Top 7 Outdoor Lighting Brands in the World (Updated 2024)

Introduction to Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting covers all the landscape lighting fixtures that illuminate paths, provide security, and create a mesmerizing ambiance. For homes or businesses, such lighting fixtures are becoming increasingly popular. 

Common examples include floodlights, spotlights, parking lot lights, bollards, paths, posts, and ceiling lights. 

According to the report, the global outdoor lighting market saw significant growth in 2022, reaching a value of USD 15.34 billion, and it continued crossing USD 37.4 billion in 2023. It is projected to expand rapidly over the next ten years, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.0%.

Importance of High-Quality Outdoor Lighting

Before jumping into the list of top brands, let’s discuss the importance of high-quality outdoor lighting. 

Weather Resistance

Outdoor lights are exposed to external elements and harsh weather. Naturally, they are designed to withstand water and are rated IP65 or IP68.

However, not all water protection ratings are the same. You can learn more about them here. Landscape fixtures with robust protective casing make for a long-lasting and durable lighting system. 

Security 

Outdoor lighting is synonymous with security and protection of the area. Floodlights and post lights protect the area from any accidents or criminal activity.

For this reason, the lights must be premium-built to avoid any unforeseen technical failure that can cause health-related or monetary loss. 

Power Consumption

Since outdoor lighting must run continuously all night, energy-efficient technology like LED lights is necessary to reduce power consumption and save on electricity bills. Fortunately, many sustainable and green outdoor lighting fixtures are available to address this issue. 

Aesthetics

High-quality outdoor lighting is a hallmark of exterior lighting design for residential and commercial places. It can change people’s moods and provide extraordinary ambiance, making it a top choice. 

Top Outdoor Lighting Brands

Now that we’ve established the importance of high-quality outdoor lighting, let’s discuss the top brands that produce such light fixtures. These outdoor lighting brands are known for their landscape, garden, patio, and driveway lighting solutions. Discover the best options to enhance the outdoor space.

Philips: A Leader in Outdoor Lighting

Philips is one of the biggest names in the industry and a pioneer in lighting technology. It has been around since 1891, and it has also been at the forefront of many lighting policies that shape our world. 

The company embodies innovation and produces various outdoor lighting products, such as LED lamps, fixtures, and drivers.

Philips is one of the biggest names in the industry and a pioneer in lighting technology. It has been around since 1891 and has been at the forefront of many lighting policies that shape our world. 

The company embodies innovation and produces various outdoor lighting products, such as LED lamps, fixtures, and drivers.

Since 2016, Philips’ lighting division has been rebranded into Signify N.V., which solely focuses on producing electric lights, fixtures, and all the control systems that go with it. The brand also dabbles in smart lighting technology and IoT. 

Their outdoor lighting is known for durability, as all the fixtures have resilient weatherproof sealings. Though the products are relatively expensive, the quality makes up for it. 

Philips’ outdoor lighting catalog features bright garden lights, wireless solar lights, pedestal lights, decking lights, and post lights in various stylish fixtures that are easy to install.

With so much design variety, these lighting products can be used on terraces, balconies, parking lots, lawns, gardens, etc. Their outdoor lighting is known for durability, as all the fixtures have resilient weatherproof sealings.

The lighting products have a 25-year lifetime guarantee and a 5-year warranty period, which is reassuring. Philip’s proprietary technology also saves 90% on energy costs, making them an economical choice for residential or commercial use. 

Hinkley: High-Quality Outdoor Lighting Solutions

Hinkley is a family-owned company that started nearly a century ago. It has vast experience selling and producing lighting products. The fourth generation now runs the company, and they are highly committed to quality and customer service. 

The company executives promote a growth culture within their team, which helped them acquire Regency Ceiling Fans in 2019, further improving their portfolio, along with the yearly introduction of new and improved stylish fixture designs.

The brand offers a wide range of outdoor lighting, mostly focused on residential areas. Hinkley’s most valuable outdoor products are wall-mount lights, hanging lights, ceiling lamps, and post-mount lights.

Hinkley products feature modern and fashionable lighting fixture designs that reflect the design team’s artistic prowess. For luxury outdoor spaces or high-end commercial outdoor lighting, this brand offers the most appealing products

Hinkley offers lucrative deals and partnership opportunities for professional contractors and dealers; however, their shipment is limited to the USA. The partnership comes with an entire product catalog, a trained customer care team and timely shipping. 

Other than lighting fixtures they also offer lighting accessories and kits. All of their lighting products have around 05 years of warranty, which is pretty decent.  They also provide replacement parts of their products. 

Kichler: Innovative Outdoor Lighting Products

Kichler is an experienced lighting product manufacturer that has been around for 85 years. What started as a small local business has now become a worldwide name in the lighting product industry. 

However, the company still remains true to its roots and emphasizes building long-lasting relationships with direct customers, general contractors, interior designers, and landscape architects. 

Kichler encourages partnerships with other professionals by providing complete layout designs of lighting systems for your business or your clients, innovative custom products, and helpful customer care since the 1930s.

Kichler Lighting offers a large catalog of outdoor light fixtures, and they release new chic designs yearly that are known for their mesmerizing aesthetics. 

Choose from a wide variety of outdoor wall lights, hanging lights, ceiling lights, address lights, and post lights. 

The brand also offers accessories like mounts, adapters, and related accessories. Their outdoor lighting products are known for their quality, style, and functionality. 

The company has a unique style of displaying the products in its Kichler Experience Center, where customers or contractors can see the lights in action and feel the ambiance they create in real time. 

Kichler’s UL wet-rated outdoor lights are robust enough to withstand natural elements. Moreover, the fixtures go through class 4 lab tests in the USA, a testimony to higher quality.

The brand offers 01-year warranty for fixtures, 05 years for the LEDs and internal circuitry, and 03 years for commercial purchases. 

Other Notable Brands 

Here are some notable brands that produce exceptional outdoor lighting fixtures. 

Livex Lighting

Livex has developed creative and extraordinary decorative lighting fixtures for over 25 years. The products are known for their voguish designs and expert craftsmanship.

Livex’s most popular outdoor lighting fixtures are Victorian-era lamps made from handcrafted brass and nickel bases. Hand-crafted products have a unique finish that sets them apart from other brands. This is also reflected in the increased prices.

You can buy these products online or through their dealership across the USA. The downside is that Livex’s shipment is limited to America. 

Generation Lighting

Generation Lighting, formerly FEISS and Sea Gull Lighting, offers a modern twist on classic designs. Unlike other brands, Generation has a grand team of interior designers who produce modern and chic indoor and outdoor lighting designs. 

Their outdoor lighting catalog has splendid fixture designs, such as wall mounts, hanging, and post lights. 

They offer comprehensive support and timely supply to builders, remodelers, and contractors. In comparison with Livex and Capital lighting, Generation Lighting has the most comprehensive dealership and supply chain of all. Moreover, they ship lighting products worldwide.

Capital Lighting

Capitol Lighting has been in the business for 100 years and produces high-quality decorative and innovative outdoor light fixtures. They market their products through a wide variety of virtual showrooms and retailers. 

The parent company, 1800lighting. com, has an average of 4.7 Google Reviews and a 90% customer approval rating. Moreover, they provide high-quality lighting fixtures and circuitry to dozens of notable brands worldwide.

Capitol Lighting provides installment plans, installation services, and exclusive collaborations with other designers, contractors, and builders. Additionally, members can enjoy discounts and free shipping.

RC Lighting 

RC Lighting is a leading Chinese brand that produces premium quality indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures. It has one the most dynamic product catalogs among all the companies mentioned above. 

Operational since 2013, it has developed innovative lighting fixtures, resulting in 32 patents and partnerships with numerous reputable brands worldwide.

All the lamps feature premium LEDs, which are energy and cost-effective. The outdoor lighting fixtures are rated IP65 and more, making them weatherproof and highly resistant to natural elements.

RC Lighting also offers custom outdoor lighting products at competitive prices. Moreover, suppliers and contractors can have their orders shipped all across the world on time. 

Expert Reviews and Comparisons

With so many companies out there dealing in outdoor lighting, it is necessary to compare and review their offers to get the best product for your project. 

Philips vs. Hinkley: Which is Best for Landscape Lighting?

Philips and Hinkley are big names in the outdoor lighting industry, but Philips leads in product distribution, supply chain management, and innovation. 

Hinkley’s stylish and elegant outdoor products enhance any landscape’s aesthetic appeal. It’s not just about contemporary design; their products are functional and reliable, which is why they are the top choice for interior designers.

Compared to Hinkley, Philip has less stylish designs, but they have extraordinary innovative LED lighting products and continuously come with new and improved technology. Philip also produces related control and electronics systems and exports them worldwide. 

If you want a long-term outdoor lighting solution or you are a contractor or manufacturer who wants high-quality LED circuitry for your light fixtures, then Philips is the best choice. 

Philips also offers a lifetime guarantee of about 25 years on its fixtures, the highest of any company. 

Kichler vs. Other Brands: A Comparison of Outdoor Lighting Products

Kichler is a popular outdoor lighting brand known for its quality, style, and functionality. Its quality is comparable to Philips’s, as all of its products are UL wet-rated. 

Kichler products have unique, chic, and elegant designs. Moreover, they strongly emphasize building long-lasting relationships with direct customers and general contractors, giving them an edge over Hinkley.

Livex and Generation Lighting are known for remarkable, stylish, and ultra-modern outdoor lighting designs. However, Livex product distribution is limited to the USA, while Generation Lighting serves worldwide. 

RC Lighting is known for its extensive catalog of outdoor LED lights and also offers custom products for contractors worldwide. Their competitive pricing makes these products exceptionally profitable.

Choosing the Right Outdoor Lighting Brand

Some important factors that must be considered when choosing an outdoor lighting brand, whether you want lights for your home or order large quantities for your business project, are as follows: 

1. Quality and Type of Fixture

When choosing an outdoor lighting brand, several factors must be considered, including quality, price, durability, and energy efficiency.

The main function of outdoor lighting will always be security and safety. That’s why you must ensure the light output is high enough for proper visibility. To better estimate your needs, check out our complete guide on recommended outdoor lighting levels. 

It’s also important to consider your outdoor space’s specific needs, such as pathway lighting or security lighting, which require a special type of lighting fixture. 

2. Durability

Since outdoor lighting is exposed to the weather, it’s necessary to buy durable and long-lasting products. These products can withstand strong winds and harsh rains and provide optimal lighting all night. 

Outdoor lighting is sorted using an IP rating system, which gives an idea of the lamps’ performance. The IP67 and IP68-rated landscape lighting can withstand harsh weather and strong water jets. 

Some decorative outdoor lighting fixtures aren’t strong enough to be exposed completely, so it’s best practice to talk with manufacturers and install the products on patios or decks with some protective shade. 

3. Price 

Price becomes an important factor because outdoor lighting fixtures need to be resilient and robust to withstand harsh weather and provide secure and safe lighting all night. 

Higher weatherproof-rated lighting fixtures are inherently expensive, but investing in them will result in better profits in years to come. It’ll also prevent unforeseen accidents due to poor quality that comes with cheaper prices. 

Tips for Selecting the Best Outdoor Lighting Brand for Your Needs

Now that you’re aware of the deciding factors to consider when purchasing outdoor lighting, let’s discuss some tips for getting the most out of your purchase. 

• Make a list of your outdoor lighting needs and find the relevant product. For example, if the primary function of your outdoor lighting is security, then you must contact the brands that deal with security-focused lighting fixtures like floodlights and spotlights. So, choose the brand that specializes in that area.
• Read reviews and do your research. Once you know your outdoor lighting needs perfectly, ask different companies for a price quote. Choose the best brand for your budget and requirements. Prefer companies that also provide after-sales services. 
• Consider energy-efficient and sustainable options like LEDs over incandescent and halogen lamps. These technologies save you money on electricity bills and help the environment. 

Most Appealing Benefits of Outdoor Lighting

The market for quality outdoor lighting is expanding rapidly due to its immense benefits. Here are the top benefits for both residential and commercial outdoor lighting projects.

Residential Benefits: 

1. Improved Safety and Security

That’s a no-brainer, as outdoor lighting’s primary purpose is to provide security and deter potential intruders. A well-lit pathway, driveway, or entryway also helps ease navigation and prevent unfortunate accidents.

2. Enhanced Curb Appeal

An outdoor lighting setup can significantly enhance curb appeal by creating an aesthetic atmosphere of grandeur and drama. Many options are available for lighting design, such as bollard lights, spotlights, and post lights. 

As mentioned above, many brands also offer decorative outdoor lighting. This can increase the real estate value, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

3. Extended Outdoor Living Space

Outdoor lighting allows you to extend your living space beyond the indoors. With proper lighting, you can easily plan events, barbecues, and parties outside on patios, decks, and gardens, even late in the evenings. 

Commercial Benefits:

1. Increase Business Visibility:

For commercial properties, a well-designed outdoor lighting setup is essential as it creates a welcoming environment for customers after dark. Bright, well-lit signs and exteriors help establish brand identity, which in turn aids in marketing the company and ultimately boosts profits.

We recommend businesses invest in high-quality LED outdoor lighting for long-lasting, energy-efficient, and sustainable lighting solutions. 

2. Enhanced Customer and Employee Safety

A highly profitable company is a well-oiled machine built on its customers and employees. Outdoor lighting provides safety and security to everyone present at the establishment. 

3. Improved Aesthetic Appeal

Even if you’re not aiming to create a brand identity with specific outdoor lighting, as we discussed earlier, adding accent outdoor lighting can greatly enhance the aesthetic appeal of a place.

In fact, people often prefer visiting restaurants with chic lighting designs at night because it creates a serene and calming atmosphere.

Types of Outdoor Lighting Products

Now that we have discussed the benefits of outdoor lighting fixtures and the top brands that manufacture them, let’s look at the types of outdoor lighting products available on the market. 

There are numerous outdoor lighting products, so for ease of understanding, we’ll sort them based on different scenarios. 

1. Pathway Lighting

Scenario: Ensuring Safe Walkways and Gardens
Top Product Choice: Solar Path Lights

LED Path lights, especially solar-powered ones, are an excellent choice for walkways or jogging tracks. They charge all day and automatically turn on at night, which is pretty convenient. The light intensity is low and directed downwards, so they don’t produce glare.

It’s an eco-friendly option and will save you a lot of electricity bills. Alternatively, bollard lights are also a popular choice for ensuring safety in outdoor spaces. 

2. Security Lighting

Scenario: Deterring Intruders and Enhancing Safety
Top Product Choice: Motion Sensor Flood Lights

Motion sensor lights are typically installed at dark corners and areas where they are immediately turned on if the sensor detects the slightest movement, deterring any potential intruder.

Such lights function for a limited time, making them really energy efficient, considering the high-wattage flood lights that are often used for security consume a lot of energy. 

3. Accent Lighting

Scenario: Highlighting Landscape Features
Top Product Choice: Spotlights and Floodlights

Highlighting any landscape or building feature is best done by low voltage landscape lighting. Such lights are placed underneath trees, statues, and other architectural details. Any type of lighting design that highlights the features of any object or building is called accent lighting. 

Spotlights are typically used to highlight smaller details, while floodlights are best suited for illuminating building facades, exterior walls, or large buildings.  

Architectural floodlights are highly functional and available in various shapes and sizes, making them the most sought-after luminaires for outdoor lighting. 

4. Deck and Patio Lighting

Scenario: Creating a Cozy Outdoor Living Space
Top Product Choice: String Lights and Recessed Deck Lights

For a cozy and welcoming ambiance in the outdoor living space, string lights, hanging lights, and recessed deck LED outdoor lights are the best options. 

String lights hung overhead or around the railing give off beautiful vibes. However, they are susceptible to strong winds, so you should ensure a safety system in place. 

The waterproof recessed deck lights are much safer and offer subtle illumination for your outdoor kitchens, patios, and decks. Making the place safer and more elegant simultaneously, though the installation is a bit expensive and tedious.

5. Flood Lighting

Scenario: Lighting Large Areas for Safety and Functionality
Top Product Choice: LED Floodlights

LED floodlights are the best choice for lighting large areas, with the main objective of achieving adequate visibility for safety and functionality. Typical examples include driveways, backyards, and parking lots. 

Previously, halogen and incandescent flood lights were popular, but they slowly lost their appeal due to in-efficient energy consumption. 

6. Garden and Landscape Lighting

Scenario: Showcasing Plantings and Enhancing Curb Appeal
Top Product Choice: Spotlights, path lights, bollard lights and in-ground lights

Landscape lighting perfectly showcases large lands, gardens, ponds, and curbs. These landscape lights are available in multiple color temperatures, lumen intensity, and chic designs. 

Since these lights cover a large area, proper distance management between fixtures, the right use of transformers and wiring, and careful installation are needed. To avoid trouble, one must also be aware of the local safety codes for luminaire installation. 

A well-thought garden and landscape lighting can transform a mundane land into an extraordinary place to visit and enjoy. 

Final Thoughts

This guide reviews the top outdoor lighting brands, including Philips, Hinkley, Kichler, and others. The lighting industry is ever-expanding, and naturally, other manufacturers not specified in our list provide quality lighting products. 

Each brand we discussed has its strengths and weaknesses, and the right brand for you will depend on your specific needs, project requirements, and logistics. We’ve done a comparative analysis of leading outdoor lighting brands, which can help you choose the best partner for your project. 

Outdoor lighting is an important aspect of home décor and safety, and due to the growing demand, it’s an interesting opportunity for contractors and traders to explore. 

Choosing the right outdoor lighting brand allows you to create a functional and beautiful design that meets your needs and budget.

Shine Brighter with RC Lighting – Your Trusted Outdoor Lighting Partner

RC Lighting is a leading brand providing premium quality outdoor lighting fixtures to clients worldwide for over two decades. Our cutting-edge technology, sophisticated labs, and expert team make this splendid feat possible.

We offer a wide range of Indoor and Outdoor lighting fixtures that are perfect for residential and commercial applications. All of our products are made with high-quality components sourced from reputable brands. 

You’ll get exciting value-added services, such as no minimum order quantities (MOQ), customized products,  a robust five-year warranty, and attractive discounts for commercial lighting solutions. Contact us now for a free project evaluation.