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Collapsible LED Lantern TT-CL001 (TaoTronics) |
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At first sight, this looks like a miniature storm lamp, and I think the classic design is part of its appeal. However, the features are state-of-the-art and the performance is remarkable. Apart from being incredibly cute, this lamp has a look of solid quality.
The shell is made of ABS plastic (which actually looks like metal), powder-painted charcoal black, with two brackets which fold down at the sides when the lamp is closed. The lantern is powered by 3 AA batteries which, logically, go in the base, giving the lamp perfect stability. This has to be the easiest to operate emergency light I've ever seen: there is no ON/OFF button to search for in the dark. To switch it on, you lift the handles and pull the top smoothly upwards to reveal a glassed-in enclosure containing the LED. The specs in the manual are impressive: 60 lumen intensity (so you can navigate safely around a whole room during a power outage); 40 hours of autonomy on one set of batteries (although on Amazon it says 15 hours, which is more what I would expect); and a lifespan of 100,000 hours for the LED. I have not had occasion to leave it on long enough to exhaust the batteries yet so I cannot comment on autonomy, but it seems to be always ready to go when needed. |
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This small lamp throws a surprising amount of light, and would be really useful not only out camping, or on a terrace, but also in an emergency situation where a portable, powerful light is needed. It certainly beats candles in a power cut! The brackets are easy to hold, and the waterproof constructions means it will stand up to some rain, although you would need to take out the batteries and let the whole thing dry afterwards. I really love the lightness, especially compared to those big torches where the battery alone weighed a ton. A cute and practical portable lamp with a very long projected lifespan.
My video shows how easy it is to switch on but does not really fully represent how bright it is. |
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Expandable Camping Lamp TT-CL002 (TaoTronics) |
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The first thing that impressed me about this ingenious camping lamp is the clever disappearing act it performs when you squeeze it shut. It functions both open, to the size of a beer mug, and collapsed into a disk the size of a drinks coaster and the thickness of a doughnut. In this compressed state, the light shines out of a central eye in flashlight mode. When open (with the tiniest twist of the two halves), the lamp's 30 lumens are dispersed through a tough mesh held in place by a strong metal spring. It is powered by 3 AA batteries, which are very easy to insert and remove (not always the case).
A single button cycles through four functions: ON (medium light), brighter light, flashing light, and OFF. The lamp stands solidly on its wider base (the bottom) and wobbles only slightly when resting on the other end, to give access to the little recessed handle. Another clever bit of design there: you can hold the handle with your finger or use it to suspend the lamp on a hook. Even with the batteries in, the whole thing is incredibly lightweight and truly portable. |
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Battery life obviously depends on what you put inside, but it is said to give 15 hours at high intensity, and double at the weaker light setting. I haven't had it on long enough to verify these figures, but it does sound like very good autonomy. The LED's total life is stated as 100,000 hours.
Walking outside at night with this little lamp, I found it to be very powerful for its size. The handle is easy to hold, the plastic is smooth, and since it weighs so little, it's not likely to give you a sore finger. So, a well-designed, portable lamp, which I expect to last well with normal care, despite its delicate appearance. It can even withstand rain, provided it is allowed to dry afterwards. My video shows the basic functionality, although in the dark it's a lot brighter than it appears in the video. |
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