SolaDyne Table Top LED Lantern

Battery is the weak part. The manufacturer makes it almost impossible to replace the battery. I purchased this product once before and was able to replace the battery with some difficulty. Unfortunately, this time I did not test the lantern within the 30-day return period. When I did try to work the lantern, it would not hold a charge. This time the battery was impossible to replace. I just threw the lantern away.Definitely not worth the money. Try a different brand.

Ordered product on January 16, 2011, seemed to work fine when I tried it to see if it worked.We had storm Irene pass through Puerto Rico on Sun-Aug-21-2011 before it became a hurricane. The following evening (Mon-Aug-22-2011) I had need to use it for a few hours. The crank handle broke after a few uses. It still charges the battery but there is something slipping inside the mechanism and the dynamo does not seem to be working properly. There is a clicking sound like a broken tooth on the cog that spins the dynamo.I had it charging near a sunny area since I purchased it. The battery did not keep a charge for very long before the light went dim and it needed cranking.The lighting produced is ok, but it has hot spots arranged in a pattern of curved lines.Why can't manufactures make critical parts that can break stronger or use better materials? I understand they want you to keep buying their products but if it does not last the first time you need it you will not buy anything from them again.

I bought this for our yearly camping trip in Yosemite Valley hoping we could use it at night and let it charge during the day. One of the girls asked if they could charge it up but the hand crank broke after a few turns. The solar charger seemed to work fine. Even after fully charged, a full day in the sun, it put off a very small amount of light and mostly upwards. After this it was put away and I used my Streamlight 3C on a string from a tree and that was a far better light source for the table let alone the camp site.Pros:I can be charged via multible methods (if the hand crank does not break)Cons:Most of the light is upwardPoor construcationVery little light, I'd guess around 5 lumesVery large for as much light as it puts outToo dim to light a large or even medium areaNeutrals:It may have a long run time

I actually liked this lantern, but I had to return it. There are two different settings when you push the button. First press, you get all the bulbs on. Second press, you get half the bulbs on. Third press it is off. For me, the first press didn't work well for me. It either worked or it didn't. I know that I didn't do anything to it except wind it up and put it in the sun to charge.

Haven't given it a proper try, the solar panel on 1 was loose when I rec'd it but a little glue held it in place. After a day in the CA sun, worked great. The multiple light settling was handy as well as the cig. lighter charger. It would be great for kids. I bit spendy for the quality but if I get a few years out of it, it'll be worth the $$

So to start out, if I could I would have given this lantern 4.5 stars.If you are looking for an eco-friendly lantern that still has great quality this is the one. Overall it seems cheaper than many lanterns in the store of this size. The LED lights work wonderfully! It is also nice they gave two settings for light intensity. I love the ability to crank it if the lantern starts to dim, but the only reason I would not give this lantern a 5 is because it is not as bright as some other competitors.As a side note: If you do purchase this, which I recommend, make sure that you get a good solid solar charge before nightfall because the hand crank charge just doesn't last as long and begins to dim fast.

This is a very nice camping lantern.It looks exactly as it does in the product information section. We bought this lantern for camping and it's exactly what we needed. For us, it's for short term use. This lantern cranks easily and works as stated in the description... Great if you are going camping,as stated above, and if you need a "back-up" source of light, OR if you need a back-up light when your home's power goes out and you need a light source for temporary use. Since this is just a lantern, it's not meant to be your main source of light, but rather, it is basically a great lantern as a back-up, especially for "short term" emergency situations.PLEASE note the size: If you need to know the size, we measured it today, and it is approximately 10 inches tall (plus a few millimeters) and 6 inches wide, at the widest part of the lantern. (When you unfold the handle upwards,though, the lantern is taller).

Charged by solar during the day and left it on overnight. It actually stayed on for 8 hours but not very bright towards the end. The hand crank also worked as described. A 5-minute crank lasted well over an hour. Another charging option is by the 12-volt from your car. The rechargable battery is a standard 4.5v 3-AAA pack which can be replaced easily. This is a good emergency backup lantern when all my batteries had ran out. Its bright enough to light a decent size room, but I wouldn't recommend reading with this lantern.