Kichler Landscape Lighting 15310AZ 12V Dome Review
- Product Reviewed: Kichler Landscape Lighting 15310AZ in Architectural Bronze. I purchased the pack of 6 since I was doing a whole yard upgrade, product 15310AZT6.
- Cost: $72.00 each (at time of review) from Amazon.com or $432.00 for the pack of 6.
- Overall Rating: (4.0 of 5.0) Good. Great light output, average construction and materials, inadequate connectors (don’t use them) and easy to install.
- Link To Amazon: 15310AZT Dome 1LT 21IN Incandescent/LED Hybrid LV Landscape Path & Spread Light, Textured Architectural Bronze Finish
At First Glance
I could not believe they were able to get all six lights into such a small box. I was not initially impressed with the quality of the product. The top dome is decent but it is definitely a piece of stamped sheet metal seemed inferior to the Sea Gull Lighting 91172-148 that I was replacing. The Sea Gull lights are solid bronze and just feel high quality. The stakes supplied by Kichler are actually of better quality than the Sea Gull Lighting stakes as they are much thicker.
I spent the time to confirm all of the specs listed in the features section and they were spot on. I unpacked and assembled all six lights and everything went together smoothly.
The Features:
- Some of the highlights of this DCF885 tool Include:
- 8-1/2-Inch wide by 21-Inch high
- Includes one (1) 16.25-watt 12V incandescent T-5 wedge base bulb
- Supplied with 8-Inch in-ground stake, 24-Inch of usable 18-2 gauge SPT-1-W lead wire and cable connector for easy installation
- Requires a low voltage transformer (sold separately) for safe illumination
- UL/CSA listed for wet location
My Thoughts
Installation. Easy to install. The pieces all fit together well and the slotted stake included with the light is a great design feature. After terminating the cables properly you can slide the light into the stake and thread it down. Very nice. That said, the installation coupler included does not work well and I recommend you don’t use it. I did a tutorial on how to properly install these lights, take a look. Link to Repair & Installation Article
The Operations. Love the light output. I did not check Kichler light with a lumen meter but my suspicion is that it’s kicking off 2-3 times more light. The brighter lights are important since I am using them to light pathways and highlight features in the backyard.
The Light Bulb. I love the T-5 model 923 light bulbs. They are easy to install, throw off a huge amount of light for the size and outperform the T-3 light bulbs from previous generations of landscape lights.
The Looks. Very Nice. They are painted rather than bare metal so they show some water and dirt spots (which I noticed immediately) but generally they complement the backyard very well.
The NET NET. I am happy I bought and installed these. I have eighteen (18) total installed and they have enhanced the overall appeal of our yard. The light design and the amount of light are fantastic. The only two cons I have are the price (a bit too high for the quality of the lighting) and the included inadequate connection device which should be replaced.
Interesting, I got wire nuts in the 6-pack I bought of these instead of those screw-together connectors. I recall your blog, so I checked to see what you got. You got what I wanted.
I have about 20 other Kichler lights, and those connectors you have pictured above are by far the easiest to connect & disconnect if you need to pull a light. The Malibu plastic ones that are tension/clip based are tough as heck to disconnect in the ground with all the dirt if you need to pull a light.
Anyways, excellent review. I am a closet low-voltage lighting junkie, and I continue to turn to Kichler for their excellent light durability & those STAKES!
How is the finish on these fixtures holding up for you? I installed 5 of the Kichler 15478AZT in my backyard last summer and plan to do another 9 or so out from next summer. I noticed on one of the fixtures the powder coat finish is a bit thin on a couple square inches of the hat right out of the box. We live in Minnesota so summers are humid and winters can be cold. I will take all the front lights in each winter as they are prone to being damaged by snowblowers/shovels.
I’m really hoping these hold up at $50/fixture!