Darkness makes everything harder and more dangerous. A reliable torch lets you navigate terrain, find items in your kit, signal for help, and perform tasks after sunset. In UK winter, darkness comes as early as 3:30pm — a torch isn’t optional, it’s essential.
200–500 lumens is ideal for most uses. Higher for search and rescue.
Look for 8+ hours on medium setting. Rechargeable with USB-C is convenient.
IPX4 minimum for UK rain. IPX7 (submersible) for foul weather.
Always pack spares. Cold weather drains batteries faster than you’d expect.
You rarely need full power. Lower settings preserve battery life dramatically.
A bright, rechargeable LED torch with multiple modes including strobe and SOS. A dependable handheld light for power cuts and outdoor emergencies.
A full-size D-cell LED torch built to run for a long time on a set of batteries rather than needing a recharge. The aluminium body is tough enough to knock about in a car boot or shed, and the beam adjusts from wide flood to focused spot. A dependable "keep it in a drawer and forget it" torch for power cuts.
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 compact, rugged handheld torch from a trusted maker, with a focusable beam you can pull from a wide flood to a long throw. It runs on standard replaceable batteries, so spares are easy to keep in a drawer for power cuts and outdoor use. A no-nonsense everyday and emergency light.
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 tiny USB-C rechargeable keychain torch that puts up to 600 lumens in your pocket without the bulk of a full head torch. It's the light you actually have on you when the power cuts out or you're fumbling with a lock in the dark, and the small OLED screen shows exactly how much charge is left. Not a substitute for a proper head torch, but a genuinely useful everyday backup.
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.
A pocket-sized keyring torch that runs on a single AAA and throws a surprisingly usable focusable beam. It's the sort of small, dependable light you clip to a bag or keys and forget about until a delay, breakdown or blackout means you actually need it. Ledlenser build quality means it holds up better than the usual freebie torches.
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.
Fifty unscented tea lights with an 8-hour burn time each — a cheap, compact way to keep light in the house through a power cut. Longer-burning than the usual 3–4 hour tea lights, so a few will see you through an evening without constant relighting. Stand them in jars or a proper holder on a non-flammable surface, and keep a torch handy for moving around.
An affordable rechargeable head torch with a motion sensor for hands-free switching, an IPX6 waterproof rating and five light modes. A practical hands-free backup for power cuts, dog walks and jobs where you need both hands. Not a premium beam, but plenty for close-in tasks around the home and garden.
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 bright, rechargeable lantern that lights a whole room or tent with soft, even light. A fire-safe alternative to candles for power cuts.
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 reliable LED headlamp provides hands-free illumination for navigating, setting up camp, and performing tasks in darkness. Essential kit for any UK survival scenario where torchlight alone won't cut it.
Chemical light sticks provide reliable, waterproof illumination without batteries or spark risk. Ideal for emergency signalling, marking positions, and low-level lighting in survival scenarios.
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