The Best Solar Panels You Can Buy In 2025, According To The Experts
One of the first questions that comes up during a discussion around using solar power is “how many solar panels does it take to power a home.” While it’s good that people are interested and curious about exploring alternative energy sources, that question is like asking how much gas does it take to drive across the country. The answer to each depends on a variety of factors.
For the solar panel question, one factor we must consider is which of the many different types of consumer solar panels is right for a particular home. Maxeon produces some of the most highly-regarded residential solar panels available to consumers. In fact, SolarReviews says, “If you value performance above everything, aren’t concerned about company financials, and money is no object: choose Maxeon.” However, when considering the purchase of solar panels it’s a good idea to look at other factors in addition to performance. Afterall, a top-fuel dragster offers tremendous performance, but it won’t likely fit into your garage or your budget.
Are Maxeon solar panels the best you can buy in 2025?
Based solely on the merits of the panels themselves, Maxeon (widely known as SunPower in 2024) solar panels are the best you can buy in 2025 according to the experts. In its ranking of “Most Efficient Solar Panels for 2025,” CNET awarded different models of Maxeon solar panels three of the top-four spots on its list.
At the top, with an efficiency rating in excess of 24% compared to the list’s majority in the high 22% range, is the Maxeon Performance 7, a 455-watt solar panel intended for residential use. However, despite Maxeon Solar Technologies’ 2024 announcement of its plans to “focus exclusively on [the] U.S. Market,” the Maxeon 7 isn’t yet widely available in the United States nearly a year later. A dispute with U.S Customs & Border Protection (CBP) is a key factor to its limited availability, according to a report by PV-Tech.
In addition to the issues Maxeon is facing with importing its solar panels, the Performance 7 panels are not available for sale except through certified installers. That not only prevents most of the DIY-crowd from buying these panels, it also makes it difficult to directly compare prices of Maxeon solar panels to those from other brands. However, Sunwatts, a Maxeon/SunPower competitor, compared its total installed system price of $2.25 per watt to SunPower’s $5.00 average cost per watt as an example. Of course, component quality comes into question when comparing Sunwatts’ 25-year product and power output warranty to Maxeon’s 40-year power, product, and service warranty.
Canadian Solar also produces highly-efficient solar panels
SlashGear readers may recognize Canadian Solar from our list of efficient consumer solar panels for 2024. CNET placed Canadian Solar’s TOPHIKu6 solar panel in the runner-up spot on its “Most Efficient Solar Panels for 2025” list due to its 23% efficiency rating. Additional accolades include a spot on Energysage’s “Best solar panels of 2025” list, where the TOPHIKu6 is noted as being “well-rounded.” Finally, Solar Reviews chose the Canadian Solar TOPHIKu6 as its top-pick for 2025, calling it “a great solar panel from a successful company with a good warranty.”
Canadian Solar advertises a 12-year “enhanced product warranty” that covers the materials and workmanship of its solar panel modules. In addition, the panels are covered under a “linear power output warranty” for 30 years, ensuring at least 87.4% of the labeled power output throughout the period.
Unlike Maxeon’s exclusive installer agreement, consumers can purchase Canadian Solar products through an approved retailer such as Signature Solar. Buying the $184.80 TOPHiKu6 solar panels from Signature Solar requires a minimum purchase of 10 panels, resulting in a discounted total of $1,792.56 not counting taxes and shipping charges.
REC solar panels have an available 25-year warranty
The length and type of warranty protection are among the things to consider before installing solar panels. In its 30th year since its founding in Norway, the REC Group stands behind the solar panels it produces in Singapore with its conditional “REC ProTrust” warranty that covers products, labor, and performance for a period of 25 years.
REC offers a line of solar panels with efficiencies rated from 22.2% for the Alpha Pure 2 up to 22.6% from the Alpha Pure-RX. The REC Alpha Pure-RX solar panel’s efficiency earned it a spot on CNET’s and Solar Reviews’ lists, while Energy Sage says the 22.2%-efficient Alpha Pure 410-watt solar panel offers the “best performance per penny.”
According to calculations by Energy Sage, a complete, installed solar power system that includes REC Alpha Pure will cost $2.68 per watt, placing it below the industry average. It’s difficult to find consumer pricing for individual REC solar panels. However, the company’s REC ProTrust warranty indicates a benefit to having the panels installed by REC Certified Solar Professionals, so it may be possible.
Qcells is regarded as the most popular solar panel brand made in America
The Qcells Q.Tron M-G2+ solar panel boasts a 22.5% efficiency rating. That’s good enough to earn a spot on CNET’s list of efficient solar panels, where Qcells is called “the most widely installed residential solar panel brand in the United States.” SolarReviews agrees, saying “Qcells is the most popular brand in residential solar thanks to quality equipment and pricing.” The Qcells Q.Tron placed fourth on EnergySage’s solar panel rankings as the “best American-made panels.”
For solar panels to operate at peak efficiency, they need full sun striking their surfaces at ideal angles. The space that meets these conditions on a home roof is often limited. These space constraints are often among the reasons installing home solar panels isn’t worth it on some houses. Q.Tron panels have one of the highest watts-per-square-foot ratings with 20.93 w/sq-ft, only Maxeon ranks higher on our list.
Qcells provides a 25-year warranty for its Q.Tron solar panels. The warranty applies to the product and its performance, guaranteeing the panel will continue producing “at least 90.58% of nominal power” until the end of the warranty period.
Methodology
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We used a combination of expert reviews and personal experience to distill this list of solar panels from the multitude of offerings now available on the market. While some expert lists included solar panels from other brands, these were consistently rated near the top across multiple expert reviews.
Efficiency, cost, and long-term durability factored highly into our selection, as investing in solar energy is an expensive endeavor. Some solar panels are cheaper and others provide more raw power, but there’s always a trade-off.
