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The Best Permanent LED Lights for House Exteriors – Our Top Picks for 2023

House with permanent LEDs in blue and purple on roofline and gables

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Outdoor lighting has come a long way in recent years, with permanent LED light installations becoming increasingly popular for illuminating the exteriors of homes. Compared to traditional holiday lights that need to be manually installed and removed each season, permanent outdoor LED lights offer unmatched longevity, efficiency, and visual appeal. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of permanent LED exterior lighting and compare three top brands – Oelo, Jellyfish Lighting, and Trimlight.

There are several reasons permanent LED lights are a smart choice for your home’s exterior. First, permanent LED bulbs last up to 100 times longer than incandescent bulbs, meaning your lights will shine brightly for years without needing replacement. LEDs are also durable enough to withstand the elements, unlike traditional holiday lights. Additionally, LED lighting consumes far less energy and can lead to significant cost savings over time.

We’ll take an in-depth look at offerings from Oelo, Jellyfish Lighting, and Trimlight – three brands known for their quality and innovation in permanent outdoor LED lighting. Using insights from experts and consumers, we’ll compare the durability, ease of use, customization options, and overall value of each brand. Our goal is to highlight the pros and cons so you can determine which is the best fit for your home. Let’s begin exploring why permanent LED lights are worth investing in.

Benefits of Permanent LED Lights for House Exteriors

Permanent LED exterior lights offer many advantages over traditional holiday lights. Here are just few of the key reasons to consider installing permanent LED lighting on your home once and for all:

Longer Lifespan and Durability

LED bulbs designed for permanent outdoor lighting can last up to 100,000 hours, as seen with products from Oelo. This equates to decades of continuous illumination without having to worry about replacement. For example, with 6 hours of daily use, these LED lights could last over 44 years before needing to be changed. The long lifespan means you can say goodbye to frequently climbing ladders to replace bulbs.

Additionally, outdoor LED lights feature protective casings to shield the LED modules from weather elements like rain, snow, and UV rays. This protective encasement makes outdoor LEDs a truly maintenance-free lighting solution, keeping the lights running smoothly year after year without service requirements.

Avoid Seasonal Installation and Removal

Putting up traditional holiday lights is such a hassle. You’ve got to haul the rickety old ladder out of the garage, untangle yards of ancient cords, and precisely space each bulb while freezing your fingers off. And let’s not forget about the backache you’ll have for days after contorting yourself to wrap lights around the roof and trees.

Then just a month later, it’s time to climb back up and take it all down again, cramming all those tangled messes back into storage boxes, hoping you don’t accidentally break half the bulbs in the process. Only to do it all over again next year!

Putting up traditional holiday lights takes time and effort each year, as does taking them down and storing them safely. Permanent LED exterior lights are the ideal solution since they can be left in place year-round. Let the LEDs do the decorating work while you enjoy the holidays.

Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings

Permanent LED lighting that can save homeowners money compared to traditional incandescent holiday lights. LED bulbs only consume less than 1 watt per bulb, while incandescent bulbs use 5 watts per bulb. For example, running a permanent LED lighting system for 6 hours daily would only increase a monthly electricity bill by $4 to $5. This results in an annual electricity cost of just $50 to $60 for the LED lighting. In contrast, using traditional incandescent holiday lights for the same daily duration would add $40 to $50 to the monthly electricity bill, costing $400 to $500 per year. So the energy efficiency of LED bulbs leads to significant electricity savings over time compared to incandescent lights. Additionally, permanent LED holiday lights don’t require regular bulb replacements like incandescents, eliminating that maintenance expense. 

Enhanced Safety Features

Permanent LED lights are designed to be safe even in harsh outdoor environments. They do not heat up or pose fire risks like traditional incandescent holiday lights. The low-voltage power options available also enhance safety compared to high-voltage alternatives.

Split image of one home with red and green Christmas lighting and the other with warm white accent lighting

Comparison of Oelo, Jellyfish Lighting, and Trimlight

Now let’s take a detailed look at three of the well-known manufacturers of permanent LED exterior lighting systems: Oelo, Jellyfish Lighting, and Trimlight. We’ll examine the reputation, products, features, and reviews for each brand.

OeloTrimlightJellyfishGemstoneEverlights
ADVERSTISED LIFETIME-USE RATING100,000 hrs.50,000 hrs.50,000 hr. LEDs / 22,000 Controller50,000 hrs.50,000 hrs.
LED LIGHT SPACING9"9” or 12”9"9"9' or 12"
MULTI-COLOR CAPABLE16 Million Colors16 Million Colors16 Million Colors16 Million Colors250
FULL SPECTRUM OF ACCENT WHITES (soft to cool)YesYesYesYesNo
INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED LEDsYesYesYesYesYes
LED APPEARANCELow Profile Puck Style Design Protuding 'Knob-like' LEDsPuck Style LEDsPuck Style LEDsProtruding 'Knob-like' LEDs
NUMBER OF DIODES PER LIGHTTwoOneThreeThreeOne
SIZE OF LIGHT30mm10mm30mm30mm10mm
LED BRIGHTNESS*****************

Overview of Brand Reputations and Offerings

Oelo, Jellyfish Lighting, and Trimlight are three companies that provide permanent outdoor LED lighting to accentuate architectural features. All three offer 16 million color options, pre-set programs, endless patterns and color variations for a customized look. However, each company takes a unique approach to their lighting solutions.

Oelo stands out for their highly durable lighting fixtures that are built to last. Their LEDs are rated for 100,000 hours of use, providing long-lasting illumination. The aluminum tracks undergo a powder-coated color match process to seamlessly integrate into any architectural design. Oelo meets the highest safety standards, with UL-Listing Certification, IP-68 waterproof rating to withstand weather, and V-0 Fire rating for fire safety. Their ultra slim light tracks blend subtly into surfaces.

With a focus on flexibility and customization, Oelo’s products allow homeowners to tailor the lighting. Their lineup offers various track designs, multiple mounting options, and programmable color changing LED lights. This enables creating a truly unique and integrated lighting design to enhance your home’s architecture. Oelo delivers lighting that will withstand the elements while accentuating your home’s best features.

Jellyfish Lighting has built a reputation for their multiple programs for accent lighting while having the capability to add festive flare to the holidays with color. Their lights are advertised to last roughly 50,000 hours with the control unit needing to be replaced around 22,000 hours.

Trimlight is a budget-friendly option known for being the original pioneer in permanent LED lighting. Its style has more of a traditional lighting look with less inconspicuous light tracks due to their deep light track design. They too have an advertised lifetime rating of 50,000 hours with a limited lifetime warranty that does not cover use beyond the original lifetime rating as well as other components to the system.

Durability, Ease of Use, and Longevity

When comparing permanent outdoor LED lighting brands, durability is a top concern as these lights are an investment into the aesthetics of your home. You want lights that can withstand years of exposure to Arizona sun, Washington rain, and Colorado snow. Lifespan factors in as well since you don’t want to replace bulbs frequently or parts throughout the years.

Brand Statistics and Expert Perspectives

From a statistical lens, Oelo leads with the highest overall value rating. It excels in LED value, control unit value, and light track value, supported by a robust warranty and the highest number of certifications, including a critical IP68 waterproof rating and a V-0 fire rating. Experts recognize Oelo for its comprehensive approach to quality, innovation, and customer assurance.

JellyFish Lighting’s expert analysis paints a picture of premium pricing juxtaposed with high versatility and aesthetic appeal. Its system ranks lower in overall value attributed to its higher cost and lower durability ratings. However, its unique blend of technology and design continues to attract a niche market.

Trimlight balances affordability with functionality. Its patented design and extensive dealer network underscore its market presence. While its warranty offers remarkable coverage, its moderate ratings in LED and control unit value reflect a balance of cost-efficiency and performance, garnering expert approval for budget-conscious consumers seeking affordability.

Check out our Product Comparison Chart for a more comprehensive look into the specifications and features of each brand. 

Customization and Overall Value

All three brands offer ways to tailor permanent LED lights to your home exterior, but Oelo stands above the rest in customization. From their unique spotlight feature, to full color wheel for any hue you desire, to the warm accent lighting capability. Also, their patented Acrylic and Aluminum track options allow for various mounting applications and limitless configurations for unique looks. Jellyfish Lighting has color temperature and brightness adjustment abilities via app controls. Trimlight has lower customization, generally offering set configurations of already designed lighting kits.

For overall value and performance taking into account durability, features, quality, and warranty, Oelo edges out Jellyfish and Trimlight based on consensus. Oelo’s combination of customization and robust but low-profile design make their products recommended for most homes. However, Jellyfish Lighting does offer great automation capabilities for tech-focused households. Those on tight budgets may prefer Trimlight’s lower upfront costs.

OeloTrimlightJellyfishGemstoneEverlights
SYSTEM PRICE (Low $ - High $$$$$)$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
LED VALUE (LEDs Use Rating / Price)*************
CONTROL UNIT VALUE (Features / Price)***************
LIGHT TRACK VALUE (Durability / Price)***************
RATINGS VALUE (Number of Certs / Price)**************
WARRANTY VALUE (Warranty / price)***************
OVERALL VALUE (1-5)4.83.41.43.01.8

The Top Choice for Permanent LED Lights

Based on the in-depth assessment above, Oelo stands as our top recommended brand for most homeowners seeking permanent LED exterior lighting. Let’s recap why Oelo’s products are worth the investment for long-lasting, energy-efficient, customized outdoor illumination.

Oelo’s Innovative Technology

Oelo utilizes ultra efficient voltage technology to create permanent LED lighting that is safe, energy-efficient, and brilliantly bright. Oelo’s understated low-profile design looks natural and blends in on almost any home exterior for a seamless look.

Customization for a Unique Look

With Oelo’s practically ‘invisible by day’ tracks, their permanent holiday lights blend in with your home’s fascia for a seamless look, while being uniquely expressive by night thanks to their customizable color app. Oelo makes it easy to get creative.

Rave Reviews Reflect Quality and Satisfaction

Across online reviews and testimonials, Oelo customers consistently praise the brand’s stellar performance, beautiful design, and helpful customer service. The sleek design draws compliments for enhancing homes without being gaudy or ostentatious. Many homeowners report enjoying their customized Oelo lights for years without issues. The combination of quality, innovation, and flexibility makes Oelo a winning choice.

Conclusion

Outdoor LED lighting has clearly come a long way from traditional temporary holiday lights. For homes seeking permanent, energy-efficient, customized, and stylish exterior lighting, Oelo stands as the most recommended brand according to our research. Their durable and innovative LED technology, coupled with unparalleled customization options and a solid warranty earn Oelo the top spot for outdoor permanent LED lighting.

We hope this guide gives you a helpful overview of superb permanent LED lighting options for your home’s exterior. Don’t forget to check our blog for more outdoor lighting ideas and technology insights. Selecting the ideal lighting can greatly enhance the beauty of your home’s landscape while adding festive flair.

Note: This blog post provides a comparative analysis and is based on the information available at the time of writing. Product features and specifications may change over time, so it’s essential to refer to the official websites or consult with manufacturers for the most up-to-date information.

Disclosure regarding the comparison charts

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