Best string lights Thrifter 2022
String lights provide the perfect way to create a more comfortable, cozy atmosphere in almost any location of your home! Whether outside on the patio or lighting up the entertainment room on movie nights, the best string lights can be installed just about anywhere to lighten up the space and level up the aesthetic. There's hardly a better option to help set the mood and get the vibe right for a nice night in.
- Best string lights: Govee Shatterproof Outdoor String Lights
- The smart choice: Xmcosy+ Outdoor Smart String Lights
- Curtain call: Magictec Curtain String Lights
- Best fairy lights: Minetom USB Fairy String Lights
- Extended reach: addlon LED Outdoor String Lights
- Best outdoors: Brightown G40 Globe Patio Outdoor String Lights
- Like a diamond: Twinkle Star Star String Lights
- Impress your guests: Amazon Basics Patio String Light
- At your command: Minetom Mini Globe String Lights

Best string lights: Govee Shatterproof Outdoor String Lights
Staff PickGovee's shatterproof string lights come with a remote that makes dimming the lights or switching lighting effects simple. Measuring 48 feet long, these water-resistant string lights can be set on a timer to turn on and off automatically. There are just 15 bulbs on this string, so they're spaced out a bit farther than other options.

The smart choice: Xmcosy+ Outdoor Smart String Lights
Bring a cozier vibe to any space with these smart string lights featuring vintage-style Edison bulbs. Unlike most string lights, these can actually be controlled using an app on your smartphone or even with your voice and Alexa. Plus, they're suitable for use indoors or outside.

Curtain call: Magictec Curtain String Lights
Hang a curtain of lights that measures nearly 10 feet wide and 6 feet long. It comes with a controller that lets you switch between the eight different lighting modes. Best of all, this set of lights is waterproof so you can use it indoors or outside.

Best fairy lights: Minetom USB Fairy String Lights
The Minetom Fairy String Lights make for a dazzling addition to any space you'd like to spruce up whether inside or outdoors. This string of lights measures 66 feet long and can be plugged into any USB port for power. With the included remote you can adjust the brightness or switch between one of eight lighting modes.

Extended reach: addlon LED Outdoor String Lights
For heavy-duty lights that can withstand weather conditions outside all year round, you won't be disappointed with addlon's LED string lights. You're able to link up over 30 of these strands of string lights together and even connect them to a dimmer to adjust the brightness to your liking.

Best outdoors: Brightown G40 Globe Patio Outdoor String Lights
Brightown's weatherproof globe outdoor string lights are built to withstand extreme temperatures, rain, wind, and more. They're designed so that if one bulb goes out, the others will still stay on. They measure 25 feet long and allow you to connect up to three together for extra length.

Like a diamond: Twinkle Star Star String Lights
Bored of the traditional string lights you see everywhere? These string lights have star-shaped coverings over the lights for a more festive aesthetic, but not so festive that they look out of place in the middle of summer. Just one of these string of lights measures almost 50 feet long, though you can connect up to nine more if you need to extend its reach.

Impress your guests: Amazon Basics Patio String Light
Ideal for patios and yards as well as indoor decor, the Amazon Basics patio string lights are 50 feet long and feature 50 clear incandescent G40 globe bulbs. As many as three of these string lights can be connected together for a total of 150 feet of continuous lighting. There's also a 25-foot version available to consider as well.

At your command: Minetom Mini Globe String Lights
Fitted with 100 mini globe lights, the Minetom string lights are waterproof, eco-friendly, and easy to install just about anywhere. Along with eight lighting modes, these lights can be dimmed or set on a timer.
Which to choose?
There are all kinds of string lights on the market, but searching for the best string lights can be a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. While you can't choose wrong with any of the options on our list above, there are certainly some that are better suited for certain situations than others. Each of the string lights on the list above differs based on how long it is, how many lights are on it, and how they can be controlled. One option is even app-enabled: the Xmcosy+ Outdoor Smart String Lights. You're able to control these lights using an app on your phone or even with your voice and Amazon's Alexa voice assistant.
Govee's Outdoor String Lights were chosen as our top pick for including several important features that truly set them apart from the pack. This string of lights measures 48 feet long, but rather than filled with bulbs and lights, it has just 15 attached for a more subdued, cozier vibe. They're water-resistant and shatterproof, and the string can even be connected to another for an extended reach of 98 feet. You can also schedule a timer to turn these lights on and off automatically or use the included remote to power them on and off manually. The remote also lets you dim the lights or switch between different lighting effects.
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