Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

I am not a fan of open flame devices for most indoor applications. I have  kerosene heaters that I keep for backup heating and kerosene lanterns for backup lighting, but I also use them very carefully and with a plethora of fire-extinguishing materials on-hand. As Washington said, fire “is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” Meaning, it’s quite useful but it comes with some big risks.

I am not a fan of candles for indoor use at all. They provide minimal lighting and a disproportionate amount of risk for that meager illumination. They are certainly better than nothing, but I’d rather spend the $10 for a cheap LED light and a fistful of batteries.

The exception to my disdain for these sorts of things is the candle lantern. The candle is encased in a protective housing that affords a measure of security that, while not eliminating the risks, reduces them a small amount. Tip over a candle lantern and you probably won’t set the house on fire.

What I really like about candle lanterns, however, is their use for vehicle emergency kits. In the enclosed space of a vehicle, a candle lantern will provide a good amount of light and, more importantly, a small amount of heat. (Plus, on a lizard-brain level, controlled fire has a calming soothing effect…it’s hard to be miserable around a campfire.) Obviously there is a carbon monoxide issue but keeping the window open just a crack oughtta take care of that. (I suppose if youre really hardcore you might carry a battery CO detector in your car kit for when you use something like this.)

The candle lanterns I have for the vehicle are these guys: UCO Original Candle Lantern Value Pack. Because I’m an evil yuppy survivalist, I purchased a few extras for it…the reflectors and a padded carry case. Throw in a handful of extra candles, a couple packets of matches, and you’re off to the races. Surprisingly, when used with the reflectors there is a fair amount of light thrown…not enough to ever replace even the most lamest LED light, but you could certainly navigate through a darkened structure. However, as I said, I got these for use in case we ever got stuck in the snow somewhere. Hang it from the rear-view mirror and let it warm the place up and give us some light to be seen by. Although I don’t need them for household use, I have a few spares in storage that could be drafted for indoor use if necessary but, as I said, I don’t care for the risks involved…thats why I have so many LED lights and batteries.

There are some knockoffs out there but I’ve been using the UCO-branded candles and lanterns and like them very much. I count them as a tertiary-level (or deeper) level of backup lighting but in some cases they might be just the ticket. Anyway, I bring them to your attention in case you hadn’t already been aware of them.