Updated 4 days ago
The Best Solar Panels in 2025: Expert Guide
Written by Ben Zientara Ben ZientaraBen Zientara is a writer, researcher, and solar policy analyst who has written about the residential solar industry, the electric grid, and state util...Learn more , Edited by Catherine Lane Catherine LaneCatherine has been researching and reporting on the solar industry for five years and is the Written Content Manager at SolarReviews. She leads a dyna...Learn more

Why you can trust SolarReviews
SolarReviews is the leading American website for solar panel reviews and solar panel installation companies. Our industry experts have a combined three decades of solar experience and maintain editorial independence for their reviews. No company can pay to alter the reviews or review scores shown on our site. Learn more about SolarReviews and how we make money.
Choosing the best solar panels for your needs can be a complicated decision. You have to consider multiple factors, like price, performance, aesthetics, and warranty coverage—and don’t forget, a warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind it.
Luckily, our solar experts have considered all of these factors and come up with a holistic ranking system that takes all the important factors into consideration.
The list below shows the 10 best solar panels according to our solar experts:
Rank | Company | SolarReviews rating | Best residential solar panel |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Canadian Solar | Elite | TOPHiKu6 All-Black |
2 | JA Solar | Elite | DeepBlue 4.0 |
3 | Qcells | Elite | Q.TRON AC |
4 | Silfab | Excellent | Prime NTC |
5 | Jinko Solar | Excellent | Eagle 54 |
6 | Panasonic | Excellent | EverVolt HK2 Black |
7 | REC | Excellent | REC Alpha Pure-RX |
8 | Trina Solar | Excellent | Vertex S+ |
9 | SEG Solar | Excellent | Yukon N |
10 | LONGi | Excellent | HiMo5 |
How SolarReviews Rates Solar Panel Brands
Our rankings look at solar panel specifications, performance under third-party testing from Kiwa PVEL, warranty coverage, company financials, and industry opinion. The full list of evaluation criteria is below.
We put all our criteria together and evaluated 30 solar panel manufacturers to come up with the Top 10 solar panel brands. Even after all that exhaustive research, each of the brands has positives and negatives that may influence your choice one way or the other.
Bottom line on the best solar panels
If you’re considering solar power for your home, you can’t go wrong with any of the companies on our Top 10 list. All of them fall into the Elite or Excellent categories, and the differences between them in points scored is generally quite small, with just eight points separating 1st place from 10th.
Ultimately, the best solar panels for your specific needs depend on the things you feel are most important. Here’s a quick rundown of our expert advice:
If you want to follow our recommendation for a great solar panel from a successful company with a good warranty: choose Canadian Solar
If you want the most popular brand in America: choose Qcells
If you want the best warranty from a company that will be around to back it up: choose Panasonic
If you value performance above everything, aren’t concerned about company financials, and money is no object: choose Maxeon
Or, you can compare multiple quotes from solar installers near you and cross-reference those quotes with our list here to check if they’re recommending any of our Top 10 brands of solar panels in the USA!
Pros and cons of the best solar panel brands
We highly recommend products from any of the brands on our list, and all of the Top 10 brands listed above were ranked Excellent or higher by our solar experts.
Unlike other websites, SolarReviews looks beyond just performance specifications, including things like company financials and industry opinion to give homeowners an idea of what brands they can truly trust.
Let’s take a look at each of the brands:
#1 Canadian Solar

Canadian Solar is our #1 pick for 2025. The company has been manufacturing solar panels since 2001, making it one of the oldest brands on our list. Canadian Solar’s products are known for their reliability and affordability and are used by solar installers nationwide.
Why we chose Canadian Solar
Canadian Solar has long been a favorite choice of solar installers, and the company has really turned things up a notch in the past year. The brand ranks #1 for 2025 because of its new high-efficiency n-type TOPCon modules, good warranty coverage, and low prices. In 2024, Canadian Solar opened its first U.S. solar panel manufacturing plant in Mesquite, Texas, showing a commitment to the U.S. marketplace.
One of the biggest reasons Canadian Solar appears at the top of our list is its excellent financial performance, growing revenue, and positive net income in 2024, despite a down year for many other manufacturers.
Our full review of Canadian Solar panels breaks down everything you need to know about the brand, and customer reviews can give you insight into how satisfied homeowners are with Canadian Solar.
Pros and cons of Canadian Solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
High-performance TOPHiKu6 panels up to 23% efficiency | Better performing panels available |
Highly successful, diversified solar manufacturing company | Warranty is good, but not the best |
Popular among installers | |
Relatively inexpensive compared to competitors |
#2 JA Solar

JA Solar takes the #2 spot in our rankings this year on the strength of its financial performance, high-performance panels, and low prices.
Why we chose JA Solar
JA Solar is a Chinese solar brand known for its low prices and reliable products. At an estimated cost of $2.94 per watt installed, JA panels come in a bit below the national average solar panel system cost of $3.03 per watt, making them a good value.
Though one of the cheapest solar panels we reviewed, JA Solar’s Tier 1 status signifies the company’s profitability. While there may technically be cheaper solar panels on the market, few can match the reliability and brand reputation of JA Solar.
The combination of affordability and reliability makes JA Solar a compelling choice for homeowners looking for a cost-effective yet dependable home solar system. The company is also rapidly growing its market share in the USA and introducing new high-efficiency panels.
Interested in learning more? Read our full review of JA Solar panels.
Pros and cons of JA Solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Quality products, especially the new DeepBlue 4.0 TOPCon modules | Product warranty is only 12 years |
Lowest cost per watt of all brands in our Top 10 list | JA Solar has not yet opened its USA manufacturing facility |
Highly profitable and successful company |
#3 Qcells

Qcells is the most popular brand in residential solar thanks to quality equipment and pricing. SolarReviews statistics show that 58% of solar installers offered Qcells panels in the past year, but changes in the competitive landscape kept it at the 3rd place spot on our list.
Why we chose Qcells
Qcells held the top spot in our Top 10 rankings for 2023 and 2024 but slips to #3 this year for a few reasons. First, the company’s Q.TRON panels top out at 22.5% efficiency, while other brands offer higher efficiency with their latest offerings. Second, Qcells panels come in at a slightly higher price than other companies. Third, the company’s parent organization, the giant Korean Hanwha Corporation, struggled a bit financially in 2024 after very strong showings in 2022 and 2023.
That said, Qcells still receives our highest recommendation. The company has the highest market share in the residential industry for a reason, and you will not be disappointed in its panels. The Q.Tron AC panels come with built-in microinverters, making them very easy to install. Qcells products are still very high quality and its 25-year product and performance solar warranty coverage is industry standard.
You can learn more from our expert Qcells solar panels review, see what real customers say about Qcells, or do a side-by-side comparison with another top brand in Qcells vs. REC.
Pros and cons of Qcells solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
High-quality products with a great warranty | Not as competitive on price per watt as other top brands |
Installers overwhelmingly prefer the brand | Parent company Hanwha Corporation posted lower earnings and net income in 2024 |
Made in the USA in Dalton, GA |
#4 Silfab Solar

Our 4th place choice, Silfab Solar, is a privately-owned company with headquarters in Canada and U.S. manufacturing facilities in Washington state. Silfab is another company with a long history of manufacturing in the United States, and its panels are beloved by installers across the country.
Why we chose Silfab
Silfab Solar offers high-efficiency modules at very competitive pricing under its Prime NTC line, with impressive 30-year performance and 25-year product warranties.
While there are panels with longer warranty periods, such as Maxeon's 40-year coverage, we found that the high price point often outweighs the benefits of an extended warranty. Silfab, however, maintains an affordable price point, even with a leading warranty.
Silfab distinguishes itself as one of the top American solar panel manufacturers, and we highly recommend its products. Discover what our experts say in our Silfab Solar panel review.
Pros and cons of Silfab solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Excellent solar panels at VERY competitive prices | Private company status makes it difficult to get a full picture of financial performance |
30-year output warranty is among the best in the industry | Not as diversified in the large-scale solar space as other brands in the Top 10 |
Made in the USA in Burlington, WA, with a new facility coming in South Carolina |
#5 Jinko Solar

In 5th place is Jinko Solar, one of the biggest solar manufacturers in the world. Jinko Solar is best known for its low prices and dependable solar panels.
Why we chose Jinko Solar
Jinko Solar is another very successful Chinese company that produces high-quality solar panels at a good price. The company also manufactures panels for the U.S. market at its Florida plant.
Jinko’s most recent offering, the Eagle 54 G6 panel series, has good specifications with up to 22.53% efficiency and comes with 25-year performance and power generation warranties.
You can get more details in our in-depth Jinko Solar panels review, or discover what homeowners have to say about their Jinko Solar experience.
Pros and cons of Jinko Solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Good performance, pricing, and warranty | Top panels not as high efficiency as some |
Successful company with a long history of profitability | Had lower revenue in 2024 compared to 2023 |
Has appeared on the Kiwa PVEL top performers list for the past 5 years |
#6 Panasonic

Global electronics brand Panasonic takes 6th place in our list this year on the strength of its ecosystem and longstanding success in business. With such a long and storied history, you can be sure Panasonic will be around to honor its excellent warranties.
Why we chose Panasonic
Panasonic is a brand name known around the world for quality electronics, and the company’s solar products live up to the name. Panasonic is also hugely invested in the United States market, with thousands of employees and several large battery manufacturing facilities across the country.
Panasonic EverVolt HK2 solar panels use high-efficiency heterojunction solar cells that perform extremely well under hot conditions, making them excellent for use in warmer climates. The company’s highest-performing panel can generate 430 watts of power under full sun, at an efficiency of 22.2%.
Panasonic solar panels are covered by an excellent warranty, which guarantees 25 years of operation and output of at least 92% of their original power rating at the end of the warranty and also covers all labor for the replacement of any defective part of the solar installation.
You can read more in our expert reviews of Panasonic solar panels and the Panasonic EverVolt home battery.
Pros and cons of Panasonic solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
High performance, especially in hotter climates | No U.S. solar manufacturing facility |
Excellent warranty coverage from a very successful company | Performance under third-party testing hasn’t been as good as other companies |
Decent prices, even considering its somewhat premium technology |
#7 REC

REC earns 7th place in our rankings on the strength of its market share, high-performance panels, and excellent warranty. Despite those things, the company doesn’t rank higher on our list because its financial reporting is not public and it hasn’t announced any U.S. manufacturing. Nevertheless, REC solar panels are extremely high quality, and we recommend them highly.
Why we chose REC
REC is another one of the most popular solar panel brands in the country and is especially beloved by installers for its sleek, high-performance panels that can command a slightly higher price than the competition.
Like the Panasonic EverVolt panels, REC Alpha Pure RX panels use heterojunction cells, but the REC panels generate up to 470 watts of power at up to 22.6% efficiency. They also perform quite well under high-temperature conditions. To top it all off, REC’s panels come with an excellent REC ProTrust warranty covering 25 years of product function, power output of at least 92% after 25 years, and labor to replace any defective panels.
Our full review of REC solar panels has more information about the company’s current products.
Pros and cons of REC solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
High-performance panels that work in hot climates and retain their ability to output power for decades | Usually sold at a higher price than other options |
Great warranty that covers labor to replace panels if necessary | Company financials are private |
High market share with a great reputation among solar installers | No investment in U.S. manufacturing |
#8 Trina Solar

In 8th place, we have Trina Solar, a huge Chinese organization known more for its utility-scale solar panels than residential products. That said, the company’s panels are affordable and well-made and still come with 25-year product and performance warranties.
Why we chose Trina Solar
Trina Solar is one of the largest solar manufacturers in the world, but its residential solar panels account for less than 2% of the U.S. home solar market. That might change soon due to the company’s latest solar panels, which are ultra-affordable and highly reliable.
Trina’s Vertex S solar panels top out at 430 watts of DC power output and 21.5% efficiency, the lowest on our top 10 list. But, the company earned the only perfect score for third-party testing in our rankings. That means a lot, as the testing from Kiwa PVEL includes stress tests that represent the common ways a solar panel can fail.
While Trina remains a highly successful company, it did falter a bit in 2024, selling its Texas-based manufacturing plant shortly after opening due to fears of being targeted by the Trump administration as a Chinese company. Trina panels are still excellent, but there is some risk the company will have trouble selling them in the U.S. in the coming years.
Pros and cons of Trina Solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Great power output and all-black design at a very low price point | Company financial performance not as strong as some competitors |
Excellent performance under 3rd party testing | American manufacturing is now done under a 3rd-party OEM agreement |
#9 SEG Solar

USA-based SEG Solar moves up one spot this year into 9th place. The company opened its Houston, TX manufacturing plant in 2024 and now has the capacity to produce one gigawatt of panels per year.
Why we chose SEG Solar
While it remains a relatively small company in the broader marketplace, SEG Solar sets itself apart because of its installer relationships and commitment to the USA market.
The company’s residential modules under the Yukon line top out at 435 watts of DC output and a respectable 22.28% efficiency. SEG backs them up with really great 30-year product and performance warranties.
SEG is a newer company, founded in 2016, and it remains privately owned, which means they don’t make public financial statements. However, the company has been growing its revenue and is increasing sales in the United States. You can read more in our article about the opening of the SEG solar manufacturing plant in Texas.
Pros and cons of SEG Solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
American-owned company that manufactures in Texas and Indonesia | SEG is still a small, newer manufacturer that is privately held |
Great products with a 30-year warranty | |
Good prices with a lot of fans among solar installers |
#10 LONGi

The final company on our Top 10 list is LONGi, another huge Chinese company that is well diversified and measures revenue in the tens of billions of dollars. In North America, the company is still offering its reliable HiMo5 line of solar panels, which are a great value for homeowners.
Why we chose LONGi
LONGi is on our list because of its long history of success, its module pricing, and its commitment to manufacturing solar panels in the USA. The company partnered with Illuminate USA to open an Ohio manufacturing plant in early 2024, and the plant is now ramping to full capacity.
In the USA, LONGi solar panels are covered by 25-year product and performance warranties, which is equal to many of the top brands in our list. However, because LONGi uses the older PERC solar cell technology in its residential panels, the annual degradation covered under warranty is a bit higher, at 0.55% vs the 0.4% average from other companies.
We have a full review of LONGi solar panels if you’d like to learn more about the company.
Pros and cons of LONGi solar panels
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Good performance and pricing | Panel efficiency isn’t as high as others in the list |
Good corporate financials | |
Manufacturing panels in the U.S. |
What factors determine the best solar panels?
The factors that determine the performance of solar panels include:
Efficiency, or how much of the sun’s energy is converted to electricity
Temperature coefficient, which refers to a loss of power production due to increases in operating temperature
Performance in harsh conditions measures durability in hot, humid environments, high winds, and hail
Degradation rate, which is the amount of power output capability a panel loses each year, is about 0.4% per year on average
In addition, there are several other factors that could influence your decision of which panel to choose:
Price, based on dollars per watt of power-generating capability
Warranty protection, with coverage for product workmanship and power production over the panel’s lifespan
Company financial performance, because a warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind it
Commitment to U.S. manufacturing, because domestic products can qualify for better solar incentives and have a lower carbon footprint
Popularity with installers, because the best companies make solar panels that professionals trust
SolarReviews brand ranking methodology
When it comes to ranking solar panels, SolarReviews does things a bit differently than most. We don’t just look at efficiency and popularity, but instead take a holistic approach that considers all of the factors listed above.
We believe that the best solar panels come from companies with a proven track record of success, who produce high-quality products at fair prices.
Our ranking methodology awards 50 points to companies across the evaluation criteria, using the following measurements:
Category | What we look at |
---|---|
Solar panel performance (10 points) | Efficiency, temperature coefficient, listing on Kiwa PVEL Top Performer scorecards for the past 5 years |
Warranty (5 points) | Product and performance warranty coverages, solar panel degradation percentage |
Company financial performance (10 points) | Public financial statements, total revenue, revenue growth year-over-year, net income |
Investment in the U.S. (7.5 points) | HQ or office locations in the U.S., domestic materials sourcing, domestic manufacturing capability, regular attendance at trade shows |
Value (12.5 points) | Average wholesale cost per watt DC in container volumes for the U.S. market. |
Dealer network and market share (5 points) | Average market share from public solar installation databases, along with installer opinions of the brands from our annual solar industry survey statistics |
Overall score (50 points) | ≥ 39 - Elite ≥ 34 - Excellent ≥ 29 - Very Good ≥ 24 - Good ≥ 19 - Average Under 19 - Unrated |
Compare the best solar panels of 2025
All of the solar panels on our list have an Excellent or higher rating from SolarReviews’ experts, so any of them would make a great addition to your home. But, there may be one that better suits your specific needs. The following table gives you a quick glance at how our top ten panel brands stack up:
Brand | Estimated cost per watt* | Highest power output | Highest efficiency rating | Product warranty | Performance warranty** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Industry average | $3.04 | 440 W | 22% | 25 year | 25 years, 0.4% annual degradation rate |
Canadian Solar | $2.99 | 470 W | 23% | 25 years | 30 years, 0.4% annual degradation rate |
JA Solar | $2.94 | 460 W | 23% | 12 years | 25 years, 0.4% annual degradation rate |
Qcells | $3.11 | 440 W | 22.5% | 25 years | 25 years, 0.33% annual degradation rate |
Silfab Solar | $3.05 | 430 W | 22.1% | 25 years | 30 years, 0.30% annual degradation rate |
Jinko Solar | $3.03 | 440 W | 22.5% | 25 years | 30 years, 0.40% annual degradation rate |
Panasonic | $3.18 | 430 W | 22.2% | 25 years | 25 years, 0.25% annual degradation rate |
REC Group | $3.13 | 470 W | 22.6% | 25 years | 25 years, 0.25% annual degradation rate |
Trina | $2.94 | 430 W | 21.5% | 25 years | 25 years, 0.4% annual degradation rate |
SEG Solar | $3.02 | 435 W | 22.3% | 30 years | 25 years, 0.4% annual degradation rate |
LONGi | $3.03 | 425 W | 21.5% | 25 years | 25 years, 0.55% annual degradation rate |
*Price estimates calculated before tax credits and other solar incentives, based on 2024 cost data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and online solar pv distributors. Actual price will vary between installation companies.
**Lowest degradation rate offered by the company. Actual degradation rate and warranty terms vary by model.
Why are some brands missing?
If you’re familiar with the photovoltaic solar industry, you may notice that there are some big names left off of our list. Companies like Maxeon, Meyer Burger, and Mission Solar are not on our top 10 list for 2025. These companies all make fine products but did not excel in one or more of our criteria for this year, ranking them lower than 10th place on our list.
Maxeon, in particular, makes some of the highest quality, most efficient solar panels in the world, and their products are backed by a tremendous 40-year warranty, but the company has fallen on some hard times in the past year, ending its relationship with their former partner and largest customer, SunPower (which declared bankruptcy shortly thereafter), having their solar panels seized by border patrol agents, and seeing massive reductions in revenue.
We’re rooting for Maxeon to succeed, because its solar panels are truly a cut above the rest when it comes to quality and performance, but until the company overcomes their recent financial and logistical struggles, they won’t make our list.
Why choosing the right installer matters more than choosing the best solar panel
When it comes down to it, many companies today are producing extremely high-quality solar panels that will reliably make energy for decades to come.
What truly matters is choosing the right solar installer. The company you choose is the key player in your solar journey—they'll be on your roof, drilling through shingles, running wires, and the ones you'll turn to if issues arise. Selecting a company that will be around to support you is crucial.
We recommend opting for a local solar company with at least five years of experience, its own crews, and a track record of consistently positive customer reviews. Local installers typically possess a deep understanding of solar in your area, offer fair prices, and provide top-notch customer service.
The trust you place in your installer extends to the equipment they carry. Reputable installers are likely to offer high-quality equipment. If you’ve picked the right installer, you should feel confident in what they’re installing on your roof.
Get and compare solar quotes from multiple installers to get the best deal on a solar installation!
See all of our lists
Ben Zientara is a writer, researcher, and solar policy analyst who has written about the residential solar industry, the electric grid, and state utility policy since 2013. His early work included leading the team that produced the annual State Solar Power Rankings Report for the Solar Power Rocks website from 2015 to 2020. The rankings were utilized and referenced by a diverse mix of policymakers, advocacy groups, and media including The Center...
Learn more about Ben Zientara