Best Lanterns for Power Outages (Battery, Rechargeable and Solar)

For most homes, the best lantern for a power outage is an LED lantern that runs on ordinary batteries, such as the Energizer WeatheReady 360 Degree LED Emergency Lantern, with a rechargeable or solar model added if you also want to charge a phone. Our resources page has an LED lantern pick if you want one ready to order. Whatever you buy, choose an LED lantern that runs on batteries or a rechargeable pack, and keep anything that burns fuel outdoors. The CDC gives two reasons, fire risk and carbon monoxide.

We did not test these lanterns. This guide compares what each maker publishes about lumens, run time, power source and water rating, and it leans on CDC and Ready.gov wording for safety. Specs are maker claims, so treat them as a way to compare, not a promise of what you will get in your own living room. If you smell smoke, feel dizzy or sick from a fuel-burning device, or someone is in danger, get outside and call 911. Otherwise, follow your local emergency officials, and when in doubt, don’t.

What does the CDC say about lanterns in a power outage?

Use battery-powered ones, and keep any lantern that burns fuel outside. The CDC’s power outage page has a heading that reads “Use flashlights instead of candles,” and under it:

“Use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns, rather than candles, gas lanterns, or torches to minimize the risk of fire.”

Source: CDC, “What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage” (cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.

The same page deals with carbon monoxide, and it names lanterns on the list of things to keep out of the house:

“Never use a charcoal grill, hibachi, lantern, or portable camping stove inside a home, tent, or camper.”

Source: CDC, “What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage” (cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.

The CDC explains why on its carbon monoxide page, which lists lanterns among the things that make it: CO is found in fumes produced “any time you burn fuel in cars or trucks, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, or furnaces.”

“Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that kills without warning.”

Source: CDC, “Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Basics” (cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.

That is the safety case for an LED lantern. A propane, kerosene or liquid-fuel camping lantern is a fuel-burning device, and you cannot smell the gas it can make. A battery or rechargeable LED lantern burns nothing. If you have a fuel-burning lantern from camping, it stays out of the house, the garage and the tent. Ready.gov says the same about detectors on its power outage page:

“Install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of your home.”

Source: Ready.gov, “Power Outages” (ready.gov), accessed November 2026.

Our guide to the best carbon monoxide detectors covers what to buy.

What should you compare when you buy a lantern?

Four things, all of which the maker lists on the product page: lumens and run time together, the power source, the water rating, and any extras like a USB port.

Lumens and run time go together. Lumens measure brightness. Run time is how long the lantern holds that brightness on a full charge or a fresh set of batteries. The makers’ own numbers show the tradeoff. The Streamlight Siege AA lists 200 lumens for 7 hours on high and 50 lumens for 37 hours on low. The Energizer lists 500 lumens for 30 hours and 100 lumens for 90 hours. The Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 lists up to 600 lumens, with 2.5 hours on high with both sides lit and 180 hours on low. Read a long run time as the low-brightness figure, and a high lumen number as the short-run figure. A lantern that lists both is usually giving you two different modes.

Power source decides what you must do before the storm. A lantern on ordinary AA, AAA or D batteries works the minute you put batteries in and can be refueled with spares from a drawer. A rechargeable lantern needs a charge, and the charge fades in storage. Goal Zero’s spec sheet for the Lighthouse 600 says to charge it every 3 to 6 months. Solar and hand-crank charging mean you can recharge when the grid is down, but those are slow, so they are a backup to a charge you did ahead of time.

Water rating matters if you will use it outside. Two of the lanterns below list an IPX4 rating, and Black Diamond describes its IPX4 as withstanding “rain and sleet from any angle.” The Streamlight lists IPX7, which its info sheet describes as waterproof to 1 meter submersion. Treat these as the makers’ claims.

Extras are nice, not required. A USB port that charges a phone is the extra most outage buyers want. The Streamlight also has a red light and an SOS mode, which some people want on a bedside lantern.

The Ready.gov power outage page says to “Have flashlights for every household member.” A lantern covers the other job, which is light for a whole room. If you are also picking flashlights and headlamps, our guide to emergency flashlights compares 24 of them, and the flashlight and headlamp section of our resources page has the gear list.

How do the five lanterns compare?

Where a range is given, the short figure is the brightest mode and the long figure is the dimmest. Compare lanterns at the same mode before you decide.

Energizer WeatheReady 360 Degree LED Emergency Lantern: best battery lantern for most homes

Energizer lists this one at 500 lumens on high for 30 hours and 100 lumens on low for 90 hours, with a night-light mode listed at 500 hours. It takes 3 D or 3 AA batteries, so you can stock whichever you already keep, and it has a USB port that can charge a device. Energizer lists IPX4 water resistance and says the figures were tested to ANSI FL1 standards, which is a maker statement we have not checked.

The tradeoff is that it runs on disposable batteries, so you need spares, and a large lantern takes up shelf room. It is a good first pick if you want something that works the minute you drop batteries in, with no charge to remember. Our guide to storing batteries covers shelf life.

Streamlight Siege AA: best compact lantern for a drawer or a car

Streamlight’s info sheet lists a white light with high, medium and low modes of 200, 100 and 50 lumens, for 7, 15.5 and 37 hours. It adds a red LED with a 192-hour run time and an SOS mode listed at 288 hours. It takes three AA alkaline batteries, sold separately, and Streamlight lists an IPX7 rating that it describes as waterproof to 1 meter and floating, and 2 meter impact resistance. It weighs 8.8 ounces, with a battery indicator and a keyed battery door, which Streamlight says makes batteries easy to change in the dark.

You give up brightness at the longest run time, and there is no USB output. It suits a hall, a bathroom, or a bedside table, and it is small enough to keep with the rest of your kit.

Goal Zero Lighthouse 600: best rechargeable lantern that also charges a phone

Goal Zero lists up to 600 lumens from two LED sides, an internal 5200 mAh battery, and a USB output for phones and small devices. It charges from a USB source in about 6 hours, from a Nomad 10 solar panel in about 6 hours of sunlight, or from a built-in hand crank, where Goal Zero says 1 minute of cranking gives 10 minutes of light on low. Run times run from 2.5 hours (both sides, high power) to 180 hours (both sides, low power), and 320 hours with one side lit on low. It weighs 1.1 pounds, and Goal Zero lists an operating temperature range of 32 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. We did not find a water rating on the page we read.

The tradeoff is the one every rechargeable carries. It needs charging before the outage and a top-up every 3 to 6 months, per Goal Zero. Treat the crank as a backup to a charge you did ahead of time. A power bank is the other piece of kit worth charging ahead of time.

LuminAID PackLite Max 2-in-1 Power Lantern: best solar lantern for an emergency kit

This is an inflatable solar lantern. LuminAID’s product page lists 150 lumens in its spec list, a 50-hour run time, a 2000 mAh battery, and recharging by solar or USB, with a solar recharge time of 16 to 20 hours. It can charge a phone, and the page says “Waterproof & Floats.” Its marketing copy says “maximum brightness of 200 Lumens,” while the spec list says 150, and two spec blocks on the page give different weights, so check the current listing for the numbers before you buy.

It is dimmer than the battery lanterns above and the solar recharge is slow, so charge it by USB when you can. It folds flat, which is why it fits in a car kit or a kit for a small apartment.

Black Diamond Moji Lantern: best small lantern on ordinary batteries

Black Diamond lists 200 lumens at maximum, a listed maximum burn time of 120 hours, an IPX4 rating, and a weight of 120 grams. It takes three AAA batteries, or a Black Diamond 1500 rechargeable battery sold separately, and it has a dimmer, a strobe and a digital lockout that stops it turning on in a pack.

Size is the limit. It lights a table or a small room, not a living room, and a few of them work better than one. The AAA batteries are worth adding to your spare stock if you choose it. Because it takes either battery type, you can start with disposable batteries and switch to a rechargeable later.

Which is the best camping lantern for a power outage?

Any of the five above is sold for camping as well as emergencies, so the two jobs overlap heavily. What you want in either case is an LED lantern that is self-contained, with a handle or hook and a water rating you are comfortable with. Pick by the same four checks, and use the camping lantern you already own if it is an LED model.

If your camping lantern burns propane, white gas or kerosene, it is a fuel-burning device and stays outdoors. That follows the CDC’s wording above, and it applies to a tent or camper as much as to a house.

What non-electric lighting is safe to use in an outage?

The CDC steers people away from flame indoors, so the best non-electric option is a light that does not need the grid. That means a hand-crank or solar lantern like the Goal Zero or LuminAID above, or a battery lantern with spare batteries, which needs no outlet. The CDC’s reason for choosing them over flames is “to minimize the risk of fire.”

Candles are the one flame that comes up. The CDC’s winter storm page says:

“Use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns rather than candles, if possible.”

Source: CDC, “Safety Guidelines: During & After a Winter Storm” (cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.

If you decide to use them anyway, the CDC’s power outage page says: “If you have to use candles, keep them away from anything that can catch fire.” Ready.gov’s Home Fires page adds:

“Keep candles at least 12 inches away from flammable materials or consider using flameless candles.”

Source: Ready.gov, “Home Fires” (ready.gov), accessed November 2026.

If you want the candle look without the flame, our resources page lists flameless LED candles. Our holiday fire safety guide covers the rest of the federal candle rules, and a battery lantern is the safer default.

How many lanterns do you need, and where do they go?

This part is our suggestion, not safety guidance. One lantern for the room where the family gathers is a start, and a second for the kitchen or hallway helps. Keep a flashlight or headlamp on each person, as Ready.gov’s list suggests, for walking around the house. A small red-light lantern by a child’s bed can take the place of a candle at night.

Put the lanterns where you can find them in the dark: on a shelf by the main door, in the hall closet, and with the rest of your outage supplies. Our what to do when the power goes out page lists first steps, and the night-time outage guide covers the first hour after dark.

How do you keep lanterns ready?

Test each lantern when you buy it, so you know it works and how to change modes in the dark. Then check it again every few months, and replace batteries that are past their date. If you chose a rechargeable, set a reminder to charge it on the maker’s schedule, which Goal Zero gives as every 3 to 6 months. Keep spare batteries with the lantern, and follow each maker’s storage instructions.

Frequently asked questions

Is a lantern better than a flashlight in a power outage?

They do different jobs. A flashlight throws a beam where you point it. A lantern lights a space in all directions, which suits a family sitting in one room. Ready.gov says to have flashlights for every household member, so keep both.

Can I use a propane or kerosene lantern inside?

No. The CDC says to never use a lantern inside a home, tent or camper, because fuel-burning devices can make carbon monoxide. Use an LED lantern indoors.

How long will a lantern run in an outage?

It depends on the brightness setting, the batteries and the model. Makers list run times at each setting, and the lowest setting runs longest. We did not test any, so check the listing, and keep spare batteries or a way to recharge.

What is the best camping lantern for emergencies?

An LED model that runs on batteries or a rechargeable pack, with a hook or handle and the water rating you want. Avoid a fuel-burning lantern indoors.

The Family Emergency Binder has a Power Outage page with the first steps, food-safety timing and generator safety, so the rest of the outage plan sits next to your lanterns.