The 9 Best Solar Panels in the UK 2023

✔ The SunPower Maxeon 6 AC is the best solar panel overall

✔ The Seraphim SRP-670-BMC-BG is the best for power

✔ Project Solar's Evolution Titan 445 comes with a lifetime warranty

If you’re thinking of switching to solar power, you’ll find there’s a lot of choice. This is good, as healthy competition means better products and lower prices, but it’s hard to know which solar panel to choose for your home.

Fortunately, we can help. Over the course of 34 hours, our four researchers analysed 48 solar panels created by 17 top solar companies, and judged these panels on eight factors – all so we could pick the very best ones for you.

Want to skip the reading? You can find tailored quotes for the best panels around by using our free comparison tool. Simply fill in this form, and our professional installers will be in touch.

Alternatively, you can get a better idea of pricing by checking out our solar panel costs page.

Best for all-round: SunPower Maxeon 6 AC

The SunPower Maxeon 6 AC has a 40-year product warranty (SunPower)

Remarkably, the SunPower Maxeon 6 AC has no weak points – only strengths.

It's flawless, from its 22.8% efficiency (the joint-fourth best rate on the market) to its 40-year product warranty – at which point, it's guaranteed to be working at 88.25% of its original efficiency.

The Maxeon 6 AC also offers a high peak power output and an impressive level of heat resistance – and when your system has finally given up the ghost, SunPower itself will recycle your panels.

It's not the best solar panel in every category, but it's certainly got the best combination of attributes.

Pros and cons of SunPower Maxeon 6 AC

Best for efficiency: AIKO N-Type ABC White Hole Series (72 Cells)

The ABC White Hole Series has a landmark 24% efficiency rating  (AIKO)

Just a few years ago, reaching 20% efficiency was an admirable feat for domestic solar companies. Now, it’s not even par for the course for the best solar panels.

Of the 48 panels we analysed, 44 offer 20% efficiency or more, with 18 providing a rate of 22% or more. That's well above the industry average, which still hovers around 20%.

You can’t beat AIKO's 72-cell N-Type ABC White Hole Series, though. Its 24% efficiency marks a significant landmark in domestic solar panels.

It's an enormously impressive figure, and will ensure you make the most of the sun’s rays throughout the year.

Pros and cons of AIKO N-Type ABC White Hole Series (72 Cells)

Best for power: Seraphim SRP-670-BMC-BG

This panel's peak power production is 91% more than the standard (Seraphim)

Seraphim's robotically named SRP-670-BMC-BG will take your power rating to heaven and back.

Its peak power production of 670 watts is 91% more than the industry standard 350 W panel, and at least 100 watts more than the great majority of models we investigated in our research.

At 38.5 kg and 3.1 square metres, this panel is the heaviest, biggest panel available to domestic properties – but if you have the roof space, it can give your peak power output a massive boost.

Pros and cons of Seraphim SRP-670-BMC-BG

Best for product warranty: Project Solar Evolution Titan 445

This panel's lifetime warranty is industry-leading (Project Solar)

Project Solar provides customers with a lifetime warranty for the Evolution Titan 445. Considering the industry average is 25 years, this displays the level of confidence you want from your solar supplier.

This panel is also guaranteed to work at 84.9% after 30 years, which ensures you’ll be receiving plenty of solar energy for decades to come.

Its efficiency rating of 21.4% is also a big improvement on Project Solar's last panel, and positions this model as its best entry to the market.

Pros and cons of Project Solar Evolution Titan 445

Best for performance warranty: SunPower Maxeon 3

This panel will function at 92% after 25 years (SunPower)

SunPower promises the Maxeon 3 will function at 92% of its original level after 25 years, and at 88.25% after 40 years.

That’s a level that was previously unheard of for domestic panels, and makes this panel far and away the most efficient on the market today.

The average is 85% after 25 years, with the great majority of companies reluctant to offer any more than 80% after three decades, let alone four.

Pros and cons of SunPower Maxeon 3

Best for heat resistance: Q Cells Q.Peak DUO BLK ML-G9

Losing only -0.25% for every degree above 25°C is fantastic (Q Cells)

With British summers getting hotter and hotter, there’s never been a better time to invest in solar panels that can put up with the heat – and if you look past its jargon-filled name, Q Cells’ latest creation is unbeatable in this area.

With every degree over 25°C that the mercury passes, this panel loses just 0.25% of its efficiency.

Considering 78% of the panels we analysed lose 0.34% or more – and the industry average is around 0.38% – that’s excellent.

Pros and cons of Q Cells Q.Peak DUO BLK ML-G9

Best for lightweight panels: Panasonic HIT N340

The HIT N340 is lighter and smaller than the average panel (Panasonic)

Panasonic doesn’t manufacture its own panels anymore, but its subcontractors still churn out its excellent products, including the tiny, lightweight HIT N340.

Not only is it just 19 kg, which is well below the 22.4 kg industry average, it’s also 1.7 square metres – making it 16% smaller than the average panel.

Its heat resistance is also fantastic, and its warranties are solid. The only drawback is that it’s not as powerful as the other panels on this list.

Pros and cons of Panasonic HIT N340

Best for eco-friendly credentials: Panasonic EverVolt EVPV410H

Panasonic has pledged to reach net-zero by 2030 (Panasonic)

Buying solar panels always helps the planet, by reducing pollution and fighting climate change – but Panasonic has gone the extra mile.

The company has put together a detailed plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2030 that involves investing in hydrogen, creating net-zero factories and showrooms, and promoting green businesses.

Many solar brands have taken positive steps, from recycling panels to partnering with organisations like Better Earth and the United Nations, but most companies haven't made any environmental pledges.

Panasonic has the best record – and its EverVolt panel is excellent.

Pros and cons of Panasonic EverVolt EVPV410H

Best for appearance: Belinus M8 HJT GlasGlas

As dark as deepest night: Belinus has made a masterpiece (Belinus)

This Belgium firm has created a quintessential monocrystalline panel in the M8 HJT GlasGlas – as dark as deepest night, and just as beautiful.

These sleek black panels will add a modern flourish to your house, though most people simply won't notice them.

The M8 HJT GlasGlas is a mark of how far solar arrays have come from being considered an eyesore, with our latest National Home Energy Survey showing 69% of people would buy a home with solar panels.

And with factories popping up across Europe, Belinus is showing that solar panel manufacturers can thrive all over the world.

Pros and cons of Belinus M8 HJT GlasGlas

Solar panel cost calculator

Want to learn more? Head to our solar panel cost page.

How did we choose the best solar panels?

Our team of four researchers spent 34 hours investigating the solar panel market to find the top 48 models currently available, then we narrowed it down to the nine best solar panels.

We noted down the attributes of all these panels, then focused on the eight most important factors in making our final decision.

These were the efficiency, power, heat resistance, appearance, and weight of the panels, and the product warranty, performance warranty, and eco-friendly credentials offered by the panel’s company.

For more solar panel reviews, check out our opinion on JA Solar solar panels.

1. Product warranty

If you’re paying solar panel costs that typically reach £7,860, you want them to last.

Solar panel warranties usually range from a meagre 10 years all the way up to 40 years – or even a lifetime warranty, if you opt for the Project Solar Evolution Titan.

2. Performance warranty

Also known as a linear output warranty, this is a guarantee that your panel will produce above a certain percentage of its original output after a number of years.

Companies will typically offer somewhere between 80-90% after 25-30 years – and the best ones will go as high as 92% after 25 years.

3. Eco-friendly credentials

We looked into companies’ actions outside of their solar panel production, to see what other green moves they’ve made.

We then ranked these actions based on their impacts on the environment, from the brand trying to reach net-zero to the ones doing nothing to stop the ongoing climate disaster.

4. Efficiency

Efficiency refers to the percentage of sunlight hitting a solar panel that can be converted into usable electricity.

A solar panel's efficiency generally ranges between 19% and 23% on the residential market.

The higher the number, the more solar energy your panel will produce from the same amount of sunshine, and the better your return on investment will be.

5. Power

Measured in watts (W), power refers to a solar panel’s typical energy production in Standard Test Conditions (STC). These conditions involve an irradiance of 1,000 W per square metre at 25°C.

So for example, a 300 W panel would produce 1,500 watt-hours in five hours of STC – or 1.5 kilowatt hours (kWh).

Real world conditions are rarely as optimal as STC, but it’s still the best way of comparing the output of different panels.

6. Heat resistance

All solar panels become slightly less effective when the thermometer rises above 25°C.

Heat resistance refers to the percentage decrease in output that occurs with every extra degree above 25°C.

Most panels lose between 0.3% and 0.4% per degree, but the best entry on our list drops just 0.25%.

7. Weight

If your roof isn’t the strongest, it may not be able to hold the biggest, heaviest panels on the market.

That makes lightweight panels an important alternative for anyone with a less reliable roof – and if you’re looking to put panels on a less sturdy building like a barn, it’s a crucial factor.

Can you choose which panels you get?

You'll have a limited say over which solar panels you get for your home.

Typically, you'll approach multiple solar installers, who'll provide you with quotes that all include one of the models they use.

You can (and should) ask about the other panels they buy wholesale, and talk through the models' respective strengths and weaknesses.

But an installer will almost never buy a set of solar panels just for your property, so your choice will be restricted to the panels used by installers who serve your area.

For more in-depth information, read our guide to The Best Solar Panel Installers.

The best emerging solar technology

There are several fascinating new solar technologies revolutionising the industry at the moment.

Let’s look at the most exciting developments.

Perovskite solar panels

Prospective buyers should consider which type of solar panel is best for them – but we’re close to moving on from the classic monocrystalline v polycrystalline debate.

In 2018, Oxford PV broke the world record by demonstrating its perovskite-silicon tandem cells could work at 28% efficiency – around one-third more than current standard panels.

The company did this by using a perovskite tandem solar cell. This cell uses both silicon and a synthetic material modelled on the special crystal structure of a mineral called perovskite.

This structure absorbs sunlight in a different, more effective way than purely silicon cells.

Dr Chris Case, chief technology officer at Oxford PV, told us the cells could be “potentially 50% more efficient” than current panels, but said that for the moment, “we’re getting about 20%.”

Desalination

A solar-powered desalination system developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and in China provides seven litres of drinkable water per hour, for each square metre of the solar network.

It’s not just happening in theory, either. The system has been set up in Kiunga, Kenya, by a non-profit called GivePower, and is able to provide 75,000 litres per day – enough for more than 28,800 people.

Floating solar farms

Floating photovoltaic systems – or ‘floatovoltaics’ – save on inhabitable space and produce significantly more energy. 

Studies have shown they generate electricity up to 11% more efficiently than land-based panels, because the water acts as a coolant.

China, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, and South Korea have all invested heavily in this area, and others are catching up. The Netherlands opened Europe’s biggest floatovoltaic network in 2020, and more will surely follow.

Solar skin

This concept could transform an industry which relies primarily on thick, rigid panels.

University of Queensland researchers broke the efficiency record for solar skin in February 2020, reaching 16.6%. That means it’s almost as effective as standard solar panels.

The scientists, who achieved this milestone by printing nanoparticles known as quantum dots onto transparent sheets, aim to raise the technology’s efficiency to 20% and use it to power homes in 2023, and after that: the world.

Wearable solar

Nottingham Trent University researchers have developed solar cells which are just 3mm x 1.5mm – as small as a flea. These cells can be embedded into yarn, which can then be turned into clothing.

The developers say a clothing item interwoven with 2,000 of these cells would be able to charge a smartphone.

The cells are even coated with a waterproof resin, so they’re able to withstand a run through the washing machine. You’ll be able to treat it like a normal piece of clothing, while still reaping the benefits.

Next steps

By now, you’ll know all about the best of the best when it comes to the solar industry, from panels and companies to exciting new technology.

And you have great timing, with 60% of UK residents currently wanting to switch to renewable energy, according to our latest National Home Energy Survey.

If you’ve decided to get solar panels, the next step is finding the right deal – that’s where we come in. 

Simply pop your details on this free form and let us take the reins. We’ll pass on your details to our professional installers, who will then get in touch with their best prices. From there, you can discuss the best solar PV system for your house with qualified people who’ve got the know-how.

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