Favorite budget light 2024

[bykfixer]

It's April. Time for another "favorite of year 20XX" thread.
As always it does not need to be a 2024 model.

So far this year I was at zero lights. Today I bought some quarter sized keychain lights. For years ones by Eveready, Nite Ize and others were easy to find and cheap. Like $4-5. I gave away my last one late last year.

This year none of the places I used to buy them carry them anymore. Resort to Amazon to see them going for $15+!!! 😱. Each. Heaven's to Mergatroid. No freakin' way dude.

So at eBay they have these little Yuji lights by Maximus that can be found for like $3 each or 5 for $10, and 10 for $18 and so on. Shipped. That's right. No cost shipping.

This is just one of many sellers.

They are great for finding that dropped item at night, spotting cracks in sidewalks etc.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Warsun XD50S two pack from Amazon.com for $18 (10% off coupon on top of that price). Lights are 1000 lumens, not 7100 claimed on Amazon, but for a 21700 light that doesn't have the battery built in, and has built in micro usb charging, 3 levels, strobe, a basic charge indicator, and zoom function, for a little over $8 a light, it's a good deal. Much over 1000 lumens and you end up having a light that dims down rapidly due to heat anyway. Costs that much for a 5 amp 21700 battery by itself. Excellent lights to give away to family who keep asking for batteries for other lights.

 

[this_is_nascar]

It's April. Time for another "favorite of year 20XX" thread.
As always it does not need to be a 2024 model.

So far this year I was at zero lights. Today I bought some quarter sized keychain lights. For years ones by Eveready, Nite Ize and others were easy to find and cheap. Like $4-5. I gave away my last one late last year.

This year none of the places I used to buy them carry them anymore. Resort to Amazon to see them going for $15+!!! 😱. Each. Heaven's to Mergatroid. No freakin' way dude.

So at eBay they have these little Yuji lights by Maximus that can be found for like $3 each or 5 for $10, and 10 for $18 and so on. Shipped. That's right. No cost shipping.

View attachment 60174

View attachment 60175
This is just one of many sellers.

They are great for finding that dropped item at night, spotting cracks in sidewalks etc.

Does it have multiple modes? What's the UI?

 

[this_is_nascar]

Never mind. I just read the description on eBay. Glad you enjoy it, but I'll definitely pass.

 

[divine]

I love my Astrolux EA01S.
12,000 lumens, not cold white, smooth reflector, around $40.
It's not much bigger than my hand.

It stops me from buying all of those $80 2,000-3,000 lumen lights that are advertised. That's the big budget part of it.

 

[aznsx]

Does it have multiple modes? What's the UI?

Byk's talkin' about single-digit cost coin cell lights. I have about 30+ here (free w/ orders @ BJ), and they do 'maintained-on', which I like. They're better than nothing, but I'll never use them again since I found this though. Want a great UI (and other good features) in a tiny key ring light? Try this on for size. This one will be on my key ring a long time:

Pocket Mate® USB | Hands-Free Light | Streamlight®

 

[bykfixer]

It's April. Time for another "favorite of year 20XX" thread.
As always it does not need to be a 2024 model.

So far this year I was at zero lights. Today I bought some quarter sized keychain lights. For years ones by Eveready, Nite Ize and others were easy to find and cheap. Like $4-5. I gave away my last one late last year.

This year none of the places I used to buy them carry them anymore. Resort to Amazon to see them going for $15+!!! 😱. Each. Heaven's to Mergatroid. No freakin' way dude.

So at eBay they have these little Yuji lights by Maximus that can be found for like $3 each or 5 for $10, and 10 for $18 and so on. Shipped. That's right. No cost shipping.

View attachment 60174

View attachment 60175
This is just one of many sellers.

They are great for finding that dropped item at night, spotting cracks in sidewalks etc.

All ten arrived.

They put out about 10 blumens.
A momentary option of full time on. SOS in a pinch. Throws a beam 10 feet easy. About the size of a US quarter.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Byk's talkin' about single-digit cost coin cell lights. I have about 30+ here (free w/ orders @ BJ), and they do 'maintained-on', which I like. They're better than nothing, but I'll never use them again since I found this though. Want a great UI (and other good features) in a tiny key ring light? Try this on for size. This one will be on my key ring a long time:

Pocket Mate® USB | Hands-Free Light | Streamlight®

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll stick with my iR2 Pro or Freedom for that sized footprint.

 

[tex.proud]

ACEBEAM TAC AA 519A-V1 LED 90+ High CRI

30 Bucks with a 20% coupon on top of that. Great little 14500/AA light.

 

[PaladinNO]

Not "budget" related, but I have fallen completely in love with anything E21A 3500K-4500K. Fireflies PL47MU, Emisar DW4 dual channel, D4K Copper dual channel, DT8K and Noctigon K9.3.

For good deals, I have picked up a Fenix TK30 LEP for ~$130, 2x Fenix LR35R for ~$140 each, and a Fenix TK35UE v1 for $90. But all of those was purchased used from a local E-tailer, so I'm not counting them. I am also very happy with my Fenix HP30R v2 headlamp, and Sofirn Q8 Plus and SF16 UV.

I cannot say I have done much "budget" of any light in recent months, but as for a single favourite, I think it have to be the Noctigon K9.3.
E21A 3500K + Osram W1 Green. Perfect in every way for me when doing any late night walks. And I like the size and design.

I would have said the Fireflies PL47MU, but they lost the top spot with their really bad customer service recently. Had to take it through PayPal to get any response from them at all, and they still didn't seem to care.

For best value, I would say the Sofirn SF15 penlight. $9.98 on sale for an easily pocketable, both white and 365 nm 405 nm (how did I miss that!? >-<) UV light.

 

[knucklegary]

I would have said the Fireflies PL47MU, but they lost the top spot with their really bad customer service recently. Had to take it through PayPal to get any response from them at all, and they still didn't seem to care.

In my experience FF CS always answers questions promptly.
If you don't mind me asking, what was your issue?

 

[PaladinNO]

In my experience FF CS always answers questions promptly.
If you don't mind me asking, what was your issue?

They answered quickly when I had made my first order (the first PL47MU). The light was shipped after about 2 weeks. I had a question regarding the battery discharge requirement, and they answered within 48 hours (on a weekend). All good, no issues at all.

So I later wanted to order another pair of PL47MU's. A second one for me and one for a friend of mine.
- After 4 weeks without a shipping notification, I sent an inquiry to the same address I used the first time (the one listed on their site), asking when they expected the lights to ship. No response.
- After 5 weeks, I made a second inquiry to their alternate E-mail address. No response.
- After 6 weeks, I made a 3rd inquiry, both to their primary E-mail and the contact form on their new website, saying I would start the PayPal chargeback process in a week if they did not reply. And at the same time started looking for alternatives, where I ultimately landed on a pair of Emisar DW4's. Still no response.
- After 7 weeks I started the refund process with PayPal (which gave FF-light a 2 week deadline).
- After 8 weeks, the Emisar lights arrived, and I finally got a response from FF-light, telling me the PL47MU lights were underway, and giving me a shipping number - through the PayPal contact form, they still hadn't sent me anything to my E-mail.
- After 9 weeks, 3 days before the PayPal deadline, the FF-lights arrived and I settled on a partial refund with FF-light, for having wasted my time and zero response for too long.

Yes, the lights arrived as ordered, but I had already received my alternatives from Emisar and did not really need the PL47MU's anymore at that point. I still do not know why they did not reply to me. They only said they were sorry, without a further explanation.

If they had just sent me a notification or follow-up about a delay with my order, or whatever was going on, all would have been fine.
I don't have a problem with waiting, but I do have a problem when I have paid for something and there is suddenly a communication silence.

 

[knucklegary]

Now I am wondering if my replies from FF are not from a real person. It's a cute sounding gal named Ivy, possibly AI, she calls me "dear"

Could be FF staff were sent to Communist reeducation camp for getting to familiar with Americans.
...or possibly China industrial machine closes up for reorganization once a year.

Agreed, best staying with Emisar when purchasing from China. After all, the owner goes by the name Hank, and makes all his money from Yanks (-;

 

[PaladinNO]

Agreed, best staying with Emisar when purchasing from China. After all, the owner goes by the name Hank, and makes all his money from Yanks (-;

Don't know about the AI or reeducation, but I can't say Hank managed to do much better in all this. The Emisar order I made above was supposed to be for one standard DW4, and one custom DW4 mule. But even after chatting back and forth with Hank directly about specifications and options, they managed to mix up my order.

I said I wanted "the STONE WHITE as a mule" (sic). With an unmodified Cyan DW4 for my friend. And they managed to send me a Cyan mule. And they only offered me 20 % off on one for the lights for the mistake. I said I wanted - and I got - 20 % off on both lights, since neither was what I ordered. Fortunately, my friend agreed to take the Cyan mule, but it ended up being twice as expensive for him.

 

[Brokenarrow]

Back on the subject- I would have to say my favorite cheapo torch would be the Wurkkos TS12. Lil thing puts out a good beam albeit a bit on the greenish side.

 

[knucklegary]

All ten arrived.
View attachment 60708
They put out about 10 blumens.
A momentary option of full time on. SOS in a pinch. Throws a beam 10 feet easy. About the size of a US quarter.

Did you get the red 390nm ?
I see Phillips head screws, guessing the battery is replaceable..
Got a bunch in my cart, good price!

 

[bykfixer]

I got what was supposed to be white KG.

It looks like they sent a blue beam LED hence the word "blumens".

Yes the battery can be replaced. They are a tad larger than the diameter of a quarter. About as thick as 3 stacked.

The lens has a blue tint.