Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 Review

The rechargeable lithium battery on the lantern can be charged in a traditional outlet but it doesn't require it, as it can also be charged by turning the hand crank. This versatility, paired with its bright 600 lumens makes it an excellent option for outdoor gatherings and lighting the way in a power outage.

Performance Comparison

Brightness

The Lighthouse 600 lives up to its name as an exceptionally bright light. We found that its 600 lumens are more than enough for a group at a picnic table at night. Indoors, when placed in the center of the room, it provides enough light to illuminate a 20'x20' space and without having to worry about tripping over unlit obstacles in a power outage.

The dimmer knob is also convenient for reducing the juice if you are in a smaller space like a tent. It manages about 3 hours (slightly more than the claimed 2.5 hours) on high with 360 degrees of light and a whopping 13 days of continuous light on its lowest setting with 180 degrees of light. If it does flicker out on you, 1 minute of hand-cranking will get you about 10 minutes of power on low. To fully charge it, it took about 6 hours of charging through the attached USB cable plugged into a standard outlet.

Durability

The actual lantern components including the LEDs and battery are fabricated for the long run. We have no doubt that they would last for years and years. However, we do have some questions about some of the auxiliary pieces. The outer light cover is comparatively brittle plastic that we think would crack if it was dropped on a hard surface.

In addition, the wire legs are thin and can rotate past the 180 degrees that they need to which we found makes the light liable to topple over (and take some unnecessary hits). We also noticed that neither the USB charging cable nor the charge out port has any sort of cover, which leaves both susceptible to dirt build-up or precipitation.

Features

This light comes with an array of features. The power knob has options to illuminate the night with both 180 and 360 degrees of light. It also comes equipped with four small blue battery indicator lights that let you know approximately how much juice is left in the rechargeable battery. We love the included USB charger cable that stores nicely around the body of the lantern when it's not being charged, so that it's out of the way but always there when you need it. The charge out port is an excellent option if your small electronics need a bit of boost.

Though we don't think it would be especially helpful in a true emergency given how weak it is, this model does also come with a red light feature embedded in its top. We found the space between the metal wire handle and the lantern to be a little tight to hold comfortably, but it is serviceable and makes it possible to hook the lantern overhead on a tree branch or carabiner.

Ease of Use

The basic functions of this lantern are straightforward. The legs pull down and click into place. The protruding dial in front turns counterclockwise for 180 degrees of light or clockwise for 360 degrees. Having said that, you do have to work for it if you want to charge the light using the hand crank, however, this feature is one of the huge benefits of this light. Other lights have no option to recharge other than via a power bank, outlet, or another device that supplies power, which isn't always an option in the outdoors. We think this added feature on the Lighthouse 600 really makes this model stand out from the crowd of lanterns.

Weight

Coming in at just under 20 ounces, this lantern is by no means the lightest in the bunch. However, the weight really isn't a primary consideration given what it is best suited for. If you do need to go for a walk in the darkness, the handle at least makes it easier to carry.

It is also a compact package for a lantern this powerful. The legs are collapsible which means it stores away at 6.5 inches high, 5 inches wide, and would easily fit on a small shelf in a utility closet.

Value

This lantern comes at somewhat of a premium but we think that it is worth it. This rechargeable light eliminates the need for any additional investment to replace batteries, increasing its long-term value. The ability to charge without electricity from an outlet also makes it highly versatile in the short term. If you are looking for a powerful, multi-purpose light for both your upcoming trip and for the distant future, this one has great promise.

Conclusion

The Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 is versatile. It has a large handful of useful features and best of all, it is bright enough for a large tent or small group outside.