AKKO STAR AK-2152 COB LED Lantern, 360° Emergency Light, Rechargeable

96 small LEDs spread light 360 degrees around this lantern rather than throwing a beam, which is the actual point of a room-lighting emergency light over a torch: coverage, not distance. Runs about an hour at full brightness or up to 10 hours on the dimmer setting, plugs straight into a wall socket to recharge, no removable battery or cable to lose or misplace between uses.

The "27W" figure printed on the box refers to the LED array's power draw, not its light output, actual brightness sits around 200 lumens, honestly stated here rather than implying more than the lantern actually delivers. A 4V 2000mAh lead-acid battery sits inside, a heavier but more affordable chemistry than lithium, well suited to a lantern that stays plugged in and topped up between outages rather than one that travels daily.

Best suited to

• Kitchens, hallways and living rooms during load-shedding
• A compact lantern for a market stall or kiosk counter
• Anywhere room coverage matters more than a directional beam

A straightforward, low cost backup light built for lighting a room in every direction, not for spotting something at a distance outdoors, worth being clear about that distinction before buying.