Ultimate Patio Light String Showdown - PLT vs Honeywell
Patio string lights used as part of an outdoor lighting setup.
We've come to the final installment of our 5-part patio light showdown series. As the title implies, we've been comparing our commercial-grade PLT patio string lights with similar products from different competitors. After purchasing a variety of strings from different retailers, we compared the wire, sockets, bulbs, plugs, and customer reviews.
So far PLT has had a clean sweep, beating out the four previous outdoor string lights we looked at. For today's final comparison, we'll being looking at another string light from Walmart.
Honeywell outdoor string lights from Walmart.
Honeywell Outdoor String Lights from Walmart
The 12' outdoor string light from Honeywell has six medium-based sockets spaced 1.9' apart. Six LED S14 filament bulbs are included, with each producing 40 lumens of 2200 Kelvin light. This string is connectable up to 70 sets (or 840'). At the time of purchase, the cost was $24.88. At the time this post was written, it was $24.10 and was out of stock both online and in nearby stores.
Quick Note about Honeywell
Honeywell International Inc is known for working in aerospace, building automation, performance materials and technologies, and safety and productivity solutions. On the residential side, you might be more familiar with their thermostats and ceramic heaters. Up until we started this comparison series, we were unaware they made patio lights.
Initial Unboxing
Straight out of the box, this string actually didn't look too bad. The bulbs were already in the sockets and had a red protective film on them. The most noticeable thing was the length and number of sockets. Compared to all of the others, these were really short and barely have any sockets.
Wire
Like the last couple of patio lights we've looked at, this one also has SJTW wire. The gauge is 18 AWG. Again, this is safe for use as outdoor lighting.
Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Our commercial-grade string lights also use SJTW wire, which is designed to be used permanently outdoors. Choose from different wire gauges ranging between 14, 16, and 18 AWG.
Sockets
Like the others, this string has PVC sockets suspended from the wire. The gasketing is a little thicker than the previous stings, but is still thin and flimsy compared to our PLT patio lights. The sockets are molded to the wire but there are noticeable gaps when the wire is moved around.
One odd thing we noticed had to do with the drop wire. It was extremely stiff. Most of the bulb hung relatively straight gown, but a few were pointed upwards. No matter what we did, they would not hang properly. Visually, it looks bad. And it puts the sockets are a higher risk of getting water in them. When hanging down properly, water will run down the sockets unimpeded. When facing upwards, water can collect on the edges of the gasketing. The longer it sits there, the higher the chance of it seeping in. This is why all of these strings have a warning about making sure the sockets and bulbs (are not facing up.
Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: The PVC sockets on our stringers are molded directly to the wire to seal them against water. The gasketing is very thick, ensuring that a tight seal is form around the bulb to keep water out of the socket.
Bulbs
All of the bulbs had scratches and marks despite the protective film. They are more noticeable when lit, but nowhere near as bad as the previous string. The LED diode stick was also a lot smaller than some of previous strings and bulbs. It's mostly all support wire.
The biggest negative on the bulbs, though, is the large and prominently placed sticker. It's noticeable when unlit, and even more so when it is lit. And while you can peel it off, you probably shouldn't since it had the part number and manufacturer for the replacement bulbs. In fact, the patio string is designed to only use these bulbs. You cannot use any other bulbs.
Replacement Bulbs
By having the part number, you would thing that finding the replacement bulbs would be simple and easy. It wasn't. After running a search on the part number, Walmart does not offer them nor do they have a listing for them. Next, we tried going to Honeywell's website. Their official site (honeywell.com) does not list any products. Searching 'honeywell patio lights' on Google finally pulled up the correct site, honeywellledlighting.com. The part number didn't pull up there either.
Finally, we tried looking up International Development Company (IDC) since that was what was listed on the labels. It turns out that they are the manufacturer and have licensed the Honeywell trademark. Their website comes up, however it doesn't have any products listed at all. And trying to run any search pulls up zero results every time. We think it's safe to say that no replacement bulbs exist for this outdoor string light.
Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Bulbs for our stringers are sold separately, letting you choose what type, shape, and wattage you want. Just don't exceed the maximum wattage for the sockets or the string. This let's you fully customize your patio lights and makes getting replacement bulbs extremely easy.
Plugs
This patio string light uses outdoor rated male and female plugs. These are pretty sturdy and definitely the best plugs out of all of the other patio string lights we looked at. The female plug also has protective cap. The only downside is that they are not tightly molded to the wire, leaving some gaps that can allow water ingress.
Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: The outdoor rated male & female plugs on our PLT string lights are molded the the wire, ensuring that water cannot enter.
Reviews
Like the Better Homes & Gardens string, the majority of the 4 and 5-star reviews are all labeled as 'incentivized'. There are also several reviews pulled over from the IDC website as well. The rest of the reviews are clearly from regular customers.
The bulk of the complaints center around bulbs failing within a few months of use. There were several complaints about not being able to find the replacement bulbs. One customer attempted to use different bulbs as replacements, but they blew as soon as he plugged the string in. Others mentioned that they had water getting in the bulbs. And a few pointed out that due to the length, they had to spend far more than they planned in order to cover their entire yard.
Update: Like with the Better Homes & Gardens strings, you can no longer view the reviews on Walmart’s website.
Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Customers rave about how much they love our commercial-grade PLT stringers. They love the customization options, the overall quality of the wire and sockets, and how long they last.
Final Thoughts on this Patio Stringer
Out of all of the competitor strings, this one was the best. The only things really holding it back is the length, that gaps around the wire, and the lack of replacement bulbs. The length is good if you have a really short run, such as hanging a string from an RV. But if you are needing to cover an entire yard or other large space, it's not going to be cost effective by the time you get enough strings. And being that there are no replacement bulbs, this is a one-and-done string.
PLT has once again come out the the clear winner. Our commercial outdoor string lights are designed to be used permanently outdoors. They have thick gasketing that seals around the bulbs, and the sockets and plugs are molded to the wire with no gaps. Best of all, you can use any bulbs you want as long as you don't exceed the max socket or sting wattage, allowing to fully customize your patio lights and making getting replacement bulbs super easy.
Final Thoughts Overall
With a 5 to 0 sweep, PLT commercial-grade outdoor string lights have been crowed the winner. Compared to the other stings we looked at during this series, they are the best option for permanent use as outdoor lighting. They are safe and will last for years to come.
You've seen how our PLT patio stringers beat the competition. Now it's time to light up your outdoor spaces. Whether it's a backyard, walkway, patio, or another area around your home, we have exactly what you need. Call 1-800-624-4488 to speak with one of our lighting experts. They can help you find the perfect string and bulb combination for your outdoor space. You can also visit our website, 1000Bulbs.com.
