Rechargeable lamp or emergency torch: which should you choose for a power cut?

Article reviewed by Jesús Andrade, an electronics engineer with an MBA from ESIC. He combines 20 years’ experience developing emergency lighting and risk-prevention devices with a strong background in business management. Andrade is currently CTO at SVE Worldwide, a company specialising in industrial risk-prevention solutions.

You are quietly cooking at home after a long day at work when… suddenly, the power goes out and everything is plunged into darkness. If your phone is nearby, you can switch on its torch and try to find the consumer unit to check whether one of the circuit breakers has tripped. If it has not, you will have to rely on your spatial memory to recall the position and size of every piece of furniture between you and the consumer unit, carefully feeling your way through the house like a tightrope walker.

A circuit breaker will usually trip if a circuit is overloaded or there is a short circuit. In other words, if you thought running the washing machine while cooking a pizza in the oven and using the electric hob was a good idea, darkness might descend sooner than expected.

But let us return to your journey towards the consumer unit. If you get there and discover that a breaker has tripped, you simply need to reset the relevant switch. Once the lights are back on, you can decide which is more urgent: eating the pizza or finishing the laundry.

The second, less favourable scenario is that everything looks normal at the consumer unit and the power cut was not caused by trying to do too many things at once. What might have caused it? There are several possibilities, including extreme weather affecting the distribution network, technical problems with the electricity infrastructure, or faults involving power generation and supply.

In this case, the electricity may not return quite so quickly. This is where having a rechargeable lamp or emergency torch can make a real difference.

Contents

The problem with searching for a torch during a power cut

The advantages of an emergency torch

When to choose a battery-powered lamp

Rechargeable lamp or emergency torch: which is best for a power cut at home?

LILAK: a rechargeable lamp designed for the home

Frequently asked questions about rechargeable lamps and emergency torches during power cuts

Conclusion: the best emergency light is the one already within reach

The problem with searching for a torch during a power cut

At this point, you start wondering where you left the torch you used during the last power cut. And, unsurprisingly, you cannot find it. There are too many cupboards to search and too many useless objects cluttering up the drawers.

Another possibility is that you do find the torch, only to discover that its batteries are flat. The batteries have run out since you last used it, and you do not have any replacements. If it uses rechargeable batteries, they may have lost their charge, with no way to recharge them until the power returns.

You then promise yourself that you will buy some spare batteries the next time you go out, so you will be prepared for situations like this.

Spoiler: you probably will not, because by the time you walk past the batteries in the supermarket, you will have forgotten all about it.

The advantages of an emergency torch

The short answer is that a good emergency torch is one you can find easily and that works when you need it.

Torches are designed for specific situations. For example, they are particularly useful outdoors, where permanent lighting is not available.

If you are heading into the hills and need to light your way early in the morning or around dusk, a torch can be an excellent solution. This is why most of us keep one in a drawer until our next outdoor adventure.

The main limitation of a torch: it relies on batteries

The problem is that a torch needs disposable or rechargeable batteries with enough power to produce light. If it has no charge, you will need to buy new batteries or recharge the existing ones, assuming they are rechargeable.

During a power cut at home, that is not always possible.

When to choose a battery-powered lamp

So, what is the solution? Having a rechargeable lamp as part of your home can solve both problems.

Firstly, it is already inside the house and positioned somewhere easy to reach. You do not need to remember which drawer you put it in or search through cupboards while the whole house is in darkness.

Secondly, because it is normally connected to the mains, its battery can remain charged and ready to provide light whenever it is needed.

A rechargeable lamp is not just for emergencies

Rechargeable lamps are still relatively uncommon in most homes, but they can be particularly useful during prolonged power failures.

Torches are excellent for a weekend camping trip or a walk in the hills, but they are not always designed to remain visible, accessible and ready to use around the home.

A rechargeable lamp can also fit far more naturally into everyday life. It can be used for reading, cooking, lighting a room or creating a comfortable atmosphere in the living room while you talk to someone. It can do all this while looking much more like the lamps we already use in our homes.

Rechargeable lamp or emergency torch: which is best for a power cut at home?

For a short-term emergency, a torch can be a practical, lightweight and portable solution — provided you can find it when you need it.

During a power cut at home, however, a rechargeable lamp may offer a more convenient and natural solution. It is not hidden away in a drawer, you do not have to remember where you stored it, and it can be incorporated into the way you normally use your home.

The main difference is that a torch is usually something you only look for once the problem has already occurred. A rechargeable lamp, by contrast, can be part of your home long before the power goes out.

LILAK: a rechargeable lamp designed for the home

If you are looking for a solution designed for use around the home, rather than something that spends most of its life hidden in a drawer, LILAK combines the design of a domestic lamp, a rechargeable battery and emergency functionality in a single product.

You no longer have to depend solely on torches, emergency flashlights or improvised solutions. Having a rechargeable lamp means you can keep a reliable source of light available in any situation.

Frequently asked questions about rechargeable lamps and emergency torches during power cuts

How long do rechargeable lamps last?

Battery life depends on the brightness setting being used. In other words, the more lumens you require, the faster the battery will run down. Using a lower brightness setting will extend its operating time.

In most cases, a rechargeable lamp can provide between eight and ten hours of light at a brightness level suitable for illuminating a small room, a table or a passageway.

Do rechargeable lamps last long?

For a rechargeable lamp to last, it must be made from durable, high-quality materials. It should also allow components with a shorter lifespan, such as the batteries, to be replaced.

Can you leave a rechargeable lamp plugged in all the time?

It depends on the lamp. LILAK rechargeable lamps are designed to stay plugged in, so they’re always ready when you need them.

Conclusion: the best emergency light is the one already within reach

An emergency torch can be extremely useful in certain situations, particularly outdoors or when you need a small, directional light. For a power cut at home, however, a rechargeable lamp may be more practical, more accessible and better integrated into your everyday life.

The important thing is not simply to have a source of light. It needs to be charged, easy to find and ready when you genuinely need it. That is where a rechargeable lamp can make all the difference. And that is exactly what the LILAK lamp does.

Emergency lighting comparison	🔦 Torch	🔋 LILAK rechargeable lamp
🏠Availability	Usually stored in a drawer or cupboard.	Always visible and integrated into your home.
🔋State of charge	Uncertain; depends on disposable batteries or being charged manually beforehand.	Always ready; its battery remains charged through the mains supply.