As someone who reviews products for a living, I tend to put a lot of time and research into finding just the right technology for my needs. But sometimes new discoveries come unexpectedly, and that's how I stumbled upon my favorite little lantern. I had been meaning to put together a proper emergency "go bag" for a long time -- including first-aid supplies, water bottles, batteries, snacks -- all the usual stuff experts recommend you keep handy in case you're forced to leave home in a hurry. That's when I happened upon this palm-size lantern from BioLite. It turns out that I needed this little lamp before a full-on emergency happened. Let me explain.
When looking for a portable light source, I didn't want to spend too much money. Sometimes these cool small things come with big price tags. Someone gave me advice that helped: Packing a go bag isn't that much different than packing for a camping trip.
Both include items you'll need to survive away from your home for some time. With that in mind, I started looking for products that could do double duty, and the BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150-lumen rechargeable lantern ticks both boxes. Best of all, BioLite has a sitewide sale going on in celebration of Earth Day that will get you 20% off everything if you use coupon code FRIENDS2025. That brings the price of a single light down to $32. That might not seem like much, but this lantern is rarely on sale, so it's worth taking advantage of discounts whenever they do come around.Â
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Why I like the BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150
This palm-size light source is smaller than a can of tuna and half its weight, and I don't notice its weight or size when stowed in my backpack. Charged via USB-C cable, which cuts down all the chargers I need to keep track of, the lamp casts enough light for 40 hours set on low and 5 hours on high before it needs to recharge.
I can vouch for that battery life. Earlier this year we were having major electrical work done in our house, and the power was out in our bedrooms for most of a week. I pulled this portable light source out of our emergency gear and set it in our bedroom, where it lit up the room each night, set on high. After three nights, I gave it a charge and put it back to work. I also have started using it as a light source in the mornings if it's still dark when I wake up.
By default, I can set the pint-size lantern to white, or adjust the brightness and pick different colors, including a multilight cycle by pressing the top. ("A party light!" declared CNET colleague Mary-Elisabeth Combs when I gave her a quick demo.)
The BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 comes in four different colors and also has a clever bungee cord attached to the bottom that lets me hang the lantern from a tree branch or tent pole. It also has a battery meter so I can keep an eye on the charge. Now I just need to pair it with a portable solar panel and I'm set.
Need more recommendations? Here's the multitool I finally chose for my emergency kit. And you can check out our picks for the best camping gear for even more.Â
