Since everything involving environmental friendliness has become a trend recently, it comes as no surprise that solar water fountains are gradually taking the lead and alternating the battery-powered models.
Still, at the end of the day, what we care most about is how to pick up the best solar water fountain when all you know about this kind of device is just the tip of the iceberg. How to stay alert and stay away from sugar-coated advertisement of fountain producers and head straight for your appropriate unit?
Our article below will lead you through a detailed and informative solar water fountain reviews and A-to-Z buying guide. Check it out now!
Here are the best solar water fountains you can buy in 2024:
- Best Overall: OKMEE Solar Fountain
- Best For Small Ponds: Solatec Solar Fountain
- Best For Swimming Pool: Qualife Solar Water Fountain
- Best For Fish Tank: Peteast Solar Fountain
- Best For Garden: Gocheer Solar Fountain
- Best For Bird Bath: Garden Style Solar Water Fountain
| 6 Best Solar Water Fountains | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | OKMEE Solar Fountain | |
Best For Small Ponds | Solatec Solar Fountain | |
Best For Swimming Pool | Qualife Solar Water Fountain | |
Best For Fish Tank | Peteast Solar Fountain | |
Best For Garden | Gocheer Solar Fountain | |
Best For Bird Bath | Garden Style Solar Water Fountain | |
Best Overall: OKMEE Solar Fountain
Easy to install
Great filtration system
Diverse water styles
Powerful suction
- Not suitable for shallow ponds
The OKMEE solar fountain is our pick for the best overall position. Generally speaking, it’s powerful, 100% eco-friendly and up to now, it is the one that has received the highest rating and positive feedback from buyers.
The product features a 4-in-1 nozzle, which could easily change the water shooting styles and heights without having to detach and reinstall the nozzle heads. The maximum water height can reach up to 27.5 inches (about 70cm).
Moreover, its filtration box works like a charm. OKMEE’s latest technology designs this with two layers of filters, which can maximize the ability of blocking dirt, dust, leaves, and so on of the fountain. As you are going to place this item outdoors, this feature will give you a hand in extending not only the machine pristine condition but also its lifespan when having to work under harsh environments.
It is important to note that although the OKMEE solar fountain is floatable, it weighs up to 11.2 ounces. This is not heavy since it’s still less than 1 pound but if your pond is too swallow, like under 1.5 inches in depth, we’re sorry but the product won’t work.
| OKMEE Solar Fountain Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 11.2 ounces |
Size of Solar Panel | 6.3 x 6.3 x 0.12 inches |
Max Water Height | 19.7 - 27.5 inches |
Highlight Features | Integrated solar panel |
OKMEE is a one-size-fit-all solar fountain that you are looking for.
Best For Small Ponds: Solatec Solar Fountain
Easy to install
Easy to clean
Multiple attachments
Different water styles
Not so durable
Water stream is not high and powerful enough for big ponds
The Solatec solar fountain is the one which wins our award for the best for small ponds thanks to its compact design.
This unit is able to shoot water up to 30 to 50 cm depending on the weather. This is not an ideal height for a big pond but for a small one, it is an optimal choice. Moreover, there are four different nozzle heads attached with this product to provide you with different water shooting styles.
Besides, since it is equipped with an integrated solar panel, you can rest assured that you can install it at ease.
However, some buyers have complained that it does not last as long as they expected. Although this is not a garden-variety situation, it is still worth being considered, right?
| Solatec Solar Fountain Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 8 ounces |
Size of Solar Panel | 6.3 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches |
Max Water Height | 30 - 50 cm |
Highlight Features | Integrated solar panel |
If you are searching for a small, lightweight solar fountain, which could perfectly fit your small pond, a product from Solatec will surely meet your needs.
Best For Swimming Pool: Qualife Solar Water Fountain
Eye-catching shape
Small, flexible size for swimming pool
Easy to install
The water stream is not constant enough
A bit hard to adjust the water’s height
A model from the Qualife brand is certainly a bright candidate when looking at a wide range of solar-powered fountains for swimming pools.
The first thing that will catch your attention at first sight definitely is its beautiful flower shape. Among tons of solar fountains with the same simple, circle shape, this unit stands to be extremely distinctive, adding new, charming flavour to your swimming pool, pond, birth bath, etc.
The kit also includes four nozzles to easily vary the water movement’s shapes and heights. Still, it’s undeniable that its water shooting is a bit weak, making the stream inconsistent and hard to adjust its height as well, though the fountain itself is very eye-catching.
| Qualife Solar Water Fountain Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 8.8 oz |
Size of Solar Panel | 6.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches |
Max Water Height | 30 - 50 cm |
Highlight Features | Integrated solar panel |
If you want to buy not only a solar water fountain but also an outstanding decoration for your swimming pool, go no further than this Qualife unit.
Best For Fish Tank: Peteast Solar Fountain
Good water stream
Upgraded filtration system
Easy to use
Affordable
Small solar panel
Our top pick for the best solar water fountain for fish tank belongs to the Peteast. This unit’s solar panel ends up with a very small dimension, which is 5.3 x 1.5 inches, which means it might not look fit to a pond or pool, but if you are going to buy it for your fish tank, this size will be more than perfect.
In addition, the fountain can be small, but it’s a great little one since its jet can vary up to 60 cm, which is even higher and more powerful than many other bigger-sized fountains.
Besides, we believe that this small size is the way to save up the manufacturing cost of Peteast to provide its customers with the best price.
Another selling point that you can find in this product is its filtration. Although it might not be advanced as the OKMEE’s, it still satisfies us with its upgraded filter cotton placed inside the filtration box. This sponge pad will absorb dust, dirt, or small debris, and then prevent blockage much more efficiently than the usual filter.
| Peteast Solar Fountain Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 8.8 ounces |
Size of Solar Panel | 5.3 x 5.3 x 1.5 inches |
Max Water Height | 30 - 60 cm |
Highlight Features | Integrated solar panel |
Peteast Solar Fountain is one of the most amazing choices for your fish tank.
Best For Garden: Gocheer Solar Fountain
Able to work continuously from sunrise to sunset
5 water style sprayers
Great suction power
Affordable
- Not so durable
Seeking for a solar fountain that can run from dusk till dawn to place right in the center of your garden? Go for the one from Gocheer and we believe that it will win your heart!
Going with a 800 mA battery backup, this unit has the capacity of bringing you a relaxing nightlife. Furthermore, it is specifically designed with 5 nozzle heads, allowing you to have a variety of both jet shapes and heights.
As it includes 2 backup batteries, it does not surprise us to hear that this unit will be more expensive than others on this list. In contrast, its price has really made us impressed with its affordability when its batteries are all high-quality Lithium ion ones.
While it’s generally a great product, there are still a couple of comments and feedback saying that it was not long-lasting or it would break after several uses.
| Gocheer Solar Fountain Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 240g |
Size of Solar Panel | Diameter 160 mm |
Max Water Height | 35 - 65 cm |
Highlight Features | Integrated solar panel |
Gocheer Solar Fountain will be your ideal option if you want to add a fountain to your night-time sipping tea in the garden.
Best For Bird Bath: Garden Style Solar Water Fountain
Cool design
Easy to assemble
Lightweight
A bit weak suction power
Short water height
If we are just concerned about a solar fountain based on its creativity in appearance, we would obviously vote this Garden Style for the first place.
Viewing from the distance, the whole unit looks no different than a mini waterfall, with the shiny bronze paint coat outside. With this unique design, undoubtedly it will attract a lot of birds or bees to visit.
Moreover, although the fountain might look big, it won’t make you sweat it out to install or move it because it is still lightweight and the solar panel has already been built in the fountain.
As this has two layers of water level, don’t expect that its water stream can go high as other regular ones, especially when its suction power is not really effective.
| Garden Style Solar Water Fountain Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size of Solar Panel | 36 inches high x 10 inches small bowl x 21 inches large bowl |
Highlight Features | Integrated solar panel |
Garden Style Solar Water Fountain is what you are waiting for when seeking a one-of-a-kind designed fountain for bird bath.
How To Choose The Best Solar Water Fountain?
Size of the Pump
To identify your best solar water fountain, choosing its pump’s size is the first thing that you should concern yourself with since it will decide the water stream spouting out. For example, if you want to have a fantastic visual effect, you should go with a high-volume model.
The water volume now is measured by gallons per hour (GPH), which expresses the amount of water coming out of the pump in one hour. In detail, a regular small pump often has a dimension size of 18 to 24 inches. At this width, it can circulate 45 to 60 water gallons per hour. On the other side, a model with a large pump that is able to regulate water out of a pond to create great visual experience should be between 60 and 72 inches. And this type of unit will circulate 160 to 250 gallons of water.
Integrated or Separate Solar Panel
There are two main groups of solar water fountains. One is integrated with the solar pump while the other one separates. The integrated model means that the solar panel and the pump will all come as a single one unit. The benefits of this type of solar fountain are easy to install, and affordable.
When solar fountains were newly launched, there were not many eye-catching designs to choose from, making few people want to stick with this kind because of the visual issue. Fortunately, this problem is now solved since you can find a wide range of beautiful solar panels that even can be an outstanding decoration for your ponds.
However, one big downside here is that if your pond or bird bath stays under shaded areas, the integrated solar panel cannot take the sunlight and will not work effectively. So, if your pond or bird bath is located under shaded areas, or you just simply want to hide the solar panel, welcome to the kit with a separate solar panel and pump.
These two items will be connected by a wire. The longer the wire is, the further distance you can choose to place your solar panel. This kind of solar fountain totally wins over the other one when it comes to convenience and versatility as no matter where the pond stays, the pump still can work well when its panel is under the sun. But, it will take longer to set up.
So, based on your pond location, just make your own wise decision!
Usage Frequency
Your usage frequency will mostly determine which kind of solar water fountain that you should go for, with or without the backup batteries. As its name implies, solar means that the more sunlights that falls onto the solar panel, the faster and more powerful water movement it will create.
The benefits of a no battery solar powered pump are environmental friendliness, an affordable price, and practically does not require any maintenance. However, as it 100% runs on solar energy, its water movement will definitely be affected and variable depending on the strength of the sun at different daytime hours, and when there is no sunlight striking the panel, be prepared that the pump will stop operating.
So, if the water’s slow, inconsistent velocity is not a big matter for you, or you just intend to let your fountain work during the daytime, don’t hesitate but to go with the water fountain that is only powered by solar energy to not only protect the environment but also save a little bit for your budget.
On the other side, we have the solar fountain model with the backup batteries. Well, if you are into a stream of water that will move forcefully, consistently, and beautifully all day long and night as well, you can’t go wrong with this unit. Of course, it will need more maintenance, especially with the batteries, and be more expensive, but after all, it’s definitely worth the price and lives up to your visual expectations.
Maintenance
Maintaining and cleaning a solar water fountain are what we would love and volunteer to do! Instead of being a pain-in-the-neck, complicated or time-consuming task, it’s super easy and fast to conduct.
Most solar fountains can be found lightweight, which are less than a pound, so it will not cause you any difficulties to take it out of the pond and have a quick cleaning inside your house. The whole process just includes cleaning the nozzle and the filter intake, and trust us, that it will not take you more than a couple of minutes.
Follow this cleaning routine once a month and we are pretty sure that your lovely solar fountains will always operate in its best condition!
Which Brands Make The Best Solar Water Fountain?
OKMEE
OKMEE is not a brand specialized in power tools or garden decorations, instead, it is specialized in manufacturing dog caring accessories and tools. However, it does provide its customers with a product list of water pump and air pump, which we consider to be even more diverse and professional than any other manufacturers mentioned in this article.
Therefore, if you are looking for a useful brand’s website for more choices, you’re good to go with OKMEE.
FAQs
Do solar fountains work well?
Our answer is that it depends on the weather. As you know, solar fountains run based on solar energy, which means that it will work wonderfully and energy-efficiently on sunny days, but when weather gets cloudy, you can’t expect that it can work 100% on its own without the help of the backup batteries.
Can I put vinegar in my water fountain?
Of course, yes. Actually, this is a great and easy tip to clean up and freshen your water fountain fast, so you can conduct it occasionally to keep your fountain always in pristine condition.
How do I keep my fountain water clean naturally?
To be honest, the fountain itself is pretty easy to maintain and does not quickly get dirty, but if you have asked, we often advise our readers to add a cup of granular chlorine every 2 weeks in the summer. Besides, the vinegar method that we have mentioned earlier can also be applied as well.
What can I put in my water fountain to keep mosquitoes away?
Mosquitoes love humid places, and this question is a must-have one for everyone who tends to buy a fountain. To solve this problem, please place a BTI dunk in your fountain, which is a floating sustain to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in or near your fountain.
How do I stop my fountain water from smelling?
If you can follow every method that we have listed above, we believe that your fountain will always be in its best condition!
Conclusion
In our opinion, OKMEE is the best solar water fountain as it can easily fit most types of ponds and purposes. However, other recommendations are also worth expecting if you have already had specific intentions or any requirements.
Last but not least, we hope that this could be a reliable source for you to look for your best solar water fountain and enhance your knowledge about this tool. Good luck and have fun!
Harry RamosI’m Harry Ramos, who's crazy about all things green. I’m here to share some experience in my gardening adventure and how to choose the best products for your garden. Let's dig in, get our hands dirty, and celebrate the simple, earthy pleasures of the garden together!
