One of the things we look forward to most as the summer months approach is outdoor dining. When we lived in Brooklyn we lived for BBQs and potlucks in our yard, but the party tended to wrap up once the sun began to set. Without a working outlet in the yard, it was hard to see how much guac was left in the bowl or whose leg you were caressing. We were initially intrigued by Ikea's solar lighting when they introduced it last year, but the collection has grown immensely since then to include pendant and even floor lamps.

• Solig pendant lamp, $20
• Solig post, $8
• Sunnan desk lamp, $20
• Solig 3 light post chain, $10
• Solig 8 globe light chain, $20
• Solig table tamp, $20
• Solig floor lamp, $40
• Solig 12-inch lanterns, $10

We're thinking, for those of you who get sunlight in your offices or living rooms, this could be a great green lighting option. When the battery is fully charged, the LEDs can brighten up a space for 3 hours. It's just unclear how many hours the solar panel needs to be in direct sunlight. Has anyone had any experience with these?