The Olight Olantern Classic Mini Review by Patrick

Hello, my name is Patrick and welcome to my review. I’m a mid 30’s Australian who likes to collect knives, torches and EDC type gadgets. I am a firm believer in “value for money” which to me means that a product should be something that is reliable, high quality and could potentially last a very long time. I am always searching for the ultimate “Buy It Once For Life” product and things that I can genuinely recommend to other people.

Today I will be talking about the Olight Olantern Classic Mini. Let’s begin.

The Olight Olantern Classic Mini is a compact, rechargeable Edison style lantern capable of lighting up a small room or camping sight with the twist of a switch. It looks great, but does it perform as good as it looks? Let's take a closer look…

Presentation:

When the Olantern Classic Mini arrived I was actually surprised at how small the box was. In typical Olight style the unboxing was very satisfying with everything having a very nice and premium feeling to it. The first thing you see when opening the box is a bright yellow “READ ME” card that explains how to get the device out of “Lock Out Mode” which actually is very useful - provided you actually read the card.

Underneath that was a slim box containing a USB-C charging cable and the user manual and then finally the lantern itself. Obviously it's called the Mini but I was genuinely shocked by how small this thing actually is. It’s cute!

I gave it a thorough inspection for any defects and as usual it was flawless. The quality control team at Olight is on another level and definitely set a standard much higher than a lot of other manufacturers.

I purchased the Copper finished version as I thought it would suit the vintage style of the lantern which it does beautifully! It is also available in Forest Green or Black, but the brushed copper is absolutely gorgeous. It's smooth, elegant and provides such a striking contrast to the majority of modern day camping equipment. It genuinely looks like something from the Edison era and there is just something so oddly satisfying about the warm orange glow emanating from beneath the stylish copper housing.

If you like old adventure movies or vintage looking things, then you just have to get this thing. I really love the presentation of the Olantern Classic Mini and I give it a full 5/5 rating.

Performance:

The Olantern Classic Mini boasts a maximum run time of 60 hours at the 5 lumen setting and offers stepless dimming from a nice warm orange to a bright white with a maximum 300 lumen output. Being a lantern and not a torch, it provides an evenly distributed level of light for a full 360 degrees, making it perfect for lighting up a tent or a small campsite.

It features a very sturdy metal carabiner built into the handle which means you can hang it inside your tent or on an awning; which is extremely convenient for finding your way back to camp after a late night nature call.

It also includes a 1/4 screw fitting built into the bottom of the lantern for mounting on a stand or a tripod should you wish to create a more stable lighting fixture. This is perfect for providing light to a table or somewhere where you need to be hands free.

The rotary power switch is very easily accessible and silky smooth to operate. The stepless dimming makes increasing or decreasing the brightness not just easy to do but also easier for your eyes to adjust to. I have to say that the 5 to 300 lumen range is a real winner and strikes that perfect, practical balance between ambience and function; meaning it never feels underpowered or blindingly bright.

The Classic Mini includes a built-in 21700 / 4500mAh battery and USB Type-C charging port with a nifty rubber seal which helps it to achieve an impressive IPX5 waterproof rating. Probably the feature I am most blown away by is that the charging port also works as a power bank. I was not aware of this when I purchased it! This is such a genius idea! It is perfect for minimalist campers or those weight obsessed adventurers where every gram counts. It charges any USB Type C compatible device and honestly could be something that potentially saves lives. You can’t call for help if your phone is flat can you?

Performance wise I honestly can't fault it. It’s small, easy to use, it has lockout mode so you don’t waste battery accidentally and the inbuilt power bank feature is one of the most brilliantly innovative things I have ever come across. You can even charge things while using it as a lantern! I give the Olight Olantern Classic Mini a full 5/5 rating.

Pricing:

The official listing on Olight’s website states the price is $92.95 - which is a bit of a weird price in my opinion but it’s definitely worth it. The design and functionality are flawless and another testament to the quality and value for money that Olight consistently provides.

Olight does have some incredible sales during the year though so you should be able to pick this up in a bundle or at a discounted price at some point if you are happy to wait until then. In my opinion though, this thing is a “Must Buy” even at the oddly specific full price of $92.95. My brain would be happier if Olight listed it at a more “normal” price like $89.95 or $94.95 but even so, I still give this amazing piece of gear a 5/5 rating.

Final Thoughts:

The Olight Olantern Classic Mini is a very stylish and compact device. Its vintage good looks combined with an impressive list of features and incredible run time make this an absolute “Must Buy” for campers, preppers and outdoor enthusiasts. The fact that this thing can light an entire campsite AND charge your phone at the same time makes it a no brainer decision for me.

It’s a solid, well made and very unique looking piece of kit that offers more for the money than any other camping lantern I have ever seen. It is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it. I give the Olight Olantern Classic Mini a full 15/15 stars.

[Customer Review ] The Olight Olantern Classic Mini Review by Patrick