest that you come up with a rough budget and stick to it when looking for an ideal motion sensor light.

Ensure you set a bit flexible budget, though. If you come across a cheap light, it might be inexpensive for a reason.

The highest priced light doesn’t mean it has the best quality.

If you’re made of money, you’ll want to get a bright, high-powered light that even allows you to connect to other home security devices.

How It Works?

A typical motion sensor light comes integrated with an “electronic eye” that detects infrared waves (the heat waves produced by objects on the move).

When your lighting system detects a moving object within its sensing range and angle, it automatically lights up and then stays on for about a few seconds or minutes, depending on how you preset it before shutting off.

The motion detector light features a semi-circular field of view of up to 240 degrees and a specific sensing range extending up to 70ft or more (which is adjustable for most models).

These special light systems usually light up when they detect warmer objects such as people, animals, and cars. Sometimes they can react to wind-blown leaves.

During the day, the motion sensor light remains off. This is made possible by an integrated photocell that helps deactivate the light in daylight.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best motion sensor outdoor light system?

The ideal motion sensor light to install in your backyard, patio, driveway, etc., will depend on your unique home lighting needs and requirements.

Armed with a reasonable budget, and your priorities (why you need the light, where you want to locate it, etc.), you should not have a problem finding a great motion sensor light for your home.

Always remember to read the reviews of previous users before placing an order to ensure you’re taking home a quality and dependable light.

2. My motion sensor lights are flashing. What could be the problem?

If your motion detection lights are flashing, you should first examine the condition closely to ensure they’re actually flashing and not flickering.

If you find out they’re flickering or producing unsteady, quick brightness changes, then you might have a bad bulb or bad wiring.

If you change the bulb and the problem doesn’t end, call in an experienced electrician to examine the wiring.

Alternatively: check if you light system has an adjustable sensor and adjust it to the area in view or your range dial.

3. Can you add a motion detector to an outdoor light?

Yes, it’s possible to add a motion detector capability to existing outdoor lighting.

This is the best option for people who don’t want to install motion sensor bulbs to replace the current outdoor lighting.

In this case, you’ll need to buy a motion sensor switch which you can then screw in your existing lighting and voila! You have a motion detection security lighting system in your home!

4. How do I properly reset my motion sensor outdoor security light?

The motion sensor in your lighting is usually sensitive to power blinks and electric surges. This is the reason why your light might remain on or off if any of these events occur.

All you have to do to bring your light back to normal is to RESET the sensor.

Try one of these tricks:

(i). Turn off the circuit breaker powering your motion detection light for approx. 30 seconds and then turn it on. This will automatically reset the light in most cases…though some models require you to put the breaker off for a longer period of time, say an hour, for successful reset.

(ii). Turn on your light switch, then turn it off for around 2 seconds. Turn it back on. This trick usually works for light systems which are fed by a wall switch.

(iii). Turn your light switch on and off for about 4 times in quick succession. This will make the light to stay on continuously. You can then turn it off, wait for approx. 5 seconds, and then turn it on again. This should reset your motion sensor lighting system.

5. How high should I place my motion sensing floodlight?

The ideal placement for your floodlight will depend on factors such as its brightness, its opening angle, and what you intend to use it for.

Generally, the light should be placed closer to your target area for the ultimate visibility.

Floodlights intended for gateways and areas close to your house should be situated as high as the top of your garage. This keeps them out of reach while providing a good illumination coverage.

Lights meant for illuminating objects above them ought to be placed on or near the ground (about 3 or more feet away from the target) to prevent the heat generated and intense light from causing any damages.

Final Verdict

Outdoor lighting is an important aspect of every home when it comes to mater security and giving you peace of mind.

The invention of motion sensing outdoor lights makes outdoor lighting economical for homeowners as it only lights when it senses moving objects within a given range. This helps significantly cut down the energy bills while enhancing your home security.

If you’re planning to install motion sensing lights in your backyard, garden, patio, driveway, garage, etc., you have several options at hand.

You can either add a motion sensing switch to your existing outdoor lighting or replace the lights with the motion sensing bulbs.

Check our list of the 10 best motion sensor lights that you can install in your home today to stop the burglars right in their tracks.