The 17 Best Wind Chimes for Charming Meteorological Melodies

Wind chimes are a wonderful addition to any outdoor space and make a lovely present for any occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, Father’s Day, Christmas or Friendship Day, a wind chime will add a hint of song and a piece of art to the recipient’s backyard. They’re one of the best ways to brighten up a porch, garden or hallway and are often used as a sign for remembrance at memorials, too.

There’s not one set tune that windchimes will play; they’ve each got their individual tones and melodies. They also come in a wide range of exciting shapes, bright colors and materials which have an influence on the sound they create. Some popular wind chime materials include:

• Aluminum
• Glass
• Bamboo
• Clay
• Hybrid metals
• Beads
• PVC
• Stoneware
• Porcelain
• Crystals

In essence, no matter which material they’re made from, wind chimes are instruments that utilize naturally sourced energy. Each set of wind chimes has at least five essential parts:

• Chimes – These are the pieces of a wind chime that make noise. In traditional wind chimes, they are metal tubes, but they can be made from any number of different materials. (See above)
• Suspension base – This is the piece of material from which the chimes are hung. It’s usually round and sits above the sound-making tubes or pieces in the wind chime.
• Suspension cords – These strings attach the chimes to the base and the base to your hanging spot.
• Clapper – The bit of material that bangs against the chimes to create the melody is called the clapper. This is usually in a ball-shape and made from wood or metal.
• Sail – Attached to the clapper by a string, the sail sits at the bottom of the wind chime and catches the wind, causing the clapper to move against the chimes. 

Wind chimes can also be a way of expressing many emotions, both happy and sad. While some cater to the colorful and joyful side of our feelings, others can act as a form of comfort, sympathy or condolence in times of sadness. 

Whatever the weather and whatever the celebration, there’s usually a windchime to suit. We’ve put together a list of some of the most unique, creative and occasion-relevant wind chimes so that you can see the variety available and choose the best wind chimes for you.

1. UpBlend Outdoors Store Wind Chimes

BEST OVERALL

UpBlend Outdoors Store jokingly calls these wind chimes, “Wind Chimes For People Who Like Their Neighbors.” It’s true that wind chimes can occasionally become annoying thanks to their never-ceasing sound, but these metal chimes are extremely pleasing to the ear. In fact, they play a variation of the G-major pentatonic scale. The deep red chimes are made from six sturdy aluminum tubes and bamboo and are 29 inches long from bottom to top.

2. MyFamilyHouse Dragon Windchime

BEST NOVELTY 

Soar into the world of wind chimes with a flying dragon from MyFamilyHouse. This bamboo and coconut combo creature is a fun feature to add to any home or garden. It’s handcrafted in Indonesia by local skilled workers and is completely fair trade. However, as much as these are high-quality dragons made from only the best materials, piggybacks are not advised.

3. PATHONOR Wind Chimes Outdoor

BEST VALUE

For a traditional set of wind chimes with a bright and airy melody, look no further than the PATHONOR Wind Chimes Outdoor. This instrument includes six aluminum tubes hung from a wooden base with a wooden pendant and sail. As it only has a 24.5-inch drop, this set of wind chimes can be used indoors or outdoors with ease. The set also makes a great gift for someone moving into their first home or who may need a bit of good luck.

5. MyFamilyHouse Glass Wind Chime

BEST SUN CATCHER

One of the best things about some wind chime designs is that they also catch the sun to create beautiful colors. This MyFamilyHouse Glass Wind Chime does exactly that. It has multicolored panels that will spring bright reflections around it. The glass panels were carved into their leaf-like shapes by talented locals on the island of Bali. In addition, the bamboo branch that’s used to hang the glass was also locally sourced. All materials are recycled, eco-friendly and fair trade.

6. TheRockinJewler Agate Slice Wind Chimes

MOST ALTERNATIVE

This beautiful display of sliced agate will add a hint of boho decor indoors or outdoors. Agate can be found in a range of natural colors, and so, there are five different variations of shade style to choose from when purchasing. Be careful when hanging them, though, as this is definitely one of the most fragile wind chimes we’ve found. You might not consider yourself to be a wizard yet, but this set of wind chimes could bring crystal healing to your home.

8. BottlesUncorked Glass Wine Bottle Wind Chimes

BEST RECYCLED

These BottlesUncorked Glass Wine Bottle Wind Chimes are a brightly colored addition for positivity in your home. They’re available in seven different colors, namely amber, cobalt blue, clear, green, yellow, red and frosted. Or, you can order the full set of seven. Inside each bottle is a wooden ball for creating the sound when the wind knocks it against the glass. There’s also a cute heart sail hanging just below the ball that captures the gust for movement.

9. NevaStarr Fish Wind Chime

BEST ANIMAL-THEMED

The NevaStarr Wind Chime is fun for all the family and brings together a whole school of fishy friends to create an individual wind chime. The little sea creatures are made from antique, silver-plated spoons dating back as far as 1786. At the point of purchase, you can choose whether you’d like three, four, five or seven finned specimens included in your chime. Each piece is carefully crafted in the USA. 

10. Kearui Solar Wind Chimes

BEST SOLAR POWERED

This light-up, multicolor solar wind chime is made up of eight tubes that continuously cycle between red, green, orange, blue, yellow and purple colors. It’s completely solar-powered, so there’s no wiring or external power source needed to power it. It charges automatically during the daytime and can last up to 12-15 hours on a single charge. All of the lights are equipped with IPX3 durable waterproof material so they can be exposed to the elements, and the classic wind chime design enables it to make music as well.

11. Afirst Wooden Wind Chimes

BEST BAMBOO

Bamboo wind chimes create natural, relaxing, almost drum-like sounds instead of the higher-pitched sounds that metal ones create. This one has six bamboo tubes that are built durable to last you all season long and of varying lengths so you get different sounds when the central piece hits each one. The braided wire up top can be hung for long periods of time and the wood will blend in perfectly with natural surroundings.

12. AlchemyVibesForYou Celestial Star Wind Chimes

BEST ALTERNATIVE DESIGN

This might not look like a wind chime upon first glance, but these metal discs clink together and create beautiful music when hung on branches. Each one is a celestial map made up of black and gold and the varying sizes create all different sounds when the wind stars whipping. If you’re an astrology nerd or know someone who loves star gazing, get them this unique wind chime that creates music and pays homage to the universe at the same time. 

13. HappyGardensArt Dragonflies Mobile Wind Chimes

BEST MOBILE

This hanging mobile from HappyGardensArt doubles as a wind chime, as it uses many little bells in its design. Amongst the bells are an array of dainty little dragonflies that will create lovely shadows on nearby surfaces. The dragonflies are made from verdigris, and the bells are all copper. The overall piece is completely handcrafted and presented in an inverted triangular shape.

14. Astarin Memorial Wind Chimes

BEST DEEP TONE

Astarin is a superstar of the wind chime market. The company has been producing hand-tuned wind chimes for over 90 years, so you can be assured that all their products are of the highest quality. In particular, their 30-inch wind chime produces a deep, lovely tone that will instantly transport you into relaxing mode. The rich tone is produced thanks to the thick walls of the precision-tuned tubes. Whether you buy these wind chimes as a gift or keep them for yourself, they are sure to bring a certain harmony to any home.

15. FireWoodCreations Pet Memorial Wind Chime

BEST PET MEMORIAL

Some of the saddest goodbyes we’ll ever have to say will be to our beloved pets, and it can be nice to have an ornament or wind chime around to pay tribute and remember our furry friends. The FireWoodCreations Pet Memorial Wind Chime is the ideal choice for exactly that. You can hang it either indoors or outdoors, perhaps in your pet’s favorite place so that the haunting sound is always there as a reminder. Each wind chime is personalized especially for your pet. Simply enter its name and the year at the point of purchase, and FireWoodCreations will take care of the rest.

16. WeatheredRaindrop Condolence Wind Chime

BEST CONDOLENCE

Paying tribute to someone that we miss and remembering memories shared together is one of the best ways to stay positive. A wind chime can be the perfect guide for exactly this, as it can bring together friends and family in unity of its symbolism. This condolence wind chime from WeatheredRaindrop can be personalized in two different areas upon order to make it as special as you want it to be. It also comes packaged in beautiful gift wrapping, making it the ideal offer of condolence to your loved ones.

17. Robinsglassworld Feathers Wind Chime

BEST SPLURGE

For a real stand out piece, look no further than Robinsglassworld Feather Wind Chime. This is the ultimate gift or memorial ornament to light up your chosen location for years to come. The beautiful wings are enhanced with glass windows, and you can select the color combination to suit your style. The feathers and spheres are made from crystal and glass and hang from the proud wings. They will catch the wind and jingle calmly. This is a truly marvelous piece of art.

Bring in Summer With These Rustic Wind Chimes