PreparedStates

Best LED lanterns for power outages (2026)

A lantern lights a whole room, which is what keeps an outage evening normal: cooking, eating, playing cards.

By PreparedStates editors · Updated October 22, 2026

Our picks

All 6 compared

1. Etekcity LED Camping Lantern (4-pack) Our top pick
Lantern (4-pack) · AA batteries (included)

A lantern for every room

4.2
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Our verdict
Our verdictResearched

Four collapsible battery lanterns, batteries included: one for each room in a power cut. Tens of thousands of Amazon ratings.

Best for A lantern for every room

Good
  • Four lanterns
  • Batteries included
Worth knowing
  • Not rechargeable

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want one bright lantern.

2. Coleman 400L LED Camping Lantern Runner-up
Lantern · Batteries (30 hours on high)

A long-running lantern from a known brand

4.1
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Our verdict
Our verdictResearched

Coleman's water-resistant LED lantern, rated by its listing for 30 hours on high and 70 on low.

Best for A long-running lantern from a known brand

Good
  • Long run time
  • Water-resistant
Worth knowing
  • Uses disposable batteries

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want USB charging.

3. Energizer X1000 LED Camping Lantern Also good
Lantern · 1,150 lm · Rechargeable (micro-USB)

Bright room light, rechargeable

4.0
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Our verdict
Our verdictResearched

Lights a whole room at 1,150 lumens; drop to a low setting to stretch the battery through a night.

Best for Bright room light, rechargeable

Good
  • Very bright
  • Rechargeable
Worth knowing
  • 3.5 hours on high
  • 8-hour recharge

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you need days of light without power to recharge: keep a battery lantern too.

4. Coleman LED Lantern with Enhanced Battery Protection
Lantern · 1,000 lm · Batteries

Battery lantern that waits in a closet

4.0
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Our verdict
Our verdictResearched

Runs on ordinary batteries, so it works on day five of an outage if you've stored spares. Up to 1,000 lumens.

Best for Battery lantern that waits in a closet

Good
  • Runs on stored batteries
  • Water-resistant
Worth knowing
  • Battery cost

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you'd rather recharge by USB.

5. Lichamp LED Camping Lantern (4-pack)
Lantern (4-pack) · 350 lm · AA batteries

Brighter four-pack lanterns

4.0
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Our verdict
Our verdictResearched

Another four-pack of battery lanterns, rated at 350 lumens each by its listing.

Best for Brighter four-pack lanterns

Good
  • Four lanterns
  • 350 lumens each
Worth knowing
  • Batteries separate

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want rechargeable.

6. LuminAID PackLite Max 2-in-1 Solar Lantern and Phone Charger
Inflatable solar lantern · Solar + USB, charges a phone

Light that recharges in the sun

3.5
$60 at LuminAID
Checked Oct 22
In stockCheck price →
Our verdict
Our verdictResearched

An inflatable lantern that charges in sunlight and can top up a phone: useful when an outage outlasts your batteries. Packs flat.

Best for Light that recharges in the sun

Good
  • Solar charging
  • Packs flat
  • Phone top-up
Worth knowing
  • Brightness not stated on the page we read

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you need a very bright light.

ⓘ As an Amazon Associate, PreparedStates earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes what we recommend. Amazon prices come from Amazon's own product data and can change at any time.

The honest bit
Candles cause fires in outages. Battery LED lanterns are safer and brighter; keep spare batteries or a way to recharge so they last the whole outage.

Before you buy

One per room you use after dark: four-packs are the cheapest way to cover a house.

Mix power sources

Battery lanterns with spares work when everything else is flat; rechargeable and solar lanterns cost nothing to run.

Check run time as well as brightness: an outage evening is long.

Keep them where you can find them in the dark.

How we choose

We verify every product's specifications against at least two independent sources, re-check its US price and stock on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and cross-check safety-relevant claims against official guidance. Every review is labelled Researched or Used and reviewed by us: where we've bought a product, or been sent it free, and used it ourselves, its review says which; where we haven't, our verdict is a considered spec-and-evidence comparison, not a hands-on test — and commissions never change a ranking either way. Read our full methodology →

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Common questions

How many lanterns do I need for a power outage?

One for each room you'll use after dark is a good start, plus a flashlight or headlamp per person.

Battery, rechargeable or solar lantern?

Battery lanterns keep working as long as you have spares; rechargeable lanterns are cheap to run; solar lanterns recharge in daylight, useful when an outage runs for days.

Are LED lanterns safe indoors?

Yes: battery LED lanterns don't burn anything. The CDC suggests battery-powered flashlights or lanterns rather than candles, if possible.