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The principle is pretty straightforward: cut a small hole in the roof, then install a metal tube that leads down to wherever you want the skylight. The sizes Solatube offers fit between most joists and rafters. Cut another hole in the ceiling and install a lens, and presto: whenever there's daylight, you've got free light indoors. And because the light is reflected down a long tube, most of the heat and glare problems associated with typical skylights are eliminated.

There are a few things to look for when buying a tubular skylight. As far as we know, Solatube has the most reflective interior coating -- so the most light makes it down the tube. We also prefer the flashing kits Solatube offers: those are the metal bits that interlock with the shingles on your roof to keep water out. (We saw a copycat product some time ago that relied on nothing but caulk to seal the roof joint: that's not a good design.)

We also like the effect lenses Solatube offers, which can warm the color temperature of daylight. Surprisingly, daylight is very cool -- at noon, it's the same color as those fluorescent bulbs people love to complain about. There's also a ventilation kit, a light add-on kit, and a light damper you can operate with a switch. Cost varies depending on options and the length of the tube, but it's not unusual for one to cost far less than $1000 installed.

Check out the Solatube website, and if you know of a good installer in your area, leave us a note below.