Guide to the Best Battery-Powered Fairy String Lights - Nerd Techy (2024)

Fairy string lights are a great way to add flair to any home. Whether you want to add illumination behind sheer curtains or brighten an outside display, they get the job done. And with today’s technology getting smaller and smaller, there’s no need to rely on plug-in lights. For outdoor areas or temporary displays, battery-powered lights can be a simpler, easier choice.

On the other hand, batteries do have a limited lifespan. So for permanent displays, a plug-in kit is oftentimes the better choice. If that’s what you need, we’ve already reviewed some of the best. That said, if you need a battery-powered set, we’ve got you covered. We’re about to review the best battery-powered fairy string lights on the market. Let’s begin!

Decorating With Fairy String Lights

Before we go further, how might you use a set of fairy string lights to begin with? There are plenty of arts and crafts ideas out there. So we perused some guides and found some of the most popular ideas that home decorators are using these days. Here are a few of the bright ideas we found.

Decorate Your Shelves and Walls

Bookshelves, pantry shelves, and other storage areas can easily look dull and uninteresting. Why not add a splash of light by running some fairy lights around the edges? This is especially useful if your shelving has a lot of negative space. Alternatively, you can use fairy lights to create a decorative border around your shelves.

But why limit yourself to just shelves? You can also decorate your walls. Create a border, or simply string them across the top of the wall. Or why not get even more creative, and string lights around your family photos? And mirrors are a prime place for decoration. Run your lights along the top, or, alternatively, create a border. You can also put fairy lights on your ceiling. This way, you can turn your bedroom or living room ceiling into a starry constellation. If you want to get really fancy, you can even spell out a word on your wall. What better way to brighten up a graduation party or birthday celebration?

Add Some Flash to Trees and Branches

Of course, fairy lights aren’t only useful for indoor displays. If they’re waterproof, they’re also useful for outdoor decoration. For example, why not hang your fairy lights in a tree? This isn’t necessarily a great idea for long-term use. But for a party, barbecue, or bonfire, they’re sure to be a conversation piece.

And why not bring some of that outdoor charm into your home? You can decorate your wall or even build a centerpiece with branches. Run some fairy lights through your centerpiece, and your dining room table will really sparkle. And for a seasonal display, why not use pine branches? This is especially brilliant if you don’t have enough space for a full-sized Christmas tree.

Brighten Up Your Arts and Crafts

Finally, fairy lights can add that extra finishing touch to your arts and crafts. For example, you can wrap a string of lights around your candles. This may sound like an unnecessary touch, but it looks fantastic! Not only will the candles light up on top, but they’ll glow all around.

You can also use fairy lights to make homemade lanterns. If you’ve got a few old mason jars lying around, why not throw some fairy lights inside? Instead of wasting space, they’ll add flair to your living room or dining room. You can do the same thing to bring life to old brass lanterns, or even glass bottles. The possibilities are truly endless.

Brightown Fairy String Lights

Brightown Fairy String Lights are a set of string lights that contain 20 LEDs each. On a 6.5-foot string, that’s roughly a light every four inches. They come in either a 6-pack or a 10-pack, which is an excellent value for the price. This makes them ideal for large displays, where you need a whole ton of lights. They’re also available in four different colors: white, green, purple, and multicolored. No matter what the occasion, there’s a solid option for you. Whether you’re decorating for an outdoor party or want to make your entire home more festive, they’re an ideal choice.

The LEDs are strung along a fine, flexible silver wire that shines when they’re turned on. Because the light is so flexible, it can easily be bent into even the tightest of curves. You can wad a Brightown light string up into a ball and shove it in a mason jar, and the LEDs will still illuminate with no issues. They run very cool, which means you won’t have to worry about them overheating and damaging your home’s décor.

Water Resistance and Battery Life

Brightown Fairy String Lights are powered by a single CR2032 battery for each string. The batteries are already included in the kit, so you can turn them on right out of the box. That said, the battery life is only 6 hours. That’s more than enough to last through a single party, but not for long-term use. As you’ll see, this is a common concern with battery-powered lights. In addition, the light strings are IP65-rated for water resistance, but the battery packs are not. In other words, they’re good enough to withstand a short sprinkle. But they’ll short out if the battery pack is exposed during a rainstorm.

Gdealer Fairy Lights

Gdealer Fairy Lights come in a 2-pack of 60-LED light strings. This works out to a single white LED every 4 inches, which seems to be the industry standard. Both strings connect to a single battery pack, allowing for a single, centralized control. As a result, they’re not ideal if you want to set up lights over a wide area. But they’re ideal for a single location that needs a lot of light. For example, they’re perfect for illuminating a Christmas tree or even a backyard tree.

What makes the Gdealer lights stand out is the fact that they have a timer mode. As a matter of fact, the timer operates by default. When you turn the lights on, the timer will activate for 6 hours, then the lights will shut off automatically. After that, the lights will automatically turn on at the same time every day, and remain lit for 6 hours. Once again, we can’t help but think of how useful this feature is for a Christmas tree. To cancel the timer, simply turn the switch off.

In addition, these lights also include a pair of remote controls, which work from as far as 16 feet away. The remotes have an on button, an off button, and a separate button to activate the timers. There are also separate buttons to brighten or dim the lights. But the best feature is the 8 numerical buttons, which cycle between different modes. Pressing the 8 button will set the lights on a standard, steady glow. The other buttons can set the lives to glow and dim in unison, at varying speeds. They can also cause the lights to flash, or even light them up in different wave patterns. Finally, there’s a twinkle setting, which is ideal for the holidays. The remote is also compatible with most of Gdealer’s other lights, so you can upgrade your old kits with ease.

Water Resistance and Battery Life

Both the Gdealer lights and the battery pack are IP67-rated for water resistance. This is a significant benefit, since you won’t have to worry about them in a rainstorm. Sure, you may have to move your party indoors. But you won’t have to start yanking lights out of the tree in front of your guests. The battery life is also excellent. Not only were we unable to run the 3 AA batteries dry, we couldn’t find anyone else who had. They do last for a few weeks of “timer” use at minimum. Each remote takes a single CR32 battery, which should last for years.

Sanniu LED String Lights

Sanniu LED String Lights come as a single, 50-LED string that’s 16 feet in length. The LEDs are spaced 4 inches apart, with 12 inches of wire between the battery box and the first light. This gives you enough space to position the battery box out of sight. The LEDs are all white, with a warm ambiance that’s pleasant to look at.

The copper wire is encased in a clear insulation, which glows right along with the lights themselves. It creates a very pleasant atmosphere, and is also flexible. The lights can be packed into a small space or spread out in a line, and the wire will keep drawing power. If it doesn’t, you’ll be protected by Sanniu’s 12-month manufacturer’s warranty.

Water Resistance and Battery Life

The Sanniu lights are not in any way water resistant. Therefore, they’re only suitable for indoor use. They’re powered by 3 AA batteries, but they seem to draw a lot of power. While they’ll technically last for weeks, they start to dim after only about 10 hours of use. If you want to keep your string lights cheery and bright, consider using a set of rechargeable batteries. That said, these lights are as cheap as they come. Considering the quality and the warranty, we’re willing to accept a few sacrifices.

Final Verdict

At the end of the day, which one battery-powered fairy string lights are the best will depend on your needs. So, let’s take a look at each of these options and see what they’re good for. The Brightown Fairy String Lights offer the best bang for your buck. Since they come in a 6 or 10-pack, you’ll get enough lights to decorate a large area.

The Gdealer Fairy Lights offer the most options. If you want your lights to run on a timer, you’re covered. If you want different lighting patterns, you’re in for a treat. And if you need lights that are truly waterproof, your wish has been granted. And the Sanniu lights are the best choice if you need lights for a single event. The battery life leaves a lot to be desired, but they’re pleasant to look at, and you can’t beat the price.