If you’re looking to spend more time in your outdoor space, creating a welcoming ambiance and a comfortable setup is key. Investing in quality outdoor furniture, including dining tables, can make your backyard or patio a great spot for relaxing and entertaining. Keeping the area bright enough to be able to see your guests and move around safely is also important and can be achieved using a variety of outdoor lighting options, including tiki torches.
Tiki torches offer three important benefits. They can illuminate walkways and paths and eliminate dark spots outdoors. They are a functional piece of décor, adding the missing design element to an outdoor space. And when used with citronella, they can help keep bugs away and make spending time outdoors much more enjoyable.
SPY is including two styles of tiki torches on our list. One is solar-powered, which requires no upkeep and is safe for homes with kids and pets. The second is tiki torch requires lighter fluid — and customers can choose regular fluid or fluid that includes citronella, which is great for areas that are especially prone to bugs.
For tiki torches that use fluid, safety is paramount. Torches should be inserted between 6″ and 8” into the ground, with a torch stake or stand creating a more secure hold, something that is especially important for homes with children. The torches should be spaced at least 6 feet apart and away from other structures, with care taken to not place the torches under trees or porches. Fuel spills can be cleaned using kitty litter and, once a snuffer cap extinguishes a flame, it should be removed to allow the wick to dry completely.
If you’re ready to safely add some light and possibly some bug repellent to your outdoor space, check out these affordable and easy-to-use tiki torches.
1. Deco Home Garden Torch Set
BEST OVERALL
Each torch in the set comes with a long-lasting fiberglass wick, a metal snuffer cap, and a metal spike at the bottom of the pole that makes it simple to secure the torch in the ground. The torches are powder-coated, which helps to protect against the elements. Each torch has a reservoir with enough space to hold fluid for up to six hours of flames. A deck clamp is also available for purchase to secure the torches. The torches are available in brown, black and satin.
2. Evelynsun Tiki Torch Solar Lights
BEST SOLAR OPTION
This set of four lights is made from handwoven bamboo that creates an authentic tiki torch look. Using solar power, the torches have a flicker effect to emulate real flames and provides lighting for walkways and patios thanks to their warm white LED lights and waterproof IP65 ABS material. Installation is easy and the poles each have a footrest to help insert the pole into the ground. The durable poles are weather resistant and come with a rechargeable battery and the torches have an adjustable pole height that has a maximum length of 55.9”.
3. Matney Bamboo Torches
BEST BARGAIN
The Matney Bamboo Torches are sold in a pack of eight and are crafted from sustainable and durable bamboo Each light has a refillable 16-ounce reservoir that can be filled with regular fluid or citronella fluid to help keep bugs away. The lights are made with a fiberglass wick, individual snuffer caps and have a speared bottom to help easily insert the 60” poles into the ground. Matney designed the torches with an easy-pour system to help minimize cleanup when adding fuel to the reservoir.
4. Backyadda Bamboo Torches
BEST SUSTAINABLY MADE
Made from bamboo, a sustainable material that is naturally weather-resistant and good for hot climates, the torches are 59” in length and have an angled bottom for easy insertion into the ground. A wide-mouth opening on the 16-ounce reservoir helps eliminate spills when adding fluid and each of the six tiki torches in the set come with its own snuffer cap.
5. Otdair 96 LED Solar Lights
BEST INTRICATE DESIGN
If you want the ambiance of a tiki torch without fuel, we like the Otdair 96 LED Solar Lights. Every light in the set of six is made with 96 LEDs in each, which take eight hours of charging to provide 12 hours of light. Each light has a built-in rechargeable battery and is made with IP65 waterproof materials that are heat- and frost-resistant to create a durable product. The Otdair lights have an intricate design that adds to the décor of any outdoor space.
6. Team Pride Torch
BEST FOR SPORTS FANS
Decorate your outdoor space while still repping your favorite football team with the Team Pride Torch. Available with most NFL team logos, the officially licensed torches are solar-powered, which means no frequent refills of fluid. The lights have an auto-on function that will activate at dusk and include batteries for backup. Sold individually, the torches stand 36” tall and have a flickering flame effect.
7. Pineapple Torches by Frontgate
BEST SPLURGE
For a splurge-worthy tiki torch that brings a bit of whimsy and sophistication to your outdoor space, there’s the Pineapple Torches by Frontgate. The top of the torch features an antique brass pineapple design with a 30-ounce reservoir that has a sunken opening to help eliminate spills when adding fluid. The hand-forged stake is finished with a powder coating for added durability and the tiki torch comes with an attached brass cap and snuffer to help maintain the 6”-long fiberglass wick.
8. Tiki Urban Metal Torch
MOST VERSATILE DESIGN
For a light source that can provide some protection and be used on a flat surface, there’s the Tiki Urban Metal Torch. Like most tiki torches, the Urban Metal Torch can be used with bug repellent fuel that helps keep mosquitos and more away. Weather-resistant and durable, the Urban Metal Torch can be used with its included 60” pole or sit on a flat surface. The 12-ounce canister has a wide mouth and can hold enough fluid to provide up to five hours of flames.
9. Simply Glass Torch by TIKI
BEST EXTENDED BURN TIME
For a modern-looking tiki torch with an extended burn time, we like the Simply Glass Torch by TIKI. The four-piece pole can be converted from a full-sized torch that stands 65” high to a shorter, 50” garden-sized torch that is ideal for lighting pathways. The torch is easy to install thanks to its step lever that allows users to securely insert the torch into the ground. The 10-ounce reservoir can hold enough fluid to burn for up to 11 hours, reducing the number of times users need to refill their torch. A metal snuffer is included with each torch to help extinguish the fiberglass wick.
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