The 10 Best Rechargeable Lamps for Camping, Caravans and Glamping

The 10 Best Rechargeable Lamps for Camping, Caravans and Glamping

A camper, caravan or glamping tent has almost no sockets, and rarely a lamp worth looking at. These ten cordless lamps bring real atmosphere along for the ride.

Camping lighting is usually functional: a bright lantern hanging from a pole, a head torch, a string of fairy lights. All useful, none of them cosy. The moment you sit down outside with a glass of wine, you want the same soft, low light you have at home.

That's exactly what a rechargeable table lamp does. No cable, no socket, no gas: just a warm glow on the table, on the fold-out worktop or beside the bed in your caravan. Below are ten that travel well, with what each one is best at.

First, what makes a lamp good for camping?

Four things. It has to be splash-resistant (an IP44 or IP54 rating, so dew or a light shower is fine). It has to be sturdy, because it will get knocked about in a cupboard. It has to last, so you're not hunting for a charger halfway through the week. And it has to charge over USB-C, from the same power bank or car socket as your phone. Every lamp below ticks all four.

Our top 10 for camping, campers and caravans

1. Anton, the all-rounder (€65, metal, IP54)
Metal, calm and almost indestructible in a packing crate. The one to take if you only take one.

2. Ava, for the awning table (€65, metal, IP54)
A slightly sturdier silhouette that sits steady on an uneven camping table. Comes in warm colours that look good against canvas and wood.

3. William, the characterful one (€69, metal, IP54)
For anyone whose camper has a personality. Shades like Koala Brown and Amsterdams Blue turn a plain interior into a proper little home.

4. Teddy, natural and rounded (€59, wood, IP44)
Soft wooden shape with nothing sharp to catch. Lovely in a canvas tent or a wooden glamping cabin.

5. Avery, the handcrafted look (€65, wood with leather, IP44)
Wood with a leather accent. If your glamping style leans safari-tent, this is the one.

6. Cooper, the smart buy (€49, wood with leather, IP44)
The most affordable on the list, so you can take two or three and light a whole pitch without thinking twice.

7. Zoë, the compact one (€49, wood, IP44)
Small footprint, so it fits a narrow caravan windowsill or a camper worktop where space is precious.

8. Liv, with a leather handle (€65, leather, IP44)
Easy to pick up and carry from the table to the tent when everyone moves inside.

9. Morris, warm glass glow (€65, wood and glass, IP44)
The glass shade spreads a soft, candle-like light, exactly the feeling most camping lanterns miss.

10. Tess, the wall trick (€65, metal, IP54)
The clever one for a camper or caravan: it sticks to a magnetic plate, so you get a proper wall light with no wiring and no drilling. The motion sensor means it comes on by itself when you step in at night, and you lift it off to charge.

Being honest about what these are

These are atmosphere lamps, not survival gear. They're splash-resistant, not waterproof, so bring them in during a real downpour, and if you need a floodlight to fix a wheel in the dark, take a torch as well. What they do better than any camping lantern is make a pitch feel like somewhere you want to sit.

Three tips for a well-lit pitch

Use two or three small lights instead of one bright one; low light in several places always feels warmer than a single glare. Dim them right down after dark, and you'll get days of use per charge instead of hours. And charge them from the same power bank as your phone, one USB-C cable for the whole trip.

Want to understand runtimes and charging before you pack? Read our explainer on battery, charging and maintenance, or the complete guide to rechargeable lamps. Off somewhere else? See the most fun lamps to take on holiday.

Browse all rechargeable lamps.