Weatherproofing. Every model needs an IP (weatherproofing) rating to survive outside, so if you don’t see one, don’t buy those lights. There’s usually a lower rating for the control box compared to the rest of the lights, so be sure you can put that somewhere that’s a little less exposed to the elements. (As mentioned above, make sure you have an outdoor outlet, and check if there’s only one on a certain side of your home in case it limits your installation options.)

A range of installation options. You’ll want a set that comes with plenty of options for your own installation, including adhesive and drilled mounting options. What you need will vary based on your home design and materials; e.g., you’ll want adhesive for homes you can’t drill into. WIRED reviewer Kat Merck, who tested a couple of different permanent lights, liked sets with screw-on holders that the puck-style permanent lights can slide onto.

Controls for individual lights. This should be a no-brainer, but some cheaper lights won’t offer this ability or have more roadblocks to customized control. Make sure you’ll have easy individual controls, or you might find yourself frustrated with the design results of these lights. It’s similar to design controls that you’d see on smart bulbs and smart string lights.

A great app. This goes hand in hand with the need for individual light control—a good app determines whether that and other features are accessible. Govee and Eufy, two of our favorite permanent outdoor lights we’ve tried, both have good apps that are easy to use and come with preloaded light themes. These tech companies make more than just outdoor lights, including other favorite gear of ours, so they’re a good brand to trust to make a usable product and app. We also like Lepro’s more affordable lights, though the app had some extra hoops to jump through to get to controls, while Lumary’s app was a brutal experience for our tester.

What Time of Year Should You Use Permanent Outdoor Lights?

Most people are interested in this style of lights for the fall and winter. That’s a great time to set them up and use them, since you’ve got Halloween and Christmas decor that the permanent outdoor lights could complement with colorful holiday scenes. The days are also shorter, so you’ve got more nighttime hours to take advantage of these lights.

They’re a fun way to deck out your home for a sports game, especially for major games like the Super Bowl (WIRED reviewer Kat Merck, a resident of Washington state, was surprised to discover just how many people in her neighborhood had permanent lights this past February) and the World Cup, or for smaller holidays like St. Patrick’s Day or the Fourth of July. They’re a fun way to jazz up your home’s curb appeal in the evening year-round (though if you have an HOA, you might have to check your rules about displaying lights regularly) or add a little pizzazz for your next outdoor party. No matter what you use it for, there’s no wrong way or wrong time of year to use these lights.