NiteSafe Maxi review
Xtralite NiteSafe Maxi (XL20704)
By Tom Calder
The Maxi is the NiteSafe model Xtralite says can work solely as a power-failure light: leave the night-light slider off and it still detects a cut. Xtralite says the top LEDs then run for up to 12 hours when fully charged, and its manual puts that power-failure light at 10 lm. Lifted out of the induction cradle, the torch gives 150 lm on high for about 3 hours or up to 12 hours on low. It needs a 24-hour first charge and has to sit in a switched-on socket to notice a cut, so keep it plugged in. The light is dim, so it is for finding your way rather than reading.
- Best for
- A plug-in power-failure light for a hallway or landing that also lifts out as a torch.
- Skip it if
- You need bright light through a long outage from one unit
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 12 hours of power-cut light when fully charged, per Xtralite
- Night light can be switched off while power-cut detection stays on, which Xtralite says no other NiteSafe does
- Torch lifts out of the cradle and gives 150 lm on high, per the manual
Worth knowing
- Power-cut light is a dim 10 lm per the manual, and 150 lm on high lasts about 3 hours
- Needs a 24-hour first charge and a switched-on wall socket, not an extension lead, to detect a cut
- Amazon's listing still describes an older 60 lm torch under the same model number, so the one that arrives may be dimmer
- Not watertight, per the manual
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Our review
The NiteSafe Maxi is the Xtralite plug-in light for people who want a power-failure light and nothing else. Its manual is explicit: with the slide switch off, the night light stays dark but power-failure mode still works, and the ten-LED top light comes on by itself when the mains fails, for up to 12 hours on low. Lifted out, it is a torch with a six-LED work light on the front. It is dim and not for damp rooms.
How it works
The Maxi sits in an induction charging base in a wall socket. The manual describes a ten-LED torch and emergency flasher on top, a six-LED night light and work light on the front, a four-mode button and an auto sensor with On, Off, Auto Lo and Auto Hi settings. In Auto, the front light comes on in the dark at a low or higher level. Set to Off, the night light never comes on but the top light still fires in a power cut. Set to On, the front light stays on permanently and the top light does not come on in a cut, so Off or Auto are the settings to leave it in.
The battery is a 3.7V 500mAh lithium-ion cell, and the manual says in capitals that it must be charged for 24 hours before first use. Runtime, from the manual, is up to 12 hours on low and 3 hours on high. Brightness figures vary by source: the manual and Xtralite's datasheet give 60 lumens for the torch on high and 15 lumens on power failure, while B&Q's listing quotes 120 lumens on its high setting. Plan on the lower figures. The manual says not to use it with extension leads, that it is not watertight and unsuitable for damp rooms, and gives a one-year limited warranty.
What it does well
It is the model for a bedroom or a hallway where a glowing night light would annoy, because the emergency function survives switching the night light off. Twelve hours on low is a full night, which is what matters when a cut starts at 10pm; the landing stays lit until morning without anyone touching it. The front work light is handy at a fuse box. For older relatives, a light that comes on by itself at the top of the stairs is the single most useful power-cut item. Our power cut preparation guide builds the rest of the kit round it.
The limits
It is dim. Fifteen lumens in power-failure mode is enough to see the stairs, not to read by, and the torch's high setting lasts only three hours. It only notices a cut when it is seated in the base in a switched-on wall socket. It is not for a bathroom or a porch. Listings for this model number have described different designs over the years, so the unit that arrives may not match every figure in older reviews; check the manual in the box.
How it compares
On the power cut lights page, the NiteSafe Duo-Lux is the motion-sensor night light with up to eight hours in a cut, and its night light cannot be turned off. The NiteSafe Torch is brighter in the hand at 80 lumens but gives about three hours. The Auraglow and Safe T Light units are shorter-running still. The Maxi is the longest-running of the set and the only one that can be a pure emergency light.
Our verdict
Buy it for a landing, hallway or bedroom socket where you want a light that comes on in a cut and lasts the night, with no glow the rest of the time. Skip it if you want a bright torch or a light for a long daytime outage; a lantern and a head torch do that, and this is the thing that gets you to them.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Xtralite: XL20704 NiteSafe Maxi manual (PDF, read 2 November 2026); Xtralite: NiteSafe Maxi nightlight and emergency torch datasheet (PDF, via Fire Protection Online); B&Q: NiteSafe Maxi LED nightlight torch and emergency power failure light, listing.
Who shouldn't buy this
You need bright light through a long outage from one unit; a lantern suits that better.
Key specs
| Type | Plug-in night light + removable torch |
| Runtime (maker) | Up to 12 h in a power cut (maker); torch 3 h on Hi |
| Brightness | Torch 150 lm Hi; 10 lm in a power cut (manual) |
| Charging | Induction cradle in wall socket; 24 h first charge |
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 A plug-in light for a hallway or landing that runs for longer in a power cut than the basic NiteSafe models.
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 simple plug-in light that switches on by itself in a power cut and doubles as a handheld torch.
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 compact motion-sensor night light for a landing that also acts as a short-duration power-cut light.
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
Can the NiteSafe Maxi work only as a power-failure light?
Yes. The manual says that with the slide switch in the Off position the night light will not activate but power failure mode will still be available. Do not leave it set to On, where the top light does not come on in a cut.
How long does the NiteSafe Maxi last in a power cut?
The manual gives up to 12 hours on low and 3 hours on high from a full charge. Charge it for 24 hours before first use.
How bright is the NiteSafe Maxi?
The manual and Xtralite's datasheet give 60 lumens for the torch on high and 15 lumens in power-failure mode; B&Q quotes 120 lumens on high. It is a way-finding light, not a room light.
Can I use the NiteSafe Maxi in a bathroom?
No. The manual says it is not watertight and unsuitable for damp environments, and that it should not be used with extension leads.
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