<p>Freshwater scarcity is a global crisis, and traditional desalination processes require 3–10&#xa0;kWh m⁻³; these processes are energy-intensive and is powered by fossil fuels, which is not in line with the goals of energy conservation. However, conventional solar stills have low productivity (2–4&#xa0;L m⁻²/day) because of low solar capture efficiency and high thermal losses. Solar distillation is a renewable desalination method, but its practical application is limited by low productivity. Improving water yield per unit of solar energy reduces the need for auxiliary energy input. This review differs from previous reviews, which have concentrated on single still types or isolated still configurations, by systematically comparing the performance of the different types of internal, external, and combined reflectors in the various solar still designs. Key quantitative results: annual yield up to 34% (65% during winter) higher when using the internal reflectors; annual yield 24–35% higher when using the external reflectors; annual yield 35–48% higher in basin stills, and more than 125% higher (up to 301%) in stepped or corrugated designs. Reflector-enhanced systems typically produce 5–6&#xa0;L m⁻² day⁻¹, compared with 3–4&#xa0;L m⁻² day⁻¹ for conventional solar stills. The results suggest that simple reflectivity modifications can significantly reduce land area and embodied energy for a specified water production; can lower demand for active heating, and can allow off-grid communities to generate potable water with a near-zero carbon footprint. The review also identifies optimal configurations (the highest annual gain is achieved with rear mirrors) and material selection (glass mirrors yield a better annual gain than aluminum foil). This work contributes to the energy–water nexus by promoting passive efficiency strategies and thus reinforces the contribution of solar distillation.</p>