Desk research, not testing. Look Into has not put any of these lights up. We read the Amazon UK listings and prices on 16 October 2026 and worked out running costs from each listing's stated wattage. We have no way to know how any of them copes with a February gale.
Affiliate disclosure: links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. This does not change our picks or our numbers.
Prices and specs last checked by Look Into on 16 October 2026 · next check 20 November 2026 · how we picked
The short version
- Running cost is tiny. A 5 to 9W LED set costs 29p to 53p for the whole season (1 December to 6 January, six hours a night) at 26.32p per kWh. What matters is whether the lights survive.
- Best overall: Lepro 10m connectable rope lights, £18.68. IP65, 7.2W, 24V and a stated 2-year warranty. It is the only plug-in pick with all three in writing.
- Best value: LITYBY 120 LED plug-in fairy lights, £9.93. IP65, 3,000+ bought in the past month, and number 38 in all of Lighting.
- Most popular icicle set: MAGGIFT 10m 400 LED, £18.98 (10,131 ratings), but it is only IP44, which covers splashes, not driving rain.
- Avoid projectors that state no IP rating or wattage, and any set where the plug-in adaptor is not itself rated for outdoor use.
At a glance
Prices and specs from each Amazon UK listing, read 16 October 2026. Season running cost = watts × 222 hours ÷ 1,000 × 26.32p.
| Pick | Lights | Price | Ratings | Stated IP rating | Stated wattage | Season running cost | Warranty stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Lepro 10m rope lights, 240 LED, connectable | £18.68 | 1,956 | IP65 | 7.2W | 42p | 2 years |
| Best value | LITYBY 120 LED plug-in, 15m | £9.93 | 1,030 | IP65 | 9W | 53p | No |
| Best icicle | MAGGIFT 10m, 400 LED, remote timer | £18.98 | 10,131 | IP44 | 6W | 35p | No |
| Best connectable system | Festive Lights ConnectPro 10m | £35.99 | 46 | IP65 | 5W | 29p | 24 months |
| Longest run | 120m 1,000 LED fairy lights | £39.99 | 1,300 | IP44 | Not stated | Cannot calculate | No |
| Best no-wiring option | Lezonic solar, 2 x 120 LED | £8.98 | 14,570 | IP65 | 3W (solar) | £0 | 12 months |
| Projector (laser) | Firefly laser projector | £39.99 | 895 | IP65 | Not stated | Cannot calculate | No |
| Projector (snow) | EAMBRITE snowfall projector | £23.49 | 901 | Not stated | Not stated | Cannot calculate | No |
The working: 1 December to 6 January is 37 nights. At six hours a night that is 222 hours. Example: Lepro 7.2W × 222 = 1.60 kWh × 26.32p = 42p. The first six nights of January will be on the January 2027 cap rate, which is not announced until late November, so these figures use the October rate throughout.
What the IP rating actually means
The second digit of an IP rating is water protection. 4 means protected against splashes from any direction. 5 means protected against water jets. A set rated IP44 suits a covered porch. Garden trees, gutters and anywhere the rain hits sideways need IP65 or higher. The rating is the maker's claim, and the listing seldom says whether it covers the plug-in adaptor as well as the lights.
The picks
1. Lepro 10m connectable rope lights: best overall
Best for: gutters, railings and paths, where a sturdier tube survives knocks.
Price: £18.68 on Amazon UK, 16 October 2026 (1,956 ratings).
240 warm white LEDs in a 10m tube, rated IP65 and running at 24V. It is connectable, so you can extend it later. At 7.2W it costs 42p a season.
The catch: rope lights are tubes, not twinkly strings, so they look neat rather than festive. You need another set from the same range to connect, and Lepro sells the extension separately.
Key specs: 10m, 240 LEDs, IP65, 24V, 7.2W, 2-year warranty.
2. LITYBY 120 LED plug-in fairy lights: best value
Best for: a small tree, a hedge or a front window.
Price: £9.93 on Amazon UK, 16 October 2026 (1,030 ratings, 3,000+ bought in the past month, number 38 across all of Lighting).
A 15m string with 120 LEDs, a timer and an IP65 rating, at 53p a season. Its department-wide rank in all of Lighting, number 38, makes it the strongest demand signal on this page.
The catch: 120 LEDs over 15m is sparse, at about 12.5cm between bulbs. The listing states no warranty. Its spec table lists "Bluetooth" as a connection type for a set with a remote, so treat the specs as loosely written.
Key specs: 15m, 120 LEDs, IP65, 9W, timer.
3. MAGGIFT 10m icicle lights: best icicle set
Best for: under a porch canopy or a sheltered eave.
Price: £18.98 on Amazon UK, 16 October 2026 (10,131 ratings, number 144 in Indoor-Outdoor String Lights).
400 LEDs on a 10m strand with a 5m lead, a remote, a timer that remembers its settings and a low-voltage 31V design. It costs 35p a season at 6W, and it has the most ratings of any outdoor set we checked.
The catch: IP44 is a splash rating. On an exposed gutter facing the weather, water jets and driving rain are beyond what it claims. Hang it under cover.
Key specs: 10m plus 5m lead, 400 LEDs, IP44, 31V, 6W, remote timer.
4. Festive Lights ConnectPro 10m: best connectable system
Best for: people who plan to add to their display every year.
Price: £35.99 on Amazon UK, 16 October 2026 (46 ratings).
A UK brand's connectable system with rubber cable, rated IP65, 5W and a 24-month warranty. At 29p a season it is the cheapest to run here.
The catch: the listing says "No Plug". This is an extension set, so you need the separate ConnectPro power supply to light it. It has only 46 ratings, so the price looks high until you count what you will add in later years.
Key specs: 10m, IP65, 5W, rubber cable, 24-month warranty, power supply sold separately.
5. 120m 1,000 LED fairy lights: longest run for the money
Best for: a big tree or a long fence, under some shelter.
Price: £39.99 on Amazon UK, 16 October 2026 (1,300 ratings, number 31 in Indoor-Outdoor String Lights).
120m and 1,000 LEDs for £39.99 is 33p a metre and 4p an LED, with a lead of about 9m and timer modes.
The catch: no wattage stated, so you cannot work out the running cost before buying. IP44 only. 120m of string is a long thing to untangle in January.
Key specs: 120m, 1,000 LEDs, IP44, 31V, lead about 9m.
6. Lezonic solar string lights, 2 pack: best if you have no outdoor socket
Best for: gardens with no socket and a south-facing spot.
Price: £8.98 on Amazon UK, 16 October 2026 (14,570 ratings, 1,000+ bought in the past month).
Two 120 LED strings, IP65, eight modes, auto on and off, and a stated 12-month guarantee. No running cost at all.
The catch: the listing says the panel needs 6 to 8 hours of daylight charging. In December much of the UK gets less daylight than that, and very little direct sun. Expect them to be dim or to fade early on grey days.
Key specs: 2 x 120 LEDs, IP65, solar, 12-month guarantee.
Projector lights: why we do not recommend either
The Firefly laser projector (£39.99, 895 ratings) claims IP65 but states no wattage. The EAMBRITE snowfall projector (£23.49, 901 ratings) states neither an IP rating nor a wattage, only "waterproof adaptor" and a 5m lead. A projector sits on the ground facing the weather all night, so the rating matters more than for lights under a gutter. If you want one, choose one that prints both numbers.
What to avoid
- Indoor lights outside. Check for an IP rating. A listing that is vague about "indoor and outdoor use" is not a rating.
- Mains-voltage sets with no low-voltage adaptor. The sets above run at 24V or 31V. Low voltage is a safer bet in the wet.
- Indoor extension leads run out of a window. If you have no outdoor socket, use an outdoor-rated lead and read our extension leads guide.
- Leaving lights on all night. A timer costs nothing extra on most sets here, or use a smart plug indoors.
FAQ
How much does it cost to run outdoor Christmas lights in the UK?
29p to 53p for the season for a 5 to 9W LED set, run six hours a night from 1 December to 6 January at 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem cap, October to December 2026).
What IP rating do outdoor Christmas lights need?
IP65 for anywhere exposed to rain, because the 5 means protection against water jets. IP44 only covers splashes, so keep IP44 sets under cover.
Are solar Christmas lights any good in the UK?
In December they struggle. The Lezonic listing says its panel needs 6 to 8 hours of daylight charging, which December rarely provides.
Are connectable lights worth it?
Yes, if you will add to your display over several years. Check that the starter set includes the power supply, because extension sets like the ConnectPro 10m do not.
Can I leave outdoor Christmas lights on overnight?
It is safer and cheaper to use the built-in timer. Fire services advise switching fairy lights off before going to bed or leaving the house.
Method
We read the first unsponsored Amazon UK results for "outdoor christmas lights", "outdoor christmas icicle lights", "christmas projector lights outdoor", "solar christmas lights outdoor" and "connectable christmas lights outdoor" on 16 October 2026. For each set we took the IP rating, wattage, voltage, lead length and warranty from the listing's title, bullet points and spec table. Running costs are watts × 222 hours × 26.32p.
Next check: 20 November 2026.
The practical recommendation
For most homes: buy IP65, low-voltage lights with a timer, such as the Lepro rope lights (£18.68) or the LITYBY string (£9.93), and ignore the running cost, which is under 55p for the season. Keep IP44 icicle sets under cover, and skip projectors that print no IP rating.
Internal links: Cost Index (page 2) for the season maths; Gift guide (page 1); extension leads, smart plugs, appliance running cost calculator.