What I like to call "Emergency Lighting" has come so far in the past 5-10 years.
I've got some D.light solar lanterns (and equivalent alternatives), some goal zero "light a life", and a plethora of flashlights.
If you're semi-concerned about lighting when/if the electricity goes out do yourself a favor and get something like this. The D.lights are more expensive but are "all-inclusive" including a built in charging option (solar) but these are great as well.
They are a good bit brighter. (2nd picture has this USB light on the left and a fully charged d.light on the right)
They are tiny.
They don't get hot.
You can hang them.
You can get two for less than the cost of 1 d.light.
You'll need some other things to make this an effective solution for "long-term" power outages.
You'll need a high capacity battery bank.
I'm using Anker Astro E3 Ultra Compact 10000mAh Portable Charger (2nd Gerneration, Classic External Battery Power Bank) Slim with PowerIQ Technology (Black) with lights plugged into both ports and it's gone down 1 "bar" in 2 hours (it drained the battery in about 6 hours). I would expect a good 12-13 hours runtime with only 1 light.
You'll probably want something to charge said battery bank for long outages. Something like thisBESTEK 14W Dual-Port Solar Charger with Smart IC Technology and Dual USB Charging Ports for iPhone 6s / 6 / Plus, iPad Air / mini, Galaxy S6 and More (Foldable, Portable) will work great for that purpose. You can charge the bank pretty fully in a day of good sunlight.
So there you go. 70 ish bucks in the hole and you'll be able to light up your house, charge your phones, and live relatively comfortably during a day or two without power.
Great for camping as well. I used to take a larger "car jumper powerstation" type device with the "light a life" but this is a much more portable and just as bright option.
These are so cool! I use one of these for the laundry room/pantry because the ceiling light keeps blowing out & waiting for the maintenance man to come change the bulb makes me cranky. I'm 65 yrs old & 4'11" so it's not likely that I'm going to change a ceiling bulb. I like it also because I can use my external battery power bank to run this light in case of a power outage or zombie apocalypse.
These lights are bright! Surprisingly bright! Think 40 watt incandescent or 4 watt LED bulb. That's how bright they are. They are cool white, not warm white. The switches are nice, the wires are thick, and there is no flicker. The wires are shorter than expected, but alright. These lights take about 500mah from what I can tell, not metered but work fine from a power source that is able to produce 500mah. So if you have a 10,000mah battery pack, you should easily get 20 hours out of one light. Good enough for a few nights if the power were out. We have quite a few Lithium battery packs, and these plug into all of them and work for hours even on the smallest packs.
Only thing I do not like about these lights is that the wires tied into a knot, it what secures them into both the switch, and the light itself. The knots that are on my lights, don't give any strain relief, and will in the future cause a broken light if tugged on. Just a note. However, I would probably buy these again for the price, I could probably fix the issue.
(Beware of Seller changes! That's when you may get burned!)
:: PROS ::
1.) They work great, the plastic hangers on each bulb are handy.
2.) Brighter then you would think - INDOORS that is! (See Video)
3.) They are delicate, but stronger then a normal bulb ;)
4.) Switch is a manual toggle, I like that since soft-power switched fail so often.
:: CONS ::
1.) Delicate and hard to pack up for camping - They DON'T throw much light in open darkness (See Video)
2.) Plastic parts look like they would break easy, even though mine have not.
3.) SWITCH makes a loud click noise, but it's not a big deal unless your trying to be quiet.
4.) A case or drawstring bag would of been nice, but that's being a little picky for the price I paid.
:: OVERALL :: These are great, I use them to illuminate a big shelf I have with lots of equipment & small parts. They remain on even with my smart batteries, sometimes other items shut off due to the draw being so little. These last a long time and do not drain batteries when OFF.
I recently used this on a camping trip that I went to last week and I was very impressed with this like it did exactly what it said it was going to do and I hooked it up to one of the portable battery chargers and the battery charger didn't even lose any of its charge although I have this on for many many hours very impressed I recommend this for anybody and in any application not just camping 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Feature Product
- OUTDOOR LIGHT SOLUTION: The KOBRA USB LED light is a convenient lamp you can carry anywhere. Power it with any portable power bank for 340 lumens of illumination! Easy solution for your camping lighting, or an outdoor emergency
- SUPER CONVENIENT: Our USB light comes with a generous 40'' cord, to move the light further from the power source. No need to pull the cord when you are done: use the on/off rocker switch. Easy to carry and easy to hang them anywhere!
- BRIGHT ILLUMINATION: The LED light will produce a wide-angle beam equivalent to 40-watt incandescent bulbs. See more clearly when you are camping outdoor at night over a larger surface area!
- WIDE COMPATIBILITY: Any USB port can power the LED Lights: Laptops, AC chargers or portable power banks! Stop worrying about socket compatibility for your camping lights, you can find USB ports anywhere!
- SMART PACKAGE DEAL: One light is never enough, that's why our USB Led lights come in pairs. You can share them in the camp as camping lights or keep one as a spare! You might even use both for a brighter effect!
Description
Introducing The Easy Outdoor Lighting Solution With The Tytan USB LED Lights
Lightweight and portable, now you can carry brightness with you anywhere. Forget about bulky and heavy camping lanterns, our set of two USB LED light bulbs is up to the task. Enjoy the satisfying 340 lumens that will make everything clear under the LED light!
Extremely Resilient
The Tytan LED lights are anything but fragile. They are quite resistant to shatter, shock and vibrations. And they should be because it's an important outdoor accessory that you will carry to many places!
Versatile And Convenient
Easily power the 4 Watt LED light with any USB port. You can find a portable USB port anywhere today! Power banks and USB batteries are common and affordable.
Put the light of our product to many uses. Light up a dark room, use as a reading light, resolve your camping lighting concerns. The 40'' long cord, the easy switch and its portability make the Tytan USB LED light an important addition in any emergency kit.
Save Money With Our Smart Deal Package
Get a pack of two for a much better price! One USB light is never enough, so why not get two?
Our Supplies Won't Last, Add The 2-Pack USB LED Lights To Cart Now!
Agree with other reviews, the plastic and cords feel a little flimsy, but then again, I don't plan on banging these things around, or even taking them camping. I just wanted something that would put out a decent amount of light, and do so for a long time will hooked to a 10000 mah power pack. These will do that.
It works and easy to use, too. Highly recommend. Great for power outages and camping, too. This intrigued me from the minute I saw it. They work. It's easy to use, too. What more can a consumer want? And not too pricey either. Nice items to have on hand. I'm glad I purchased it. And yes, it works as you think it should, too. Plug the Light bulbs and poof - they work. They have independent on/off switches, too.
This is a unique solution to emergency / outdoor camping light. It is not really bright but it does the job that I bought it for. You can buy a portable USB power supply as well as use your laptop to supply power for this bulb. The plastic bulb surrounding the leds is kind of flimsy and you will need to protect them when storing them. Combining both lights at the same time adequately lights a three man tent. Outside in the dark of night with both lights lit you can expect about a 10-15 foot range of lighting so that you can read a paper.
*EDIT: My review below stays the same, but there is something buyers should know. The first thing you should do when you buy these is to take some white or clear silicone, and SEAL the area where the wire goes into the top of the bulb. This will help prevent accidentally pulling out the power cord from the bulb.*
I bought pair of these bulbs and they arrived just today. Both of them have a 40-inch cord on them with an in-line off/on switch. The first thing I saw was that these bulbs are not made of GLASS...but PLASTIC. This is great, because I was worried about breaking them.
I plugged them into the USB front port of my computer and hit the ON switch. Holy cow! Are they bright or what? They eat exactly five watts of power and turn night into day. Each of them has a little plastic hook on the top to hang them from a tree branch or whatever you wish while camping. If you need more than 40 inches of cord, they are easily lengthened with the proper USB cord extension, but you probably won't need it.
I even got a two dollar off coupon on this deal, so they only cost me four bucks each for the pair. I could see all kinds of uses for these bulbs right away. For example, if you are running an AC inverter to a battery, and your power strip has USB port outlets, you could plug them in for easy emergency or camping lights. Would I buy another set for the full price of ten bucks? You BET I would. If you are looking for USB powered emergency bulbs, these plastic bulbs are a hit.
EDIT: Important update. There is a problem with the cord going through a hole at the top of the bulb and not being secured there. What I did was to take a tube of white bathroom silicone and shoot it in around the hole. This secures the wires really well. Since this LED bulb puts out virtually zero heat, it will not affect the working of the bulb in any way.
I bought these a few weeks ago, with no real purpose other than because I thought they would pair well with the little rechargeable batteries you are seeing everywhere lately. I have since found that they work together well for a reading light when I am outside, away from an outlet, providing plenty of light to read by, but not so much that it looks like I'm running my personal casino. And with a little solar collector to charge up the battery pack during the day, I am all set for one of the more minor apocalypses, in which the grid goes out but there's still time to read.