Nitecore LR40 review
Nitecore LR40 USB-C Rechargeable Camping Lantern
By Tom Calder
The LR40 is a modest light with a big battery: Nitecore rates it at 100 lm at most, from a built-in 4,000 mAh cell. Nitecore's manual gives about 8 hours at 100 lm, which uses the warm and white LEDs together, and up to 65 hours at 10 lm; each source can also run on its own, and there is a red SOS mode. A USB-A port (5 V, 1 A) can top up a phone from the same battery that runs the light, and it recharges over USB-C in about four hours. At 222 g with a top handle it is easy to carry, but Nitecore UK says it is not waterproof and the manual warns against dropping it. It suits a table or a small room rather than a large space.
- Best for
- A dim but long-running lantern for one room that also tops up a phone.
- Skip it if
- You need a bright lantern for a big room or one that can sit out in the rain
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
- Up to 65 hours at 10 lm and about 8 hours at the full 100 lm, per Nitecore's manual
- USB-A output (5 V, 1 A) lets the 4,000 mAh battery top up a phone
- Warm, white or mixed light with stepless dimming, and a USB-C charging port
Worth knowing
- 100 lm is the ceiling, and only with both LEDs on, so it will not fill a large room
- Not waterproof, per Nitecore UK, and Nitecore's manual warns against immersing or dropping it
- The battery is built in, so there is no way to swap in spare cells
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Our review
The Nitecore LR40 is a small rechargeable lantern built around a large battery rather than a bright LED. Its ceiling is 100 lumens, while the built-in 4,000 mAh cell also feeds a USB-A port for a phone. It suits a bedside table or a kitchen worktop through a long power cut, not a big room.
What it is
Nitecore's product page lists a 100-lumen maximum, a built-in 4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery, a USB-C charging port and a USB-A output, at 222 g and 117 by 96 by 96 mm without the handle. The box holds the lantern and a USB-C cable. The manual gives the charging input as 5 V at 1 A and the output as 5 V at 1 A maximum, and Nitecore's spec table says a full charge takes about four hours from a supply of that size.
There are two sets of LEDs, warm and white, which can run alone or together, plus a red SOS flash. Nitecore's runtime table reads: warm light from 15 lumens for 45 hours up to 80 lumens for 15 hours; white light from 15 lumens for 38 hours up to 50 lumens for 10 hours; both together from 10 lumens for 65 hours up to 100 lumens for 8 hours. The brightness is stepless between those points. The manual's warranty is 24 months of free repair.
How it behaves in a power cut
The LR40 is a dim light with a long reserve. Eight hours at full brightness covers one evening, and the low settings cover several nights without charging. The 4,000 mAh cell is also a modest power bank: enough to put a useful charge into a phone, though every charge you draw off shortens the light time. Our power cut preparation guide sets out which to prioritise.
Nitecore publishes no water-resistance rating. Its spec table says the lantern is not rated and must not be immersed, and the manual repeats that and warns against dropping it. Keep it indoors or under cover, and treat it as a household lantern rather than a camping light that can sit out in the rain.
How it compares
Everything else on the lanterns page is brighter. The Fenix CL28R gives up to 2,000 lumens from two 5,000 mAh cells and has USB-C output, so it is both the brighter light and the bigger power bank. The Ledlenser ML6 reaches 750 lumens, and the Ledlenser ML4 is smaller still but can run on an ordinary AA cell when its battery is flat, which the LR40 cannot. The Black Diamond Orbiter 450 has an IPX4 rating and 450 lumens, but a 2,000 mAh battery, half the LR40's reserve. The LR40's case is the long runtime per charge and the warm light; its weakness is that 100 lumens is the ceiling.
Our verdict
Buy it as a second lantern for a bedroom or a child's room, where a warm, dim light that lasts all night is what you want, and the phone top-up is a bonus. Skip it if it will be the only lantern in the house: you will want more light in a kitchen or living room, and a model with a water-resistance rating if it ever goes outside. Charge it every few months so the battery is ready when the lights go out.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Nitecore: LR40 product page; Nitecore: LR40 specifications and runtime table; Nitecore LR40 user manual (hosted copy).
Who shouldn't buy this
You need a bright lantern for a big room or one that can sit out in the rain; the Fenix CL28R is far brighter.
Key specs
| Type | Rechargeable lantern, USB power-out |
| Brightness | 100 lm |
| Power | 4000 mAh Li-ion; USB-C 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 Nitecore LR40 last on a charge?
Nitecore's table gives 8 hours with both LEDs at the full 100 lumens and up to 65 hours at 10 lumens. The warm LEDs alone run from 15 hours at 80 lumens to 45 hours at 15 lumens.
Can the LR40 charge a phone?
Yes. The USB-A port gives 5 V at up to 1 A from the 4,000 mAh battery, according to the manual. It is a slow charge and it shortens the lantern's light time.
Is the Nitecore LR40 waterproof?
No. Nitecore gives no IP rating, says the lantern is not rated for water and tells you not to immerse it. Keep it indoors or under cover.
Can I put spare batteries in it?
No. The cell is built in and charges only over USB-C. If you want a lantern that takes spare cells in a long outage, the Ledlenser ML4 accepts an AA as a backup.
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