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If you’re looking for the best emergency lighting for power outage, you’re in the right place! In this article, I’ll provide a variety of emergency lighting options. Regardless of your budget or specific emergency lighting needs, you’re sure to find something that will work for you. This will position you to have adequate light during your next power outage.
Best Emergency Lighting for Power Outage
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The good news is that there are many different types of emergency lighting options available. In this article I’ll cover numerous off grid lighting options that you can use in an emergency or any time you’re without electricity for whatever reason. If you’re looking for the best light for power outage, you’re in the right place!
Best Flashlights for Power Outages
Flashlights may seem to be a mundane option, but they have stood the test of time for good reason. I recommend putting flashlights in strategic locations throughout your home, so that when a power outage occurs, you’ll always have one nearby. (There’s nothing like having the lights go off and having to stumble through the dark up or down stairs, looking for a light!)
I recommend flashlights as the best emergency lighting for power outages, because they are small, and can be stashed in every room in the house.
RECHOO LED Flashlight S2000
The RECHOO LED Flashlight S2000 is my first flashlight pick for emergencies for the following features:
- 3 times brighter than a typical TS6 LED flashlight
- Mid-sized, but small enough to fit into a glove box, nightstand drawer, or bug out bag
- Long battery life, and uses easy-to-buy AA batteries
- Water resistant, so usable in wet conditions
- Made with aircraft grade aluminum alloy, for maximum durability
- Comes with a 2-year replacement guarantee
- 3 times brighter than a typical TS6 LED flashlight
Due to the strong construction, this flashlight is heavier than some. This is not a bad thing because if you happen to drop it, it will be much less likely to break than a cheap plastic flashlight. Also, if you keep one in your nightstand, it can double as a weapon that you can quickly grab if you happen to hear an intruder in the middle of the night. 🙂 Okay, just kidding about that last point, but when it comes to lighting for power outages, flashlights are a great place to start.
Best Lanterns to Use for Emergency Lighting in a Power Outage
As much as I love flashlights, and think that if nothing else, you should have flashlights, the problem with flashlights is that at least in most cases, you hold them in your hand. Especially in a power outage, sometimes you need softer light, that can fill a room. That’s where lanterns come in.
Lanterns are a great option for emergency lighting in a power outage because they can be hung from a wall or ceiling or placed on a table.
They can also often be used indoors or outdoors.
Candelier Candle Lantern
When it comes to emergency lighting in a power outage, the first lantern on my list is the Candelier candle lantern. Here are the primary features that made me put this lantern on my list:
What I love about this lantern is that it has three slow-burning candles. Each candle burns for about 9 hours, and no other fuel or batteries are required.
Each of the candles are spring loaded, so that as the candle burns, it is pushed up to always be at the right level. This lantern even includes a “hot plate” on top that you can use to boil water, or keep food warm. I wouldn’t expect to actually cook on it, but it’d be nice to be able to at least have something warm to drink in case of a power outage.
In case of a prolonged power outage, I recommend stocking up on some extra candles so that you don’t run out of light before the power outage ends.
Feuerhand Lantern from Germany – Galvanized
The next lantern on my list to have in your preps in case of a power outage is the Feuerhand Lantern from Germany.
This lantern is very durable and is also weather resistant. The globe is designed in such a way that it won’t crack in rain or snow.
The tank holds enough fuel that it will provide light for 20 hours without refueling.
There are two types of fuel that I recommend for this lantern:
One thing that I love about this lamp oil is that it can be stored for a long time, if stored in a dark place. So, you don’t need to worry about it going bad and not being any good when you need it.
If the Aladdin Lamp Oil is not available, then I recommend Kleanheat Lamp Oil.
Kleanheat lamp oil is also clean burning, and is very highly rated. However, it doesn’t have as long of a shelf life as the Aladdin Lamp Oil. The shelf life for Kleanheat is 3 years unopened, and 6 months after opening. Because of that, it’s not ideal for long term storage.
Forest LED Lantern
The next two lantern options that I recommend that you add to your preps in case of emergency power outage are great options because they don’t have an open flame. This makes them safer options, especially if you have kids or pets, and are afraid they may knock over the lanterns and cause a fire.
The first flame-free lantern I recommend is the Forest LED Lantern.
In addition to the safety features, what I love about this lantern is that it lasts for 80 or more hours on low. It is also rechargeable, so you don’t need to worry about having batteries on hand for it.
This lantern recharges in 4-6 hours, and since you want to be sure it’s good to go in case of a power outage, I recommend that you keep it charged up at all times, so it’s ready to provide emergency lighting in your next power outage.
Ready LED Lantern
The Ready LED Lantern is another great flame-free lantern option. Instead of being rechargeable like the Forest LED Lantern, this lantern runs on batteries.
A couple of things that I love about this emergency lantern is that it is very simple to use. There aren’t any buttons or switches – it turns on when you open it, and turns off when closed.
This lantern can be hung or set on a table. It is water resistant, and can be used indoors or out.
If you choose the Ready LED Lantern, be sure to stock up on extra AA batteries so that you’ll have them on hand when the power goes out.
Best Candles to Use for Emergency Lighting in Power Outage
Let’s face it. Candles have been available as an electricity-free lighting source since the dawn of time or close to that! One thing that I love about using candles for emergency lighting in power outage is that they add ambience to your everyday life.
I also love that unlike many items in your preps, you can store candles in plain sight, without anyone thinking anything about it.
You can make candles an important part of your décor and store them throughout your home. Plan to get at least one candle for each bathroom, for your dining room table, for the walls of your living room, on your fireplace mantle, and of course, in the bedroom. 😉
Long-Burning Candles for Emergency Preparedness
All of the candles listed and linked to above are GREAT for decorating your home, and adding ambience AND emergency preparedness. When it comes to adding candles to your preps, I definitely recommend asking yourself, “How can I make candles a key aspect of my home decor?” This is one of the easiest and fun ways to add to your preps, in a way that you can enjoy even in non-emergency times.
But there’s something to be said for investing in some top-quality candles that are specifically for emergencies. For those, I recommend two primary types of candles:
Beeswax candles for Emergency Lighting
The first type of candles that I recommend that you set aside specifically for emergency use are beeswax candles. They tend to be more expensive than most candles you’ll purchase, which is why I recommend them as something you add on to your home decor candles.
The benefits of beeswax candles are that they are clean burning, and they don’t have any scents that may aggravate those with allergies. They are also long burning. For example, these 3″x3″ beeswax pillar candles burn for up to 40 hours, the 3″x4″ pillar candles burn for up to 80 hours, and the 3″x6″ beeswax pillar candles burn for up to 100 hours.
You may also want to add some beeswax tealight candles to your prepper stash. Even though they are small, they each burn for up to 6 hours.
I recommend these specific beeswax candles because they are top quality, and are also made by a small, family-owned business in the U.S.
Battery Powered Candles for Emergency Lighting in Power Outage
I used to think that battery powered candles were kind of unimpressive. I mean seriously, if I’m going for ambience, then I want the real thing! But then I bought some battery powered candles, and I was surprised by how nice they look.
Because battery-powered candles both look nice, and are safe, I now recommend them both as a home decor item, as well as something to put in your emergency preps.
One thing that I love about battery powered candles is that you can use them in times when you may not want to have any live flames going. For instance, if you want some soft light going during a power outage when you’re sleeping, battery powered candles are a great option.
They are also a good way to provide some comfort to your children, without worrying about a fire starting during a power outage.
Since the battery powered candles look decent, in addition to keeping some in your emergency stash, you can place them throughout your home for use in both emergency and non-emergency times.
If you decide to make battery powered candles part of your emergency lighting plan, be sure to stock up on batteries.
Best Emergency Nightlights for Use in a Power Outage
My husband and I recently stayed with a friend in another state. He is somewhat of a prepper, and shared with us some of the things he has set up. While I knew about a lot of different emergency lighting options, he showed us something new to me: emergency nightlights.
The way these emergency nightlights work is that you plug them into outlets. The nightlights sense when the power goes out, and automatically turn on. Not only does this instantly provide light to you during a power outage, they can be unplugged and used as flashlights.
Here are two emergency nightlight options that I feel are worth considering.
GE 3-in-1 LED Power Failure Nightlight
First is the GE 3-in-1 LED Power Failure Nightlight. This particular item is a 4-pack, so one or two orders should provide enough instant emergency lighting for your home in case of a power outage.
No batteries are needed, because they include a rechargeable battery, that charges as a result of being plugged into the outlet. They are for indoor use only.
This power failure nightlight currently has a 4.7 star rating on Amazon.
Capstone Lighting 4-in-1 Eco-Lite, Emergency Flashlight
Second is the Capstone Lighting 4-in-1 Eco-Lite, Emergency Flashlight. Each order contains 6 emergency flashlight. Depending on the size of your home, one order will likely provide enough emergency lighting for your home.
One thing I love about this particular emergency flashlight is that it provides light for up to 15 hours. This is enough time to get you through an initial emergency power outage situation.
This emergency nightlight also currently has a 4.7 rating on Amazon.
Solar Lighting
I saved solar lighting for last because it is both the best and worst option for emergency lighting in a power outage. It’s the best, because it’s renewable, so you don’t need to worry about stocking up on batteries. One fantastic thing about it is that if there is a prolonged power outage, you don’t have to worry about running out of batteries, etc.
Of course, the downside is that depending on where you live, solar may not be reliable. Even if you live in a place with a lot of sun, depending completely on solar for emergency lighting isn’t a good idea since even sunny places have overcast weather some of the time.
Having said that, with very rare exceptions, it makes good sense to include some solar options as part of your prepping strategy.
Here are a few of my favorite solar emergency lighting options.
Luci Lights
The first solar light option that I recommend for emergency lighting in a power outage are Luci Lights.
I love Luci lights because they are inflatable, so when not in use, they don’t take up much space. In fact, when not in use, these solar lights are only an inch thick. What I love about this is that since they are so compact, you can easily keep these emergency solar lights just about anywhere.
These solar lights are also eco friendly because they don’t use batteries or fuel.
They are waterproof, and produce 50 lumens of light.
Solar Pathway Lights
What I love about solar pathway lights is that they add a lot of beauty and safety to your everyday life. You don’t need to wait for a power outage emergency to enjoy these lights. But they do come in handy when there is an emergency. The first way they help during a power outage is that they improve the safety of walking about outdoors, when streetlights and other lights are out.
Secondly, you can always move at least some of them from outdoors to indoors to help light your home during a power outage.
These solar pathway lights are a great way to prep in plain sight, since there is nothing that screams, “prepper” when people see them.
Brightech Ambience Pro – Waterproof, Solar Powered Outdoor String Lights
I just love these outdoor solar powered string lights as an emergency prep item because like the solar pathway lights, you can also enjoy them in non-emergency times. Add ambience to your patio, balcony, or porch with these lights, and then use them as emergency lighting during a power outage.
I recommend having them outdoors year round, but having a plan for using them indoors during a power outage. For instance, discretely hang up hooks or nails in whatever room you want to use these lights in during an emergency. That way, you’ll have a plan in place for how and where to use them when there’s a power outage.
Solar Deck Lights
These solar deck lights are another great option for prepping in plain sight. One order includes 10 lights, so depending on the size of your home, one order may be sufficient. They make an excellent addition to a deck or balcony, so whether you have a home or condo, these will work.
For instance, my husband and I own a condo, with two balconies, so I could purchase one set of these, and have 5 lights on my main floor balcony, and 5 lights on my upstairs balcony.
The only thing you have to watch out for with these lights is that they are made to be screwed in or attached with double side tape. Neither of those options would work well for removing and putting inside of the home. Because of that, I recommend using Velcro to attach these to your deck or balcony so you can move them during a power outage.
4 Pack LED Solar Emergency Light Bulbs
My last recommendation for emergency lighting in a power outage are these LED solar light bulbs. What I love about these solar lightbulbs is that they can screw into a regular light socket, and provide light in the places you’re already used to having light.
There are four in a pack, and I recommend buying the number of packages based on the number of lamps you have. For instance, if you have 4 lamps, buy 1-2 packages of these solar lightbulbs. Each lightbulb provides light for 4-5 hours, so if you want a longer light supply, purchase multiple packages of the bulbs.
I hope that you enjoyed these tips on the best emergency lights, and are able to pick up some before your next power outage.
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