The Ultimate Fairy Lights Buying Guide | Compare Fairy Lights Australia
The Ultimate Fairy Lights Buying Guide
Which Fairy Lights Are Right for You?
Not sure which fairy lights to choose? The easiest place to start is with where you're using them, how long you want to leave them installed and whether you have access to power.
From creating a cosy bedroom to lighting a pergola, wrapping a large tree or planning a permanent commercial installation, different spaces call for different types of fairy lights.
At Love Your Lights, we've created several fairy light ranges so you can choose the right balance of style, durability, power and performance for your space.
Here’s how they compare.
Which Fairy Lights Are Best?
| If you want to... | We recommend... |
|---|---|
| Style a bedroom or indoor space | Essential Fairy Lights |
| Light a patio, pergola or outdoor entertaining area | Core Fairy Lights |
| Create a permanent outdoor or tree installation | Pro Fairy Lights |
| Light a public or high pedestrian area | 24V Low Voltage Pro Fairy Lights |
| Wrap trees, shrubs or garden features without mains power | Solar Seed Fairy Lights |
| Create a robust permanent solar installation | Solar Pro Fairy Lights |
| Light a café, restaurant, accommodation or venue | Pro Fairy Lights |
Still deciding? Keep reading for a closer look at each range and where we recommend using it.
Essential Fairy Lights
Best for Bedrooms & Indoor Decorating
If you're looking for simple, beautiful fairy lights for inside your home, our Essential Fairy Lights are a great place to start.
Their lightweight PVC cable creates a delicate decorative look that's ideal for adding a soft warm glow without overpowering the space.
They're particularly well suited to bedrooms, living areas, mirrors, shelving and seasonal decorating.
Choose Essential Fairy Lights if:
- You're primarily using your lights indoors
- You want a lightweight, discreet cable
- You want multiple sets that can connect together
- You're creating decorative rather than permanent outdoor lighting
- You want beautiful ambient lighting at an accessible price
Popular uses: bedrooms, bed frames, mirrors, shelving, living areas and seasonal decorating.
Looking specifically for bedroom lighting? Explore our Bedroom Fairy Lights collection for some of our favourite options for creating a warm, cosy bedroom.
Core Fairy Lights
Best for Patios, Pergolas & Outdoor Entertaining
Moving outdoors?
Our Core Fairy Lights are designed for indoor and outdoor use and are a great choice for everyday residential outdoor lighting.
They're particularly well suited to patios, pergolas, courtyards and outdoor entertaining areas where you want the delicate appearance of fairy lights with additional protection for outdoor conditions.
The PVC cable remains relatively lightweight and discreet, while additional protection around the LEDs helps make the range better suited to outdoor use than our Essential Series.
Choose Core Fairy Lights if:
- You're lighting a patio, pergola or courtyard
- You want fairy lights suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- You prefer a lightweight PVC cable
- You want connectable lights for larger areas
- You're creating a residential outdoor lighting display
Popular uses: patios, pergolas, courtyards, balconies, entertaining areas and residential gardens.
Pro Fairy Lights
Best for Permanent Outdoor Installations
If your fairy lights are going to stay outside year-round, step up to our Pro Fairy Lights.
Designed for permanent installations, the Pro Series uses a heavy-duty rubber cable for increased durability and long-term outdoor performance.
They're ideal for both residential and commercial projects where the lights need to withstand ongoing exposure to outdoor conditions.
Choose Pro Fairy Lights if:
- You're planning a permanent outdoor installation
- You're wrapping large or mature trees
- You're lighting a hospitality venue
- You're creating a larger residential installation
- Durability and long-term performance are priorities
- Your lights will remain installed throughout the year
Popular uses: large trees, homes, rooflines, restaurants, cafés, accommodation, hospitality venues and commercial projects.
Essential vs Core vs Pro Fairy Lights
An easy way to choose between our three mains-powered ranges is to think about where and how you're installing them:
Essential → primarily indoor decorative lighting
Core → everyday indoor and outdoor residential lighting
Pro → permanent, heavy-duty outdoor lighting or tree lighting
If you're still unsure which of these three ranges you need, read our detailed Essential, Core & Pro Fairy Lights comparison for a closer look at the differences.
230V vs 24V Fairy Lights: Which Do I Need?
For most homes, hospitality venues and general commercial installations, our standard 230V Pro Fairy Lights are a great choice.
For certain installations, however, 24V low voltage lighting may be preferred.
| Pro Fairy Lights | 24V Low Voltage Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 230V mains | 24V low voltage |
| Cable | Heavy-duty rubber | Heavy-duty PVC |
| Best for | Homes, hospitality & commercial installations | Public spaces & high pedestrian areas or Tree installations |
| Permanent installation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectable | ✓ | ✓ |
Choose 230V Pro Fairy Lights when:
You're lighting a home, hospitality venue or commercial space and want heavy-duty, permanent outdoor fairy lights powered directly from mains electricity.
Choose 24V Low Voltage Pro Fairy Lights when:
Low voltage is preferred for the installation, particularly in public spaces and high pedestrian areas, while still requiring a durable system designed for long-term use. These are also our recommended option when lighting trees.
What About Solar Fairy Lights?
No convenient power source? Solar fairy lights can be a fantastic alternative for trees, gardens and areas further away from the house.
We offer two very different solar options.
Solar Seed Fairy Lights
Choose Solar Seed Fairy Lights when you want a delicate lighting effect with fine, discreet wire.
They're ideal for weaving through trees, shrubs, fences and garden features where you want the lights themselves to disappear into the landscape during the day.
Best for: decorative garden lighting, trees, shrubs and residential outdoor spaces.
Solar Pro Fairy Lights
Choose Solar Pro Fairy Lights when you need a more robust solar lighting system for a long-term residential or commercial installation.
Their heavier-duty construction makes them better suited to projects where durability and ongoing performance matter.
Best for: permanent residential installations, accommodation, hospitality and commercial projects where mains power isn't convenient.
Solar Seed vs Solar Pro
Both solar ranges eliminate the need for mains power, but they're designed for different applications.
| Feature | Solar Seed | Solar Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Cable | Fine seed wire | Heavy-duty PVC |
| Best for | Trees, gardens & decorative lighting | Permanent residential & commercial installations |
| Permanent Installation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Residential | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commercial | – | ✓ |
| Appearance | Delicate & discreet | Robust & durable |
How Many Fairy Lights Do I Need?
This depends on both the size of the area and the look you're trying to create.
A lightly wrapped tree will require considerably fewer lights than a tree where you're aiming for a dense, sparkling effect. Likewise, lighting the edge of a pergola requires less length than creating a canopy overhead.
Before ordering, consider:
- The total area or length you want to cover
- Whether you want a subtle or densely lit effect
- The distance between your power source and the first light
- Whether you'll need extension cables, splitters or other accessories
- Whether multiple sets need to connect together
For larger installations, send us your photos and measurements and we can help work out what you'll need.
Fairy Lights for Indoors or Outdoors?
Always choose lights designed for the environment in which they'll be installed.
For bedrooms and other indoor spaces, our Essential Fairy Lights offer a lightweight decorative option.
For outdoor residential areas such as patios and pergolas, consider our Core Fairy Lights.
For permanent outdoor installations where the lights will remain exposed year-round, our Pro Series is the better choice.
This distinction is particularly important when planning a long-term outdoor installation — don't choose lights based on appearance alone.
Fairy Lights for Trees
Fairy lights are one of the easiest ways to transform a tree after dark, but the right product depends on the installation.
For a decorative garden tree without convenient mains power, Solar Seed Fairy Lights can create a beautiful delicate effect.
For larger trees or permanent installations where durability is important, consider Pro Fairy Lights or Solar Pro Fairy Lights, depending on your access to power.
For very large trees, we'd recommend planning the installation before ordering so you can calculate the light lengths, connections and accessories required.
Choosing Fairy Lights Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
If you're still deciding, start with these three questions:
1. Are they going indoors or outdoors?
For primarily indoor use, start with Essential. For outdoor residential use, look at Core or Pro.
2. Will they stay installed permanently?
For permanent outdoor installations, choose Pro.
3. Do you have convenient access to mains power?
If not, explore our Solar Fairy Lights.
Once you know those three things, choosing the right range becomes much easier.
Planning a Larger Fairy Light Installation?
We can help.
Whether you're lighting a large feature tree, outdoor entertaining area, accommodation property, hospitality venue or commercial space, send us your photos, measurements and an idea of the look you'd like to create.
Our team can help you choose suitable lights, work out quantities and plan the connections and accessories you'll need.
