No matter how good the night vision, it’s never a bad idea when you’re out camping to have a few good lanterns around to light up the area and make it much easier to move around at night. Many outdoor enthusiasts absolutely love LED lanterns, and it’s not hard to see why. There’s a lot to like about the bright clear light that comes from these lamps as well as their versatility.
These lanterns work without fuel, which not only saves money over time but many people love the idea of lanterns that don’t give off fumes or don’t involve gas of any kind while staying environmentally friendly. If you go with a design that is solar powered or rechargeable then you also drastically reduce the maintenance, upkeep, and additional expenses that can come with the older designs. While propane and lantern fuel is often relatively inexpensive, as are mantles, when you add them up over the months and years that is more and more money that needs to be invested in older models. LED camping lanterns come in a variety of different designs and offer some pretty unique and versatile options.
While I’ll always personally have a soft spot for the really old school lanterns (kerosene, propane) and associate them with a lot of good outdoor childhood memories, there is no denying that there’s something to be said for the new models, and there are a lot of really good ones!
Read on to see our picks for 15 of the best LED lanterns currently on the market!
Quick Best LED Camping Lantern Comparison Table:
| Name/Pic | Brief Summary | Avg Price | Avg Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
 LED Camping Lantern Flashlights 4 Pack Gift Set | Incredible 4-pack of well designed and versatile LED lanterns at an extremely good price. | $$ | A+ |
 Etekcity Portable LED Camping Lanterns (4-Pack) | Incredible highly rated lanterns with extremely long warranty. | $$ | A |
 Lemontec LED Camping Lanterns | Great compact design offers lightweight protection and 360 degree illumination. | $+ | A |
 HeroBeam LED Lantern V2.0 w/ Flashlight | Great cheap LED lantern delivering quality light without busting the budget. | $ | B |
 Gold Armour Brightest Camping LED Lantern | Extremely high power for its size, 15 year warranty to boot. | $$$ | A |
 Streamlight Siege Lantern | Unique design, uses batteries to last an incredibly long time on low to moderate light. | $+ | A- |
 Active Research Water Resistant LED Lantern | Great inexpensive LED lantern with collapsible design. | $+ | A- |
 AYL StarLight 600 Lumens Ultra Bright Lantern | Bright clear designs with 3 notable light settings. | $$ | B- |
 CORE 750 Lumen CREE LED Battery Lantern | Outstanding LED core design lantern at a stunning 750 lumens. | $$ | A- |
| Lemontec Portable LED Camping Lantern | Excellent 3-pack featuring top of the line design. | $$$ | A+ |
 TaoTronics Battery Powered LED Collapsible Lanterns | Small, simple, versatile portable camping light. | $- | B |
 MalloMe LED Camping Lantern Flashlights | Excellent lantern/flashlight hybrid for ultimate versatility. | $$$ | B+ |
 Rayovac Sportsman Green 3D LED Lantern | Exceptional inexpensive LED lantern pair. | $ | B+ |
 Vont Bright 2-Pack Outdoor Camping Lanterns | Consistently rated as some of the best lanterns out there anywhere. | $$- | A+ |
 Coleman Quad LED Lantern | Classic Coleman quality construction & functionality. | $$$ | A |
Table of Contents
LED Camping Lantern Flashlights
These are the highest rated options out there. Extremely well constructed and designed using military grade materials, these are one of those camping lanterns that not only work to light up a campsite or help you get around when the power goes out at home during a storm, but they are built to be used outdoors even during poor weather. These are lanterns you can rely on even when you’re outside at night making your way back to the tent or campsite as they are resistant to rain and boast LED bulbs with up to 100,000 hours worth of life in them.
This 4 pack is great as a gift set for the outdoor enthusiasts in the family, and provides four different lanterns so there are plenty to go around. This is also a product that because of its ability to take a beating and the number of individual LED lanterns available this can be a great gift for a local Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or Girl Scout troop. They’re also a quality purchase for schools, businesses, or homes looking to have some emergency equipment available in case of serious storms or long term power outages.
The 146 lumens for each doesn’t make them the strongest lanterns (some lanterns on this list are frankly outright ridiculous when it comes to the level of light they give off) but they give off more than enough for nighttime use and you can play cards, read, or simply provide enough light in a campsite for people to get around.
With over 2250 reviews on Amazon.com and a nearly 5-star rating, these lanterns have been vetted over and over again and come out on top as some of the absolute best options out there.
Etekcity Portable LED Camping Lantern
Etekcity has also come out with their own incredibly well designed and highly rated lanterns. Sold individually, and sometimes in a 4-pack, the portable LED lantern from Etekcity is a sleek and well designed light that is ultra bright and gets its light from 30 tiny individually powered bulbs that combine to form a solid bright light without putting too much weight on any one bulb.
This lantern is very specially designed, with construction held up to a military standard of precision. The black color creates a sleek look, and this collapsible model is easy to transport, extremely lightweight, and still gets the job done when it comes to lighting up your way in the darkness. Battery powered, this model comes with 12 AA batteries to start, and a 10 year warranty shows just how much this company backs up their craftsmanship.
Weighing only 12.6 ounces and providing up to 12 hours of light at a time, there’s a good reason this lantern has over 2800 positive reviews on Amazon and it is affordable, easy to store, and easy to use.
Although currently out of stock as of this writing, Etekcity also has a 4-pack of these highly thought of lanterns that are highly thought of. You can check to see if they are back in stock by clicking HERE.
Lemontec Ultra Bright LED Camping Lantern
Also using the popular multi-small lightbulb designs to prevent one shorted out light from cutting down on the lantern’s light. These lanterns can be folded in a single easy motion for storage that also helps protect them from any potential damage, as unlikely as that is considering these lights are built with military grade plastic and using exceptional design to minimize the chance of damage.
These lanterns are perfect for setting up a tripod at an outdoor campsite, for having reliable lights to get around your home after a power outage, or to get around your campsite and surrounding area at night.
This three pack of ultra light water resistant emergency lanterns is an excellent deal, providing three separate high quality LED light lanterns that provide ultra bright light no matter what the situation. Weighing 1.8 lbs each, they are built to last the test of time as well as basic use.
Among the highest rated of all the emergency / hurricane / camping lanterns you can find on Amazon, these are a great deal for prepared campers and home owners, especially if you can find a decent deal on a multi-pack.
HeroBeam LED Lantern V2.0 with Flashlight
The newest model of these outdoor lanterns from HeroBeam, version two boasts having twice the brightness of the original HeroBeam lanterns, which is a definite selling point for an outdoor camping light that was already well thought of based on the original release. Using COB LED light technology, these lanterns can hit 300 lumens and have the ideal 360 degree radius when it comes to getting the maximum effect from a lantern lamp.
The HeroBeam is one of the best LED lanterns when it comes to holding up to wear and tear from rough use. This is a tough lamp that is also collapsible for an extra layer of protection when it is being stored as opposed to in use. There is no glass to worry about as parts are metal or specialty grade plastic designed to be extra hard and extra tough.
Compact and light weight, this design is outstanding and clearly takes into account important factors like rough weather, accidental drops, and the basic wear and tear that can come from use in outdoor and emergency situations. With all these important considerations worked into the design you can rest easy knowing that your lanterns are going to hold up to the test of time and use.
And that’s just for each one individually. When you have a good deal on a pair of these budget friendly options to boot, you’re sitting in especially good shape. Definitely one of the highest quality affordable pairs – prices tend to be extremely good even without a sale going on, unlike some of the other options on this list (hey sometimes quality is expensive – especially with important emergency outdoor gear!).
Gold Armour Brightest Camping Lantern (LED)
This list of top rated LED lanterns definitely would not be complete without an entry from Gold Armour. The company boasts about this particular model being one of the best and brightest for its size, and its hard to argue with that claim. While this definitely fits as a high end outdoor lantern, this doesn’t mean it isn’t affordable. There are often great deals on these specific pieces of outdoor equipment and they enjoy a reputation as being dependable, lightweight, and compact while remaining fully functional.
These lanterns produced by Gold Armour are an outstanding gift and really live up to their reputation as some of the best 300 lumen LED lanterns currently available.
Whether you are looking for a cam plight that works for your camping trip, for a black out emergency situation at your home or business, a reliable light for night hiking, or for all of the above, there are definitely worse ways to go than with this particular outstanding model.
Not only do these lanterns boast guaranteed satisfaction, but they are also covered by a stunning 15 year warranty. If that doesn’t show utter confidence in their construction then what does?
The Streamlight Coyote Green Siege Lantern
While there are slight differences in design between the various Streamlight lantern models, but for our money the Coyote Green stands out as being solidly built, offering a pretty remarkable set of options, and creating the right custom fit that will help meet each and every one of your specific needs. These lanterns are designed to offer plenty of light while also preserving your night vision as much as possible. This is done with a combination of LED lights within the light that includes four white C4 designated lights to go with one red C4 for the ideal blends of proper light at night.
You also have the ability to choose the strength of your lantern as well as the battery or charge setup in many cases. This gives a flexibility that you won’t find with many lantern designs and even better: this does not affect the overall quality of the build. Every single selection and design combination is still created with the best materials and craftsmanship available.
Lanterns come with maximum light power of 200 lumens, 340 lumens, or a stunning 1100 lumens. Based on the size of the lantern the batteries used could be 3 AA, 3 D, or a solar based rechargeable setup. The mixing and matching means your lantern will deliver what you specifically need.
Great value for an outstanding design and wide array of custom lighting options.
Active Research LED Lantern Portable Flashlight
Active Research is a company that just sounds like it belongs in the field of the great outdoors and fortunately for night hikers, campers, and homeowners big on emergency preparedness, in this case they will not be disappointed. These are high quality lanterns that have already received hundreds of extremely high ratings from outdoor enthusiasts who understand a great piece of outdoor equipment when they see/use one.
These ultra light portable camping lanterns are powered by 30 miniature LED bulbs and they weigh a mere 2.5 lbs per lantern and yet put out a serious amount of light that can make it useful for any emergency or outdoor situation. The lanterns put out 60 lumens on an average setting which is less than 300, but honestly 300 is ultra bright and far more than most people need unless you’re shooting for huge amounts of light going outward.
These portable lanterns for camping come in packs of 2, 3, or 4, and are designed to go up to 74 hours in a row on full brightness on one set of batteries. The life lasts longer at lower brightness settings as well as with breaks in between use. These are among the best cheap LED lanterns available and are frequently among the least expensive options that are available in this list.
AYL StarLight Ultra Bright LED Lantern
No list of the most affordable LED lanterns would be complete without the AYL StarLight. The StarLight is a well built outdoor lantern that is designed with reliability in mind as these lanterns are designed to be shock proof, resistant to water, and having the ability to last up to six straight days in optimal conditions.
These lanterns also can put out a stunningly bright 600 lumens at its maximum, making for an ultra bright light at some pretty affordable prices.
These lights are also versatile to some extent. The three settings of low, high, and flashing strobe means you have a light setting for each situation you might run into. You can use this light to make your way in a building while the power is out, make your way outside when it is dark, or even signal for help with the strobe. That is a lot of versatility and use from an extremely affordable emergency lantern that is perfect for indoors or outdoors.
There’s even a unique design aspect that will really make this AYL emergency lantern really stick out. The bottom has a fold out hook that allows the lantern to be hung upside down from a branch, a tripod, or other set up for a hanging light that doesn’t require the same setup as just hanging a normal light. This unique and easy set up allows additional versatility that makes it useful.
CORE 750 Lumen CREE LED Battery Lantern
Considered the brightest CORE lantern that is currently available on the market, this lantern used CREE LED light bulbs for maximum life and effectiveness. Adjustable light settings allow you to find an ideal light setting for whatever your particular situation is, which is always a major plus for those of us who find ourselves in a wide array of situations where light is a necessity such as night hiking, exploring caves, lighting up an evening campsite, or even just bringing some light into a house/building where the lights are out.
Powered by 4 size D batteries, this emergency camping lantern is a premium model and offers the high level of quality you would expect. The CORE 750 lantern is built from top notch materials that help give it a sturdiness that makes for a firm and solid base despite weighing less than two pounds total. Each of these lanterns weighs a mere 1.89 lbs and the easy to adjust dials allow you to find the specific area where it meets the amount of light that you want in addition to saving some energy/power when you’re off the max setting.
As a good rule of thumb, it’s worth knowing these three settings so you can choose either the setting that is best for you or have an idea of whereabouts each spot is in the full range of options.
- Highest Mode: 750 Lumens – 10 hr run time with a 21+ ft beam range
- Low Mode: 30 Lumens – 500 hr run time with a 9-10 ft range of beam
- Night Light: 20 Lumens – 80 hr total run time with a roughly 3 ft beam range
The extreme differences between these settings can show just how adjustable and adaptable it can be.
Lemontech Water Resistant LED Camping Lantern
The result of excellent design and exceptional craftsmanship, these Lemontech lanterns have a state of the art design featuring 30 small LED bulbs set up in a special array to provide even bright light in all directions, filling a perfect 360 degree radius around the light. Military grade plastic makes the bulk of the building material, which helps explain just why this Lemontech emergency light is so well regarded and well made.
An excellent design allows a closed lantern to be extremely protected from damage. The one motion to fold and store allows for easy packing and unpacking as well as easy setup and take down. They have multiple uses as well as several safety features to help make them childproof.
These bright LED emergency lanterns are designed to provide the highest level light for 12 consecutive hours, and the warranty is one of the best in the industry as they guarantee the lantern through normal wear and tear for up to a full 10 years.
That’s a lot of confidence that the Lemontec water resistant outdoor ultra bright lanterns are going to hold up against the test of time. These are premium lanterns that are designed to work reliably in emergency situations and to give you the light and reliability you need to push forward.
These are premium Lemontech lanterns at inexpensive and affordable prices.
MalloMe LED Camping Lantern Flashlights
MalloMe comes out with a collapsible lantern that is specially designed to spill out light more effectively in a 360 degree radius from this lantern compared to other lanterns that have the same relative number of lumens but not as advanced a design. While they are designed to be created for use they can also be easily taken down and stored in a compact way that makes sure the lanterns stay protected while not in use.
These lanterns put out up to 350 lumens and are made with the same high grade military materials that the best in the industry prefer to use. This sets them up to be on this list because of their dedication to using the heavy duty materials to ensure a truly quality construction.
These lanterns often come in a two pack, and while they are generally priced in the middle of the road, like many other types of good outdoor lanterns that can be found on Amazon and other online retailers they are often on sale in a way that makes them very affordable in nature.
The company of MalloMe gives a 100% satisfaction back guarantee and they are solid on backing it up because of their belief in the quality of their portable lantern construction.
Rayovac Sportsman 240 Lumen 3D LED Lantern
The Sportsman 3D lantern by Rayovac is a proud addition to this top 15 LED camping lanterns review list. Sporting a long trusted brand name (we’ve already reviewed heavy duty Rayovac flashlights, for example), these lanterns are created by a company that understands the outdoors, understands the need for exceptional construction, and understands that good outdoor gear has to be able to take a beating and still function when it is needed most.
This is a battery powered lantern where three D batteries are used to power 4-watt LED lights that are created to last 100,000 hours or more before burnout and never need replacing. They should be good to go for the life of the lantern – no matter how many times you take it out and about on your outdoor adventures. A small green LED light blinks every 5 seconds when off in the darkness, making it easy to locate and can run 40 hours on high light before needing a battery change, and 90 hours on low light.
Not only is Rayovac’s main outdoor lantern water resistant and well built around good materials and a sturdy design, but it is even further backed by a lifetime warranty.
While it might not look quite as sleek or flashy as some other popular designs, this lantern comes in three colors and is designed to work and to work for the long haul – and that’s what you really need.
Vont Bright Outdoor LED Lantern (2 Pack)
These Vont outdoor lanterns are made with a combination plastic and metal, with the majority of the body being made from high grade plastic while the handles and fixture settings for the lights are made out of metal. This combination gives the lanterns the best possible overall design and functionality.
Vont is a small business that focuses in on a very few products that they then produce extremely well as opposed to many larger outdoor companies that mass produce a wide array of items. This means special attention is given to every single aspect of the design and that helps explain why these Vont lanterns are consistently rated by campers, night hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts as some of the best options out there. You really can’t go wrong with a Vont.
These Vont LED lanterns give up to 12 hours of clear light time and are designed to stand up to even the roughest of conditions. An advanced storage and collapsing design means that they are easy to store and can be very compact while packing – leaving you with peace of mind because you know they are sturdy and protected in addition to being easy to fit into small spaces to make room for other less helpful pieces of equipment.
This is one of the highest rated LED camping lanterns anywhere, and it’s high quality construction along with an exceptionally long battery life combines to help explain why these outdoor lanterns are consistently considered some of the best available anywhere!
Coleman Quad LED Lantern
Coleman offers a really unusual design for its LED lantern on this list, and even a cursory examination of their portable camping lantern tells you that you are looking something quite a bit different than what you are used to. The base setup of the lantern has a section on each side where a light panel can be snapped into place. These four panels together create the level of light that a user needs.
The lights recharge on the base, giving very long life to these lanterns which are powered by 8 D-cell batteries. A panel run time tends to be 1.5 hours before needing some degree of recharge while the lantern’s overall run time is 75 hours putting out 190 lumens worth of light total. Each panel individually is rated to put out 47.5 lumens by itself.
These panels can be popped out and each one used as a temporary flashlight or moving mini-lantern before being brought back to the main lantern to recharge. Every one of the individual panels has six 5mm white LED lightbulbs that are designed to run cool – minimizing any chance of a burn while producing the full light effect.
This lantern is a mere 2.15 lbs and consistently earns the types of rave reviews that you would expect from a product manufactured by Coleman.
TaoTronics Collapsible Camping Lanterns
TaoTronics brings an incredibly different design to the list of best cheap LED camping lanterns, and it’s a good one. This extremely affordable model comes in at under $10 in most cases and is ultra portable as it is only 2 inches tall when collapsed into easy storage mode and even when folded out for light is still a mere 3.5 inches tall.
Battery powered, this small portable lantern from TaoTronics can be the perfect light source for camping, evening hiking, emergency situations (like when the power goes down) and many outdoor adventures of all types.
This is especially great as an emergency light because it is so small and that makes it portable even when you’re not expecting there to be any possibility of an issue. Packs in cars, travel bags, a purse, or even a cargo shorts pocket. These boast a lifetime of 100,000 hours and it only takes 3 AA batteries to power.
The light is water resistant, comes in low light, normal light, and strobe light modes. This very unique fold-able lightweight emergency light and lantern is the type of rare outdoor equipment that is great for beginners and casual outdoor enthusiasts alike. It’s exceptional, functional, and a fantastic deal for the cost. Definitely a great choice to round out our top 15 list!
LED Lantern FAQ – Are These Right for You?
There are many different types of lanterns out there, and picking the right one can take some time and effort. One thing that definitely helps is having major information right at your finger tips so you have a much better base of knowledge and that means you can make an accordingly informed decision.
Look through some of these most common questions about LED lights / lanterns to help you get a better idea of what they are, what some of the advantages are, what you can expect from some of these lights and/or lanterns.
Q: Just what exactly does LED stand for?
Light-emitting diode. This helps describe exactly how the light source works and differentiates it from other types of light.
Q: What are LED lights known for?
LED has gained in popularity in recent years in large part because of their reputation for lasting an extremely long time, making them ideal for longer lasting light bulbs not to mention creating new camping lantern options.
Q: Are all LED lights the same quality?
No. As with all things, some types of LED lights and lanterns are going to be better than others. While in general they are consistently better than older types of lighting, you will still want to compare the various types of LED lights and lantern setups out there to make sure you get the best one that suits your specific needs.
Q: Why are LED lanterns better than gas lanterns that use kerosene or propane?
Some people would disagree that they are, and preference is always a thing, but there are several reasons why LED lanterns are taking over the market right now. The first one is obvious: no changes of explosions. Since there is no flammable gas, there’s no worries about damage because of that.
Also, it’s easier to change batteries out than it is to have to deal with filling or refilling gas to get a lantern going again – especially if you’re stuck in the dark. There’s a lot to like about the steady even light that LED lanterns provide, and you don’t have to buy accessories like gas, mantles, or matches.
Finally, you can’t argue with the sheer number of highly rated options that are out there.
In Conclusion
There are many great options available when it comes to these outdoor lanterns. LED lights have become really popular for a reason as they are dependable, bright, and it only takes a few of these extremely reliable pieces of camping equipment to completely light up a campsite, get solid light in your house during a black out, and there are many versatile versions of this lantern that can help meet all of your needs. Hopefully this article has given you all the information you need (and then some) when it comes to buying the right lantern that fits your specific needs.
We are all about these LED lantern reviews and hope you have found what you needed to know. This is as good (and detailed) an article as you will find anywhere online so if you’re still on the fence…well good luck with that. Come visit us again!
