Latest news with #IP65
Tom's Guide
7 days ago
- Tom's Guide
5 things I wish I knew before buying solar lights
Warmer weather is here, and the ideal time to prepare for those backyard gatherings. And if you want to continue your entertainment well into the night, the best solar lights will provide the ultimate 'glow-up' once the sun goes down. As someone who is obsessed with homes and interior decor, I've probably spent a fortune on lighting over the years. The practicality of not requiring electrical plug/sockets means that you can place solar lights virtually anywhere around your home. These simply self-charge in the sun through the day and come to life at night — while being more sustainable in the process. But while the possibilities with solar lights are endless, there are some things I wish I'd known before buying solar lights. These simple considerations can make all the difference to your desired outcome — and will probably save you money in the long-run! So before you splash out on expensive lighting to spruce up your home, here are some things I wish I knew before buying solar lights. These pathway lights come in a set of eight and are ideal to illuminate walkways and paths. Designed with a durable glass body, Mancra's lights also come with an IP65 waterproof rating and high-impact resistance. Equipped with a smart light sensor, these lights offer a warm white illumination to last all night. Not all solar lights are created equal, and it's important to know exactly what you want to illuminate and location before buying. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Do you want it to showcase your beautiful plants and landscaping? Do you want string lighting for a more romantic aesthetic, or do you simply want to uplight your pathways or patio doors? I've made the mistake of buying lights without thinking about where I was going to place them — or whether they were even suitable for the location. This would often result in me spending more to buy the correct lights. In addition, consider how high up you need your solar lights to be. If you have a compact yard or lack ground space, you'll probably benefit from wall lights. These are installed on the external walls or fence of your home and provide light immediately around it. Alternatively, if you just want to highlight specific areas in the backyard rather than lighting up the entire space, solar spotlights are a great option. Similar to path lights, these are usually designed with stakes to hold them in the ground, just ensure you place them in a location where it will receive adequate sunlight. To save you the disappointment (and money), always choose the right solar light type to get the most out of your lighting. For more top tips, check out our helpful guide on which solar lights should you buy? Another mistake I've made is not considering how many solar lights I'll need and how bright they'll need to be. For instance, I purchased string lights for my backyard only to find that the bulbs and cable length were shorter than the actual fences. I'd also bought pathway lights for my porch, before realizing they were not adequate enough. With that in mind, check the number of bulbs and the length of any cables to ensure it covers a specific area. Similarly, when placing multiple solar lights around your yard, make sure they are adequately spaced and not clustered together. Proper spacing will avoid shading each other, and helps each light receive enough sunlight. Experts recommend tilting your solar panels between 30 and 50 degrees to ensure they receive adequate sunlight even during winter months. Plus, you don't want your yard perfectly lit in one corner, and dark in other areas. Additionally, think about what tone of lighting you want in your outdoor spaces. Most solar lights use LED bulbs which project a white light. However if, like me, you find this too harsh, you might prefer a warm, soft tone, or invest in solar lights with colorful tints to match the mood. We all know that solar lights need the sun to work, so be prepared for your lights to struggle in the wrong locations. I've been guilty of placing solar lights in shaded areas of my yard or spots that lack sunlight and have noticed a huge difference. Knowing how best to place solar lights around your home, also depends on the type of solar lights you choose. Generally, lights require eight-10 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce around 15 hours of illumination. So it's best to place your lights in an area that isn't shaded by trees, walls or even certain roofs, as these can obstruct the amount of light the solar panels receive. And while solar lights do still work on dull, cloudy days, the charge isn't likely to last as long. A clever trick is to simply bring your solar lights indoors during the day and leave by a window. Surprisingly, LED solar lights can charge through glass, as the photovoltaic cells are sensitive enough to get the right light wavelengths. Alternatively, you could try these top tips on how to charge solar lights without sun. I've often been enticed by cheap solar light options — only to be disappointed each time. And while these had transformed my backyard on a budget, it wasn't too long before they'd stop working. It's far better to spend the money on quality solar lighting to guarantee better results. Ideally, buying lights with a rating of IP65 or higher is more suitable for outdoor use. You want to make sure your solar light will last throughout the year, and can withstand extreme weather conditions. As the saying goes, 'you get what you pay for,' and if you've found a ridiculously cheap bargain, it's probably too good to be true! Another thing I hadn't considered was whether solar lights came with any timer settings. Certain lights have a built-in timer that will automatically turn off your lights after a set time — usually between two and six hours. What's more, some smart or motion lights have multiple modes, where you can customize and adjust auto timings and color variations to suit your lifestyle. So it's worth deciding whether you'll prefer the convenience of timer settings before investing in quality solar lights.
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Amazon shoppers gush over solar lights that add a 'rustic charm' to your garden
'Highly durable and weather-resistant, it's perfect for any outdoor setting—I absolutely love it!' As the gorgeous weather continues, many people are taking any opportunity they can to be out in the sunshine. With some people planning garden parties with their friends and family, it is important to make sure that any outdoor space is equipped to keep the party going even when it gets dark. For those who are wanting to invest in some garden lights to help brighten up their space, now is the best time to start shopping as Amazon is hosting their Home and Garden Week shopping event. This means all your garden essentials - from furniture to lawnmowers - will be receiving decent discounts this week. One popular item in the sale that Amazon shoppers are gushing over is the KagoLing Solar Lights. Normally retailing for £35.99, the online retailer is now offering two "rustic" lights for only £30.59 in a limited time deal. A four pack is also available, but these are staying at their retail price of £61.99. These solar lanterns are designed with handmade rattan, which gives the lights a natural style and added decorative effect. The rattan also makes the lights more translucent, creating a soft and warm atmosphere in your garden. Each of the lights come with a solar panel and a built-in sensor to soak up as much light as possible. An added bonus is that shoppers won't need to manually switch the lights on and off as the lanterns are able to automatically turn on and off according to the ambient light. This means the lights will avoid wasting power during the day. The "charming" lights are also IP65 waterproof, meaning they will continue to work as normal even if left in rainy or humid environments. The lanterns are also versatile in their use. They are lightweight enough that they can easily be hung from trees or porches, or placed on a table or the ground. Another set of lights reduced in Amazon's sale are the KOOPER Solar Lights. This four pack usually retails for £29.99, but shoppers can now buy them for £23.99 after a 20 per cent discount. Unlike the lanterns, these lights are stuck into the ground and can be used to form a bright walkway. Argos is also selling the Habitat Solar Rattan Lantern for those who were loving the rustic design. However, the retailer is selling the lanterns individually for £18, so if shoppers wanted to buy two they would need to spend £36. However, many Amazon shoppers have been left in awe of the KagoLing Solar Lights, which has earned a 4.6 rating from over 1,200 shoppers. Many reviewers have praised the lights for the "cozy glow", and one shopper said that the lights still efficiently charge on cloudy days. One shopper said: "The is a stunning addition to my garden! Its handmade rattan design is both elegant and lightweight, adding a rustic charm to my outdoor space. "The solar-powered feature works flawlessly, automatically lighting up at dusk and charging efficiently even on cloudy days. Highly durable and weather-resistant, it's perfect for any outdoor setting—I absolutely love it!" Another happy customer went on to write: "These rattan lanterns are so charming! They give off such a warm, cozy glow at night, and I love that they turn on by themselves. "They seem really well-made and have held up great in the rain. Super easy to hang anywhere and adds a lovely natural touch to my garden. Definitely recommend for some beautiful, hassle-free outdoor lighting." However, some shoppers ran into a few issues with the solar lights, as one person wrote: "Fantastic looking but after 2 days of bright sunlight they only lasted 1 and a half hours. Returned as either faulty or poor design." Another shopper also grumbled: "Its alot of money for two tiny lights. The brightness is not going great compared to my other solar lights so its a no for me with this price." Despite this, a five-star reviewer gushed over the lights, adding: "We love this pair of solar lights. They give a really pretty warm white light with a vintage feel. The plastic material seems good quality. They are lightweight and easily hang from a tree and look lovely in the evening - the light lasts well into the night. We are very pleased with them." A fourth delighted shopper also said: "Absolutely love these! Perfect addition to my garden and very high quality i was pleasantly surprised how bright they were. I will be buying more as they look lovely in pairs around my garden. Would highly recommend for quality. Great buy." For shoppers who want to add some "rustic charm" to their outdoor space, they can click HERE to buy the KagoLing Solar Lights. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Best 4K Home Security Cameras for 2025
Knowing that you can check in on your home when needed with home security cameras gives you unparalleled peace of mind. Whether you're going on vacation, at work or wanting to keep an eye on nighttime activity, a 4K camera captures it all in the clearest view with great video quality. The best security cameras also offer more features like motion detection, remote access and two-way audio for communication when you're away. However, with countless home security cameras on the market -- each offering different features and capabilities -- picking the right one can be tough. After hours of testing dozens of top models, our experts have narrowed down the best ones with high video resolution options. The Lorex 4K Spotlight cam is our favorite, taking the spot as the best overall 4K camera thanks to its wireless design -- making it usable outdoors and indoors -- and it offers free object recognition and local storage without a subscription fee. Other recommendations include a 4K camera set from Arlo (which works with Apple), a more affordable indoor 4K cam from Eufy and other picks for your pixels that you won't want to miss out on. Plus, we'll explain what factors matter most when picking a security camera. And if you want even more options, check our other picks for outdoor cams and cameras with lights. Lorex excels at higher-resolution security cameras that don't require a subscription. Like many others, this 4K cam offers free onboard storage and free objection recognition for people, animals and more. The wireless design is easy to mount indoors or outdoors with IP65 weather resistance, and the spotlight backs up the night vision for reactive lighting. There are also important features like two-way audio and compatibility with Alexa or Google Assistant. We also like that this is a fairly affordable standalone 4K camera. It can be difficult to find a 4K resolution on a single-device solution like this, but Lorex has some of the best options available. See at Lorex Arlo takes some of the top spots on our best camera lists thanks to its high-quality camera design and plethora of features, including two-way audio and color night vision. It also has the best smart home support on this list, one of the few 4K cameras that works with Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings as well as Alexa and Google Home. The cams also have an incredible 180-degree field of view, so it's easy to capture a large space. These 4K cams are usually available in a pack (think about putting one at the front door and one in the backyard or balcony), but that does have an advantage. The included hub allows you to use local storage if you prefer to stay off the cloud. However, an Arlo subscription (starting at $8 per month) also adds object recognition and other features, so we typically recommend it with cams like these. You can add more Ultra 2 cams to the hub if you want, or buy the hub and a cam separately to save money. See at Arlo Eufy's two-cam pack can support cloud storage with a subscription, but the set also has expandable storage from 1TB to 16TB, so you can avoid subscription fees if you'd prefer. But our favorite part is Eufy's built-in solar panels. Place these battery cams where they'll catch a bit of sunlight, and they'll recharge their batteries over time, greatly cutting down on battery management. Eufy also offers object recognition including human, vehicles and pets. The hub also allows for more advanced facial recognition (differentiating between family members and strangers), a relatively new AI feature we're seeing from brands like Nest and SimpliSafe as well. See at Amazon Most 4K security cams are outdoor models, which is where 4K shines the most (especially with a bright light). But we want to include an indoor model as well, because 4K has its role here as well. The higher resolution also benefits large open floor plans and users who want all the details they can get about what their kids are doing, what a pet has in its mouth and more. Eufy's dual cam 4K/2K solution also includes a 3x zoom to focus on specific details, and tracking for the pan/tilt cam so it can follow recognized objects anywhere. We found it compact, accurate and very quiet, an ideal indoor monitoring cam. Plus, it has Eufy specialties like an onboard local storage option and free Alexa/Google Home support. See at Amazon The Argus 3 Ultra offers a standalone design with a 4K resolution and a wireless design that works well with an optional Reolink solar panel. It's one of the more affordable 4K options (we've seen it discounted to below $100) and offers color night vision for better night viewing. The waterproof cam also provides free object recognition and supports both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can enjoy two-way audio for some real-time conversations with your visitors as well and right now, this model has a $35 coupon on Amazon. See at Reolink Best Nanny Cams for 2025 See at CNET Reolink RCL-810A 4K PoE Camera: This Reolink model is an excellent option for a Power over Ethernet camera that's located well away from Wi-Fi. Overall, we prefer the Argus line for more general home use, which is why this more specialized model didn't quite make it on our list. Lorex H13: This Lorex cam is a bit more suited for commercial uses than residential properties, although it's still an option 4K pick. A 4K resolution doesn't do much good unless the camera can alert and record when something is happening. The best motion detection includes object recognition for humans, animals and cars. We like to see object recognition for free, but more and more brands are charging for it. We also like to see motion activity zones and privacy zones to help improve accuracy and block out areas you don't want the camera looking. 4K video can take up a lot of space, so video storage options are especially important to capture detail. Local storage is subscription free and keeps your video out of the cloud, but you'll need to invest in a larger microSD card to make management easier. Cloud storage is an option but it usually requires a $5 to $8 monthly subscription to enable. Many of our 4K picks are battery models, which allow for much easier placement and let you know when you need to recharge them. But wired cams, or wireless cams with a cable option, allow you to set up the cameras and leave them without ever worrying about battery life, which some users prefer. 4K details work best with a light source lighting up the area. These cameras pair well with spotlights. However, if you have nearby lighting already like porchlights or floodlights, you may be able to skip this feature. Field of view refers to how wide the angle the camera lens covers. It's an important give-and-take with a 4K resolution. The wider the field of view, the more pixels it may take up, which means you may sacrifice a bit of image clarity. However, we generally prefer that compromise since the 4K resolution still adds plenty of detail and a wide field of view is especially useful outdoors. Night vision is a pleasant addition to any outdoor 4K camera that will be working in the dark. It doesn't directly affect resolution, but night vision tends to show better results with a better camera. Color night vision is a major quality boost for this feature. Look for a camera that works with your existing smart home setup, including voice assistants like Alexa and platforms like Google Home or Apple Home. If possible, check our reviews on a cam before you buy: Platform compatibility can take different forms and sometimes there's a clear winner. Put those pixels to work by giving a 4K camera plenty to see. Place it in an area with no nearby awnings, branches or potential blockages. Choose a central location. Higher is generally better for capturing a wide area, but it's not absolutely required with the right angles. We have a guide on a few of the best spots to choose here. Above garage, patios and porches is a common decision for many homes. Best Home Security Cameras Without a Subscription for 2025 See at CNET
The Independent
06-02-2025
- The Independent
Yale Smart Video Doorbell review: a Ring alternative with no cloud storage fee
Unlike the sprawling and sometimes complicated range of video doorbells offered by Ring, Yale keeps things simple. It makes just one model of video doorbell, which arrived in 2024 and has all of the features you'd expect from such a product. This includes Full HD video with a wide field-of-view, greyscale night vision for clarity after dark, a microphone and speaker for two-way audio (so you can speak to visitors, or ward off trespassers), and a Wi-Fi connection for communicating with a free smartphone app. The doorbell comes with everything you need to install it yourself. This includes a mounting plate, screws and wall plugs, plus a wedge-shaped plate for optionally mounting the doorbell at an angle, and a set of wires for hooking it up to your existing doorbell's wiring. This uses the power supply that previously went to the chime of your traditional doorbell and uses it to power the new one. Yale also includes a USB charging cable but, because the battery cannot be removed, you have to take the entire doorbell off its wall mount to plug it in. Also included is a pin-like tool for removing the doorbell from its wall mount. Installation is quick and easy, with only a drill required, and I liked how the Yale smartphone app uses clear, simple language to talk you through the process. There's no jargon at all, which is welcome. The doorbell locks onto the mounting plate and can then only be removed by inserting the included tool into a discreet pinhole. It's worth noting that this isn't a key – I found the SIM card tray removal tool included with most smartphones also did the job. This mechanism is common for most video doorbells, though a neat feature is how the doorbell sends a notification to the app when it senses it is being interfered with. My smartphone pinged with an alert whenever I removed the doorbell from the mounting plate. Yale says the doorbell has a battery life of between four and six months, depending on usage, and it has IP65 water resistance, so it'll survive being rained on. Camera The Yale Smart Video Doorbell records Full HD video at 1080p through a 154-degree lens. Video is created with a 16:9 ratio that, while good for movies, is less helpful for doorbells as footage is wide and shallow. Unlike some other video doorbells, which produce a square image that extends all the way to the ground, the Yale doesn't. Instead, your view of visitors is wider than it is tall, so generally only shows from above their head to their chest. This also means packages left on the doorstep are out of shot. Footage fills the screen when viewed in portrait on a phone, like a video call, but this is produced by cropping in tightly on the widescreen image, so the overall quality takes a hit. This feels like a bit of a shortfall, since a visitor easily disappears from the cropped-in portrait view if they move slightly to one side, but it's not a deal-breaker. When viewed in landscape, and therefore not aggressively zoomed in, footage is sharp and clear, with good detail. Audio quality is fine; good enough to have a conversation with a visitor, but nothing special. Features and connectivity I liked how visitor alerts arrive on your phone like a video call. When the doorbell button is pressed, your phone responds like it's receiving a call instead of merely a notification, so it's less likely to go unnoticed. However, the doorbell doesn't come with a chime. If you want it to make a 'ding-dong' sound (or one of seven others) you'll have to buy Yale's chime, which costs £29.99 and plugs into any power socket. Up to six chimes can be added, ensuring they'll be heard no matter how big your house is. Infrared night vision is automatically enabled when ambient light levels fall, and produces a high-quality greyscale image from up to six metres away. Unlike some rival products, like video doorbells from Ring, the Yale includes AI-powered human detection as standard. This helps it distinguish between people and other types of movement, so you're less likely to be alerted to a tree branch moving in the wind. Customisable privacy zones and scheduling are also included as standard, with the former useful for blocking out things you don't want to record, like the house opposite or other private property. I experienced a couple of small issues while testing this doorbell. On one occasion, the camera failed to switch back from night vision to normal, and because this happened during the day it made footage incredibly bright and almost unusable. I also had a couple of issues trying to connect to a Wi-Fi network extender, but both of these problems were solved with a reboot of the doorbell. Storage and subscription In a world where some video doorbells can't even save footage without you paying for a monthly subscription, the Yale's internal storage is a major advantage. It can save between two and four days of recordings, which are available to view through the app, since the doorbell is connected to the internet via your Wi-Fi network. Yale says this means it can save approximately 35 10-second recordings at 1080p resolution, or around 75 when using the lesser 720p. If you need more, Yale charges a £3.50 monthly fee. This unlocks a cloud storage service that holds recordings for 30 days before they are deleted, and also adds extra AI-powered functions, like the ability to detect vehicles, pets and packages. The doorbell comes with a one-month free trial for the subscription service.
