Regardless of whether you’re fishing, camping, hiking, or even having a power outbreak, having a portable light source is essential. The two most popular handheld, portable light sources are the flashlights and lanterns. Both of them come with their distinct features and benefits that you can use to get rid of the darkness.
In this article, I will get you through the matters you must know about both the Lantern and Flashlight. It will help you choose the right light between them for yourself. So, stick to the article to get your next handheld light source.
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Comparison Chart:
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Lantern And Flashlight: What Is The Difference?
Knowing about both the Lantern and Flashlight can help you choose the right handheld light system. In this section, I will help you understand both of them and let you know what benefits they offer. I’ll also introduce you to the best products for both lanterns and flashlights:
About Lantern
Lanterns are the most traditional handheld light system which has been in our society for thousands of years. It’s a handheld lamp that you have to hold on to it with a handle, attached to a structure with a light source in it. The light of the Lantern spreads around in every direction, at a 360° angle. If you hold on a candle inside a jar, that would be a lantern as you’re holding it with a handle. However, in modern days, you don’t have to have consumable candles as you’d do a hundred years back. You can find modern electric lanterns with electric bulbs inside.
Benefits Of Using A Lantern
Using a lantern instead of a flashlight comes with some unique benefits that you cannot expect from other light sources. Here are some of the most beneficial reasons why you should go for a lantern:
- A lantern will give you a more natural light source than a flashlight as it spreads the light in every direction.
- You can use lanterns for personal purposes, home and commercial premises, and get a better view at night for all around.
- Unlike a flashlight, a lantern will give you way more light and a better ambiance in pitch-black darkness from all directions.
- With special lanterns, you can even warm up your interior both with light and heat, which is absent in flashlights.
- Using lanterns will help you reduce your energy bills by using it in the room as replacements of ceiling lights.
1. Blazin’ Sun 1500 Lumen | Led Lanterns Battery Operated
The Blazin lantern comes with LED lights that are capable of providing you a soft white ambient light. With its highly powerful 1500 Lumen brightness, you can use it as a central light source during any outage and emergency.
To keep you on the backup, this battery-operated Lantern gives you over 200 hours runtime, which makes it the best emergency lantern. Its patented COB bulbs will provide you a powerful light source from 360° direction so that the single Lantern is enough.
It has four different power settings to control the brightness levels from only 200 Lumen up to 1500 Lumen. With its S-hook design on top, you can hook it up to a handle or even hold on hand. It will ensure you better lighting in a controlled and versatile direction.
Blazin’ Sun 1500 Features:
- This Lantern has a whooping 200 hours runtime for emergency backup for a light source.
- It comes with a powerful brightness up to 1500 lumen to light up a wide area.
- You’ll get the patented COB light bulbs with 360° light direction with this Lantern.
- It has 4 different adjustabilities from 200 to 1500 Lumen with high and mid settings.
- This lamp has an S-hook and a handle to attach it to a handle or holds on with the hand.
About Flashlight
A flashlight is a new invention compared to the lanterns as it’s available only after electricity has been invented. You will hold on a flashlight with your hands without any handle, directly on the body of the light. The Flashlight will produce light and shine only in one direction and provide a sharper beam than a lantern. Flashlights are more useful than lanterns when you’re in an extreme weather condition. You’ll find a flashlight beneficial when you need a sharp and longer light beam instead of an ambient light.
Benefits Of Using A Flashlight
Using flashlights for light sources comes with extra beneficial aspects that you cannot expect from a lantern. Here are the benefits of using a flashlight in your daily life instead of lanterns:
- Flashlights last longer than lanterns, and the runtimes also come in an extended period for the battery or the bulb.
- Using flashlights can be more convenient for both storing, carrying, and using as it has no extra handle and fit in hand.
- You can use a flashlight in any weather situation, and it will help you get a better chance of making morse signals.
- A flashlight has a stronger beam than a lantern, and it comes in handy when you have to light up a place from far away.
- You can switch the light on or off instantly with the knob right under your thumb and change the direction quickly.
2. Amerelle Emergency Lights For Home, 6 Pack
This emergency light from Amerelle comes with powerful LED lights in front, which can illuminate with over 3000 Kelvin. You can use it as an emergency light as it has an LED guide light to help you with blackouts.
For an emergency power failure, you can put the light plugged on to the wall socket, and it will charge in 24 hours. When you get a power outage, it will automatically turn on after power is gone, which makes it the best emergency flashlight.
With its 200mA Ni-MH rechargeable 3.6 Volts battery, it can keep you on the run for 7 straight hours of continuous use. The charging system of the light has a wall plug on its body, and the emergency power lights will face towards that room.
Amerelle Emergency Features:
- This Flashlight comes with LED lights that can light up your room or flash at 3000 Kelvin.
- You’ll get an emergency light backup source with this Flashlight that faces your room.
- It will turn the lights on automatically after a power outage or blackout on the wall.
- The 200mA Ni-MH rechargeable battery of this light runs it continuously for 7 hours.
- You can keep track of the power backup for the light with its 24-hours guide light.
My Opinion: Which Is A Better Lantern Or Flashlight?
Choosing the right light requires you to understand what you need the most, the perspective of getting the light in the first place. If you’re looking for only a room light that you’ll use for the decorating or backup light, get the Lantern. If you need both backup lights and Flashlight with an intense beam for longer light travel, go for the Flashlight. It will help you go out with it for rigid construction and a better grip on it.
Frequently Asked Question
Here are the most frequently asked questions about both the flashlights and Lanterns that you should know about:
How long do LED lanterns last?
A good LED lantern light will last you more than a decade if you take good care of it.
How many lumens do you need for a lantern?
700 Lumens is more than enough for a lantern for any kind of purpose you may have.
Is more lumens a better flashlight?
Yes, a flashlight with more lumens will help you get a powerful beam to travel a longer distance.
Is 1200 lumen bright for a flashlight?
1200 lumen is enough for regular usage in a flashlight and enough for most of the works.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the most efficient light source varies depending on purpose and requirement, so it’s tough to choose the right one. I hope you’ve been successful in choosing between the Lantern and Flashlight I’ve mentioned above.
However, if you ask me to recommend you for the best overall light, I’d suggest you get the Lantern. You can use it at home while camping with a tent or RV, hiking, trekking, and so on because of its whopping 1500 lumen brightness. It will give you more ambient light in 360° direction and give you more runtime than the Flashlight as well.