The key here is finding out how much candle power, or lumens the flame puts out on the lantern, and compare to candles on a light bulb you use now, or would use in that area. I don't know the answers, but that's the way to compare.

Thank you for responding. I'm looking forward to more input from fellow Houzz readers!

Also, any input regarding electronic igniters is greatly appreciated!

Hi! @wpfan gas lanterns provide more ambient, mood lighting. A gas flame may be about 25 watts of light. If you need more functional lighting in a space, we suggest using electric. Often times, we use a combination of gas and electric lights on a home.

Although Bevolo does offer’s the best electronic igniter (EI) in the industry, it may not be the most cost effective decision. The EI’s require a metal gas tip which burns approximately 2400 BTU/hour while our patented gas assembly (no EI) uses a proprietary porcelain tip, which burns efficiently at 800-1200 BTU/hour. Therefore, the Electronic Igniter is actually burning about two to three times as much gas as our non-EI lights. If you only burned/used the EI light at night (half the day), the monthly gas costs may be comparable. Another thing that should be noted: putting electronic components near a flame and outside elements will eventually lead to corrosion and failure, and the manufacturer’s warranty is only 1 year. Basically, in most cases we find it more cost effective not to use an EI which costs an additional $500.