Backyard Revolution Review

4.5/5

97%

Price 99%
Technology 98%
Ease of Use 94%
Innovation 98%
Realiability 97%
Availability 95%

Advertising Disclosure: Many or all of the companies featured provide compensation to us. These commissions are how we maintain our free service for consumers.  Compensation,  along with hours of in-depth research, determines where & how companies appear on our site.

Advertising Disclosure

Many or all of the companies featured provide compensation to us. These commissions are how we maintain our free service for consumers. Compensation, along with hours of in-depth research, determines where & how companies appear on our site.

Pros

Cons

Bottomline

The Backyard Revolution guide includes instructions and tips on how to make DIY solar panels that fit on any house or building. While you need to put in the work, the finished panels can help you slash your power bills by 50% or more.

Do you worry every month when your utility bills come in the mail? Even if you opted out of paper bills, you might feel your chest tighten when your electric company sends you an email to let you know that a new bill is available. You’re far from alone because thousands of people feel the same way. They worry about how much electricity they use and waste and how much it will cost them in the long run. While you can use some tips to save on your power usage, you may still pay more than you want due to the size of your house and other factors.

The makers of the Backyard Revolution offer an alternative way for those who own or rent a home to save money on their power bills. This new product lets you build a solar panel that you can run and use in your backyard. You can then connect that panel to your home’s system to use free electricity that you harness from the sun every day. Those who tried it noticed an instant reduction in their bills. We’ll help you see how it works and if it’s worth the upfront investment in our Backyard Revolution review.

Backyard Revolution Review
Backyard Revolution lets you use a homemade solar panel to save money every month.

What is the Backyard Revolution?

Backyard Revolution is a product designed to reduce your electricity bills by up to 65% every year. It gives you a steady supply of power that you can use for everything from charging your phone and watching TV to running kitchen appliances and using lights inside your home. Instead of supplying you with solar panels that you can use outside, it gives you plans that show you the best way to build those panels along with information on all the tools and supplies that you need. Zack Bennett, the mind behind Backyard Revolution, came up with the plans based on research done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technically (MIT).

Those researchers found that old solar panels failed to work as well as they once did and looked for new methods that would extend the life of the panels. Bennett used their research into the zig-zag technique to come up with a better way of building solar panels. He found himself looking for alternatives to traditional power options after a storm left his home without power. You can use his guide to create as many solar panels as your home needs. The guide walks you through the process and allows you to complete one of the small solar panels in as little as four hours.

What Comes in the Backyard Revolution Plan?
  • Detailed instructions
  • Lists that show you what to buy
  • Photos of the building and installation
  • Diagrams that make sure you can follow along

How Does Solar Power Work?

Solar power is a type of clean and natural energy that harnesses the rays of the sun to give your home the power that it needs. Many people around the world use solar power and the need for solar panels in the United States is on the rise due to the problems with the coal industry. Even more people want to learn more about solar energy because they don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on electricity every month. You’ll find that major companies such as IKEA use solar power too as a way to cut down on overhead costs.

To harness solar power, you must use solar panels. The panels feature photovoltaic cells that absorb particles of light and push the atoms away from the light. Inside the panel is a converter that creates DC power from the cells and a second converter that creates AC power. When you connect the panel to your home’s power system, you can use solar power alone or use solar power in combination with traditional electricity. As long as the panels have access to the sun and a steady supply of sunlight, they can provide all the clean power that you need. Solar panels will save energy that you can use during a power outage too.

How Does Solar Power Work?

You can install and use solar panels in your backyard or on the roof of your home.

What are the Main Benefits of Solar Power?

You likely have questions about the benefits of solar power and if using panels is a good option for you. The biggest benefit to solar panels such as those you can build with the Backyard Revolution plans is that they help you save money. Instead of spending $200+ a month to cool your home with AC in the summer, you might find that your average summer bill drops to $80 or less. You can save even more during the long winter months too. Some of the other benefits of adding solar power to your home include:

  • As solar power is a renewable energy source, you never need to worry about running out of power
  • You don’t need to spend a lot of extra money to maintain your solar panels or pay for expensive repairs in the future
  • When you follow the detailed instructions to build Backyard Revolution solar panels, you’ll get panels that last for 20 years or longer
  • Solar power can work in situations where traditional power fails such as winter storm
  • You might qualify for a deduction when you file your taxes as the government rewards those who use alternative energy sources
  • Solar power is suitable for homes of all sizes, including mansions and tiny homes

Backyard Revolution shows you how to build solar panels that are appropriate for your home rather than the large panels that factories use.

What are the Main Benefits of Solar Power?

Are There Any Cons to Using Solar Energy?

Whenever you look at the pros of something, you should also consider the cons, which is why we’ll take a few minutes to look at some of the cons or disadvantages of solar power. One issue with traditional solar panels is the high cost. Not only do you need to pay for the equipment, but you often need to pay for the installation too. Backyard Revolution can help you save some money because it comes with detailed tips on how to set up and install the solar panels that you make without any extra help.

Another issue is that solar panels rely heavily on the weather. If you live in an area where it rains often and the sun often hides behind the clouds, you’ll have a difficult time getting enough cells to power your home. Cloudy days can significantly affect the way your solar panels work. You may find that the panels take up a lot of space too, even if you go with Backyard Revolution panels. While the guide teaches you how to build compact solar panels that don’t require much space, you may need multiple panels to power your whole home. Even compact solar panels can take up a lot of room when you need more than one.

Are There Any Cons to Using Solar Energy?

Backyard Revolution solar panels won’t detract from the design or look of your home

How Can You Use the Backyard Revolution?

You can use Backyard Revolution as a guide to building solar panels for your home. The guide includes a video tutorial that you can watch on any device. While you may want to pull it up on your television to watch it for the first time, you can view that video on your phone or tablet while you’re outside too. This makes it easy to follow along with the instructions as you work. Most customers found that it took them around six hours to build their first solar panels. Once they gained more experience and felt comfortable with the process, it took four hours or less to build other panels.

The guide also includes instructions on how to install the solar panel and where to place it. Though you do need to install it outside, you can often pick a convenient and out of the way place such as your garden or backyard. As long as the panel is in a place where it receives sunlight, it will work. All the steps that you follow use the research done at MIT to both revolutionize and change the way that you use power. Backyard Revolution solar panels absorb and produce more solar power than similar premade panels can.

Power your whole home with energy that you harness from the sun through Backyard Revolution solar panels.

How Can You Use the Backyard Revolution?

Who is Zack Bennett?

Zack Bennett is the man and brainchild behind Backyard Revolution. Bennett worked as an engineer and found himself interested in the work done by MIT. He used that research and combined it with a design of his own to create a new way to build solar panels. Bennett can trace his design back to one single night when he was living in Orlando, Florida with his life. As both an engineer and carpenter, he had many expensive tools and pieces of equipment in his home. A storm that swept through the city led to a blackout that left hundreds of homes without power. When he heard a thief outside, he reacted on instinct and tried to confront him. The man fled when he heard the Bennetts’ child crying.

That left Bennett wondering why there weren’t alternative and affordable sources of power for average people. Most solar panels were expensive and required costly affairs and installations. He decided to take the MIT research and combine it with his carpentry experience to design new solar panels that anyone could build. Even if you have little experience using a hammer and no technology experience, you can still create the ultimate solar panels for your home.

Who is Zack Bennett

Even if you have limited carpentry knowledge, you can use Backyard Revolution to build solar panels.

Where Can You Use the Backyard Revolution?

As you might expect from solar panels, you need to use those that you build from the Backyard Revolution guide outside. That doesn’t mean that you can only use them in one spot though. It’s often helpful to stand outside on a sunny day and look at where the sun’s rays hit. This helps you avoid placing the panel in a spot where a tree or a fence blocks those rays. After watching the tutorial, you’ll want to start the building process. All of the supplies that you need are readily available from hardware and home improvement stores. Backyard Revolution solar panels are perfect for use in different areas, including on your roof, the roof of your garage or a garden.

Let’s say that you have a small flower garden where you plant new flowers every year. You already know that the sun reaches those flowers, which makes it the perfect place for your solar panel. Adding them to the roof ensures that they get as much sunlight as possible because those surfaces are higher in the air. If you don’t want to worry about the panels blocking your flowers or garden, the roof might be the best place for them. Most garage roofs can support the weight of the panels too.

A garden is a good spot to use a solar panel because you know that the sun will reach it.

Where Can You Use the Backyard Revolution?

Who’s This For?

Backyard Revolution is an online system designed to help you build solar panels. Some of the biggest complaints that we found from former customers came from those who thought they would get completed solar panels. As long as you have access to the internet and the right tools, you can build the solar panels through those instructions. This is a good system for many people, including:

  • Those who want to save money on their average power bills
  • People who own or rent a home and want to try solar panel
  • Shoppers who feel comfortable handling power tools
  • Those with enough space to install and set up at least one solar panel

Before buying this guide, keep in mind that you need a space of at least 10 square feet per solar panel built. While that might not sound very big when you read it, it can take up a lot of your backyard space. If you plan on using a solar panel in your garden, it can limit the space that you have for plants and flowers. As long as you have enough room, you’ll often find that the Backyard Revolution guide is helpful and useful.

Who’s This For?

As long as you own or have access to some simple tools, you can easily follow the Backyard Revolution guide.

What Can You Do With the Backyard Revolution?

One of the biggest questions that potential customers had about the Backyard Revolution guide was what they could do with it once they built their solar panels. You can think of solar panels as an alternative source of electricity that you can use any day of the week and any time of the night. Some of the things that you can do with Backyard Revolution solar panels include:

  • Run multiple televisions along with game consoles and streaming devices
  • Charge your phone and other electronic devices as you sleep
  • Ensure that your refrigerator and other major appliances keep working when the power fails
  • Provide your computers with a constant source of power during an outage
  • Keep your home at the perfect temperature with heating and AC systems

The two biggest advantages of using Backyard Revolution solar panels include helping you save money and ensuring that you always have power. An outage can happen because someone hit a pole in your neighborhood or a storm knocked down one or more power lines. Thanks to Backyard Revolution and the solar panels that it helps you build, you can sleep through a power failure or outage without worrying about what your home will look or feel like the next morning.

Major thunderstorms can knock out power to hundreds of homes, but Backyard Revolution solar panels ensure that you have electricity during those outages.

What Can You Do With the Backyard Revolution?

Should You Buy It?

Instant and Convenient Downloads

The problem with other DIY guides is that they are only available in a paperback format. You risk losing that book every time you use it in a new place. When you buy the Backyard Revolution, you get instant and convenient downloads that you can use as soon as possible. This gives you the option of watching the tutorials on your phone and then examining the guides and diagrams on your computer. You can even take the guides outside as you work on the solar panels to make sure that you follow the specific directions. Anyone can use this guide too.

60-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Zack Bennett wants to make sure that customers are satisfied, which is why he offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. When you buy products online that come with a similar guarantee, you’ll often find that the countdown starts as soon as you place your order and not when it arrives. When you buy the Backyard Revolution plan, the countdown starts as soon as you download it. That gives you a full 60 days to check everything out and try your hand at building a solar panel. If the directions are confusing or you have any other problems, you can request a refund within the next two months.

With the Backyard Revolution plan, you need to pay $39 for the instructions and tutorials. Most customers found that they needed to spend another $200 to $300 on the materials and supplies to build their solar panels. The cost will decrease when you build more than one as you have some of the supplies that you need on hand.

No Experience Required

As you look at the reviews of other guides online, you’ll find that many customers dislike the instructions because they were too complicated and featured too many steps. Some authors assume that those looking at solar energy already know basic terms and forget that some readers are beginners. Bennett understands that you might have less experience than others, which is why his guide is so easy to follow. Though he is a trained carpenter, he created a guide that those who rarely use a hammer can follow. You might find that you already have most of the tools that you need and only need to pick up some materials too.

Save on Power Bills

The average power bill for homes in the United States can easily hit $200 a month. Using your AC more often in the summer and running heaters in the winter can significantly increase your bills. A top benefit of using Backyard Revolution solar panels is that you can cut your power bills in half during the first month alone. Most Backyard Revolution reviews claimed that users cut their bills by 60 to 65% over the coming months. You do not need to do anything special or take drastic steps either because the solar panel will start helping you save money as soon as you install it.

Should You Buy It?

With solar panels built with the Backyard Revolution system, you don’t need to worry about repair techs coming to your home.

No Maintenance

When a power outage hits your neighborhood, you’ll often find repair techs on the streets. They typically use cherry pickers to reach the top of utility poles, and their trucks can block your driveway or keep you from going down certain streets. With the Backyard Revolution system, you don’t need to worry about dealing with repair techs or power trucks. The solar panels that you create need little in the way of maintenance and can last for years. Most found that when their systems needed some work that they could handle the repairs themselves.

All Types of Weather

Many people worry about using solar power because they assume that they won’t have any power when it’s cloudy or the sky is dark. A nice feature of the Backyard Revolution system is that it works in all types of weather conditions. Let’s say that you use electricity one day and leave the panel off. When a thunderstorm comes through the next day and the electricity goes out, you can trust the solar panel to kick in and power your home. The panel will absorb cells and convert them into power that it stores for the future. You only need to worry about losing power if the panel has no access to the sun for multiple days.

The Backyard Revolution system can even provide power to your home when a snowstorm knocks out your electricity.

Should You Buy It?

Other Things That We Love About the Backyard Revolution System

  • With a single Backyard Revolution solar panel, you have enough power to run most or all of the appliances in your home.
  • If you’re a renter, you can take down the solar panel later and install it in your new home. It will not damage the property or upset your former landlord.
  • Landlords can use the solar panels as a selling point to renters as a way to show them that renting the home will save them money on their bills.
  • You can use the online help to pick up tips on using these solar panels on a motorhome or an RV.
  • Many local power companies offer discounts for those who use solar panels. Those discounts will let you save even more on your power bills.
  • You may qualify for one or more deductions when you file your taxes. Those deductions will pay for the cost of the guide and the supplies that you need.
  • Backyard Revolution includes information for those who want to use solar panels and live off the grid.
Other Things That We Love About the Backyard Revolution System

If you live in an area prone to hurricanes or tornadoes, the Backyard Revolution solar panels can provide you with power until the electricity comes back.

Are There Any Cons to Backyard Revolution?

Though many people liked the plans that came with the Backyard Revolution system and had no problems using it, some customers weren’t as happy with their experiences. A common complaint focused on the amount of work that the system requires. While Bennett claims that you can follow along and build a solar panel in only four hours, some found that it took them six to eight hours or more to build one. Depending on how much experience you have, the process can take you longer than you expected too because you need to keep going back and watching or looking at certain sections.

Other issues relate to the cost of building the solar panels and how much space they need. When you need to set aside 10 square feet for each panel and don’t want to install them on the roof, you need to sacrifice some of the space that you would otherwise use to spend time with your family or plant new flowers. As for the cost, building a single solar panel can easily cost $200 to $300 when you factor in everything that you need. That cost is still less than what you would pay for a premade solar panel from another company.

Other Con of the Backyard Revolution System
  • Some found the instructions confusing and too complicated
  • You can only watch the tutorials and read the guides with an internet connection
  • Bennett does not let you print copies of the guides
  • Following the guide can be frustrating for those with less experience
  • You may need to hire pros to install the finished panel

Where to Buy

We highly recommend buying Backyard Revolution through the official site. Zack Bennett uses his website to spread the word about his solar panel plans and to give customers a history of his life and experiences. Not only can you read more about how he came up with the concept and the idea behind it, but you can also check out the warranty that he offers and see how much the plan costs. When you scroll to the bottom of this page, you can click on the Order Now button to place your order.

The Backyard Revolution guide costs a flat $39. As everything you need to read and follow the plan is online, you don’t need to pay anything for shipping and handling. The site accepts various payment methods, including:

  • PayPal
  • MasterCard
  • Visa
  • Discover

You just need to enter your email address and card details. If you pay via PayPal, the site will let you quickly log in to your account to complete the process. Once you pay, you receive quick access to the online video tutorial and the detailed guides. These guides allow you to download copies to your computer or another device to look through them later.

You can easily download the guide and instructions once you purchase the Backyard Revolution plan.

Where to Buy

Competition

Zack Bennett is not the only person who came up with plans for home solar panels. Many other authors had similar ideas, which is why we’ll take a look at some of the competition on the market.

Solar Power for Beginners

Paul Holmes and Shalve Moile wrote Solar Power for Beginners as a basic guide for those who never used solar power before. You can purchase a paperback version of the book and have it shipped to your home, which allows you to read through the book before you start. It is also available as an e-book for those who want to carry the book with them as they work outside. Though it features definitions of terms that you need to understand, some found the book confusing. You’ll also find that it doesn’t use new technology in the designs that it suggests.

DIY Solar Power: How to Power Everything Under the Sun

Also available as an e-book and paperback is DIY Solar Power: How to Power Everything Under the Sun from Micah Toll. Toll wrote this book for those who already have some solar panel and DIY experience, which makes it a little too complicated for some. A few reviews pointed out that the book uses a larger typeface and big photos to make it seems as though it contains more information than it does. It also focuses a little too much on the equipment and tools that you need without going into detail on how to build solar panels.

Mobile Solar Power Made Easy

If you want to use solar power on the go to power your RV, you might find Mobile Solar Power Made Easy by William Errol Prowse IV helpful. This is a DIY book that includes both written steps as well as photos and diagrams that guide you through the process of designing and building solar panels. Those finished panels fit onto RVs and campers. The book also includes tips on reducing your energy usage on the go and how to store the completed solar panels. It doesn’t include much in the way of the permanent solar panels that you would use on a home though.

Build Your Own Solar Panel System in 2020

One benefit of Build Your Own Solar Panel System in 2020 by Rene Voss is that the author released an updated version of the book in 2020 that focuses on new technologies. That may be a downside too though as you have no guarantee that the book will be useful in the future when new technology becomes available. Voss has experience working with hybrid and electric cars that gave him an interesting approach to solar panels. Some may find that the book is too detailed and that the instructions are complicated and confusing, especially those who have limited experience with solar panels.

Final Verdict

Though the United States relied on coal for years, many people are now on the hunt for cleaner sources of energy. They love that solar energy can help them save money and work in situations where traditional electricity fails. While you’ll find hundreds of DIY books on Amazon that show you how to design and build solar panels, most of those books are better suited for experts than those who want to save money. That is why we like the Backyard Revolution. It takes only 20 minutes to watch an online video tutorial before you can head outside and start building.

Backyard Revolution is more than just another guide because it includes so much information. You’ll get shopping lists that make sure you have all the tools and supplies that you need as well as diagrams that show you how to put the pieces together. Zack Bennett, the brains behind the company, also included tips on installing the solar panel in your yard and what to do if you build more than one. Anyone who wants to spend less on their power bills and also has an interest in building solar panels will find the Backyard Revolution guide one of the best options available today.