100ft LED Outdoor String Lights, Waterproof ST38 Shatterproof Edison Bulbs, Dimmable Review (2026)

Who this string light set is really for

This set is built for outdoor spaces with real length to cover, think a long balcony railing that wraps a corner, a pergola frame, a fence line, or a backyard strung between two posts. The 100 foot run with roughly three dozen bulbs spaced across it gives even coverage over a bigger footprint than the shorter 50 or 55 foot sets sold nearby. Shoppers with a compact apartment balcony that only needs one short run along a rail will end up bunching a lot of extra cord, which looks messy unless it gets trimmed or looped. Anyone hosting evening dinners, holiday parties or a steady stream of balcony hangouts is the better match, since the length lets you frame a whole seating area instead of just one corner, and the warm bulb color keeps the mood relaxed rather than stark.

What the ST38 bulbs and dimmer actually mean

ST38 refers to the classic Edison bulb shape, here molded from shatterproof plastic instead of glass so a knock from a broom, a gust of wind or a dropped chair does not end in broken glass on the balcony floor. Each bulb uses a small E12 base and runs at a warm 2700K color, the same soft amber tone as old incandescent bulbs rather than a cool white. A built in dimmer control lets you shift between full brightness for entertaining and a lower, moodier setting for a quiet evening, along with a few lighting modes and timer settings so the lights can switch on and off automatically without a separate smart plug. The string carries built in hooks along its length, which speeds up hanging along a railing or fence without extra clips.

Setting it up and keeping it running

Waterproof outdoor string lights like this one are meant to stay up through rain and humidity, but the connection point where the cord plugs into an outlet or another string should still go under an eave or a weatherproof cover for the longest life. Because the bulbs are removable on their E12 base, a dead bulb can be swapped out with a matching spare rather than replacing the whole string, and having spares on hand from the start avoids a mismatched color years down the road. Over a full season, expect to wipe pollen and dust off the shatterproof shells occasionally so the warm glow does not dim behind grime. Coiling the unused length neatly at hanging time, rather than leaving loose loops, keeps the balcony tidy and reduces the chance of a bulb snagging on furniture.

How it stacks up against shorter and longer sets

Against the Brightever 100FT set with 52 ST38 bulbs at the same 2700K warm white, the two run neck and neck on our score, and the choice mostly comes down to bulb spacing and price at the time you shop, since more bulbs across the same 100 feet means a slightly denser glow. Shoppers who do not need the full 100 feet may prefer the OHLUX 55FT string with 26 dimmable G40 bulbs, which is easier to manage on a single small balcony without leftover cord, or a 50 foot remote controlled set with three lighting modes for simpler one handed control from a couch. Anyone covering a large yard or double run of fencing should instead look at a 300 foot globe light set built for that scale, since even 100 feet runs short across two long fence lines.

Bottom line and who should look elsewhere

This is a solid pick for a balcony, patio or yard that genuinely spans a good distance and wants shatterproof bulbs with dimming built in, and the warm 2700K tone reads as cozy rather than clinical once the sun goes down. It earns our score of 8 out of 10 mainly on fit for the job and value, since a 100 foot run at this bulb density covers a lot of ground for a single purchase. If your outdoor space is a single narrow balcony rail, a shorter 50 or 55 foot string will hang cleaner with far less excess cord to manage, and anyone who already owns smart plugs may want a plainer string without a built in dimmer to avoid overlapping controls.

Frequently asked questions