Wirecutter - A tiny but mighty lantern

Rozette Rago

Elissa Sanci

The Black Diamond Moji Lantern is so small that I was initially skeptical of its abilities. I held it up to my partner before slotting in the batteries and said dismissively, “What am I supposed to do with this?” But I ate my words the moment I turned it on and found myself blinking away from the bright, cool-white glow of this tiny lantern.

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The Moji is simple to use. Unlike our other portable lantern pick, it doesn’t need to be inflated or deflated. It turns on and off with the push of a button. To adjust the brightness, you just have to hold down the one button until the light dims (or brightens) to your preferred setting. Though the Moji’s light isn’t as bright as that of some other lanterns we tested, it's still powerful enough to illuminate a small area, like the inside of a two-person tent or a campsite picnic table.

The Moji worked so well when I first took it camping that I ended up keeping it in my everyday bag for easy access. You never know when you’ll need to light the way, and I’d rather not rely on my weak phone flashlight in an emergency.

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This adorably tiny lantern has proved to be handy in so many surprising ways. I’ve hung it by its collapsible metal handles in the creepy, dark closet in my garage when it was time to swap out the holiday decor. It’s served as a backseat book light on many long road trips. And I once used it to search for a pair of dropped keys in a darkened parking lot. But the Moji has turned out to be most useful on evenings when I’ve forgotten to turn on the front porch light (of which there are many) and would otherwise have to grope around blindly to unlock the door.

The Moji is also a looker. It’s sleek and rounded, with the LED encased in a frosted, white plastic shell. It’s available in up to seven different colors, depending on the retailer. My Moji is Fern Green, to match my tent and daypack. But I’ve had my eye on the Dark Berry and the simple White for a while.

I’d like to stash one in my car and the other in my everyday bag so I don’t have to keep rotating my single lantern around. Which brings me to the other great thing about the Moji: At $20, it’s relatively cheap. Buying a few to keep in various bags and spaces doesn’t take too much of a toll on your wallet.

After tons of research and testing, here’s how we see the Black Diamond Moji Lantern stacking up to the competition:

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• Unlike other lights we tested, there’s no hassle of inflation or deflation—simply press the button on the side to turn it on and off. This design makes the palm-sized Moji our most travel-friendly recommendation.

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• It’s small and lightweight, weighing just 4.3 ounces with batteries inside. And on top it has two metal handles that fold down for storage.

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• It casts a strong, cool-white glow bright enough to light up a small area for reading a book or consulting a map.

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• It’s backed by a year-long warranty.

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Read more in our guide to our favorite outdoor and backyard lighting.

We don’t see deals on the Moji too often, but previously we’ve seen the price drop on Black Friday and during REI’s members-only sales.

My rugged little lantern is still in remarkably good shape, considering the amount of wear and tear it’s endured. But it’s not rated for protection against dust, and it isn’t waterproof, so you should try to keep it relatively clean and dry. It runs on three AAA batteries, which are not included. If you’re using the Moji casually around your home, our favorite rechargeable AAA batteries will work well—but we recommend using single-use batteries if you’re planning to go off-grid.