Coleman Retro Rechargeable Battery Powered Lantern (Family Size) Reviews

• Great lantern

  
  By A14T8HKQH08MFH on 2006-06-25
  We've used this several times since buying a couple of years ago. The amount of light it gives off is incredible, and it lasts pretty much as long as they say it will. It's not light though - the battery is fairly sizable and I think it may be lead-acid - not sure.
  
  

• lantern review

  
  By AVSEU9M79YZBW on 2006-06-29
  The lantern is very bright and the charge holds for a long time. I would highly recommend this item and I may buy another lantern in the future.
  
  

• An excellent alternative to fuel lanterns for power outages

  
  By APY61UVECTN76 on 2007-01-10
  This was just what I was looking for to give my mother in case of a power outage. She would not be at all comfortable using a fuel powered lantern and I did not want to give her something that required batteries. This way she only needs to recharge the lantern twice a year unless she has occasion to use it and it should be ready to go in case the power goes out. I was very please with the amount of light the lantern gave off. I'm seriously considering getting one for myself, although I already have 2 fuel lanterns.
  
  

• Coleman Latern

  
  By AYIH10G5ID5WG on 2007-10-03
  Just what I wanted in a rechargeable lantern. Provides plenty of light for occasional loss of power or otherwise. I have never been disappointed with Coleman's products. J.C.
  
  

• Good black-out or camping light

  
  By A26PI7JDQB9KOZ on 2007-12-31
  This lamp is definitely not a backpacking light/lantern. It is rather large, which I attribute to the "retro" design - which I don't quite understand - and weighs about a ton. It's kind of like IBM selling a "retro" designed laptop - remember those three inch thick, half ton lap-boulders. Why would you look to the past for utilitarian design. What's next; a flashlight in the shape of a flaming torch?
  
  Anyways, buy this lantern if you want something for when the lights go out during some sort of blackout or if you are camping where you can drive right up to the camp site. Because, trust me, you do not want to have to drag this thing farther than from your house to your car and then to the tent from your car.
  
  Besides the weight, and volume of this lamp, the apparent high and low light setting is virtually the exactly same amount of light and will not at any point make you think; "Oh, this low light setting is really low in comparison to the high setting", but rather you will more likely think something like " What the heck, low? low? how is that low? somebody needs to look up the definition of low...because it doesn't mean 'same'".
  
  I do have to admit though, if you were to need a night light at any point during a camping trip, it would come in handy, and seems to be more of a "low" light than the fluorescent low setting.
  
  
• Zero illumination
  By A1KZT7NA85UPUP on 2008-08-06
  I purchased this lantern on the basis of the very favorable reviews listed here. It is a heavy lantern, best suited to jobs such as providing light at home during power outages. But the lantern I bought failed to light after the required 18 hour charging period before its initial use. Failed to light after the second 18 hour charging attempt. Failed to light after a 44 hour charging, when, as before, the charger was connected to a wall outlet and the lamp's charging light glowed with a reassuring red color. Yet the main bulb seems to be in good condition. I've owned two Coleman gasoline lanterns for nearly 50 years with hardly any problems. It's repacking the thing and paying shipping charges ($18.00) for a nine pound item to return it to Coleman in Kansas for repairs that's especially irritating. Total cost so far, including Amazon shipping charges, is about $70.00. The lantern I sent to Coleman on August 6 was never repaired, nor was a replacement sent to me. For some reason Coleman sent a refund check which I received on October 6!
  
  
• Great Emergency Light
  By A14KC988NE3WSH on 2008-02-01
  It's heavy, and has a large lead acid sealed battery inside-if used outdoors not likely to be blown over in a strong wind. Has a very bright white incandescent light. It has 2 light levels that do seem to be different, and a night light that might be useful.
  I like the option of the ac charger and car accessory charger. Cranking lanterns are OK but they make people mad especially at 1am in the morning when car camping. I plan to use this mainly at home for emergency use when the power goes off, but may get one to carry in the car for winter travelling. It stands solidly on the ground, and ideal for using when putting on chains, also bright red. Target sell these also, I purchased mine at llbean with a coupon.
  Not suitable for uses where you have to carry it some distance, it's just too heavy. As far as the retro look,
  I think it looks just fine.
  
  
• Rechargeable on AC and 12-volt. Nice light, bright, and safe.
  By A2XU6J41ZQOJ2V on 2008-06-13
  Well built & heavy. Actually it holds a curly type bulb, not a u-shaped tube, giving off more light. Storage in bottom for the 12-volt car charger. The built-in nite light is actually rather bright, bright enough for leaving on in a tent while sleeping. So far very satisfied with the purchase. Years ago I used a Coleman propane light which ran very hot, and unsafe to leave on in a tent while sleeping. This makes more sense. Eco-friendly. Guess you can re-charge it during the daytime off your car battery, except it takes many hours. Update 7/2008: We had our first 3 hour power outage last nite. This lantern worked great! Actually, I found that running it on low was bright enough to find my way around the house. Left it on the "night light" setting after returning to the bedroom. Still bright enough to see in the bedroom yet sleep. This lantern is excellent!
  
  
• Mom loves Coleman's Rechargeable Lantern
  By A2G27VZK46FB9R on 2008-02-05
  Got this rechargeable lantern for a night reading lamp for my elderly Mom. She loves to read at bedtime and it came handy when the electric power went out during a winter storm.
  
  Amazon also offered 3 small battery operated lanterns as a package deal. Mom used them in the kitchen and the bathroom so she can see her way when the lights are out.
  
  No more worries about candles.
  
  
• Rechargeable Lantern
  By A36D5U7R7J89K2 on 2008-01-14
  The lantern is a bit heavy but it does its job. It is nice and bright. It is very useful during power outage.
  
  
• Super Lantern
  By A1UBD97H6JF95G on 2008-06-07
  Outstanding unit for the price. Battery pack makes unit heavy enough so as to not be blown over easily. Would purchase again.
  
  
• Coleman Retro Camping Lantern
  By A19JK5S8HW4AX on 2008-07-04
  Lantern is heavy but, perfect for vehicle camping. It appears well made
  with a nice attention to detail(s). Very pleased with this product.
  
  
• Excellent lantern
  By A3VXH03ERCL787 on 2008-07-22
  Does exactly what it says - came on time and as promised. So far, works fine.
  
  
• Great Lantern but bit heavy
  By A17771LTRWSKQ5 on 2008-07-25
  It is a well-made lantern with a nice night light. The only negative is that it is quite heavy...about 7 lb. Thus, this is not recommended for backpackers who count every ounce.
  
  
• coleman retro family size lantern
  By A3FNS430Q0G1RU on 2008-08-14
  Coleman Retro Rechargeable Battery Powered Lantern (Family Size)
  This thing looks and works great and puts out plenty of light for catfishing at night off the pier or boat. The nightlight is a convenience addition for small needs. The cover to the nightlight was broken when the lantern arrived, but one call to Coleman customer service fixed the problem for free - a new cover arrived 2 days later. It's a relief to work with companies like Amazon and Coleman who understand what customer service is! Thanks
  
  
• SOLID PERFORMER
  By AQJTUNLHELWVS on 2008-08-29
  Most of the other reveiws stated it was heavy well it was not that bad,nice bright light,well built, beats gas lanterns any day
  
  
• a bright light in the night
  By A312OXS6KAU0L on 2008-09-30
  THis lantern is fantastic. We looked at many different lanterns and for the price, the quality of this product is amazing. It is sturdy and the charge lasts. Love the night light feature. This is all we need for a perfectly lit camping trip.
  
  
• Excellent Function and Form
  By A1CAZ6BBQD103M on 2008-10-27
  I was really going for a no thrills lantern to take me through the power outage after Hurricane Ike hit Houston and I completely lost faith in getting my power back. All I could do was read... candles are awful for the eyes; reading lights can get cumbersome as you constantly have to adjust their aim. So I figured it's time to get a lantern.
  
  It didn't take too long to get hooked on the "retro" appeal of this lantern. The light emitted is bright enough for anyone in the room to enjoy reading in the darkness of a power outage - or in a tent for that matter. Although there are two output settings, Hi and Low, they are close enough to the point that you won't really need to set it on Hi. It lasts for hours as advertised and the night light is a neat little feature.
  
  My only issue with this model is that the charging takes several hours and there is no "battery meter" to know how much you have left. I would basically use it at home for a couple of nights in a row, then charge it in the office on the third day - so I know an 8 hour charge will definitely last at least 8 hours.
  
  Now that the power is back, I kept the lantern on display in my living room as it certainly looks appealing.
  
  By the way, if you do buy it, and I recommend you do, the 12volt charger is tucked in the battery compartment (from the bottom). So don't freak out when you open the box and can't find it.
  
  
  
• spenny review
  By A2BJMCQ9CIAHA2 on 2008-01-13
  Item received as advertised and promptly and safely. Not used - waiting for the camping season
  
  
• Bright, good looking, easy to use.
  By A94HWROPFUY8P on 2008-07-29
  When I first got the lantern I was concerned that it wasn't going to be bright enough. Though once its on for just a couple of min it is significantly brighter. I guess it just needs to warm up a little.
  I got the retro looking lantern because I needed the small carrying handle for hanging on hooks. I got 1 of these to try. I wanted it to replace using the propane or Colman fuel lanterns that can smell and get really hot. This worked great. I ended up buying two more after trying it out.
  There are 3 settings.
  High, lights a small room up completely. Lights a decent area of a large room up.
  Low, works well for a reading light.
  The night light shines up and out of the little yellow plug on the side. It is a yellow dim light that would work perfect for someone afraid of the dark. Or if you need to move around in the dark around people who are sleeping it is light enough to let you see without waking anyone up.
  The base is a bit heavy, but no more so that a propane or gas lantern that would have the tank at the bottom filled with fuel instead of a battery.
  
  
• A great improvement
  By AF5FH5PQC84FG on 2008-08-04
  I saw the Colement rechargeable lantern at Dick's Sporting Goods. I've been waiting for an alternative to the old gas lantern and didn't want to have to stock "D" batteries. Ordered through Amazon for $10.00 less than Dick's and as usual, received it in 3 days with free shipping. My 6 year old dragged it all over the camp sight both day and night for a week. It performed flawlessly and I didn't have to worry about the fire hazard or glass breakage. Would recommend.
  
  
• Excellent product
  By A3SUYHWNEPSDNI on 2008-09-08
  Even though I haven't used the Coleman Retro a lot, it works very well plus it is cute. Can't ask for anything more.
  
  
• Cute, sturdy, love it!
  By A3LKCZ79NHWW2Z on 2008-10-15
  Bright red makes this electric lantern just as cheerful as a gas-powered lamp, despite its cold fluorescent bulb. I feel this is much safer for my family than anything with a flame. Has three positions: high, low, and night light, which includes a yellow bug light.
  
  
• Incredible value for such a useful product!
  By A3QFYC1NXK95X4 on 2008-10-18
  Two things sold me on my choice for this lantern: the Coleman name and reputation that I've come to rely on since the mid 1960s and the fact that it was 'shipped and sold by Amazon.com', another name and reputation that I've relied on heavily over the years...have never been disappointed by either.
  My purchase of the original lantern (I now own three) was largely based on the need for a quality lantern for power outages in my area. I'm elderly and disabled and the last power outage we had earlier this year resulted in my injuring my ankle from stumbling in the dark getting my flashlight. That minor bump turned into a major leg infection that has severely limited my mobility this year.
  Decided I would get a dependable lantern that I could set up in my apartment to come on automatically in the event of another outage. This lantern provides more than enough light for me and with the 'night light' feature, I can easily navigate if I leave it on when I retire at night. The low setting on the lamp easily provides enough light to read by and walk around safely just about anywhere in my apartment. I liked the lantern so much that I bought two more of them, one goes in my kitchen and the other serves as a backup in the event of a prolonged outage. Great product...easily performs as advertised!
  
  
• Coleman lights up the table
  By ACW40TP0KMZTU on 2008-10-24
  This is a very cool lantern. It charges via AC or DC. Since I have solar panels on my trailer, this is a perfect match.
  
  

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