This page contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a commission if you buy something, at no extra cost to you. You can find my full disclosure policy here.

See the 19 tests

1. In the box
2. Hanger
3. Carabiner loop
4. Charging cable
5. Charge time
6. Adjustable brightness
7. Lumen output
8. Shine radius
9. Light color
10. Run times
11. Battery life indicator
12. Mobile charging
13. Collapsible legs
14. Tripod thread
15. Magnetic base
16. Waterproofing
17. Drop testing
18. Warranty
19. Portability
20. Pros, cons, recommendations
21. Bonus – MUST read!

In the Box

Here’s what came in the box after buying the Lighthouse Mini:

• The Mini lantern
• A user guide

It has a built-in charging cable for any USB port, and arrives in demo mode — plug it in to wake it up.

Hanger

The built-in three-quarter hanger at the top slides into any circular tent lantern loop. It isn’t a full loop though, so it’s not the most secure.

Carabiner Loop

I’d use this carabiner loop instead — there’s just enough room for a standard carabiner, and it’s far more secure.

Charging Cable

• Pre-attached cable 10 in
• Built-in USB port Charges small devices

It loops back around the lantern easily, and a magnetic strip at the front clips the USB head in place.

Charge Time

Plug the pre-attached cable into any USB port, or recharge from the sun with a compatible solar panel.

• Full charge 5 hrs

Adjustable Brightness

Turn the knob left for half the lantern, right for the full one. The instructions are printed on the lantern itself.

Lumen Output

Goal Zero markets this at 210 lumens. My own lux meter measured otherwise:

• Maximum brightness 530 lumensmarketed 210 lumens
• Minimum brightness 0 lumens

Shine Radius

On the brightest setting the shine radius measured 7.0 feet — enough for a small room or tent.

Light Color

• Color temperature 3,500 Kelvinon the warmer side

I’d have liked more frosting on the globe though — I could easily see the LEDs inside, and it felt a little glaring at full brightness.

Run Times

• Dimmest (half lantern) 616 hrs
• Brightest (full lantern) 3.5 hrs

Battery Life Indicator

Four blue lights show the charge. They were accurate on most tests, though a little off on the dimmest run-time test.

Mobile Charging

The Mini doubles as a phone charger through its built-in USB port. Here are my results with my iPhone 12, from a full charge:

• Capacity 3,200 mAh
• Total iPhone 12 charge 74% (from 17–91%)
• Time taken 2 hrs
• Leftover light None
• Output 5V 1Aphones and other small devices

Collapsible Legs

Fold-down legs spread the light and let it stand on uneven terrain. They’re flimsier than a three-legged lantern like the Apollo, or a two-legged one like the Lighthouse 600.

Tripod Thread

A standard tripod thread at the base gets the Mini further off the ground.

Magnetic Base

A single magnet on the base sticks it almost anywhere, like on a car.

Waterproofing

No IPX rating — the pre-attached USB cable and port are fully exposed to the elements.

Drop Testing

I drop-tested it from hand height, and it held up fine every single time.

Warranty

Goal Zero gives a 2-year warranty on this lantern.

Portability

• Weight 8.04 oz
• Dimensions 2.9 x 2.9 x 4 in

Note That’s almost as lightweight as some of the most portable solar lanterns out there — the BioLite Luci Original (6.1 oz) and the LuminAID PackLite Max (7.7 oz).

Pros, Cons, Recommendations

Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the Goal Zero Lighthouse Mini?

Cute, portable tiny size

It’s smaller than I expected, fits in the palm of my hand, and is easily one of my most portable rechargeable lanterns.

Very feature-rich

Loads of physical features for such a tiny light:

• Collapsible legs for all-terrain use
• Tripod thread to get it off the ground
• Built-in hook and magnets for versatile mounting

0 to 530-lumen brightness control

Max brightness is far higher than expected, and the 0-lumen dimmest setting plus the fully adjustable knob gave me total control over how much light I wanted.

Impressive run-time on dimmest setting

Over 600 hours on the dimmest setting, far longer than expected.

Battery no longer replaceable

The newer Mini is a downgrade here: the older model let you swap the internal battery, mine doesn’t.

Improved battery capacity

One improvement over the older model — cell capacity is up from 3,000 mAh to 3,200 mAh.

Not waterproof

A plug to seal the USB output, and a cable that isn’t pre-attached, would go a long way.

Bonus – MUST Read!

Every figure above is from my own testing — measured by hand, bought with my own money.