I've stocked up on those cheapo glass lanterns with the glass bowls. The kind you find at Wal-Mart, etc for $10 a piece. Several are more than a decade old now, and still work just fine. I've had to drain them off and refill them for moving purposes. They hold up well, unless the wife or kids knock them off the shelf while dusting or something.

Dietz, Aladdin, etc, all make pretty good household oil lamps. Hurricanes will do better for rugged use.

Try Lehmann's Hardware. They have about the best selection of lanterns and lamps of all kinds that I've come across.

Frank2135

I picked up 3 of the no name ones at a yard sale during the summer. I paid five bucks for the trio. They work just fine, for what they are. I did have one problem, I had no idea how to light them..lol. I finally learned how to light them, by seeing it done in an old black & white western.

Thanks for the link Frank. They really do have a great selection of all kinds of lamps. I really liked their custom olive oil lamps. I might have to make one of those.

Most of the lamps I've used are/were from Lamplight Farms, some metal, mostly glass. My two personal beefs about any oil lamp are with the shape, and the roller that turns the wick.

In the case of the roller, I try turning the knob to see if it makes good contact with the wick and doesn't slip or stick, it's holding the wick in place so if it's loose the wick might keep wandering down into the lamp.

In the case of the shape of a lamp-the lamp works by a wick soaking up the oil and burning the OIL, if the bowl/base of the lamp is tall the oil has a long way to climb. Either you constantly keep the lamp well topped up or you're burning wick. Shorter is better! Since you don't want to constantly refill the lamp, you want a wide bowl to hold plenty of oil. Wider is also more stable which is better when flames are involved.

I prefer to look for nautical or traditional styles because the tried and true designs work the best, although they don't have to be expensive reproductions. I have seen fairly reasonable lamps in the candle sections of retail and hobby shops. (and hardware stores) Kits are also available if you have sturdy, heat tolerant containers to attach to the burner. Check before you buy that the wick and globe are easy to replace and the globe isn't fragile glass. Lighter colors will reflect more light so avoid dark metal,etc.

And a second vote on the ultra pure oil, the cheaper stuff has more of a smell.

Do NOT invert the lamp. All you'll do is spill oil on your and the floor. So long as the oil is still liquid, the wick will be wet- roll it up so it is easier to light, light it, roll it down, and put the chimney (the glass part) on it. Don't be surprised if you snuff the wick a few times until you get used to where it should be- try now when you don't need.

And echo the suggestion of putting a mirror under or behind the lamp. Particularly if you have a white ceiling- the light reflecting up will scatter. Not good enough to read or sew by, but you won't be tripping over things.

I just read that paraffin oil doesn't burn as well (nor as bright) as kerosene or Kleen-heet. I'm wondering if there really is that much of a difference. Has anyone used Kleen-heet? What do you think? Oh, and is paraffin oil the same thing as drug store mineral oil (baby oil)?

Liquid paraffin doesn't absorb up the wick as well as kerosene or lamp oil. With the Dietz Little Wizard lantern, you need to keep the reservoir at least 1/3 full to be sure of it staying lit.

I've never tried mineral oil. Kleen-Heet works very well, with less odor than kerosene or most bargain "lamp oils".

FOR OUTDOOR USE ONLY, you can burn Citronella oil, which chases most bugs away.


Frank2135

I am thinking about getting this one: Dietz #2000 Millenium Cooker Lantern . Anyone had any experience with it?

It's okay, either:

Don't be in too much of a hurry to cook, or


Be prepared to clean a lot of soot out of the lamp and the bottom of the pan.


You can crank the wick out to make a big flame, but it will soot out when it does.