The Magic of Aladdin

There's nothing quite like burning an oil lamp and enjoying its warmth and glow on a cold winter's evening.  There is something, however, that's even better!  For a long time I had heard rumblings about how incredible the Aladdin lamp was.  I had held off buying one because to be honest I felt that their pricing was a little...well let's just say, "high rent"  especially when compared to your normal everyday oil lamp that many of us grew up with and still use today.  Upon watching several comparison videos though I came to the conclusion that they just might very well be worth that initial investment. 

For those who may not be familiar, the Aladdin lamp burner system is similar to that of the Coleman white gas lanterns in that its bright white light derives from a mantle.  Unlike the Coleman however, you burn regular (albeit clear) lamp oil to power the lamp.  There's is also no sound that accompanies the Aladdin when it is burning.  It is perfectly quiet when in operation and the best part...it gives off a crisp white light that is the equivalent of a 60 watt bulb!  It also produces a rather impressive amount of heat.  In fact it burns so hot that you will probably not notice the typical kerosene smell that normally wafts off of a traditional oil lamp.  This heat is a nice bonus in winter but would admittedly be a deterrent in summer. 

Searching for local dealers in our area I came up with exactly one option to choose from.  It was a local hardware store (the oldest in the area to be exact)and they carried the lamps and all of the needed and wanted accessories.  We picked up an Aladdin Genie II (the last one that they had in stock) for $99.  My understanding is that Aladdin has quit making this model; however, they can no doubt still be found online if you are like us and want to try out a starter model.  That's a price that's probably around 4 times what I would consider paying for a very nice old school oil lamp, but I have to say...this lamp performs as advertised!  It puts out an incredible amount of light.  I would say every bit as much as a 60 watt light bulb and while the cost of the mantles and accompanying wick may seem prohibitive what I've read so far seems to suggest that they are made to be burnt hours a day everyday for an extended period of time before replacements are needed.  This makes the overall maintenance costs pale in light of their performance.  So do your research, check out some of the Aladdin/oil lamps comparison videos that are out there then decide for yourself if the Aladdin lamp holds some magic for you too!!!


Our Genie II