When the power goes out you want light you can rely on without fumbling. Area light fills a room so the household can carry on; a handheld torch points where you need it; and simple, foolproof backups mean you are never left in the dark if batteries die.
Our picks pair a rechargeable LED lantern for room light with a bright pocket torch, plus long-burning candles and glow sticks as cheap, battery-free failsafes. For hands-free work, see our best head torches guide.
A rechargeable LED lantern lights a whole room or tent with soft, even light — far more useful than a torch for sitting, cooking and keeping children calm during a power cut.
Look for a lantern that runs for many hours on low and recharges by USB, so you're not reliant on a drawer full of batteries.
A dimmable lantern lets you save power on a low setting for long nights, or go bright when you need to work.
A flat base and a hook or handle let you stand it on a table or hang it in a tent, doorway or under a shelf.
Torches are for moving and searching; lanterns are for living. A kit really wants both.
A rechargeable lantern left for months can self-discharge. Top it up occasionally so it's ready when the lights go out.
A bright, rechargeable lantern that lights a whole room or tent with soft, even light. A fire-safe alternative to candles for power cuts.
A bright, rechargeable LED torch with multiple modes including strobe and SOS. A dependable handheld light for power cuts and outdoor emergencies.
Broad, long-burning paraffin pillar candles that give hours of steady room light in a power cut, standing securely with minimal dripping and no batteries required.
Industrial-grade chemical light sticks that glow for hours with a single snap — no batteries, flame or sparks. Safe, reliable light for outages, marking and signalling.
A rechargeable LED lantern that throws a wide, even light rather than the narrow beam of a torch, which makes it the better tool for lighting a room or a tent during a power cut. It runs off its own built-in battery and recharges over USB, with brightness and runtime settings so you can trade light output for a longer burn. A sensible backup to keep charged on a shelf alongside your torches.
A stubby dual work light and torch from NEBO, with a bright spot beam at one end and a wide COB flood panel down the side. The magnetic base and clip let you stick it to a boiler, car bonnet or fuse box and keep both hands free during a power cut or roadside job. It runs on a AA batteries you can swap in the dark rather than needing a charger.
A cheap, cheerful battery lantern that throws light across a whole room or tent, which is far kinder on the eyes than a torch during a power cut. It is light enough to hang from a hook or carry between rooms, and inexpensive enough to keep one on each floor. A no-frills backup for dark winter evenings.
A four-pack of compact aluminium LED torches with batteries included — cheap enough to stash one in every drawer, car and bag so there's always light within reach in a power cut. They're basic rather than high-output, but for the price you get reliable pocket lighting and useful redundancy, which matters more in an emergency than raw brightness from a single expensive torch.
A straightforward, bright handheld torch from a battery brand most people already trust. It's the one to leave in a kitchen drawer, the car door pocket or a coat pocket for when the lights go out. Nothing clever — just reliable light on demand.
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