Apr. 07, 2025
Choosing the best solar panel can feel overwhelming, but it's easier than you think. A quality solar installer will typically install quality solar panels, so your main focus should be choosing the best solar installer for the job—your installer's experience and your solar system's size have a bigger impact on effectiveness. Still, every home is different, and most will benefit from having the most efficient panels on the market.
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To find the best solar panels, we analyzed thousands of models from hundreds of manufacturers featured on the EnergySage Marketplace. We compared key factors like efficiency, power output, performance in warmer temperatures, and warranty coverage.
Five brands stood out: Maxeon, REC, Panasonic, Canadian Solar, and Jinko.
Maxeon offers the best solar panels based on our analysis, followed by REC, Panasonic, Canadian Solar, and Jinko. Each scored well overall, but one of the five may be best for you depending on your home’s specific needs.
Choosing the highest quality solar panels will likely mean a higher upfront cost, but it's often worth it in the long run. With higher efficiency, output, and longer lifespans, solar panels from these five brands will maximize your savings.
Maxeon Solar Technologies
Cost: $3.05 per watt
Efficiency: 22.8%
Warranties: 40-year performance & product
Maxeon’s 440-watt solar panel is our pick for best overall. It’s the most efficient panel at 22.8% and comes with the longest warranty (40-year performance and product warranties—15 years longer than the industry standard). Maxeon is the highest-rated solar panel on the EnergySage Marketplace.
The biggest downside to Maxeon solar panels is the price tag. At $3.05 per watt, it’s one of the most expensive brands available. Its specs are stellar, but if budget is your priority, you can likely find a cheaper panel that still meets your efficiency needs.
Summit Energy via REC Group
Cost: $2.49 per watt
Efficiency: 22.2%
Warranties: 25-year performance & product
REC is a longtime EnergySage favorite, probably because of its relatively low price per watt and impressive specs. Out of our top brands, REC offers the best bang for your buck; the Alpha Pure 410-watt panel maintains efficiency above 22%, and it has solid 25-year performance and product warranties. These panels also have one of the lowest temperature coefficients on the market, which means they perform better in hotter temps compared to other panels.
REC does the best job at balancing top-tier specs and affordability, but they fall short of Maxeon in terms of efficiency.
Panasonic
Cost: $2.69 per watt
Efficiency: 22.2% efficiency
Warranties: 25-year performance & product
Panasonic is perhaps best known in the U.S. for its TVs and appliances, but the Japanese manufacturer is a global leader in solar panels. Its Evervolt 430-watt solar panel boasts the best temperature coefficient on our list at -0.24% per degree Celsius—this is technical speak that translates to, “Panasonic is the best choice if you live in a consistently hot area.”
At $2.69 per watt, Panasonic is the second most affordable panel of our top five brands. Its 22.2% efficiency rating also ties for runner-up; Maxeon and REC take first place for those two categories, respectively. Panasonic tops the charts only in temperate coefficient.
Canadian Solar
Cost: $2.73 per watt
Efficiency: 22% efficiency
Warranties: 30-year performance & 25-year product
Canadian Solar’s TOPHiKu6 450-watt solar panel has the highest power output of the products on our list, which means it has the capacity to generate more electricity. While it’s the least efficient of our top brands, it boasts impressive performance specifications with a 22% efficiency rating and -0.29%/°C temperature coefficient.
While Canadian Solar is pretty strong all-around, it falls slightly behind the top three in terms of performance, and it’s relatively expensive at $2.73 per watt.
Jinko Solar
Cost: $2.82 per watt
Efficiency: 22.02%
Warranties: 30-year performance & 25-year product
The Jinko Solar Tiger Neo 440-watt rounds out the top five best solar panels on EnergySage. This panel has solid specs and strong warranties. Plus, Jinko Solar panels are reliable and will deliver electricity bill savings.
Jinko didn’t rank first in any category and is the second most expensive panel on this list. It’s a great option compared to most panels on the market, but it lands fifth place when up against the others mentioned here.
Even the best solar panels may perform poorly in difficult conditions. Some panels are better suited for small spaces, while others excel in hot temperatures. That’s why it’s so important to consider your roof, household electricity use, and climate when choosing solar panels for your home.
An experienced, local solar installer knows how solar performs in your area and can properly inspect your roof to recommend the best panels. But if you want to start some of the research, here are some things to think about:
Have a small roof with a lot of shading? You'll probably want a very powerful solar panel (unless you use very little electricity). Even light shading can reduce your solar panels’ output by 50% or more. Look for solar panels with high power output and high efficiency.
If you have a complex roof with a lot of small, awkward spaces, we recommend selecting a small solar panel that still offers a lot of power.
It's no secret that solar panels are more prevalent in the Sun Belt than in other parts of the country, but they're also an excellent investment if you live in the Northeast or Midwest. You just need to choose the right panels. Your region and climate influence the performance of your panels— things like sun power, shading, panel orientation, temperature, precipitation, wind, dust, and dirt play a role.
If you live in a place that sees a lot of rain, snow, or other cloudy conditions, you’ll want high-output and high-efficiency panels. If you live in a hot and sunny region, you're in a prime spot for premium solar panel efficiency and will want to pay attention to temperature coefficient as a leading factor in your decision-making.
If your roof is small and you don't have a lot of space for your system, investing in the most efficient, highest-performing panels can get you the performance you need. If you have enough room for a larger system, installing slightly less efficient panels could provide ample output at a competitive price.
The easiest way to find the best solar panels for your home? Compare equipment brands from reliable installers on the EnergySage Marketplace. You can compare multiple quotes side-by-side based on factors like equipment quality, installer reputation, and cost. If you need help deciding, reach out to your free EnergySage Advisor so you can go solar with confidence.
The wattage of a solar panel describes the panel’s output capacity. So, does a 400-watt solar panel produce enough power for your home?
Just a few years ago, the most common panels used on homes were around 300 watts. Now, as technology has continued to develop, most standard-sized residential solar panels are about 400 watts in size.
In this article, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about 400-watt panels, brands to consider, the cost, and more.
When you’re describing the size of a panel, it’s usually based on the panel’s power output capacity, measured in watts.
So, a 400 W solar panel is capable of producing 400 watts of instantaneous DC electricity under ideal Standard Test Conditions. 400-watt solar panels typically contain 60 to 66 solar cells and are about 5.4 feet long and 3.25 wide.
Standard Test Conditions, or STC, are a set of lab standards that solar panels are tested at. So, a 400-watt panel will only produce 400 watts of power under these ideal conditions.
Unfortunately, your roof isn’t a lab, so your panel will usually be outputting less power than 400 watts. In the real world, a 400 W panel will typically produce closer to 300 W of power. But don’t worry, solar panel systems are designed with this in mind, so your solar system will still generate the amount of energy needed to power your home.
Power and energy are a bit different, and it’s important to understand the difference. We said a 400 W solar panel will generate 400 watts of power in ideal conditions. The amount of energy it produces is how much power is made over a certain period of time.
You can expect a 400-watt solar panel on your roof to generate between 1.2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and 1.5 kWh of electricity daily. That's enough energy to power your TV for a full day!
How much energy a solar panel produces depends on a number of factors, including the environmental conditions and the amount of sunlight your roof gets. The following table outlines how much energy a 400 W solar panel will produce in different areas of the U.S.:
Region
Solar energy production (daily)
Solar energy production (monthly)
North East
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1.1 kWh
34 kWh
Midwest
1.2 kWh
37 kWh
South East
1.3 kWh
40 kWh
South
1.4 kWh
43 kWh
West
1.3 kWh
40 kWh
A high-quality 400 W solar panel will cost between $250 and $300 per panel. This price doesn’t include any other equipment needed to use the panel or installation costs.
It’s unlikely that you would purchase just one solar panel. Installing a full 7 kW solar system using 400 W solar panels would cost a total of $19,950 before any incentives. When you include the federal solar tax credit, that price drops to about $14,000.
The cost can vary with market conditions, your location, the solar panel brand you choose, and the solar installer you choose.
How much do 400-watt solar panels cost for your home?Most homeowners installing a solar power system on their roof will require between 15 and 30 400-watt solar panels. But exactly how many solar panels you need can vary quite a bit from state to state.
For example, here are how many 400-watt solar panels are needed for the average homes in California, Texas, and Florida:
Table 2: How many 400 W solar panels are needed in different states, on average
State
Avg. system size
400-watt panels required
Space required
California
7.33 kW
19 panels
417 sq. ft.
Texas
10.32 kW
26 panels
570 sq. ft.
Florida
10.75 kW
27 panels
592 sq. ft.
*Assuming each solar panel is 79.8” x 39.6”, does not include access and setback requirements.
Remember that these are just average figures. The right solar system size for your home will be unique to you depending on various factors – like your energy usage, your utility rates, and how much sunlight your roof gets.
Luckily, we have a tool that can help you determine some of these factors. Put your home information into our solar calculator to get a better understanding of your home’s system size.
You may still feel a little lost when thinking of exactly who you should buy panels from. Look no further – here’s a list of some of the best 400-watt panel models from different manufacturers.
Table 3: 400-watt solar panels by the top solar brands
You can buy solar panels with your specific energy needs in mind. That could even mean offsetting your electric bills completely!
How much money a 400 W solar panel saves you depends on how much energy it produces, which varies based on where you live. But, on average, one 400 W solar panel produces about $7 worth of electricity daily.
As we said earlier, you’re not going to install just one solar panel. You’ll want to have enough solar panels to cover most of your daily electricity needs. A typical U.S. home uses about 892 kWh of electricity per month. That equates to a monthly electricity bill of around $143, not including fees or taxes. If you install 21 400 W solar panels, you could potentially save $1,716 in just one year.
In the past, 400 W solar panels used to be considered premium-status panels because they had the highest wattage on the market. Now, there are tons of different solar panel manufacturers that offer bigger and more powerful panels.
Here are a few uses for 400-watt panels:
Small-to-large residential homes: Believe it or not, you can still power virtually any home solar panel system with 400 W panels – and a common choice for residential solar.
Common household electronics: The average output of a single 400 W panel can power common small electronics, such as televisions, fans, laptops, gaming consoles, and more!
RV or boat: Looking to take your solar adventures off-grid? 400 W panels are a perfect pair with a mobile home or boat anywhere and anytime!
Appliances: Although they are more power-hungry, you can power appliances such as a microwave, washing machine, or refrigerator with 400 W panels – you may just need more than one!
There are plenty of uses you can get out of 400 W panels, and when you pair it with a good inverter, powering your household is environmentally friendly and affordable!
Yes, 400-watt solar panels are commonly used in residential solar projects. You can wire together several 400-watt panels to build the solar system size you need.
For instance, a typical 6 kW home solar system will run you about fifteen 400 W panels for your roof. Several front runners in the solar manufacturing industry (like the ones we listed above!) offer panels in the 400s range for home or commercial use.
Panels nowadays do have higher wattage, but that doesn’t mean 400-watt panels are a thing of the past. In fact, they’re a good choice to make the most of your roof space. Not to mention, they’ve also become a relatively affordable option.
400 W solar panels are an excellent choice for running your home or business. In fact, they’re now very common, especially for residential solar panel installations. Because solar panels are so much more powerful now than before, you can install fewer panels while still covering all of your energy needs.
Make sure to get 400-watt solar panels from a trusted solar company that carries reliable panel brands. Your solar installer can help you decide the best 400 W panels for your home and design a system that gives you the best solar panel savings possible!
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