Etekcity LED Camping Lanterns are a steal at Amazon

Summer is nearly here and in some places, it's already hot — extreme weather is hitting us more and more. Whether your area gets tropical storms, tornados or rain storms (or all of the above), chances are you get the side effect of power outages occasionally. Having a good portable lantern or two around your home is a must since no one wants to get left in the dark. Amazon shoppers love one lantern in particular: the mega-popular Etekcity Camping Lantern, on sale for just $23 for four.

It's easy to see why these guys are top-sellers. Packed with 30 LED lights, they're so bright, they can easily light up a room or tent. They're perfect for storms and a must for your emergency kit.

The gizmos are compact, lightweight and collapsible, allowing you to quickly reduce the size of the light you put out. And, of course, being fully collapsible allows for easy toting and storage. (By the way, when fully collapsed, it's the size of a smartphone!)

The lanterns are even waterproof, so they can survive temporarily being in rain and even getting submerged. They're also incredibly durable — they can withstand a 10-foot drop, so no worries if you have butter fingers.

This lantern pack has an army of devoted fans who swear it'll light up just about any space. "We had major power outages when storms hit Northern California and there's nothing like a power outage to make you realize how grossly unprepared you are for such things! Stores everywhere were sold out of lights, way overpriced and gave off little light. These things are amazing! So bright they can light a whole room! We put them all over the house for the next emergency and I’m going to be buying more to have stashed for camping trips!" said one homeowner.

Another weary storm watcher said, "My family and I have been using these little guys for years without any complaints! Living in the South, you should always be prepared with a bright, lightweight flashlight in case of storms. It's a huge plus that you can hang these too! A set of 4 can easily light up an entire room like an overhead light is on. They’re so compact and hide perfectly in each main room until needed. Definitely going to purchase another pack before the next hurricane season!"

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.