SURVIVAL BUNKER

Lanterns and battery lights for a power cut

Prices and stock checked 4 November 2026. Specs are the makers' figures.

A torch lights where you point it; a lantern lights the room, so the family can eat, play cards or find the stairs. Keep one lantern for the room you'll gather in, and think about a plug-in light that comes on by itself when the power goes, for the landing or a child's room.

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Our picks

What to look for

  • Diffused light. A frosted or shaded lantern spreads light round the room instead of into your eyes.
  • Hours on low. A lantern on its low setting is enough to move around by, and lasts days rather than hours.
  • How it charges. Built-in batteries need charging before a cut and a way to charge during one, such as a power bank. One that also takes ordinary batteries is easier to rely on.
  • A way to hang it. A hook or magnets put the light above the table, where it works best.

The government's Be Ready checklist says "Torches are safer than candles", and National Grid suggests keeping "a lantern or torch somewhere that's easy to find".

Lanterns and lights worth a look

Black Diamond Moji R+ lanternOur pickTo light a room

A small diffused lantern with a built-in rechargeable battery (Micro-USB), a double hook and four magnets, so it can hang from a light fitting or sit on the fridge. Black Diamond gives 8 hours at 100 lumens and 100 hours at 10, measured to the point where it gives 0.25 lux at 2 m rather than the usual 10% of full brightness.

Brightness
200 lumens
Battery
Built-in rechargeable (Micro-USB)
Run time
100 lumens for 8 h, 10 lumens for 100 h (Black Diamond; to 0.25 lux at 2 m)
Light
Diffused, with colour modes including red
Full specifications (2 more)
Hanging
Double hook and four magnets
Water
IPX4

£39.99 at Ultralight Outdoor GearSearch Amazon

Xtralite NiteSafe Sensor IIOur pickComes on by itself

Sits in a socket as a night light and charges there. When the power fails it switches on by itself, Xtralite says for up to 5 hours, and it lifts out as a 130-lumen torch. Good on a landing or by the stairs. We found no independent test of it.

Type
Plug-in night light that comes on when the power fails, and lifts out as a torch
Torch
Up to 130 lumens
Power cut
Up to 5 h (Xtralite)
Also
Motion sensor and dusk-to-dawn modes

See today's price at Amazon

Ledlenser ML4 lanternOur pickTakes a spare AA

Palm-sized, 71 g, with a rechargeable cell that charges on a magnetic cable; if that's flat, an ordinary AA battery fits instead. Ledlenser gives 45 hours on low; its pages disagree on the higher settings.

Brightness
300 lumens boost
Battery
Rechargeable 14500 cell included; takes an ordinary AA instead
Run time
5 lumens for 45 h (Ledlenser; its pages differ on the higher settings)
Charging
Magnetic cable, about 2.5 h
Full specifications (2 more)
Weight
71 g with battery
Water
IP66

See today's price at Amazon

BioLite AlpenGlow 500 lanternBrightest, charges a phone

500 lumens with warm or cool white light, a 6,400 mAh battery and a USB socket to top up a phone. BioLite gives 5 hours on high and up to 200 on low. Charges by Micro-USB.

Brightness
500 lumens
Battery
Built-in 6,400 mAh (23.6 Wh) rechargeable
Run time
5 h high, up to 200 h low (BioLite)
Charging
Micro-USB, about 3 h; a USB socket charges a phone
Full specifications (3 more)
Light
Cool or warm white, and colour modes
Weight
380 g
Water
IPX4

Sold out at Trekitt when we checked on 4 November.

See today's price at Amazon

What testers found

These are findings other testers have published, credited with links.

  • Black Diamond Moji R+ lanternOutdoorGearLab in its US tests, ran for more than five hours on its highest setting, with useful diffused light and a hook and magnets for hanging (a lantern it bought).October 2026
  • Ledlenser ML4 lanternAustralian Geographic in an Australian field test, used it on an overnight hike and a family camping trip, and found the low mode useful as a child's night light.June 2020
  • BioLite AlpenGlow 500 lanternOutdoorGearLab in its US tests, lasted 5.1 hours on its highest setting (a lantern it bought).October 2026

For hands-free light: head torches for a power cut.