The 10 Best Emergency Lanterns

The UST 30-Day Duro (appx. $36) offers a diverse set of features to make it a go-to in any survival situation, from its 30-day runtime on the low setting to its lifetime LED bulb. Its plastic case resists breakage from drops, and it has a recessed hook for hanging.

You can submerge The Siege by Streamlight (appx. $45) in up to a meter of water, although when you have the outer lantern globe in position, it will float. But you shouldn't have to worry about it accidentally sliding into the drink, thanks to a nonslip rubber base.

Although the Black Diamond Moji (around $20) isn’t super flashy or high tech, it offers a budget-friendly price and a simple operation, making it a fine choice for standard disaster preparedness kits. With three AAA batteries, you can expect about 70 hours of run time.

The Tough Light LED (around $66) claims to hold a charge for up to 9 months in storage, so you only need to plug it in twice a year and it should be ready in the event of an electrical outage. You can use it as a power bank, too, to keep your mobile devices full of juice.

The UCO Anodized Original Candle Lantern Kit (about $23) is for those who prefer something a little less high tech with nothing electronic to fail. As you might have guessed, it runs on an actual candle, but it lasts for only about nine hours, so you'll need to keep spares on hand.

From one of the biggest names in on-the-go power comes the Rayovac Sportsman (appx. $20), a 240-lumens model that offers three modes: strobe, low, and high. You’ll get about 40 hours of use from three D batteries on its high setting and 90 hours if you use it on low.

For families, it’s hard to beat the Coleman Quad Pro (appx. $100). It works as a single lamp, but it's actually made up of four individual panels that snap off to become handheld flashlights. That way one person can run to the bathroom without leaving everyone else in the dark.

Visibility will be no problem with this Core 500 Lumen (about $20), which can illuminate up to a 45-foot radius on its high mode. It’s water resistant, so you can use it in a light rain, and it’s got a sturdy steel handle that will help you hang it just about anywhere.

If your budget is tight but you need lighting for a large household, then you might take a look at the Etekcity 4 Pack (about $32). They can hang or stand on a table, and run on standard AA batteries. They store fairly easily, too, as they’re both collapsible and lightweight.

The Mpowerd Luci Original (appx. $19) is a highly portable choice that collapses to a compact size and weighs a mere 4.4 ounces, making it perfect for those who don’t have much space in their backpacks. It’s also a cinch to use, with just one button to cycle through its four modes.