10 Solar Gadgets for a Brighter 2023
Whether you’re enjoying the outdoors or simply hoping to reduce your carbon footprint, try these innovative products fueled by the sun.
Every item on this page was chosen by a Shondaland editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Sunshine is inexpensive, clean, renewable, and abundant. A mere hour and a half of sunlight would be enough to take care of the entire world’s energy consumption for a year. Consumers are increasingly catching on that solar power is a bright idea. In 2022, Americans installed enough solar panels to power 22 million homes. Solar energy is also powering an array of new camping gear, household items, and more. Here are 10 gadgets to light up your life with minimal impact on the ecosystem.
Named after a city synonymous with sunshine, Urbanista’s noise-canceling Los Angeles headphones feature a layer of Powerfoyle solar cells on the headband to continuously soak up sunshine whether you’re rocking them outside or storing them on a windowsill. Unless you live under a rock, these wireless headphones can continually stay charged — and there’s a USB-C adaptor just in case you have to head underground.
Abfoce’s portable Bluetooth speaker includes the option to charge either with a traditional outlet or solar cells. (It’s recommended to fully charge with a cable before heading out.) Once you’re out in the sun all day, the speaker will continue to power up, allowing users to listen to up to 60 hours of tunes. Bonus: The device can also work as a portable charger for smartphones and other devices.
If you want to forgo a campfire, GoSun’s innovative portable oven captures sunlight to cook a meal in as little as 20 minutes. The Sport Pro edition weighs 7 pounds and comes with baking cups, an extra cooking pan, boiling accessory, and carrying case. The company offers smaller and larger versions. Make sure to watch GoSun’s how-to videos for pointers before attempting to cook a culinary masterpiece.
As showcased on Shark Tank, Grouphug’s framed panel hangs in a sunny window and harnesses enough energy to charge a smartphone or other gadgets via a USB-A jack. A series of lights indicates the level of charge, and it takes about 10 hours of rays to completely power up the 3,400 mAh battery. In case of accidents, Grouphug also designed the charger to be repairable, so it should never have to end up in a landfill.
If you desire to write the next great American novel on the beach while sipping a spritz, Logitech’s solar keyboard can help make it a reality. The device uses solar panels located above the keys to charge. The input device can stay powered for at least three months, which means you could have tan lines and a potential bestseller by Easter.
Make room for an illuminating experience. Little Sun’s portable Diamond lamp comes with a detachable stand. Five hours of charging in the sun should provide the equivalent time of bright light. Artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen collaborated to produce this lamp, which was first distributed to people living in Ethiopia without electricity. The company continues to work with humanitarian aid agencies to distribute solar devices to refugees and others in need.
A little sparkle goes a long way with these solar-powered beauties, which pack 100 lumens into 10 nodes on an 18-foot-long cord. With six different colors, the lights will make your tent, patio, backyard, or RV a bit more magical. Need a different light? MPowerd offers a variety of solar-powered options, including a set for bikes.
Made from stylishly upcycled plastic and available in several colors, Solgaard’s backpack sports a special pouch for a solar bank charger that will absorb energy while out in the sun. The backpack, which features a compartment for a laptop as well as secret pockets for passports and other security-sensitive information, can also be outfitted with Solgaard’s Bluetooth speaker.
Welcome to the future of high-tech gardening tools. Invented by iRobot co-founder Helen Greiner, this solar-powered robot weeds gardens by using scrubbing wheels and a string trimmer. You’ll need to plan your garden ahead of time to accommodate the space necessary for the bot to maneuver between plants, but you’ll never need to plug it in.
Outerwear that can glow in the dark may seem like a mere novelty. However, Vollebak’s jacket can save wearers if there’s a crisis at night, whether they need to be seen by oncoming traffic or on the side of a mountain. The waterproof and lightweight jacket’s phosphorescent membrane absorbs light during the day and releases a green glow in the dark. You can even inscribe on the surface using a flashlight or smartphone.
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Alene Dawson is a Southern California-based writer who has contributed to the Los Angeles Times, Elle, Glamour, Marie Clare, and Fodor’s.
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