Solar Lanterns for Power Outages: How Bright Is Bright Enough?

A solar lantern for a power outage can be small: lanterns such as the Goal Zero Crush Light and BioLite Luci Charge 150 give 60 to 150 lumens for a bedside or hallway. A larger one like the Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 reaches 600 lumens for a table. Check run time: on high, these last 2.5 to 6 hours.

Solar lantern brightness for a power outage

Solar lantern brightness is measured in lumens, and outage lanterns fall into two groups. Small inflatable or collapsible lanterns, such as the two above, give 60 to 150 lumens. A larger lantern with USB and hand-crank charging, such as the Lighthouse 600, reaches 600 lumens.

The Luci line was made by MPOWERD until 2024, when it became part of BioLite, so older Luci lanterns may carry either name.

A practical outage setup mixes both groups. One brighter lantern goes on the kitchen or living room table, and a small lantern goes in each bedroom and bathroom, so nobody walks through the dark.

Run time matters more than peak lumens

Run time decides whether a solar lantern lasts the night. Every model above trades brightness for hours: the Crush Light runs 3 hours on high but 35 on low, and the Lighthouse 600 runs 2.5 hours at full output but up to 320 hours with one side on its lowest setting.

For a long outage, plan on the low or medium settings. A lantern that is a little dim but lasts until morning is more useful than one that is bright until 10 pm and then dead. Lighting only one side of the Lighthouse 600 is one way to stretch it: Goal Zero says lighting half the lantern saves power and extends run time.

Charging a solar lantern before and during an outage

Solar charging on a small lantern is slow, so charge it before the storm. Goal Zero puts a full charge from the Crush Light’s built-in panel, rated at about 0.12 W, at 20 hours, and BioLite lists 14 hours via solar for the Luci Charge 150. USB charging takes about 2.5 hours for the Crush Light and 2 to 3 hours for the Luci.

During an outage, set the lanterns in direct sun each morning, then bring them in at dusk. BioLite suggests direct sunlight from a windowsill, or outside for the best results, since ordinary indoor lights do little. Our outdoor solar section explains why direct sun on the panel matters more than anything else.

Lanterns with more charging options cover cloudy stretches. Goal Zero lists the Lighthouse 600 hand crank at 10 minutes of light on low for every minute of cranking, and the lantern also charges from USB or a Goal Zero Nomad 10 solar panel in as little as 6 hours of sunlight.

Solar lanterns as phone chargers in an outage

Some solar lanterns double as small power banks. Goal Zero lists the Lighthouse 600’s battery at 5,200 mAh (18.98 Wh) with a 5 V, up to 1.5 A USB output, enough to charge phones, headlamps and tablets. The Luci Charge 150 has a 2,000 mAh (7.4 Wh) battery with USB-A and USB-C outputs, so it holds far less to share.

A lantern is not a substitute for a real backup battery. For a fridge, a CPAP or a router through a long outage, see solar generators for home backup, and what a 1000Wh power station can run for run times. For phones alone, a solar power bank is another small option.

Why solar lanterns beat candles in a power outage

Solar lanterns remove the fire risk that candles bring into a dark house. The CDC advises using flashlights or other battery-powered lights instead of candles when the power is out, and warns that fire trucks may have trouble reaching homes after a disaster. The Red Cross puts it more plainly in its power outage advice: use flashlights, not candles.

A solar lantern has no flame to knock over on the way to the bathroom at night, and it recharges each day without spare batteries. For a gift-ready outage kit that pairs lights with a power station, see our solar generator gifts guide.