Last Updated: May 19, 2023 @ 10:48 am.

What's the best solar fountain? A great solution for aerating for bird baths or garden ponds, solar fountains are easy to use and maintain. We tried out several fountains in a bird bath to find the best bets. Here are the ones we'd recommend.

FYI: We've been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. To keep things independent, we don't take money or freebies from brands we review! Our work is 100% reader-supported!


Solar Fountains: Tips & Advice

Let’s talk solar fountains!

If you have a bird bath or small pond in your garden, a fountain is a great way of keeping the water fresh—and provides a pleasing aesthetic as well!

We surveyed the birding and gardening enthusiasts among our parent readers to find their favorite solar water fountains. Then we tried out a few ourselves, seeing how well they’d work in a bird bath.

After all this research, we have a few hints and tips:

• Battery or no battery? Some solar fountains come with a battery backup—that’s so they can continue to work at night or on cloudy days. 

• Anti-collision tubes or suction cups help keep the fountain centered. Most solar water fountains free float around a bird bath or pond. That can be a problem, if they come close to an edge and start spraying water outside the pond. The solution: “anti-collision” tubes that keep the fountain centered and away from the sides. Other fountains have suction cups to adhere the fountain to the bottom of the bird bath.

• Some fountains are louder than others. That matters to birders who don’t want to scare away shy birds!

Here are the solar fountains we’d recommend:

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Best For Bird Baths

4 different nozzles change water height
Loved this easy to use fountain that is a favorite among our birding enthusiasts. Easy to assemble and low maintenance. Caveats: can be a bit noisy; needs direct sunlight to work.
$12.99

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Best For Small Fountains

Matchbox-sized pump
If you have a small (under 20 gallon) fountain or bird bath, this unit is easy to install and works well. Caveat: separate solar panel has 9.5 foot cord that attaches to fountain—some folks aren't wild about that.
$15.99

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Best Taller Jet

Birds love it!
For something more dramatic, we like this fountain that can spray up to 27" in height—and it worked well in our tests. Also nice: will turn off if water is too low.

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Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money. 

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!

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