The best floodlights for outdoor security of 2024

The Eufy Security E340 floodlight is one of the market's most compelling outdoor security floodlights, with two LED light panels that emit 2000 lumens. The E340 is part of a lineup of Eufy devices with two motion-tracking cameras, a 2K telephoto to capture details up to 50 feet away, and a 3K wide-angle camera that captures all the action.

Having tested this and other competitor products for the past few months, I've determined this is the best option for a smart outdoor security floodlight. I keep mine in the ambient setting each night on a schedule so we can have outdoor illumination from dusk until we go to bed.

Review: Eufy Security E340

This floodlight camera stores footage locally in the Eufy Security Homebase S380 or on a 128-GB microSD card, eliminating the need to pay monthly fees. The dual-camera floodlight requires a hardwired installation and can be mounted on a wall or ceiling or installed in a junction box.

Buyer reviews offer mixed opinions on performance, but some mention that the camera can be prone to false alerts, which I have experienced, too. Adjusting the sensitivity initially helped, but subsequent firmware updates to my device appear to have also solved most of this problem.

Eufy Security E340 tech specs: Price: $220 | Brightness: 2000lm | Color temperature: 4000K Installation: Hardwired | Weatherproof rating: IP65 | Motion detection range: 50ft | Extra features: 3K Dual Lens camera, PTZ, 24/7 recording

This Blink Wired Floodlight is the best floodlight and camera combo for a tight budget. If you're trying to set up a security light with in-depth surveillance in the form of a security camera, this combo is easily installed in a junction box.

The most significant benefit of this camera and floodlight combination is that you don't have to pay for an extra monthly subscription if you don't want to, as you can add a separate Blink Sync Module for local storage. 

Unfortunately, a common complaint among users is that the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera easily loses connectivity. The gaps in connectivity are partly because it's only compatible with 2.4 GHz networks, which are often congested.

Also: Upgrade your kitchen with these 11 smart gadgets

This unit must be hardwired, so an existing junction box is a great place to install it. The wiring will provide constant power to the camera, so it'll always be available to check whether the lights are on or off.

Blink Wired Floodlight tech specs: Starting price: $90 | Brightness: 2600lm | Color temperature: 5000K | Installation: Wired | Weatherproof rating: N/A | Motion detection range: 30ft

The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro is part of the security company's high-end Pro line of smart devices. It gives users access to Ring's Bird's Eye View and 3D Motion Detection technology. 

This can be hardwired in a junction box to replace another light fixture, like a dumb floodlight, and connect it to either 2.4 or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. The only downside is that Ring requires a Ring Protect Pro subscription to unlock many extra features, like cloud storage, as this camera doesn't allow local storage. 

Also: The best Ring doorbells

Buyers love the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro's image quality and reliability in notifying motion alerts. The Ring app is intuitive, even when setting up this device's Pro features, like Bird's Eye View and 3D Motion Detection.

Like other Ring devices, the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro works seamlessly with Alexa and Echo devices, so users can stream their live feeds and get notifications on their Echo Show and Fire TV devices. 

Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro tech specs: Starting price: $250 | Brightness: 2000lm | Color temperature: 3000K Installation: Hardwired | Weatherproof rating: IP65 | Motion detection range: 30ft

Getting reliable floodlights to ward away unwelcome visitors is a great way to tighten the security around your home. However, they're probably not the most welcoming for trick-or-treaters or holiday carolers unless you can change the colors for different occasions.

This Philips Hue Discover Floodlight allows you to change into as many colors as you'd like, all controlled from the palm of your hand on your smartphone. This lets you change the colors to match an event or holiday or set an ambiance of dimly lit warm white to entertain rather than the ultra-bright cool blue you get with most floodlights. 

Also: These smart ceiling lights are the best home accessory I didn't know I needed

The only downside is that you need a Hue Bridge to use this floodlight's intelligent capabilities. The hub connects this set and gives it smart capabilities so that you can use it with up to 50 Philips Hue lights around your home and connect it to Alexa, HomeKit, or Google Assistant.

The lights are hard-wired to replace a conventional twin-socked driveway light. However, users also complain that this light fixture doesn't include a backplate to install flush in an external conduit box, so it's best when installed in a recessed box.

Philips Hue Discover Floodlight tech specs: Starting price: $140 | Brightness: 2300lm | Energy: 30W | Colors: Up to 16 million colors | Installation: Hard-wired | Weatherproof rating: IP44 | Motion detection range: 39ft

Four D-cell batteries power these motion-activated security floodlights by Blink, while two AA lithium batteries power the camera. This means you can mount this floodlight camera anywhere you need extra light and surveillance without worrying about where you will plug it or if a solar panel will get enough energy from the sun. 

Review: Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight camera

The Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight's two LED panels put out 700 lumens in brightness, which is only about half the average of what you can expect from floodlight power, but this is because it's wholly battery-powered. The higher the energy consumption, the shorter the battery life, so Blink makes the Outdoor 4 Floodlight efficient to deliver on its promise of up to two years of battery life. 

Though Blink makes this enormous promise, my biggest issue is that the battery life only lasts about three months. However, my floodlights go on multiple times each night when I take the dog out or when he decides to chase a rabbit. The user sentiment in Amazon's reviews seems to agree that the battery life doesn't last more than a few weeks or months.

Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight camera tech specs: Starting price: $130 | Brightness: 700lm | Color temperature: 5000K Installation: Wall-mounted, battery-powered | Weatherproof rating: IP65 | Motion detection range: 20ft