BioLite AlpenGlow 500 review
BioLite AlpenGlow 500 Rechargeable Lantern
By Tom Calder
BioLite lists 500 lm on high for about 5 hours and up to 200 hours on low at 5 lm, from a 6,400 mAh (23.6 Wh) battery that also works as a USB-A power bank. Its ChromaReal LEDs give dimmable cool and warm white, a candle-flicker mode and colour modes, there is a lock mode, and BioLite lists an hour of reserve power at the end. At 380 g and IPX4 it is a table-top or hanging light rather than something to throw in a pocket. It charges over micro USB in about three hours. It has twice the battery of the AlpenGlow 250 on this page, so it is the better pick if you also want to charge phones.
- Best for
- A warm-light lantern for a family room that doubles as a large power bank.
- Skip it if
- You want a lantern that runs on spare cells, or you need many hours of bright light at the top…
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- 500 lm on high and up to 200 hours on low, per BioLite
- 6,400 mAh battery with a USB-A output (5 V, 2.4 A) for topping up phones
- Warm white option (CRI 90) and a lock mode that stops it switching on in a bag
Worth knowing
- Only about 5 hours on high per charge, per BioLite
- Charges over micro USB rather than USB-C
- IPX4 means splash-proof, not for immersion, and at 380 g it is not a pocket light
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Our review
BioLite's AlpenGlow 500 is a rechargeable lantern with a 6,400 mAh battery that gives 500 lumens for five hours or a 5-lumen glow for up to 200 hours, and doubles as a USB power bank for phones. Its warm, dimmable light is the kind you want on a kitchen table through an evening without power. It charges over micro USB rather than USB-C, and it is a table light, not a pocket one.
What it does
BioLite lists 500 lumens on high and 5 lumens on low, from a 6,400 mAh lithium-ion battery it rates at 23.6 Wh. Run time is 5 hours at the high setting and as much as 200 hours at low, with an hour of reserve power at the end so the light does not simply die. The LEDs are what BioLite calls ChromaReal, with a colour rendering index of 90, and the lantern offers cool white, warm white, a single-side mode that lights one half of the room, a candle flicker, and several colour and party modes. A lock mode stops it switching on in a bag.
It weighs 380 g and measures 136 by 97 mm, and is rated IPX4 for splashes. The USB-A output gives 5 V at 2.4 A for charging a phone; the input is micro USB, and BioLite says a full charge takes 3 hours from a 5 V, 2 A charger. The warranty is one year, with what BioLite calls lifetime support.
In a power cut
Twenty-three watt-hours is a big battery for a lantern. At a medium setting it will light a family evening and still have enough left to put a useful charge into a phone, which is the combination that makes it worth more than a plain lantern. Charge it monthly from any phone charger and keep the micro USB cable with it, because fewer households have one spare than a USB-C lead. The warm white and candle modes are easier on the eyes late in the evening than the cool white most cheap lanterns offer. Our camping lanterns page sets out how long each lantern we list runs.
Limits
Five hours on high is the figure to plan around, not 200. If you run it at full brightness every evening it will need the charger every night, so dim it. The micro USB port is dated and slower than USB-C, and there is no way to run it from disposable cells once the battery is flat. IPX4 is fine for a damp porch but not for a dunk in a puddle, and at 380 g it stays on the table rather than in a coat pocket.
How it compares
The Fenix CL28R is brighter at 2,000 lumens and charges by USB-C, with a bigger battery, at a higher price. The Ledlenser ML6 is the closest rival: similar warm light, a little lighter, with a smaller battery. The Lepro D-cell lantern is the opposite approach, bright and cheap and running on cells from the drawer, with nothing to charge and no phone charging. BioLite's own AlpenGlow 250 is the same design with half the battery.
Our verdict
The nicest light of the lanterns we list for an evening indoors, with a battery big enough to share with a phone. Buy it if you want one well-made rechargeable lantern for the living room and will keep it topped up. Skip it if you need many hours at full brightness, want USB-C, or would rather have a lantern that runs on spare cells.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: BioLite: AlpenGlow 500 lantern; GOV.UK Be Ready: power cuts.
Who shouldn't buy this
You want a lantern that runs on spare cells, or you need many hours of bright light at the top setting.
Key specs
| Type | Rechargeable lantern, USB power-out |
| Brightness | 500 lm |
| Power | 6400 mAh Li-ion; micro USB in, USB-A out |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for One dependable rechargeable torch that keeps working through a long power cut.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for A buy-once torch for the kitchen drawer or grab bag that will still work in a decade.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for A bright rechargeable room light for power cuts that can also top up a phone.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
How long does the AlpenGlow 500 run?
BioLite quotes 5 hours at the 500-lumen high setting and as much as 200 hours at the 5-lumen low setting, plus an hour of reserve. Dimmed settings fall between those.
Can it charge a phone?
Yes. It has a USB-A output rated at 5 V and 2.4 A from its 6,400 mAh battery. Charging a phone shortens the lantern's own run time.
How do you charge the AlpenGlow 500?
Over micro USB. BioLite says 3 hours from a 5 V, 2 A charger. There is no USB-C port and no option to use disposable cells.
Is the AlpenGlow 500 waterproof?
It is rated IPX4, which means it resists splashes and rain but should not be submerged.
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