Your Favorite Lantern for Reliability,Dependability and all-round use.

As I don't have a great deal of experience with a wide range of pressure lamps and lanterns, I am curious as to what lanterns (outdoor use type, that is) people here find to be their favorites in terms of real-life reliability, durability, ease of use and maintenance, etcetera.

In other words, what lantern in your collection do you trust most to work without fail, and if problems arise, is just brilliantly engineered to be easy to fix. I will leave fuel availability out of the equation at the moment, so it matters not if it is a Kerosene or Gasoline lantern.

I would imagine people's choices will vary widely depending on what you are most accustomed to in your locality.

Personally, while Coleman lanterns are not my favorites overall, I would have to say something on the order of an old Quicklite type would be hard to beat. The fact that they have very few perishable seals to fail, an excellent pump and check valve system, simple, robust burners and generators, and parts that are still somewhat available. A winning combination in my opinion.

In terms of kerosene lanterns, A Bialaddin or Vapalux might be an excellent choice due to the rugged build quality, and very simple, easily serviced design. There are some seals that can fail, but I would imagine repairs can be quickly accomplished. The only downfall here in the US where I am, repair parts can be pricey and take a while to get a hold of.

I'd be interested to hear what others have to say!

Many Thanks,
Doug E.

 

I really like three lantern models (I have six, but that is another issue), I like the Coleman 200A, super simple, very reliable, good quality (at least the ones older than 40 years) and it is very efficient on fuel, the Coleman Northstar,for me has demonstrated to be a very good lantern, easy to start, the mantle is very rugged, although pricey and the lantern overall is almost bulletproof, also you can regulate the intensity (lower light, very low fuel consumption), and the Petromax ( real ones, not clones) which is simply a beast of a lantern, works on kerosene/jet fuel ( never use it with more volatile fuels like white gas or automotive gasoline, as there is no positive shutoff and if you spring a leak, it can be potentially very dangerous), gives a good amount of light, but is not very fuel efficient (2/3 of light time for the same quantity of fuel than a comparable CP Coleman/kerosese)

 

My 320 Vapalux, seen plenty of use but everything is there,I dont think seals fail much if the lamp is regularly used,seals usually are trouble after a long time inactive,,,,,a good warm up ,five or six pumps and it lights with a satisfying pop and away it goes,I do have a soft spot for tilleys and an old guardsman is a close second.....

 

Currently a Coleman 201, but only because it primes a bit quicker and is lighter to carry around than any Bialaddin / Vapalux, probably an M320.

On the other hand, I don't expect the 201 to last as long as any Bialaddin / Vapalux lantern because of the overall lighter construction and the steel tank with thin paint which is already showing signs of surface corrosion...

 

Doug:

My favorite lantern is the Coleman 242. It's bright, reliable, compact and and just a classic looking lantern. They go on all my car camping trips. Parts are available at a reasonable price, and the lanterns are not expensive to buy in the US. Others to consider in North America are any vintage of 220, the 200 series and the earlier Quick Lights. I've had good luck with Prentis - Wabers and Akrons, but bad luck with AGMs (stress cracks in tanks).

Paul

 

Thank you everyone for the input. It seems like Coleman lanterns in general are a favorite no matter where you reside, although Petromax and Vapalux/Bialaddin are close contenders.

As I said, I don't have much experience or a large collection, but I did own several Petromax and Petromax style (lumping the Optimus I had in here) lanterns in the past and can't say I was thrilled with them overall. I found them a bit more finicky to use and perhaps not as rugged as could be.

My family had a Coleman 200A (I believe, it got tossed out before I was into lanterns ) growing up, and I recall that working almost without fail despite any sort of maintenance. I could see the 242 being even better in regards to durability.

As David may agree, I don't think current Coleman lanterns are built as they used to be (what is?) but I would imagine they are one of the few current production pressure lanterns that are reasonably well made and do not cost a fortune.

Too bad Tilley can't produce a good lamp anymore, and the prices of the new Korean production Vapaluxes are just a bit much for practical use in my opinion.

Thanks again and best Regards,
Doug

 

Out of all mine, probably a coleman 220f.

 

For consistent good even light, i like my old pork pie Tilley, i find them great,the old ones are my choice.

 

Great question! I’d like to share my opinion, particularly as I recently revised my opinion on the matter.

When I started collecting classic pressure lamps I didn’t think highly of Coleman lanterns: steel tanks, burner parts of pressed steel, using gasoline instead of safer lamp oil. Lately however I was pleasantly surprised by a PowerHouse 295 and a Peak One 222. I apologize to Coleman! These thing are cleverly designed and very well made products of the USA. They show some great improvements over other lanterns, which basically haven’t changed for ages. Let me give you an overview of my findings so far:


Coleman:

Easy to light, does’n need preheating, but use of a high power lighter makes life even easier.
Small mantles are less likely to break than large mantles.
InstaClip mantles are easy to fit.
With some models light output can be regulated.
Easy maintenance and spare parts are available at reasonable prices.

Most important: besides the usual NRV with a rubber pip, the pump is equipped with a metal valve, which is shut by turning the pump rod. Also the air is pumped to the top of the tank via a separate air line (I’m not sure if all Coleman’s have the latter). These safety measures make it virtually impossible the lantern will ever spit a jet of gasoline out of the pump tube, which occasionally can happen with other designs due to a failing NRV.



Bialaddin and Tilley:

Simple and sturdy design.
Older models are made very well, newer models show less quality.
Flames burn outside the mantle which results in less light output. Probably the “Pro Mantle” from BaseCamp will solve this problem, I will order a few to test them.



Petromax & Co:

More power! A Petromax in good nick will give you more light than a Coleman, Bialaddin or Tilley. In fact, it might give you more light than you wish for :-)

Kerosine/petroleum/lamp oil is inherently less dangerous when spilled than gasoline/Coleman fuel. In the rare occasion a NRV fails, a jet of petroleum is a bad thing, a jet of gasoline can easily get explosive. There has been a lot of discussion here about the safety issues with different designs.

The basic design hasn’t improved for ages. For safety and reliability the condition of the sealings of the quick lighter, NRV and fuel valve are critical, as is the adjustment of the internal valve rod.

Huge difference in quality! Recent production models of Petromax, Butterfly and other brands can be made to work well, but I much prefer fettling old models, build before 1970. These are available used and New Old Stock and are more fun to work with.


My conclusion:

A good old Coleman is easy to light quickly and gives you light enough. A very old Petromax is more fun to fettle and can give you an impressive amount of light.


(This is my first posting here, hope it helps)

 

Thats a decent first post BD, welcome to the forum ,,,,
dont agree with the 'burning outside the mantle' bit about the bialaddins,,,a worn vap can cause that and that can happen to any lamp.in good nick they can give an excellent light......
Colemans are decent lamps and i enjoy using my 635,,,however the rust showning through on my relatively new dual fuel twin mantle lamp is a bit of a worry,see what your powerhouse is like in fourty years time!,,and this side of the pond the cost of coleman fuel is a bit prohibitive....

 

Hi all,

my wife's favourites are the Coleman's, top one is the Northstar (pump some air in there, press button and open valve Instant light!). I like these too, you get light very fast.
On the other hand, I like my 500cp Petromax a lot, including its "blowtorch starter" and also the P'max clones, an Anchor and Phillips (made in India), also 500cp. They give lots of light and are cheaper to run over here. As a less powerfull (read; less cp's on board) alternative, the Vapalux M320 (ex military) has also earned its place in the list.
All are reliable and dependable. It is very hard to chose! Basically, for all round use any 250-350cp will do, the "big boys" being perfect for lighting the garden or a field and the baby's and other 222's for use in a tent and such. One really needs a (small) collection of lanterns, to be able to chose the lantern that fills the bill for the occasion.

Just my 0.02€ 8)

Best regards,

Wim

 

Thank you Norf!

The 'burning outside the mantle' is still a mystery to me. A warn vaporizer was my first thought to, but a New Old Stock vaporizer didn’t solve it. I am convinced that a Bialaddin or Tilley can give excellent light, but something is holding back my 300X and X246B.

Colemans will rust, it would be nice to have a brass model. The inside of the tank however, is very well protected by a thick coating of some sort. In case of my 295 and 222 that is.

Coleman Fuel is too expensive, one liter sells for four to six Euro’s over here. Luckily our “wasbenzine” (white gas, pure benzin) is a very good replacement and costs about €1,50 per liter.

Kind regards,

BD

 

Hi Wim,

A absolutely agree, one really does need a collection!

Kind regards,

BD

 

Welcome aboard BurningD!

If your Tilleys and Vapalux/Bialaddin lanterns have flames outside of the mantles, then the vapouriser jets are worn and the only cure is new vapourisers, but do check that all parts of the burners are tight, because any loose parts will cause problems too.

In reply to the original question in this post, the link below shows my favourite lantern, but my rather rough old Vapalux lantern comes a close second and I use a 500cp., Petromax lantern (or a similar Lantern) in my shed, Jeff.

http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/4551

 

Assuming that wasn't a rhetorical question, the correct answer is a Vapalux 320...

 

If I in a hurry have to get out of the door and do some lightwork, then I always grap my old Petromax 826. I dont have to be carefull if there comes a spot on the chrome, while it is nickled, and it is uncomplicated build. No exstra gadget that can break, wich makes it easy to do troubleshooting on.
I even prefer the preheating with alcohol, its kind of cosy and you dont have to do the pumping.

The only lamp though I never will leave, is my Hipolito 502. A solid, easy, stabile and handsome, chromed maskulin lamp I was given over 30 years ago. It never let me down, one single time and still looks almost mint.

Claus C

 

Though I truly love my Vapalux M320 (thanks again Malcolm), my favorite lantern to use and work on would be a Coleman 237 Kerosene. These lanterns just put out an incredible amount of light and are very easy to service because of the large generator that the 237 has. After many many hours of use, just take the generator off and heat it up with a torch to burn the carbon out and reinstall it and you are good to go for another 100+ hours of running. The 242 series and 427 & 327Quicklites with a R55 generator would round out the top five.

 

Thank you very much, everyone for the loads of responses, and Welcome! BurningD!

It seems like classic Coleman and Petromax are strong favorites no matter where you are, so I suppose it is no suprise that Petromax (and Petromax style) and Coleman lanterns are so popular worldwide, and have been for the past 70 years at least.

As far as choosing a "best" lantern for actual use, I think Wim and some others have it right... have a variety of lanterns always at the ready so you can pick the right one for the occasion. Why limit yourself to one?

DDay... I actually did have a 237 a long time ago but the steel bottom of the fount had rust pinholes in it. In a moment of stupidity, I got rid of it. I should have just waited for a donor fount to put on it. I do like the Quicklites...speaking from experience with Amish Leacock lamps using the R55. Once you get the hang of heating with a match and working the "throttle" until the generator is vaporizing properly, you can have it running in moments with minimal flaring. Almost nothing to go wrong with the mechanism.

Thanks again!
Doug

 

I've got a number of lamps I like to use regularly, but if you had to twist my arm the little Optimus 930 must be one of the best. Quick to warm up, economical, and gives a huge amount of light for its size

 

It's hard to beat the old Coleman Instant Lite lanterns. By this I mean the lanterns with the fuel system from the 220&228 up through the 200a.

I have heard a few take shots at the fuel system citing that it is too complex (preferring the Quicklite instead), but I find it is a well refined happy medium between functionality and robustness. For one of these lanterns that has received any care at all, I have yet to see it fail. For the ones that have been abused (read water/rust in tank, or varnished fuel), a simple disassembly and cleaning always solves the problem.

While there are certainly less complex fuel systems, I have yet to find one that is easier to light. Kero lanterns don't impress me as user lanterns as they require preheating, which requires a saparate alcohol bottle. Quicklites don't impress me much either as they don't have tip cleaners.

The 228D is my vote for a perfect user lantern. Beautiful and functional.

 

My Coleman 200A is my go-to lantern for short jobs in the barn and around. I got it at a local auction for $20 and it's older than I am. It doesn't matter that is still had cow droppings on it from the barn it lived in before

I washed it, changed the generator (vapouriser), and it works every time. It didn't hurt my feelings that it was complete with original side reflector handle!

I love the economy and intensity of running paraffin lanterns, but the ease and reliability of the 200A are second to none.

 

Then get yourself a 201 and have the best of both worlds!

 

My 201 was a revelation! I started with a couple of Tilley 246b and they were OK, then I purchased a Coleman dual fuel 285 and loved the simplicity and brightness. I was given a very old Vapalux 300x steel tank version with no glass and I wasn't expecting much to be honest but it lit first time and have a huge amount of light. However, I purchased a Coleman from eBay without even knowing which model it was. Turned out to be a kerosene 201 and it's bloody amazing! Quick to light, economical to run and blinding in use! I found Butterfly brand 41 mantles suited it perfectly and it's now my go to lamp for all occasions.

I've just arranged to buy a Coleman 295 Powerhouse for a very very low price just because I've been so impressed by Coleman in general.

 

Veritas Superb...

 

Reliability, ease of use and servicing - Bialaddin/Vapalux.

Brightness - Hipolito H-201/250V

 

Optimus 200: Super bright, super reliable, compact size, easy to lit, it just performs.

 

My go to has been the Petromax 829B from the Bundeswehr. Parts readily available, can be modified to a cooker, heater and different CP output. I know they are more complicated than some other lanterns but once you gain experience with them that's not a problem.

 

Primus 1020. Simple, bright and most reliable.
Or if I need the light at an instant, practically any gasoline Coleman.
An old 220E is often used, and has never failed me. It's a great lantern which actually was in use last week when the storm blew down a couple of trees on a power line close to me, leaving me without electricity the entire Friday night.

 

Around the house (outside) I use two Coleman 214s.

For camping I use two Tilley X246s.

Cheers

Tony

 

I just love the Tilley Hospital light. It comes with a great box making packing for a weekend away easy, and can be hung from a hook, wall mounted on a screw, sat on a table or carried by the wooden handle. Talk about versatile! And with a Base Camp pro mantle it gives a great light.