The beauty of a battery-powered lantern extends beyond its portable ease of use. It can also act as a decorative piece for your home. You can use fairy light above your bed, panels over your study desk, and lantern on your porch.
Of course, don’t expect a battery powered lantern to compete with a light bulb powered by the mains. However, you’d be using 2 or 3 AA batteries most commonly, and with most AA batteries being around 1.5 volts equivalent, the lantern will provide a bright enough light.
These items are safe. They illuminate for a long time. But above all, it is the diversity in design that takes the cake as the most impressive feature of a battery powered lantern. While you can use the traditionally designed bulky pieces for a light source, you also have contemporary styles which can be matched with a room’s color, theme, or furniture.
Most portable camping lanterns are dimmable and water resistant. You can carry them around the house. They offer upgraded brightness, minimal dazzling, adjustable intensity (daylight white, warm white, etc.), and often come with a hook for hanging and a handle for carrying it. You can use such models for the nighttime excursion, walking, fishing, camping, etc.
Battery powered lanterns for cupboards are usually small. They come with a sticky pad that you can use to fix them inside a drawer. Some such models also have a sensor pad which offers smooth operation.
Examples of decorative battery powered lanterns include micro fairy lights in a jar, fisherman’s metal lantern string, pendant shaped lights made of wireframes, flameless candles with the flickering feature, candle or railroad lanterns, etc. The material they are made up of are mostly fire-safe and durable yet lightweight. However, the finishing gives you numerous choices of appearance, like rustic wood, glass, etc.
Jessica started out as an interior photographer, but her love of pretty settings took her to the field of interior design, where she can combine two of her greatest passions, creating and then capturing the beauty of homes.
Antique look for an old-fashioned lantern with a modern twist. The lantern is battery operated and has an artificial candle inside of it, which allows it to stay lit for longer than a normal lantern and makes it safe.
Iron made, this solid battery operated lantern constitutes a charming decor proposition for one's outdoors. It will suit well rustic or industrial surroundings, providing a romantic glow.
If you’re looking for an easy and portable source of night light, take a look at this contemporary LED lantern with a collapsible, portable structure. The lantern provides a neutral shade of light, which is perfect for reading.
This battery powered lantern will add a warm, vintage appeal to the space. It conceals 12 powerful LED lights with dimmer control switch. It measures 10.5 inch tall x 5.5 Diameter.
A pretty stylish portable battery-powered LED lantern. Its black (with golden accents) frame is of durable plastic and metal. It has a round base with a switch, a round top cap, a metal wire handle. A cylindrical lampshade has a wire protective grid.
A pretty antique style battery-powered portable lantern modelled on an oil lamp. A frame of black finished plastic and metal has a round base, slanted posts, a handle, a cylindrical chimney. A cylindrical lampshade is of clear glass.
An old-fashioned approach to a decorative, ornate lantern made out of wrought iron with a delicate coat of gray paint. Inside of the lantern resides a battery powered set of lights, making it efficient and fireproof.
A charming rustic style battery powered lantern (with a timer off switch) for home and garden. A frame with a hip roof and a handle is of plastic in coppery hues, walls are clear, 3 height-varied candle-like white lampshades have flickering bulbs.
Oriental take on an exotic, traditional-looking battery operated lantern with an artificial candle inside of it to provide a classic touch. The walls of the lantern are fitted with painted decals, giving the lamp a unique finish.
Antique brushed finish and built-in flickering LED candle characterize best this battery operated lantern. Available in 2 stunning colours, it can be a good addition to both one's indoors and outdoors. It requires 2 x AA batteries.
This battery operated camping lantern constitutes a good example of the vintage design, being a well-designed proposition for all retro or antique lovers. Works on 12 volts and offers two power levels to choose.
A cool antique style battery-powered portable lantern. A frame of black plastic has a square foot, upright posts, a hip roof with a square top and a ring handle. A LED bulb of clear glass is enclosed by clear glass walls with square lattice insets.
Contemporary setup for a minimalistic dining room, furnished with a five-piece furniture set, consisting of a square table with a plus-shaped frame and four matching ottoman stools, made out of elegant pine wood.
A cool rustic style lantern looking like a vintage oil lamp. It can be used indoor and outdoor. A frame with a round base and a chimney is of metal and plastic in black shades. A cylindrical lampshade is of clear plastic, a handle - of metal wire.
Pretty rustic style 2AA batteries powered lanterns. Frames have full bases and hip roofs with ring handles. They're of plastic in aged brown or white hues. Walls are of clear plastic. Candle-like creamy lampshades are equipped with flickering LEDs.
A set of three vintage-looking decorative oil lanterns with insides replaced to hold an actual, electric light bulb. The lanterns come in a variety of three colors and are all battery operated, which makes them cost-efficient.
Decorative appearance for an antique-style, old-fashioned lantern with an artificial candle inside of it instead of a real one. The lantern is made in a vial-like shape with a handle and top made out of wrought metal.
Antique look for an old-fashioned gas lantern with replaced insides to hold a battery operated LED light. The lantern itself is made out of wrought iron and is covered in a distressed and weathered coat of black paint.
Rustic style for a battery powered lantern made out of rough, unpainted oak wood with an unfinished look. The top of the lantern is made out of wrought iron and has a useful handle for hanging on the wall.
A useful portable lantern powered by D-type batteries. It's equipped with LEDs, an on/off switch with 2-step regulated brightness, a plastic handle with a rubbery cover. A base is of dark green and black plastic, a lampshade - of clear plastic.
A cool modern portable lamp resembling a mushroom and powered by a 6V rechargeable battery. It's of plastic: has a round black base, opaque both a lampshade and a top cap. It's equipped with a 9V fluorescent U-tube, a dimmer switch, a metal handle.
A banging modern battery-powered portable camping lantern made of durable plastic. It has an hourglass body with black and red both a base and a cap and a clear lampshade. It has regulated brightness.
A practical modern portable lantern equipped with LEDs powered by batteries which are charged by a solar panel. It has a base and a top cap of resistant black plastic. A lampshade is of clear plastic. It has 2 metal handles.
A hip modern portable lamp powered by 3 D batteries. It has a cylindrical casing of durable green and a lampshade of clear plastic. A base and a top cap are black. It's equipped with 4-mode regulated LEDs and a metal handle. It can be hung.
This Coleman classic led battery powered lantern operates as rechargeable or using disposable batteries, lasting for Up to 122 hours of run time on low and up to 86 hours of runtime on high. It has a weather-resistant construction.
A functional take on a handy, battery-powered lantern with an LED light inside of it and a small handle on top to make it easy to carry. The light has an additional hand crank on the side, which allows to recharge it manually.
A large, professional battery operated lantern with a powerful set of twelve LED lights inside of it. The lamp has a handy remote to control it from a distance and proves invaluable for family trips and night camping.
Antique design for an old-fashioned miner’s lantern with a frame made out of shiny tin metal with a chromed finish. The lantern has a handle on top to make it easy to carry and an open light on the top of the piece.
These battery powered lanterns can be a great embellishment of one's outdoors. Providing a charming, vintage vibe to a porch, veranda or patio, they will enlight the space with a romantic glow.
This battery operated lantern will be a smooth addition to your porch, veranda or garden, bringing in both style and functionality. You don't have to worry about the proximity of any electrical grids.
An ideal way to create a splendid and highly portable Christmas lighting display. These battery-powered led wooden lanterns feature a variety of displays depicting children, reindeers, angels and snowmen.
A stylish portable battery-powered LED lantern with a moving flame effect. A red with black accents frame is of metal and durable plastic. It has a round base, sturdy arms, a cylindrical top, a wire handle. A barrel-like lampshade is transparent.
An attractive stylish 2D batteries-powered portable cordless lamp for indoor and outdoor. An oval base and a frame are of black metal and plastic, a barrel-shaped lampshade - of clear glass. It has 15 dimmable LEDs, a handle and a hanging ring.
Cool portable battery-powered LED lanterns with metal handles. They have house-like frames (with hip roofs) of black plastic with clear walls. Lanterns contain cute figurines holding lanterns: one - of Father Christmas, the second - of a snowman.
Antique approach to a stylish wall lantern with a sconce made out of stainless steel with a galvanized finish and a black, reflective coat of paint which makes it resemble wrought iron and gives it a unique appearance.
Simple and classic look for an old-fashioned oil lantern with insides swapped to contain an electric light bulb. The lantern is made out of tin metal and is painted with a shiny, reflective coat of deep blue paint.
Funky design for an old-fashioned oil lantern with a frame made out of stainless steel with a distressed coat of gray paint. The insides of the lamp are fitted with a uniquely-shaped light, made to resemble a skull.
A colorful set of three battery operated lanterns, perfect for camping or family trips during the night. The lanterns come in three colors: yellow, red and blue, and are sure to come in handy during an evening campfire.
Funky approach to a Halloween-themed battery operated lantern with a light bulb inside of it. The lantern is made out of wrought iron with carved out patterns on the walls, made to resemble cobwebs with spiders on it.
Industrial design for a professional lantern with a large, fluorescent light bulb placed inside of it. The frame of the lamp is made out of stainless steel with a handy handle on the top to make it mobile and easy to move around.
A funny battery-powered portable lantern with a flat costrel-like body of black material. It has an oval frame, low legs, an ornate neck, a handle. Transparent walls feature black motifs such as a witch stirring in a kettle, bats, a raven, a forest.
Ideal for one's outdoors, this rustic-looking battery-operated lantern will work out well on the patio, porch or veranda. You will appreciate the no need for any near electrical socket.
Instead of having to light a flame, turn on a gas switch or wind them up and enjoy the simplicity of a battery-powered lantern, ideal for camping or any other outdoor activities.
A goodie battery-powered camping lantern. It has a cylindrical base (with a switch and batteries) and a top cap of durable plastic in grey shades. A cylindrical lampshade is of semi-sheer vertically ribbed plastic. It has a metal handle.
A modern Li-ion battery-powered camping lantern. A base and a cap are of black and green plastic. A handle and 2 legs of metal are foldable. It has dimmable LEDs, a cylindrical flared transparent lampshade, on/off and mode switches, USB in/out ports.
A cool contemporary battery-powered portable lantern. It has a cylindrical base (with batteries and green plastic switches) and a top cap of black plastic and a clear lampshade with LED lights. It also has a metal wire handle.
Contemporary design for an outdoor, battery-operated electrical lantern with a handle on top to make it mobile. The lantern is made out of black plastic with a matte finish and has a set of extra-bright lights, making it perfect to use in the night.
A vintage take on an old-fashioned, retro-style lantern with a frame made out of red-painted metal with a rubber stand. The lantern is battery operated, making it viable both for home use as well as a source of light during camping.
If you’re looking for a funky table lamp for a children’s room, take a look at this unique lantern made out of semi-transparent plastic. The lamp has a battery operated light and a handy controller on the front to change the dim setting.
If you’re looking for the perfect lamp to take with you on a family trip to a forest, take a look at this battery-powered professional lantern with a strip on the top for easy carrying and a powerful light inside of it.
One of the first things you should consider when choosing an outdoor lantern is how you intend to use that lantern. Not all lanterns are made equal, so having a clear idea of how you intend to use yours, will help you narrow down your options.
Ambient lighting
If you're hoping to entertain guests in your yard or patio, then appropriate ambient lighting can turn the ordinary garden sit down into a luxurious setting for wine or whiskey and a cigar. If you're considering a lantern for ambient lighting, then intricate or patterned designs are probably not the best bet.
Lanterns cast large shadows in dim light, especially if they have a patterned or scenic design on their glass chimneys or mantles. The visual impact of shadows is emphasized in the warmer color temperatures, which happen to be the best for outdoor ambient lighting.
Cooler light temperatures have a bluish hue, which can make outdoor environments appear sickly and faded at night or evening time. The ideal lamp for ambient lighting outdoors will produce a light temperature of 2700k and ideally have little to no designs that could cast long shadows.
Note: Consider using halogen light bulbs for ambient lighting purposes. As popular as LED bulbs have become, they produce directional light, not diffuse light, which makes them more appropriate for task or functional lighting than ambient lighting. Halogen lights are available in warmer color temperatures and produce diffuse light, which is ideal for creating ambience.
Some LED bulbs can be paired with chimneys that diffuse light for them and alter the temperature of the light to match warmer tones, but they make for a weak substitute for halogen bulbs.
Decorative lighting
When choosing lighting for your outdoor space, it can be easy to jump straight into choosing bulbs and lanterns obviously intended to be decorative, as opposed to functional. This can be a mistake that devalues your decorative lighting and makes it less effective than it could be.
The first step in choosing decorative lighting is to ensure that your ambient or task lighting is already covered. Decorative lanterns often have designs on their glass chimneys and mantles, which can alter the color or pattern of light produced by the bulb within to create accent lighting or to cast patterned displays on your garden or patio.
If you have a plant rich environment, a sprawling light display can be somewhat wasted on greenery at night. Wooden decks or patios, however, handle colors well, especially when finished with a natural wood grain.
Functional lighting
Functional or spotlighting is best handled by daylight or cool white LED bulbs in mantles that allow unobstructed directional lighting. Lanterns intended for functional lighting will find their best value positioned over outdoor staircases, reading nooks, card tables or grills.
Consider placing an LED lantern anywhere you'll be using your hands for something intricate.
Pest control
Lanterns don't have to be all about ambient or decorative lighting. They can also work to keep you safe from dangerous or annoying pests like mosquitoes and sandflies. Some lanterns emit a specific wavelength of UV light that most flying insects find incredibly enticing. Once the insects get close enough, an electric shock is delivered that usually kills them quickly and humanely.
Normally bug zappers aren't exactly pleasing to the eye, so if you've given up on finding one that is aesthetically pleasing or that matches your décor, we understand. If you're hoping for an easy fix to your aesthetic dilemma, consider using a bug lantern that rests on a shepherd's hook.
These lanterns usually come in black and are finished in ways that allow them to fit easily into rustic, contemporary or modern decors. Shepherd's hook bug lanterns can be set up as interesting but discrete accents in corners of your garden without becoming a visual intrusion.
