A lantern carries its light instead of fixing it to a wall, and that is what separates it from every other fitting on this site. It goes on a table, on a hook, on a step or into a tent, and it comes back inside afterwards.
Some lanterns here are working lights and some are objects that hold a light. Both are useful and they are not interchangeable, so the first thing worth knowing about any lantern is which of the two you are looking at.
What's in this range
There are 5 lanterns in this collection, priced from $40 to $120 in Australian dollars. Listed heights run from 5 cm to 50 cm, and widths run from 9.5 cm to 25 cm.
The materials tell you what each one is for. A tinplate metal body with a glass chamber on the vintage oil lantern, a metal frame with tempered glass panels on the candle lantern, waterproof cloth on the hanging paper style lantern, ABS on the rechargeable camping light, and metal with clear glass on the outdoor wall lantern. One lantern takes an E26 or E27 screw fitting lamp, one uses an energy efficient LED and one product page states plainly that no light source is included, which makes it a decorative piece rather than a light. Mounting covers a magnetic base with a folding hanging hook on the camping model and a standard wall plate on the exterior lantern. One product states an IP65 rating. Camping, patios, events, parties, emergency use and indoor decoration are the uses named across these pages.
How to choose
Working light or decorative piece
The rechargeable camping lantern is a light you can read by in a tent or during a blackout. The candle lantern and the hanging paper lantern are decorative, and one of them states that no light source is included at all. Decide which you want before comparing prices, because a $40 decorative lantern and a $90 rechargeable one are not competing.
How it will be powered
A rechargeable lantern charges over USB and needs no power point, which is what makes it work on a camp site or during a power cut. The wall lantern takes a screw fitting lamp and is wired in place. The oil lantern is a traditional piece and is used differently again. Match the power source to where the lantern will actually spend its time.
Size against where it will sit
Heights here run from 5 cm to 50 cm and widths from 9.5 cm to 25 cm. A 50 cm hanging lantern is a feature over a table or a verandah, and it will dominate a small balcony. A folding 5 cm camping lantern is meant to pack flat and disappear into a bag. Read the dimensions before you picture the piece in place.
Whether it goes outside permanently
The outdoor wall lantern is made to stay on an exterior wall and mounts on a standard plate, which means wiring. A portable lantern goes out and comes back in. One product here states an IP65 rating, and anything without a stated rating should not be left in the weather. See outdoor lights.
What you will put inside it
A decorative lantern with no supplied light source needs something to go in it, and that choice changes the result completely. A battery candle is safe to leave unattended on a table. Any open flame is not. The product page states whether a light source comes with the lantern.
Frequently asked questions
Which lantern suits camping?
The rechargeable LED model, because it charges over USB, folds down, and has a magnetic base and a hanging hook so it can be stuck to a tent pole or hung from a ridge line. Runtime per charge is stated on its own product page.
Do the decorative lanterns come with a light?
Not all of them. One product page states that the light source is not included, which means the lantern is bought as an object and filled by you. Check the light source line before you order.
Can I leave a lantern outside all year?
Only the wall mounted exterior lantern is made to stay outside permanently. The portable and decorative pieces are made to be brought in. One product in this range states an IP65 rating, and that is the line to look for. See solar lights for fittings that live outdoors.
Does the wall lantern need an electrician?
Yes. It mounts on a standard plate and is wired to the mains, and fixed wiring work must be carried out by a licensed electrician in Australia. One lantern in this range takes an E26 or E27 screw fitting lamp, so a globe needs ordering alongside it if one is not supplied.
Are lanterns bright enough for a blackout?
The rechargeable camping model is made for exactly that, and it is the one to keep charged in a cupboard. A decorative lantern with a candle inside is a mood light, not an emergency one. See rechargeable lamps for other battery powered options worth having on hand.