The best floodlights for outdoor security: Expert tested

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The best floodlights for outdoor security: Expert tested | ZDNET

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Outdoor floodlights can deter lurkers, alert you of unwanted visitors, and provide the convenience of a well-lit exterior for nightly trash runs. The best outdoor security floodlights offer flexible programming with dusk-to-dawn modes, motion detectors, and adjustable brightness to give you a customizable experience.

Also: Everything you need for smart home security

We've gone hands-on with some of the best floodlights on the market that can brighten up your dull outdoor space.

Our top pick for the best floodlight is the Eufy Security E340 due to its combination of high brightness and ease of use with the added security bonus of a dual camera with both a telephoto and a wide-angle lens for even more versatility. We selected other outdoor lighting options based on performance and value so you can find something that fits your budget and needs.

The Eufy Security E340 floodlight is one of the market's most effective outdoor security floodlights, with two LED light panels that emit 2000 lumens. The E340 is part of a lineup of Eufy devices with two motion-tracking cameras, a 2K telephoto to capture details up to 50 feet away, and a 3K wide-angle camera that captures all the action.

Having tested this and other competitor products for the past few months, I've determined this is the best option for a smart outdoor security floodlight. I keep mine on in the ambient setting each night on a schedule so we can have the outdoor illumination from dusk until we go to bed.

This floodlight camera stores footage locally in the Eufy Security Homebase S380 or on a 128-GB microSD card, eliminating the need to pay monthly fees. The dual-camera floodlight requires a hardwired installation and can be mounted on a wall or ceiling or installed in a junction box.

Opinions on performance are mixed among buyer reviews, but some mention that the camera can be prone to false alerts, which I have experienced below. This was initially helped by adjusting the sensitivity, but subsequent firmware updates to my device appear to have also solved most of this problem.

Review: Eufy's new Floodlight Cam E340 is the hardest working security camera I've tested

This Blink Wired Floodlight is the best floodlight and camera combo for a tight budget. If you're trying to set up a security light with in-depth surveillance in the form of a security camera, this combo is easily installed in a junction box.

The biggest benefit of this camera and floodlight combination is that you don't have to pay for an extra monthly subscription if you don't want you, as you can add a separate Blink Sync Module for local storage.

Unfortunately, a common complaint among users is that the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is that it loses connectivity easily. This is probably in part because it's only compatible with 2.4 GHz networks, which often tend to be congested.

This unit must be hardwired, so an existing junction box is a great place to install it. The camera will get constant power from the wiring, so it'll always be available to check in on, whether the lights are on or off.

Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro tech specs: Starting price: $250 | Brightness: 2000lm | Color temperature: 3000K Installation: Hard-wired | Weatherproof rating: IP65 | Motion detection range: 30ft

The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro is part of the security company's high-end Pro line of smart devices, which gives its users access to Ring's Bird's Eye View and 3D Motion Detection technology.

This can be hardwired in a junction box to replace another light fixture, like a dumb floodlight, and connect it to either 2.4 or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. The only downside is that Ring requires a Ring Protect Pro subscription to unlock many of the extra features, like cloud storage, as this camera doesn't allow for local storage.

Buyers love the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro's image quality and how reliable it is at notifying motion alerts. I find that the Ring app is intuitive to use, even while setting up this device's Pro features, like the Bird's Eye View and 3D Motion Detection.

Like other Ring devices, the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro works seamlessly with Alexa and Echo devices, so users can stream their live feeds and get notifications on their Echo Show and Fire TV devices.

Getting some reliable floodlights to ward away any unwelcome visitors is a great way to tighten the security around your home. However, they're probably not the most welcoming for trick-or-treaters or holiday carolers, unless you can change the colors for different occasions.

This Philips Hue Discover Floodlight gives you the option of changing into as many colors as you'd like, all controlled from the palm of your hand on your smartphone. This lets you change the colors to match an event or holiday or set an ambiance of dimly lit warm white to entertain rather than the ultra-bright cool blue you get with most floodlights.

The only downside is that you need a Hue Bridge to use all of this floodlight's smart capabilities. The hub connects this set together and gives it smart capabilities, so you can use it with up to 50 Philips Hue lights around your home and connect it to Alexa, HomeKit, or Google Assistant.

The lights are hard-wired, so they can be installed to replace a conventional twin-socked driveway light. Users also complain that this light fixture doesn't include a backplate to install flush in an external conduit box, so it's best when installed in a recessed box.

Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight camera tech specs: Starting price: $130 | Brightness: 700lm | Color temperature: 5000K Installation: Wall-mounted, battery-powered | Weatherproof rating: IP65 | Motion detection range: 20ft

Four D-cell batteries power these motion-activated security floodlights by Blink, while two AA lithium batteries power the camera. This means you can mount this floodlight camera anywhere you need extra light and surveillance without worrying about where you will plug it or if a solar panel will get enough energy from the sun.

The Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight's two LED panels put out 700 lumens in brightness, which is only about half the average of what you can expect from floodlight power, but this is because it's completely battery-powered. The higher the energy consumption, the shorter the battery life, so Blink makes the Outdoor 4 Floodlight efficient to deliver on its promise of up to two years of battery life.

Though Blink makes this big promise, my biggest issue is that the battery life only lasts about three months. However, my floodlights go on multiple times each night when I take the dog out or when he decides to chase a rabbit. The user sentiment in Amazon's reviews seems to agree that the battery life doesn't last more than a few weeks or months.

Review: A battery-powered floodlight camera was exactly what my dark backyard needed

The Eufy Security E340 is the best floodlight due to its array of smart features, dual cameras with motion tracking, and the ability to opt for local storage, bypassing cloud servers. Plus, it provides these features for a reasonable price with a simple installation process.

Compare our picks for the best floodlights below based on brightness, camera, and price.

*MSRP at the time of writing. Please note that actual prices may vary depending on available sales, deals, discounts, and coupons.

The Eufy Security E340 Floodlight won the top spot in our list thanks to its combination of brightness with camera versatility, smart capabilities, ease of installation, and durability; but the truth is some of these features may be more or less important to you than others.

If you're looking for small security lights for a backdoor of a townhome, for example, the Eufy E340 lights are probably overkill and may benefit from looking into Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlights instead. If you already have a Hue hub, then Philips Hue's Discover Floodlights are probably a better fit for your needs.

Either way, our goal is to show you how the best options on the market compare so you can make an informed decision and, ultimately, a purchase you can be happy with.

To choose the best outdoor security floodlights for your home and specific needs, it's worth looking for a combination of features and considering the following factors:

I wanted to bring you different options of what is available to help you choose the best option and to demonstrate that you can add high-quality and affordable security lights to your home without spending too much on features you don't need.

Combining these criteria with my testing experience, smart home and security knowledge, and what other customers who have also tested these lights say about them helped me choose the best outdoor floodlights available.

Bright motion sensor lights may startle criminals and ward them off your property altogether. For maximum protection, it may be wise to pair outdoor security floodlights with a security system that includes surveillance.

A security floodlight may not always be enough, but other measures like security cameras can not only prevent crimes but also help catch burglars who've decided your home is still a worthwhile target.

A floodlight with 1,100 lumens is plenty bright, but when in doubt, you can buy one with more lumens. You can typically dim a too-bright floodlight, but you can't make a weak floodlight brighter.

Don't unnecessarily blind yourself whenever you get home at night. Outdoor lighting should be bright and well-directed enough to provide ample vision of the lit area without being painful for you or your neighbors.

Solar-powered lights have a solar panel and rechargeable battery. In simple terms, the former uses sunlight to charge the latter. Solar energy is a necessity to keep them working well. If the lights receive too little energy for too long, the battery can become damaged over time.

Solar-powered lights can be a great home security resource, provided they're installed where they receive ample direct sunlight. Suppose you're unsure of whether your lights will receive enough sunlight. In that case, you may be better off choosing a hardwired or battery-operated option since we are discussing home security, which is something most of us don't want to fail.

Brightest Outdoor Led Flood Lights There are many great floodlights on the market, and the ones we chose may not be the best ones for your situation. Here are some alternatives to consider:

The best floodlights for outdoor security: Expert tested | ZDNET