Not every camp light has to be a floodlight. The Clearhill Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern is a small, cheap lamp for atmosphere: we paid $26 for a pair, and they throw a nice warm, yellowish light under the awning in the evening. They’re very compact, too, but you can tell where the money was saved.
What’s in the box
A pair of round, palm-sized lanterns, each with a 1800mAh battery, a frosted diffuser, an orange fold-out hook and a magnetic base, plus two charging cables. The power button is on the base, next to the label. Under rubber flaps on the side there’s a USB-C port to charge it and a USB-A port to charge something else from it.
What we like
- Very compact: 84 g each
- Warm light for atmosphere
- Clip hook and magnetic base
- USB-C charging
- Doubles as a small power bank
- $26 for a pair
What we don’t
- Materials feel cheap
- Odd gold band, magnet just OK
- Not bright enough to work by
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Clearhill |
| Model | LY-YD1-2 |
| Weight | 84 g |
| Size | 7 × 4.9 cm |
| Pack | 2 lanterns2 cables |
| Battery | 1800mAh lithium polymer |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Run time | 5 to 8 hours |
| Water rating | IPX4 |
| Light modes | StrongDimSOS flashSlow SOS blink |
| Power | 3 W |
| Ports | USB-C inUSB-A out |
The light
The light is the reason to have them. It’s a warm, yellowish glow rather than a cold white, which makes it nice for some atmosphere under the awning or in the tent in the evening. It isn’t bright enough to cook or work by; for that we use a brighter lantern or a work light. There are four modes on the one button: strong, dim and a quick SOS flash, plus a slow SOS blink if you hold the button for 3 seconds. Clearhill doesn’t give a lumen figure, only 3 W.
Hook, magnet and button
The orange hook folds up and works like a carabiner, with a spring gate that clips around a branch or the awning frame. The base is magnetic too, so it sticks to the car or any other steel surface. The magnet holds, but it isn’t especially strong. The power button sits in the middle of the base, next to the label with the battery capacity.
Build
This is where you can tell they’re cheap. The body is basic ABS plastic, and there’s a random gold band around the middle that doesn’t do anything and looks a bit odd. Clearhill rates it IPX4, so splashes and light rain are fine, but we wouldn’t leave it out in a downpour.
Charging and power bank
It charges over USB-C, which takes 4 to 6 hours from flat, and Clearhill gives it 5 to 8 hours of light depending on the mode. The USB-A port on the other side is an output, rated at 5V 1A, so in a pinch it can top up a phone.
Size and weight
They’re very compact: about 7 cm across and 5 cm high, plus the hook, and 84 g each on our scale, so a pair takes up almost no room in the camp box or a pack.
Vs other small camp lights
We’ve reviewed three other small camp lights. The San Hima Magnetic Camping LED Light is the most versatile to mount and the best sealed, the Hebuck Mini is much brighter at 600 lumens, and the Darche Compact Solar pops up into a lantern and charges by solar. The Clearhill is the cheapest, and the one for a warm glow.
This review Clearhill Lantern |  Darche Compact Solar |  Hebuck Mini |  San Hima Magnetic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightness | – | 150 lm | 600 lm | 150 lm |
| Light | Warm | Bright white, Warm white | White, Red | White, Amber |
| Power | USB-C | Solar, USB | Rechargeable | USB-C, Battery pods |
| Mounting | Hook, Magnet | Carabiner | Hook | Magnet, Hook, Strap |
| Water rating | IPX4 | – | IPX4 | IP66 |
| Weight | 84 g | 180 g | 95 g | 81 g |
| Price paid | $26 for 2 | $50 | $23 | $39 for 2 |
| Our score | 8.5 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 9.2 |
Conclusion: Clearhill Rechargeable LED Camping LanternConclusion
The Clearhill Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern is a pair of palm-sized, 84 g lamps with a hook, a magnetic base, USB-C charging and a USB output, and they throw a nice warm, yellowish light for some atmosphere under the awning. The materials don’t feel the greatest, with an odd gold band around the body, and they aren’t bright enough to work by. At $26 for two, they’re a cheap, compact way to add a bit of warm light at camp.
A pair of palm-sized, 84 g rechargeable lanterns with a warm light, a hook and a magnetic base for $26.
Cheap materials, but compact and nice for atmosphere.
- Car campers
- Couples
- 4WD tourers
Yes, for atmosphere. $26 gets you two lanterns that pack into almost nothing and give a nice warm glow under the awning. For cooking or working, you’ll want something brighter.
