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Best Emergency Lights Reviewed & Rated for Quality
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Effectiveness
When it comes to emergencies such as being in the dark if the electricity goes out, you will need a light that is really bright. You will need something that helps you see everything clearly. You never know when you will have to go to the basement to check the breaker box or just sit down there in case of a tornado and having a really bright light can make a world of difference than sitting in complete darkness.
Durability
You will need to make sure the emergency lights you use are stable enough to use. This means you want to ensure that if in case you drop your light, it doesn’t break into a million pieces. You never know during an emergency and during all of the chaos that might happen during that emergency, you might drop your light. If you do drop it, you want it to be in one piece still.
Water Resistance
You never know what is going to happen during an emergency and because of not knowing what will happen, your emergency light should be waterproof. Let’s look at this as an example; you are trying to get out of your home during a flood and you are carrying your emergency light. You drop it in the water. Because of dropping it in the water, it won’t turn on anymore. In case something like this happens, you want to be sure your light is waterproof.
Features
When you need to leave your home or wherever you are during an emergency, you will need to hang on tight to your emergency light. Because of this, your light should come with a locking handle so you can hang it on your arm and lock it there as to not lose it during the emergency. That is all you need is to lose the one thing that will help you get through what is happening around you.
No one ever knows when something bad is going to happen. Because of this, you should find an emergency light that comes with many years of a warranty if not, a lifetime warranty. This way, if something happens to your light, you can get another one before another crisis happens in your life.
Battery Life
You want your emergency light to come battery powered. You never want one that needs to be plugged in just in case your electricity goes out for a while. Make sure you always have the right sized batteries nearby at all times to ensure you will always have a light that works if an emergency happens.
Top 10 Picks
1. Streamlight
This is a lantern style emergency light. You can purchase it in several different models based on the number of lumens. It is also sold in either AA battery, D battery, or rechargeable variations. The lantern features a locking handle which makes it easy to carry or hang and it has a rubber bottom for stability. There is a storage compartment in the base that is also watertight.
USB Charging Ports
The lantern doubles as a charging device also. It features a USB charger that allows you to charge devices such as your cell phone. The ports are covered with rubber so that water doesn't leak into the ports while they aren't being used.
LED Lights
It uses both red and white LED lights. The lights resist damage due to shock and are good for 50,0000 hours. The white light is used in regular lighting but when you are ready to sleep, you can turn on the red light for night vision.
Cost and Value
This lantern has an above average price but it's worth spending a few extra dollars on it. It has really handy features such as both red and white lighting, USB charging ports, and it's highly resistant to breakage.
2. Gold Armour
Here is an LED lantern that is super small and even collapses when it isn't in being used. This makes it a great choice for emergency kits since it's small and lightweight. It features 350 lumens of light which are made possible by its use of LED technology. The manufacturer stands behind this lantern with a 15-year warranty so you can feel confident that this light will be there for you when you need it.
Collapsible
This lantern is fully collapsible and can be collapsed with just a push of a button. This makes it an ideal lantern for emergency car or home kits but it is also great for fishing or camping.
Durable
You can also expect this lantern to be extremely durable. It is made out of plastic that is military grade and water resistant. The lantern resists shocks from getting dropped or rolling around.
Cost and Value
The lantern is sold in packs of four and has a below average cost. You get an excellent value for your purchase because you get four lanterns that are highly durable and lightweight.
3. AYL StarLight
One of the best features found in this lantern is the fact that it can stay lit for up to six days. People may have to wait for a long time for rescue in extreme emergencies so this lantern is an ideal item for a home emergency kit. It features three different lighting modes which include flashing so that you can draw rescuers attention. It also outputs 600 lumens.
Long Lasting
This lantern can stay lit for six days on a fresh set of D cell batteries. That means you will continue to have light in situations where you may have to wait a while for rescue.
Three Lighting Modes
The lamp has three different lighting modes. There is a low and high setting as well as a flashing light setting. The high setting can be used when you need bright light but you can conserve energy by using the low setting.
Cost and Value
This lantern has an average price and is a great buy for an emergency home kit. It is able to stay lit for up to six days which can be really useful in extreme disasters where you have to wait for rescue.
4. OxyLED
Here is a great choice for an emergency flashlight. This light has five different light modes which include an SOS function. The light is resistant to water and it has a durable aluminum alloy body. This makes it an ideal flashlight that can be used in heavy rain. The glass on the light has an anti-reflective coating so that the light isn't reflected back into the flashlight body itself.
Five Light Modes
You can choose from three different levels of brightness. The flashlight also has a strobe light feature and an SOS function. It's also zoomable in case you need to focus the light on something specific.
Water Resistant
Although the flashlight cannot be submerged in water, it is constructed to be water resistant which allows you to use it in the rain. The water resistance rating is IPX-6 which means you can use this light in heavy rain.
Cost and Value
The flashlight has a below average price. It gets its value from the fact that it is inexpensive yet durable. It also has important features such as water resistance and multiple lighting modes.
5. Etekcity
Here is another excellent choice for a lantern. This lantern features a fire starter tool. This can be extremely handy if you are in a situation where you need a fire to stay warm. It also offers four different brightness settings and can be used upside down. The base is magnetic so the lantern can be securely attached to metal surfaces. It also features a handle that lets you carry it.
Fire Starter Tool
The lantern has a compact tool that lets you start a fire. Having the ability to start a fire can mean life or death in certain survival situations. The tool is flameless which helps you start fires in high winds.
Storage Compartment
You will also find that the lantern has a small storage compartment. This is an ideal place to store dry tinder to be used with the fire starter. However, the compartment also works well for first aid items or batteries.
Cost and Value
The lantern has a below average price which makes it an excellent value. There are features that really make this lamp a great value such as the fire starting tool, its storage compartment, and the magnetic base.
6. LuxPower
Here is another flashlight that works great for emergency kits. It is powered off of three AAA batteries or you can purchase the rechargeable battery option. The flashlight is lightweight and the body is designed not to roll around. It features a zoomable lens which lets you focus the beam onto specific items as needed. Finally, this flashlight features up to five light modes including SOS in case you need rescue.
Zoomable Lens
This flashlight features a zoomable lens. You can zoom the lens all of the way out to use this flashlight as a floodlight or you can focus the light beam onto specific items so that they can be seen in detail.
Anti-Roll Body
The body of the flashlight is cut in a way that keeps the flashlight from rolling around when it's set down. This can be really useful to keep the light in one specific place when you are working.
Cost and Value
You can expect to find this light at a slightly below average price. Its value comes from features that are really useful in an emergency. For example, the flashlight is small enough to keep in your car's glovebox.
7. Blackout Buddy
This is a flashlight that is meant to be used in your home in case of a power failure. It plugs into your outlets and functions as a night light when it isn't needed. When the power goes out, you simply unplug it from the wall and it functions as a handheld flashlight. The battery is fully rechargeable and the flashlight will function for up to four hours.
Night Light and Flashlight
The device has a night light mode which you can use under normal circumstances. It is small and designed to plug into your wall outlets. The devices will charge while it's plugged. When the power goes out, you can switch it into flashlight mode.
Lights up Automatically
When the device is not being used as a night light, it will stay off until the power goes out. When the power goes out, the device lights up automatically so that you don't need to look around for a light in the dark.
Cost and Value
This is a lowcost item that has a below average price. It gets its value from being inexpensive and dual function as a nightlight and a flashlight. They are inexpensive enough to place throughout your home.
8. Supernova 300
This is another six-day lantern that can be used to provide you with light in extreme emergencies. One of its key features is a pulsing LED light that helps you easily locate this lantern in a power outage. The lantern can emit up to 500 lumens of light which allows you to light up even extremely dark rooms. The lantern can work for up to six days.
Locator Light
This lantern has a small LED indicator light that blinks on a slow pulse. This allows you to easily locate the lantern in the dark during a power blackout. It is an ideal feature during emergencies.
Removable Top
The top of the lantern is removable which allows for focused lighting. This essentially allows the lantern to function as if it were a flashlight. You can also use the top to hang the light up when needed.
Cost and Value
This lantern has a slightly above average price but it is also worth the money. You can purchase it in three different models based on the number of lumens you want. It lasts for up to six days making it ideal for emergencies.
9. YiFeng
Here is another flashlight that can be used to provide you with focused light in an emergency. These flashlights have a spotlight range of up to 600 feet so that you can see far ahead in the dark. They are also powerful enough to light up an entire room. Like most flashlights, these lights have three brightness modes as well as an SOS and strobe light mode which makes them ideal for emergencies.
Adjustable Focus
You can use this flashlight as both a floodlight and as a spotlight. The spotlight has a very long range of 600 feet which can be ideal to get the attention of rescuers.
Compact design
This flashlight has a compact design. Its max length is 6.1 inches, which means you can easily pack this flashlight into your car's glove box or place it in a home emergency kit.
Cost and Value
The product has a below average price. It has some features that make it well worth its value. For example, the spotlight has a range of 600 feet and the body is water resistant.
10. LightMe
This is a lightbulb that is charged with a USB charger. It is sold with a solar panel that charges the light bulb. The main advantage of this bulb is that it can be charged with solar energy during the day. At night, it is capable of charging USB devices. This makes the bulb extremely useful in emergencies because it can provide you with light during a power outage and charge your phones.
Solar Charging
You can charge this lightbulb with a regular charger or with the included solar panel. The solar panel charging is really useful during a power outage since it only needs sunshine to operate.
Charges Other Devices
The light bulb also charges other devices using power-out USB ports. This is really useful because you can keep your mobile phones powered up in an emergency and call for help when cell towers are operational again.
Cost and Value
The LightMe has an average price. The fact that it can be charged with a solar panel makes it an excellent item to have in a home or car emergency kit.
