AGPtek Rechargeable Solar Emergency Camping Lantern Review
There are plenty of times when you wish you had a flashlight or one that had working batteries. With the AGPtek Rechargeable Solar Emergency Camping Lantern you never need to worry about batteries again. It’s a versatile LED light that can be powered using five different methods including: batteries, AC adaptor, Car adaptor, solar power, and hand cranked dynamo. Great for use during camping or to keep on hand at home or in the car in case of emergencies. Just like a standard burning lantern you have 360 degrees of bright light with a lightweight package.
Solar Lantern, AGPtek 5 Mode Hand Crank Dynamo 36 LED Rechargeable Camping Lantern Features:
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B013HTMQLQ” locale=”US” tag=”allaroundcamping-20″]The lantern[/easyazon_link] can be recharged by five different methods including: polysilicon solar panels installed on the top of the lantern, hand crank dynamo, 12 volt car adapter, wall plug AC adapter or 3 x AA battery.
- Integral to the lantern is a universal USB charging port capable of charging a cell phone or other electronic devices.
- The lantern light consists of 36 efficient LEDS with two brightness modes to choose from. A lower power consumption normal mode uses only 18 of the LEDS while super bright higher power consumption mode uses all 36 LEDS.
- Lightweight at around two pounds, it has a handle for carrying or hanging and a flat bottom for placing on a table or shelf.
- Construction consists of a plastic shell with steel support rings, with a 10” height.
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Pros
- Multiple methods of charging is the focal benefit to AGPtek Rechargeable Lantern. If you’re at home and need extra light the wall plug option is great, working on the car you can plug it into the car’s power adaptor, if your camping leave it in the sun all day and let the solar panels recharge the batteries, if power goes out during a storm crank the handle till you are at full power, and lastly there is always the AA battery option.
- The solar panels can be charged outdoors in sunlight or even indoors under incandescent light bulbs.
- Once fully charged the lantern is capable of 12 hours of light discharge. However, users have stated the capacity of the rechargeable battery diminishes as the lantern is used, some down to just four hours of light discharge. This makes the two different light settings beneficial as with the lower setting you will be able to have longer lighting period.
- At under two pounds the lantern is extremely lightweight to be carried around easily and storied almost anywhere.
- The base of the lantern has USB port to power a cellphone or any other USB-chargeable device which makes it convenient for backcountry excursions where you still like to use your phone.
- The lantern in essence is a fairly basic flashlight, the few features provided keeps the price low at around $20
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Cons
The AGPtek Rechargeable Solar Emergency Camping Lantern is a good tool to bring along camping or keep on hand for emergencies. Its basic design makes it simple to use and provides ample light. However, being a low cost and simple design the lantern does have some drawbacks. Listed below are several key limitations of the lantern to consider.
- Even though the lantern is intended for use camping or in an emergency situation it is not waterproof. Users reported once the lantern was exposed to water it stopped working, so users must be careful to avoid getting the unit wet.
- The lantern does come with indicator lights to display if the unit needs charging, is charging, or is at full power. However, multiple users complained the green light never illuminated so full power was never certain. About 1 minute of cranking at 120 rpm typically provides 20 minutes of light.
- The cellphone charger is a nice additional feature but it does have some serious drawbacks. It will charge a phone but it takes extremely long and will drain the battery faster. The USB charging works best when the lantern is plugged into a power source or being charged via the solar panels, but still will not provide a surge of power for the phone.
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Consumer feedback
Consumer feedback was overwhelmingly positive and most users gave it the highest rating possible. Almost all users praised the multiple ways the lantern is capable of being recharged, some going as far as stating there were too many options. The low cost, low weight, and versatility make it a great tool for the casual camper or for those prone with numerous power outages. Many users even remarked on its potential as a gift for children. However, there were a smattering of comments deriding the dependability and construction.
Bottom line you get what you pay for with this lantern. It’s a simple design with lots of ways to keep the power going. With a lightweight plastic design it is not the most durable and is susceptible to damage when exposed to moisture. If you are in need of something with superior dependability you may have to look at the next level of rechargeable lanterns. If you are casual user or just need a backup light the AGPtek Rechargeable will do nicely.
Solar Lantern, AGPtek 5 Mode Hand Crank Dynamo 36 LED Rechargeable Camping Lantern Emergency Light, Ultra Bright LED Lantern - Car Charge - Camping gear for Hiking Emergencies Hurricane Outages
Features
- 5 CHARGING METHODS: Solar Powered, Crank Dynamo, Car Adapter,AC Adapter or 3 x AA Battery.
- GREEN POWER: Hand Crank Dynamo Solar 36 LED Lantern Outdoor Super Bright Camping Work Light
- LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION: Built in the Polysilicon solar panels, More brighter than the other camping light and lower energy consumption
- USB OUTPUT: An universal USB charging port for charging mobile phones and other devices (output: DC 5V/1A)
- 2 BRIGHTNESS MODES: Bright mode [adequate for reading and most normal activity], Super bright mode [extended vision or to share]
