Best motion detector lights of 2023

Indoor or outdoor, motion sensor lights provide security, convenience, and energy efficiency. There may be one main reason you’re looking for motion-activated lighting, or you may want to take advantage of all the benefits. Your primary reason will help you figure out the answers to other questions, like what type of bulb to get.

For security, you might want an outdoor motion sensor lights to surprise intruders and scare them off. On the other hand, a motion light that makes sure you don’t get tripped up on your way into the house can be less powerful.

Many outdoor motion sensor lights use LED to help save on electricity and minimise the chance of fire.

LEDs are long lasting, so you won't need to replace them often at all. That said, many motion sensor lights use custom LED panels, meaning bulb replacement is often not an option - you'll have to replace the whole light.

The amount of coverage provided by a motion light is determined by the motion sensor range and the brightness of the light bulbs. If you’re looking to light up a small area like the front porch, you may only need a motion sensor with a range of a few metres.

But if you want to illuminate a larger area like an entire backyard, you might want LED security lights with a range of 20 metres or more. You can also power up the reach of your motion light with bright bulbs that use more lumens. Small areas can get by with as little as 42 lumens, while floodlights can produce up to 3,400.

You can get motion sensor light fixtures that are hardwired, battery powered, or solar powered. The benefit of lights that use battery power or a solar panel is that you don’t have to install them near an electrical outlet. But solar panels need to be affixed where they’ll get enough sunlight for a full charge.

The drawbacks with battery and solar power are that your security can be compromised due to a dead battery or a cloudy day. You also sacrifice brightness with those power sources, as the brightest lights tend to use hardwiring.

If you do go with hardwired motion lights, be sure to plan ahead in case you need to run wires through walls or secure extension cords.

In order to deflect raindrops and protect the electrical components inside, a motion sensor light should have an ingress protection rating of IP44 or higher. If the rating is lower, the light needs an enclosure for outdoor operation.

What is an ingress protection rating?

Ingress protection ratings define how well a device prevents solids and liquids from making their way inside a product's casing where they can damage sensitive components. Every IP rating uses two digits to express this with the first digit signifying solids (fingers, dust) and the second meaning liquids (water). Higher numbers mean greater resistance.

• Solids ratings range from 0–6.
• Liquids ratings range from 0–8.
• An X in either field means it's untested in that category.

For example, an IP68 rating totally protects against dust and full immersion in water.

Motion lights deter nighttime burglars for these reasons:

• Burglars won’t have the cover of darkness to approach the house.
• Sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone turned on the light manually.
• If anyone inside the home (or even a neighbour) also saw the light come on, there's a good chance they’ll look for suspicious activity.
• The motion light might set off a secondary, furry alarm that wakes up the family with barking.

Still, if a burglar knows the house is empty and that neighbours don’t have a good view, they might take the risk anyway, or they might come back during the day when the lights don’t affect your security. This is why it’s important to use other security measures like smart locks and security cameras to fortify your home against intruders.