(From the NYT’s Wirecutter column today)
The emergency bulb has a built-in battery that charges whenever you turn on the light fixture or switch. When the power is on, it operates like a traditional bulb, and you can turn it off and on with a light switch. When the power goes out, the bulb automatically switches into battery-backup mode but still operates like a regular bulb, controlled by your light switch. No fumbling around for a remote control or digging through the junk drawer for a flashlight. I have a two-bulb floor lamp in my office next to my desk in which I installed two emergency bulbs, so they’re always charged and readily accessible.
The Blackout Backup Emergency Bulb comes with what Nebo calls a “power cap,” which is essentially a dummy light socket with a hook attached, allowing you to carry it like a flashlight or hang it on a nail, hanger, cabinet pull, or other piece of hardware. During outages, I use the power-capped bulb as a handheld light to explore dark spaces such as the pantry, cabinets, and closets. The cap’s flexible hook freed my hands countless times during the 2021 winter storm, making it easy for me to shower, shave, and cook.
Brandon Carte for NYT Wirecutter
Although the bulb isn’t dimmable, it offers adjustable brightness settings. When the power’s on, it shines at 850 lumens, but during an outage, it switches to backup mode, with three adjustable brightness levels that range between 80 and 500 lumens. To adjust the brightness level of the emergency bulb, you just turn the switch, fixture, or holder off and then back on within one second; repeating this process cycles through the three brightness levels.
Choosing a lower setting can significantly extend the battery life; Nebo says the bulb will last for 12 hours on low power and two hours on high. To determine the bulb’s actual run time, I set up a time-lapse before bed, turned the bulb to the medium power setting, and recorded it under a clock. The bulb met the advertised claim of a six-hour run time but gradually dimmed over that time.
Charging this bulb fully takes 12 hours, but once you put it back in a socket, it immediately lights up—assuming you have power. Since it doesn’t have a USB port, you can’t charge it directly from a wall outlet.
