Costco "Techlite" 3xAAA lights updated, 250 lumens

[gradio]

Hummm. was just at Costco last Saturday but have never checked out flashlights, but have seen a couple mags and some off brand in the past just passing.
On my way to Costco, I stopped in Home Depot and nabbed 3 Rayovac Indestructible 2xAA's just for the purpose on going into the glove box of 3 vehicles. No matter, still inexpensive @ $14.99 each, batteries included - rayovac batteries lol

 

[Top Cat]

Any danger to these lights if you throw energizer lithium AAA cells in instead of alkaline? Will the extra 0.6v and reduced internal resistance damage anything?

--flatline

No problem with lithiums...those will improve the output a hair, but that is an expensive option that will eventually exceed the cost of good rechargables like the Eneloop...and the light itself...

These are pretty much a throwaway light, but they are pretty bright for what they are and throw a decent beam on plain AAAs.

 

[flatline]

No problem with lithiums...those will improve the output a hair, but that is an expensive option that will eventually exceed the cost of good rechargables like the Eneloop...and the light itself...

These are pretty much a throwaway light, but they are pretty bright for what they are and throw a decent beam on plain AAAs.

I totally agree if it's a light that you actual use enough to run through a set of batteries, but my intention is to throw these in the cars as emergency lights.

Any light that lives in one of the cars gets lithiums, even if the cells cost more than the light. Car lights get used so infrequently that rechargeables provide no cost advantage over lithiums and alkalines are too likely to leave you with a non-functional light that you won't discover until you actually need it.

In reality, I'll never ever use the lights myself. If my edc runs out of juice in an emergency, I'll pull the cells out of the car light to use in my edc. However, my wife only carries a flashlight when she's working, so she might actually need to use a car light which means it's doubly important that the car light isn't dead because some cheap alkaline cell leaked inside.

Anyways, I'll probably pick up a pack of these. They seem like a pretty good deal at $5 a piece.

--flatline

 

[DaveG]

I have all the models that were sold at Costco,IMHO the 250 model is tough to beat for what you get for the price paid.

 

[Top Cat]

Flatline-That's a well thought-out plan and should work fine for what you want to do.

I don't know if they are really 250lm, but these lights do provide a very useful amount of light. They throw well on high with a bright hot spot.

I've been taking one out on late-night dog walking duty, and having some fun high-lighting the local rabbit population...

 

[dlong]

I have all the models that were sold at Costco,IMHO the 250 model is tough to beat for what you get for the price paid.

Which of the 3 (or is it 4 now?) variations do you prefer?

 

[mccririck]

I take it they're throwers? I am more into flood.

 

[DaveG]

Which of the 3 (or is it 4 now?) variations do you prefer?

I like the new 250 lumen model that is in the stores now the best.

 

[jebatty]

At $5 each, very hard to beat. Nice semi-flood beam. I have a homemade pvc fitting bike handlebar light holder, and these snap in very nicely. Will have to wait until Spring to see if they take the vibration-shock. At $5, perfection is not required. Good enough is good enough.

 

[MichaelW]

When are they going to be upgraded to the xp-g2? I need 275 lumen for $5.
That was sarcastic.

 

[4xdog]

I got a 3-pack of the earlier version of the 3-AAA lights -- 150 lumen IIRC -- at Costco a few years ago, and threw the last one away this weekend. Complete junk in my experience. Electrical problems on each led to them failing just sitting there ready to be used. The LED would sorta light up with a pale glow and nothing more, or the light would flash briefly when batteries were cycled out/in, or the red light in the switch would come on and not go out.

Cheap to buy yes, but cheap junk. Knowing Costco, the new version could be completely different in all respects. I hope so.

Don

 

[DaveG]

I got a 3-pack of the earlier version of the 3-AAA lights -- 150 lumen IIRC -- at Costco a few years ago, and threw the last one away this weekend. Complete junk in my experience. Electrical problems on each led to them failing just sitting there ready to be used. The LED would sorta light up with a pale glow and nothing more, or the light would flash briefly when batteries were cycled out/in, or the red light in the switch would come on and not go out.

Cheap to buy yes, but cheap junk. Knowing Costco, the new version could be completely different in all respects. I hope so.

Don

You are right the first ones with the led in the switch were bad to say the least,with the batterys going dead from the switch.The later models do not have that same switch on them. These are still cheap lights,but a more refined cheap light.

 

[chap2550]

My Costco TechLite Lumen Master 200's have gotten a lot of use over the past 12-18 months (garage, boat) and they are doing fine. Good units. The 250's (3-pack) I picked-up a couple of months ago are a little brighter. Build quality seems the same, but I like the feel of the switch on the 200's better. A throwaway light? Maybe... just based on the price. But these are good quality -- NOT at all "throwaway" IMO. Fred Meyer has a 3-pack of small LED flashlights for $5.99 that obviously have less output (roughly 75 lumens +/-) and you COULD could consider them as "throwaway" -- but even these are still quite good... for less that $2 each with batteries (3 AAA).

 

[VegasSteve777]

Some time ago, Costco was selling 3-packs of cheap 3xAAA lights originally rated at 150, then 200 lumens.

There's a third generation out now. Rated at 250 lumens, no surprise there -- but what really caught my eye was the packaging not only flogging the Cree emitter and model, but even the flux bin! That's the first time I've seen that in a B & M light, let alone a cheapie.

Got a pic of them, didn't buy any. $19.99, with the older 200 lumens knocked down to $16.99.

My Son bought this 3 pack from Costco for work, he's up 16 attics a day for the Gas Company. These low cost lights really do pack a very impressive punch!! When you consider Costcos guarantee, you simply can't go wrong!! EXCELLENT BARGAIN!!!

 

[mccririck]

Are they flood to throw?

 

[flatline]

My Son bought this 3 pack from Costco for work, he's up 16 attics a day for the Gas Company. These low cost lights really do pack a very impressive punch!! When you consider Costcos guarantee, you simply can't go wrong!! EXCELLENT BARGAIN!!!

What is the Costco guarantee?

--flatline

 

[PANGES]

What is the Costco guarantee?

--flatline

Basically if anything is wrong with the item, they'll give you a full refund, no questions asked. I've seen people return boxes of half eaten cookies and they didn't even ask. lol. =/

 

[flatline]

So I picked up a pack of the 250 lumens lights today, strictly out of curiosity.

They're not bad for a cheap light. My only concern is that the switch appears to be an electronic switch which means there will be some amount of battery drain even when the light is off which potentially makes them unsuitable for being emergency car lights (which was my intention for them).

Can someone confirm that these switches are electronic? If yes, has anyone measured the drain?

--flatline

 

[gradio]

Basically if anything is wrong with the item, they'll give you a full refund, no questions asked. I've seen people return boxes of half eaten cookies and they didn't even ask. lol. =/

Costco seems to refund better (no questions asked) than most in our experience. I usually send the wife in for that battle... her mouth.

 

[PANGES]

So I picked up a pack of the 250 lumens lights today, strictly out of curiosity.

They're not bad for a cheap light. My only concern is that the switch appears to be an electronic switch which means there will be some amount of battery drain even when the light is off which potentially makes them unsuitable for being emergency car lights (which was my intention for them).

Can someone confirm that these switches are electronic? If yes, has anyone measured the drain?

--flatline

If that's true, worst case, you could still unscrew the battery cap and lock out the light that way.

Costco seems to refund better (no questions asked) than most in our experience. I usually send the wife in for that battle... her mouth.

lol. Whenever complaints need to be made to stores or restaurants, it's usually my girlfriend's job as well. She's better than I am at making people feel bad..