A head torch keeps both hands free. A lantern lights the table. Choose the job first, then the equipment.
A simple place to start for finding your way around. If yours works well, keep it and add the correct spare batteries.
Useful when carrying things, finding supplies or looking in cupboards. A low setting can be more comfortable indoors than maximum brightness.
Useful on a table or shelf for shared light. Think about stability, simple controls and how you would power it through an outage.
These fill different roles; neither is a must-buy. Output figures below are manufacturers’ specifications, not our own measurements.
A simple head torch rated at 300 lumens, with three white-light levels. It uses three AAA batteries and can also use Petzl’s optional CORE rechargeable battery.
The CORE battery is sold separately. Check that the listing is the 300-lumen TIKKINA version. Keep suitable spare batteries with it.
A small lantern with an included rechargeable battery and magnetic charging cable. The manufacturer also supports a standard AA alkaline battery as a backup power source.
This is a compact lantern, not a whole-house lighting solution. Keep its charging cable accessible. Output and runtime depend on the chosen setting.
Replaceable batteries offer a practical fallback. Rechargeable lighting needs charging before an outage. Follow the instructions for compatible batteries.
Maximum brightness and longest runtime usually describe different settings. Do not assume a light delivers both at once.
Test the controls before you need them and store the light in a familiar place. Official guidance favours torches over candles.
No. Start with a working torch. Add another format only if it solves a practical problem for your household.
It may suit your needs if kept charged, but think about what happens when it runs flat. A second battery-powered light or compatible replaceable batteries can provide another option.