Hurricane lanterns: oil or LED? a totally, completely, way serious comparison

Hurricane lanterns, oil or LED? Here's a comparison between the two, going over operating systems, light quality and the intangibles.

Best viewed in 1080p | This video does not contain sponsored content.

My Facebookz!

My Instagramz!

My blog!

Like what you see? hit 'like' and hey, why not subscribe?

[RaspberryRockOffGridCabin]

I like the general lighting in this video. You forgot the sexiness factor of the lantern. I want one.

[WindersRanger]

In a limited capacity, the oil lamp will also provide heat as well.

[caroleL.]

I enjoyed your presentation of the two lights but. I also would like to pick the oil light also 👍

[radarstationalexchiander]

Oil lantern on a chilly night, warm light with a little heat 🍻🍷

[bettinah.]

The oil definitely gives a lovely ambiance.

[shawneegrows]

I like the oil lamp light because it's easier on my eyes. I see led and I want to shut it off but with fire I want to stare at it. As for in the house I'd have to choose led with small kids.

[EarlyRiser--]

Haha, I've never seen a smaller led lantern! Was it one of your Christmas Tree ornaments? For ambiance, yes the oil light, for practicality when needing to guide your way to the outhouse in the middle of the night I'd go with the led but perhaps one a bit larger. Also, that little lantern can be hooked to your dog's collar at night! Thanks for the laugh. My poor Oil Lantern has been on the back porch for years. I might have to fire it up again.

[hiepho]

What is that little lantern? Can i have a link for it? Thanks

[-Honeybee]

I've always really liked oil lamps simply because making a useable lamp oil isn't too hard if you have some basic knowledge and will, but it's relatively easy to get most places as well, and the ambience of a lamp is simply comforting.
Can't beat a protected source of open flame, either, for bushcraft purposes.

[morgan]

I bought a couple of vintage style edison bulbs. I've been thinking about building a lamp fixture into an empty lantern enclosure and putting a bulb in as an indoor lantern solution. They have a warm, ambient, almost fire-y orange glow to the filament. Not sure if they work with dimmer switches. For the flicker, I might just throw in a moth! 😅

[SamCanada]

I think the wick, like in your lamp or one of those old zippo lighters for example isn't supposed to burn, at least not so fast. I think it's the fuel that is carried by the wick that burns. :)

[charlesandanaylnw]

I like a oil lantern or lamp - we always had them in our house growing up.

[canajian]

😎👍 light... in an emergency both work ..
But let's be frank, oil lamps are sexy..
LED functions and produce light,
But the flame, is so luring it causes the death of many a bug..
A double bonus factor 🤣

[rodrigocappato]

The oil lamp I assume it should be safe for indoors, that's the only type of lamp they had hundreds of years ago, no LED or any other lamp during that times :). Greetings from the woods in Sweden 🇸🇪

[kyleholmesWROM]

I have oil lamps snd lanterns for the winter because they put off about 1800 BTUs of hear and midsize battery led lanterns for spring summer and fall for power outages from severe storms the battery ones are much brighter but Im with you Id choose the oil lantern over the led the light is more alive and natural

[WRND]

Flashlight and oil lantern. If you have to you can render oils and animal fats to use in it. I do have batteries that will last effectively indefinitely though with portable solar charging for flashlights, radios, etc. Fire is a practical heating, cooking, drying, preserving, and sterilizing method, so being able to maintain and transport fire in a weatherproof lantern can be very useful. Turned down low these will last a whole day on one full tank.

[Bounty]

You need a different wick at that temperatures the oil isnt as liquid, this kind of wick can’t suck up the oil fast enough and ends up burning away super fast.

[threeriversforge]

I just spent 8 days without power due to Hurricane Helene passing through. Interesting times, and the one lesson learned quick and hard was that the new-fangled stuff just plain sucked balls. Battery-powered anything was so prone to failure that it was amazing, but even if it worked.... it still forced me to go out and get batteries when new ones were needed. One tiny wire coming loose killed the lamps. Batteries go bad, corroding the inside of a light.

Compare that to my oil lanterns, though, and it was night-n-day. The Feuerhand lanterns are the best, and the only brand still being made in Western Civilization so you know you're getting a good, solid product when you buy one. Well worth the money!

Hurricane Lanterns run on "lamp oil", kerosene, or diesel. A little fuel goes a very long way, too. I ran my lanterns every night for a few hours between sunset and bedtime. I was very very comfortable and could even read by the light they put out. If it had been a colder time of the year, I'm sure that I would have appreciated the little bit of heat they give off.

8 Days of Darkness and I maybe burned up a little more than a quart of oil. While all my battery-powered stuff was dead, my oil lamps worked perfectly even though they'd sat for a year or more since the last power outage. You cannot beat that kind of performance and reliability.

Since then, I've bought more hurricane lanterns. The Meva line, made in the Czech Republic and no longer made, is a very nice quality for the price and I recommend them for folks just getting started. If you can find one that's not rusted out on ebay, grab it and feel good about the purchase.

Chalwyn is another brand that's since gone belly up. Made in England in the 50's, they are very solid performers and have a good feel of quality about them. Again, if you find them in good condition, grab them and rejoice.

Of course, if you want to buy brand new lanterns that you can trust, Feuerhand is the only name in the game. Every other maker is supporting chicom industry, and that's not something we want in our lives. Better to support an Allied Nation who has a reputation for quality engineering! When you buy Feuerhand lanterns, you're joining a fraternity that is quite robust, and the resale value of their works are good. Plus, you can get the lanterns in all sorts of designer colors to match your decor!!

For the price, Feuerhand really is the best bang for your buck.

[svravenflintlock]

Of course we pick the oil lantern. I might use the LED to see to get the oil lantern lit, then stow it away. The LED looks like something I'd give to my grandson.😆

[BertieWoster]

I burn oil lamps almost every night, and almost never have to trim my wicks... I think you're using the wrong type of fuel. I use Aladdin Lamp Oil in mine.