The 6 Best Laser Holiday Lights
Updated by · How we research
Six outdoor laser projectors compared on laser class, weather sealing, timers and locks. The LEDMall 8 Patterns RGB leads for its metal head and nightly timer. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A holiday laser projector is legal and generally eye-safe at a distance, but its beams reach far past the roofline, and the FAA asks owners to re-aim any display that distracts pilots. These stake lights suit anyone who wants a lit house without ladders or strings of bulbs, and the weak link is often the plug adapter, not the laser.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The LEDMall 8 Patterns RGB stays on top. LEDMall still sells the same metal projector, it prints a laser class where many rivals print nothing, and it pairs a nightly timer with a cable lock. The LEDMall 3-Theme Firefly stays too, for people who decorate for Halloween as well.
Most of the old picks are gone. The Philips Rotating, Ocean Wave 2-In-1, Brightown Snowfall, Yinuo Mirror LED and Samyoung Water Wave were LED picture projectors rather than lasers, and neither they nor the 1byOne Landscape and Ion Party turned up among current sellers. The BulbHead Star Shower has no current price, so the Star Shower Ultra 9 carries the brand now. The Yinuo Light 5-Pattern, Alinkey SE369 and Gusodor SW-TY-006 are new.
Six is where the list stops. Most other projectors we screened were the same factory light under a different label, or LED picture projectors sold as lasers. For evidence we used the FDA's laser class rules, the FAA's holiday warning, a published light measurement of the original Star Shower and the makers' own instructions.
Earlier notes
October 14, 2020, by Sheila O'Neill:
New to the list is the Brightown Snowfall, which creates a falling snow effect that's a good choice for anyone looking for a subtler display without too many flashy colors. On the other hand, the LEDMall Firefly projects shapes in red, green, blue, or any combination thereof. Its three themes offer Christmas shapes, Halloween shapes, and abstract designs that work year-round. The Starry Two-Color and Liu Hang Festival were removed due to quality concerns.
Some of the items on the list are projector lights rather than "true" lasers, but they all provide users with a way to make their home festive without untangling long cords or taking the ladder out of storage.
If you do choose a bright laser, like the BulbHead Star Shower or 1byOne Landscape, be sure to aim it directly at your home or garden, without letting any of the light shine into the sky. The FAA warns that improperly aimed lights can be a potential hazard to pilots flying overhead. And be sure not to look directly into the beams, especially at close range, as this may be damaging to your eyesight. This is especially important for households with young children or pets to be aware of.
Used responsibly, however, these lights provide an easy and affordable way to bring the holiday season to any home.
September 30, 2019, by Karen Bennett:
Traditional Christmas lights can transform your home for the holidays, but they sure can be a hassle to put up. Rather than climbing a ladder in the cold – or paying someone else a pretty penny to do it – consider getting a laser light projector. These are a refreshingly low-maintenance alternative to strings of lights, and they’re often highly affordable, to boot.
Joining the list is the Philips Rotating, which comes from an established lighting brand. It features rotating, white snowflakes in a variety of shapes and designs. It can be placed at a wide range of heights, thanks to its swiveling head that can be set at many an angle. If you’re looking for a muted look without all of the flashing colors, this might be the perfect option for you – and it comes in at a highly affordable price.
Look to the newly added Ocean Wave 2-In-1 if you plan to use your projector not just for the winter holidays. For instance, for Halloween, you’ve got a spooky eyeball, a witch, a vampire and a skull. You can celebrate a birthday by displaying a cake, balloons, and presents. And you can light up your home on the Fourth of July with a rocket, top hat, and fireworks – all in patriotic red, white, and blue colors. Of course, it also comes with an array of Christmas and winter-related images.
The Ion Party comes on board and features a somewhat unusual design, featuring a multi-faceted, domed lens that projects large moving spots onto the outside of your home. It features popular Christmas colors and can cover up to 4,000 square feet. Its display is fun to sit and watch as the patterns constantly shift.
For a model that’s built with safety in mind, look to the Yinuo Mirror LED, which will shut off automatically if its temperate becomes too hot – and it also is made from aluminum alloy, which is effective at dissipating heat. It’s constructed for the long haul, with a rust-proof build and generous, 50,000-hour LED lifespan.
Another new addition is the Samyoung Water Wave, which has you covered for an impressive list of holidays, including Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving, thanks to its 12 interchangeable slides that project an array of images. Its sturdy waterproof gasket will keep it protected from rain and snow.
Leaving the list today since they’re no longer available are the Tofu Proteove, Cheriee Light Star, Bellar 37P, Instecho LED, and AoStar Magic.
October 22, 2018, by Brett Dvoretz:
Many of the previous models had to be removed due to longevity issues, such as the charge Spotlight Projector and LaserXplore Light Show. We did our best to filter out any low-quality models, which seem to be prevalent in this category, while also including models to meet every budgetary constraint.
Special Honors
Spectrum Laser Lights Spectrum Laser Lights sells patterned laser projectors direct from its own store, including models with up to 48 patterns and some with a built-in Bluetooth speaker for music. It also sells replacement power adapters, which helps when the adapter, the usual weak point, fails before the projector does. spectrumlaserlights.com
Laser Or LED, And What The Label Should Say
Some sellers mix the two up in their own spec fields, so judge by the effect you want, not the word in the name.
Shops use the word laser loosely. A true laser projector sends a beam through a patterned lens, which splits it into thousands of sharp dots or small shapes. LED projectors throw softer pictures, such as falling snow or ocean waves, and the FDA notes that LEDs aren't covered by the federal laser standard at all (FDA). Some sellers mix the two up in their own spec fields, so judge by the effect you want, not the word in the name.
For a real laser, look for the class label. The FDA requires lasers from Class II to Class IV to carry a warning that states the class and the output power. Class II is the bar-code-scanner tier, and Class IIIa, the laser-pointer tier, can harm an eye that stares straight into the beam. Holiday projectors sit in one of those two classes. Laser Pointer Safety notes that Class IIIa projectors can't exceed 5 milliwatts in the U.S. LEDMall rates its projectors Class II with output under 5 milliwatts.
Bright beams aren't always legal ones. In 2017 Santajoy recalled its Galaxy and Northern Lights holiday lasers, sold at Walmart, because some put out more power than the federal standard allows. A projector with no class label at all is a reason to look elsewhere.
Keep The Beams On The House
The real risk from a yard laser isn't to your family. It's to pilots. The FAA has warned that holiday displays aimed into the sky can distract or briefly blind flight crews, and it asks owners of displays that affect pilots to adjust or turn them off. Refusing can bring a civil penalty, and deliberately aiming any laser at an aircraft can cost up to $11,000 per violation.
Laser Pointer Safety measured an original Star Shower and found it essentially eye-safe, with glare that fades within a few hundred feet. A single dot could still distract a pilot three-quarters of a mile away. The Star Shower instructions say that within 10 nautical miles of an airport, the beam should be lowered so that none of it points at the sky.
In practice, mount the projector low and tilt it so the whole pattern lands on the wall or a tree, with nothing spilling over the roof. Don't aim at windows, the street or a neighbor's house, and teach kids not to look into the lens.
Distance, Weather And Power
Distance sets the size of the show. Most makers rate their projectors from about 25 to 50 feet back: BulbHead's chart for the Star Shower Ultra 9 grows from about 200 square feet at 10 feet to about 3,200 square feet at 40 feet. Dots spread out and dim as the pattern grows, so a big house may need two units. Light siding shows the dots far better than dark brick, stone or a dark roof.
Most metal-bodied heads are sealed against rain and snow, but the power adapter often isn't. LEDMall says outright that its adapters are only water-resistant and must stay out of standing water, rain and snow. Plug into a covered outdoor outlet with ground-fault protection, keep the adapter off the ground in a weatherproof box, and leave some slack in the cord so water drips off before it reaches the plug. Yinuo Light lists a range of about -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit for its projectors, so very cold nights can slow them down.
A timer that repeats each day saves walking out with the remote. LEDMall's timers restart the show at the same time the next evening, while some cheaper models simply switch off after a set number of hours. A projector on a stake by the sidewalk is easy to pull up and carry off, which is why LEDMall includes a cable and lock.
How we researched this
We compared 17 outdoor holiday projectors, read the makers' spec sheets and instructions for the 7 finalists, read the FDA's laser class rules, the FAA's holiday laser warning and a published measurement of the original Star Shower, looked at owner feedback patterns, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently asked questions
Are laser Christmas lights real lasers?
Many are. True laser projectors throw sharp pinpoints or small shapes and should carry a class label. Projectors that show soft pictures, such as falling snow or ocean waves, usually use LEDs, even when the name says laser.
Are laser Christmas lights safe for your eyes?
At normal yard distances, a labeled Class II or IIIa projector is generally safe to look at. Staring into the lens up close is not, so mount it where kids and pets can't peer into it.
Can laser holiday lights affect airplanes?
Yes. Beams that spill into the sky can distract pilots far from your house. The FAA asks owners to re-aim or turn off displays that affect aircraft, so keep the whole pattern on your walls or trees.
Can you leave a laser projector out in the rain?
The head usually can, if it's rated for outdoor use. The power adapter is the weak point: keep it off the ground, covered and plugged into an outdoor outlet with ground-fault protection.
How far from the house should a laser projector be?
Most work best from about 25 to 50 feet away. Closer gives a smaller, brighter pattern; farther covers more of the house with dimmer dots.
Do laser lights work on a dark house?
They show best on light siding. On dark brick, stone or a dark roof the dots look dimmer, so set the projector closer or aim it at lighter trim and trees.
