Low consumption, long lifespan: How to spot good set of fairy lights

Fairy lights create a beautiful atmosphere, but if you buy the wrong ones, they can guzzle power, break after a few years and even carry toxic chemicals. Here's what to consider when buying a set. Berlin (dpa) – Fairy lights are everywhere in the run-up to Christmas, but not all sets are equal. From colour temperature to IP ratings and safety seals, here is how to pick lights that look great, last long and do not waste energy. Seven tips for buying string lights: Check the colour temperature:Some fairy lights emit a warm yellow light, while others are a colder, bluish white. You can determine this by looking at the Kelvin (K) value on the packaging. Lamps rated at 3,000 K or less will give a warm, yellowish white light and feel cosier. Prioritise quality:Check the expected service life on the packaging. LED string lights should last at least 20,000 hours, with some models rated for up to 50,000 hours. Use LEDs:To save energy, buy LED fairy lights, as these use about one tenth of the electricity of incandescent or halogen lamps and last roughly 100 times longer. Avoid battery packs:Unless you are decorating somewhere away from a power outlet, you should consider getting a set with a cable and plug, rather than a battery pack version. Battery power is around 300 times more expensive than mains electricity, not to mention the hassle of having to recharge. Look for splash protection:You may want to also use your fairy lights outdoors, which means you should check for protection against rain and moisture. Without this, using them outdoors will trigger a short circuit. Outdoor string lights should be marked with the droplet-in-triangle symbol or carry IP44, IP54 or IP64 ratings similar to many smartphones. There may be health and safety risks:If in doubt, go for a set that has some kind of trusted safety certification on the packaging and one that has been tested by a consumer protection organization. The CE mark on a box, widely seen in Europe, is only the manufacturer's self-declaration that EU standards are met. Studies of fairy lights in recent years have pointed to the use of toxic chemicals suspected of increasing the risk of cancer and damaging the development of children. Use a timer:You can of course avoid high electricity use by remembering to turn on and off the fairy lights when you see and need them. But it may be easier to buy a timer adapter for your socket or to get a set of fairy lights with an automatic timer built in. That way the lights come on every day at dusk and go off at bedtime. Year-round fairy lights for outdoors Fairy lights don't just need to be taken out and untangled every year for Christmas decorations. You can also use them to create some atmospheric lighting for a garden or balcony with chain of empty milk or juice cartons, where each fairy light lights up a colourful lantern. To start, collect some clean cartons and cut off the top part of each and cover the rest with gift-wrapping paper. Into each side, you cut a window measuring about 11 by 5 centimetres. Then you cover the windows with thin, colourful tissue paper (colourful serviette paper will also do). Cut two holes in the bottom of each carton and string the fairy lights through them, leaving one light in each carton. Your new party lighting system can be hung from two trees using a thin wire cable strung along the light chain. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn mod yyzz n1 sw

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