The best camping lanterns
Light for the tent, the awning, the garden table and the next power cut: the lanterns worth packing.
A good lantern lights the whole tent or awning rather than one spot like a torch. Rechargeable ones save a fortune in batteries, and most now double as a power bank for a phone.
Lanterns have a long British history: London firm Tilley made paraffin pressure lamps so popular that 'Tilley lamp' became the name for any pressure lamp. Today's LEDs are safer in a tent and last days on a charge.
What matters
- Rechargeable, ideally with a phone-charging port.
- Warm light for evenings.
- Water resistance (IPX4 or better) if it goes outside.
- A hook or handle for hanging.
#1 of 5
Best overall
LE (Lepro) 1000lm Rechargeable Camping Lantern
£20–£30 Price range
Bright enough to light a whole awning at 1,000 lumens, with a warm-white setting for evenings and a USB port that tops up a phone from the same battery. Hang it from the tent roof or stand it on the table.
What owners say: Owners find it excellent for camping and power cuts and like the brightness levels and USB charging, though a few had one stop working.
A closer look: Use the warm setting once it's dark: it's gentler on the eyes and less harsh on the campsite. Unscrew the diffuser for a brighter, more direct light when you're cooking.
- Up to 1,000 lumens, warm and cool white
- 4,400mAh battery, doubles as a power bank
- 6.5 hours at full power, 12 on warm white
- IP44 splash-resistant
- Hook underneath and metal carry handle
Best for: Lighting the whole tent
- Brightness
- Up to 1,000lm
- Power
- 4,400mAh rechargeable
- Run time
- 6.5–12 hours
- Charges a phone
- Yes
- Water resistance
- IP44
- Weight
- 550g
#2 of 5
Best for the tent
Blukar Rechargeable Camping Lantern with Detachable Lights (K9107)
£10–£20 Price range
A clever one: the side panels fold out and unclip, so one lantern becomes several little hanging lights spread round the tent. Up to 50 hours on the low setting.
What owners say: Owners find it brilliant, with adjustable modes, and say it lasts days between charges; one lit a 3m awning with it.
Heads up: The listing says it isn't water-resistant, so it's for inside the tent or awning, not left out in the rain.
A closer look: Hang one light by the door, one over the beds and keep the base on the table: no more hunting for a torch at 2am. Charge it from a power bank on longer trips.
- Side lights unclip to hang separately
- 7 modes, including SOS
- 3,600mAh battery, 10–50 hours
- USB charging
- 237g
Best for: Spreading light round the tent
- Brightness
- –
- Power
- 3,600mAh rechargeable
- Run time
- 10–50 hours
- Charges a phone
- –
- Water resistance
- Not water-resistant
- Weight
- 237g
#3 of 5
Best looking
HARPER LIVING Retro Rechargeable LED Lantern
£20–£30 Price range
A proper hurricane-lamp look, with a chrome cage and wooden base, but LED inside: dimmable from warm to cool light and good for up to 75 hours. As happy on a garden table as in a campervan.
What owners say: Owners find it lasts up to five days a charge and lights a whole room, and love the warm light and the look.
A closer look: Set it to the warmest, dimmest setting for summer evenings in the garden and it looks like candlelight without the wax. Handy in the kitchen drawer for power cuts, too.
- 370 lumens, dimmable
- Colour changes from warm 2200K to cool 6500K
- Up to 75 hours, 5,000mAh
- Works as a power bank
- IPX4, 600g
Best for: Gardens and campervans
- Brightness
- 370lm
- Power
- 5,000mAh rechargeable
- Run time
- Up to 75 hours
- Charges a phone
- Yes
- Water resistance
- IPX4
- Weight
- 600g
#4 of 5
PopoIron Rechargeable Camping Lantern (5000mAh, 3 colours)
£20–£30 Price range
The base unscrews so it works three ways: a table lantern, an upside-down tent light or a torch. Three shades of white, stepless dimming and a big 5,000mAh battery that also charges a phone.
What owners say: Owners are impressed by the light and the value, with one getting over seven hours at full power, though some expected it brighter.
A closer look: Turn it upside down and hang it from the tent loop by its base for an even overhead glow. Run it on half brightness and the battery goes much further.
- Up to 1,000lm (listing)
- Cool, warm or natural white, dimmable
- 5,000mAh, about 6 hours at full brightness
- Power bank output
- IPX4, 272g
Best for: Three lights in one
- Brightness
- Up to 1,000lm
- Power
- 5,000mAh rechargeable
- Run time
- About 6 hours (full power)
- Charges a phone
- Yes
- Water resistance
- IPX4
- Weight
- 272g
#5 of 5
Best budget
ILEEDear Collapsible LED Lanterns, Pack of 2 (AAA)
Under £10 Price range
Two small pop-up lanterns for under a tenner: pull up to switch on, push down to switch off and pack flat. Keep one in the camping box and one in the kitchen drawer for power cuts.
What owners say: Owners find them bright and good quality, better than candles in a winter power cut, though some find them very small.
Heads up: They need AAA batteries, which aren't included: buy a pack with them, or they'll be no use in a power cut.
A closer look: Store them with the batteries out so nothing leaks, and a pack of AAAs in the same drawer. Pull-to-light is easy to find by feel in the dark.
- 2 collapsible lanterns
- Up to 350 lumens each
- 3 × AAA each (not included)
- About 6 hours per set of batteries
- About 100g each
Best for: Power cuts and spare lights
- Brightness
- Up to 350lm each
- Power
- 3 × AAA each
- Run time
- About 6 hours
- Charges a phone
- No
- Water resistance
- –
- Weight
- About 100g each
How they compare
| Feature | #1LE 1000lm | #2Blukar K9107 | #3HARPER LIVING retro | #4PopoIron 5000mAh | #5ILEEDear 2-pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for the tent | Best looking | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.7 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | Under £10 Price range |
| Brightness | Up to 1,000lm | – | 370lm | Up to 1,000lm | Up to 350lm each |
| Power | 4,400mAh rechargeable | 3,600mAh rechargeable | 5,000mAh rechargeable | 5,000mAh rechargeable | 3 × AAA each |
| Run time | 6.5–12 hours | 10–50 hours | Up to 75 hours | About 6 hours (full power) | About 6 hours |
| Charges a phone | Yes | – | Yes | Yes | No |
| Water resistance | IP44 | Not water-resistant | IPX4 | IPX4 | – |
| Weight | 550g | 237g | 600g | 272g | About 100g each |
| Best for | Lighting the whole tent | Spreading light round the tent | Gardens and campervans | Three lights in one | Power cuts and spare lights |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Swipe sideways to see all 5.
Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.