What to recommend to the non-Flashoholic???

[blinkjr]

Hi all – looking for some help / suggestions.

The pace of LED efficiency/output improvement has been great for those who know of lights beyond MAG/Eveready/Rayovac/etc. But the trend toward electronic switches in today's lights makes it difficult for me to recommend lights to the non-flashoholic. :thinking:

I keep thinking most people want to just hit the button and have the light come on. So that said, can anyone recommend lights similar to a Malkoff MD2 with a simple mechanical (tail) switch and 2 modes (high/low)? Something that's not too big to fit in a kitchen drawer or the glovebox of the car. Now can you do it while keeping the price <$45.00. That's about the price that people start to think you are crazy to pay for a flashlight. Battery size isn't that important – except I don't like 3xAAA lights. I would prefer it to run on AA batteries – alkaline or NiMH. I'm not sure most people would want to mess around with Li-Ion cells, either the cost or charging them. However, I would consider this if the light has built-in charging capability. Lumens? Not a big deal. Most newer lights today are so much brighter than what most people have around, they will be stunned at a 200 lumen beam. I really haven't looked at what's hanging on the racks at Lowe's/Home Depot/Walmart, so I don't know if those are worthwhile or not. The Defiant and Husky brands at Home Depot offer some that fit my criteria. Do these lower-priced lights have adequate heat-sinking to allow a person to hold it without it becoming uncomfortably hot? Are they "good enough" for the casual user? I realize most people don't need Surefire quality levels, but you still want the light to function when it's needed.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[xxo]

There's a lot of possibilities. The Streamlight Protac 1L-1AA would be good for a $45 budget - runs on a single CR123 or AA and even AAA's in a pinch.

As far as the home depot defiant/husky brands go, they are OK and usually don't overheat but they are not that great. Many of the defiants are not water resistant at all ("dry location only") and the Huskys tend to be needlessly heavy - neither is all that well made when it comes to build quality, especially the threads.

Maglites are better values....very good build quality and still made in the USA. Home depot sells the AAA Solitaire for $10, the 2 AAA Mini Mag LED for around $15 and the 3C ML25 for under $20 - all great lights that are simple to use (single mode twisties). HD also sells the 2 AA Rayovac 300 or 350 lumen indestructible lights that have 2 modes and a tail switch for $15, another very good budget light. You can also get the multimode/programmable C cell ML50 and D cell Mags for under $40 if you want higher lumens and more modes/versatility.

 

[LeanBurn]

Fenix E12

 

[bykfixer]

X2 on Maglites for non flashaholics. Well built and reliable. But if you go that route toss in Energizer ultimate lithiums for fuel. Take temperature extremes better and don't leak. Oh, and they run longer than regular batteries.

Triple A minimag and Solitaire are very handy and easy to carry.

 

[gurdygurds]

Gonna agree with the above and recommend an E12 and Maglite. I have both and E12 and Maglite ML50L and both run on Eneloop AA batteries, the Maglite via C cell to AA adapters. Both are excellent lights. Durable and simple. I'll also throw in the Streamlight Stylus Pro although it's only single mode. 2xAA and very solid. These three lights are what's left after a lot of buying, trying, and selling of flashlights.
EDIT: Oh and an incandescent Maglite Solitaire!

 

[PartyPete]

E12 is incredibly solid for a little single AA light. Sure, a few minor gripes with it but it's withstood years of abuse and keeps working.

 

[Grijon]

AA light for non-flashoholic?
MagLite MiniMag LED.

 

[Buck91]

Hi all – looking for some help / suggestions.

The pace of LED efficiency/output improvement has been great for those who know of lights beyond MAG/Eveready/Rayovac/etc. But the trend toward electronic switches in today's lights makes it difficult for me to recommend lights to the non-flashoholic. :thinking:

I keep thinking most people want to just hit the button and have the light come on. So that said, can anyone recommend lights similar to a Malkoff MD2 with a simple mechanical (tail) switch and 2 modes (high/low)? Something that's not too big to fit in a kitchen drawer or the glovebox of the car. Now can you do it while keeping the price <$45.00. That's about the price that people start to think you are crazy to pay for a flashlight. Battery size isn't that important – except I don't like 3xAAA lights. I would prefer it to run on AA batteries – alkaline or NiMH. I'm not sure most people would want to mess around with Li-Ion cells, either the cost or charging them. However, I would consider this if the light has built-in charging capability. Lumens? Not a big deal. Most newer lights today are so much brighter than what most people have around, they will be stunned at a 200 lumen beam. I really haven't looked at what's hanging on the racks at Lowe's/Home Depot/Walmart, so I don't know if those are worthwhile or not. The Defiant and Husky brands at Home Depot offer some that fit my criteria. Do these lower-priced lights have adequate heat-sinking to allow a person to hold it without it becoming uncomfortably hot? Are they "good enough" for the casual user? I realize most people don't need Surefire quality levels, but you still want the light to function when it's needed.

Thanks for any feedback!

You mention the MD2 but then also request AA batteries... Muggle-friendly MD2 competitor would be a Streamlight Polytac or the Polytac HP. Simple, durable, reasonably bright. For a AA option it would be hard to beat the maglites out there these days; simple, bright, affordable and Made in USA. Almost everything else is Chinese. Jaxman E3 is an excellent 1AA budget light, as is the Sofirn SP10S. Larger but excellent quality if a little dated emitter is the Jaxman M2.

I can't comment on the Husky lights but it seems a lot of the store brand and similar lights out there require cycling through all modes to turn off. Deal breaker. Plus the price is usually not competitive with online-only brands and they are certainly all CCP imports regardless.

 

[Mr Bman]

Just in case someone is still looking at this thread I would suggest the Maglite ML25. About $35 and it is a great general purpose light. 600 lumens and you use standard alkaline batteries.

 

[bykfixer]

You mean ML50, right Bman?

I gave away minimag aaa lights one year at Christmas when Home Depot had them for $10. Everybody was pleased at how user friendly they are and how well they could see outdoors with such a small light. This year it'll be solitaires I bought a few at a time all summer for $10. I have a slew of ultimate lithiums and will tape one to each package. Both use an ultra reliable mechanical switch system where fastening the head tight pushes on a pluger that removes a contact from the circuit path. Twisting to loosen the head allows the plunger to be pushed forward by a spring and brings the contact point into play and allows the circuit to flow.
Unless the plunger sticks it works for decades. If it sticks it's not hard to fix with a couple of drops of a thin lubricant.

The big issue with non flashaholics and Maglites is using batteries that leak. I get good service from Rayovac batteries.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I stopped giving lights that take alkaline to family. They come back after one or two sets of batteries complaining that the light got ruined by leaky cells. They get USB rechargeable li-ion powered lights now. It costs $8-$12 for Nitecore Tube v2, and between $20-30 for a Tip, Tip SE, Tini, Tini 2, or Tiki. Other than that, the Fenix E series is decent but I suggest getting one that works with lithium batteries. USB rechargeable lights are becoming more mainstream. Costco cells a 650 lumen 4400 mAh USB rechargeable lantern that also runs on 3Ds and has a 1 amp USB charge port for phone charging for $20. The most user friendly light is one that works charging with a cell phone charger. Everyone knows how to plug in a cell phone by now.

 

[fire-stick]

both my dad and my grandma have an AA led maglite. They love it.

 

[fire-stick]

The most user friendly light is one that works charging with a cell phone charger. Everyone knows how to plug in a cell phone by now.

fitorch P25's are on sale.. they just have 4 power settings and are usb rechargeable. $35

 

[Poppy]

Funny as all get out, is that the non-flashaholics love those cheap zoomies! Especially if they paid $30 or more!

I hope we all realize this thread is more than a year old.

Regarding the Home Depot Husky brand, I believe that they are guaranteed forever like other Husky tools, like Craftsman.
If a replacement is not available, they'll give you the newer upgrade.

The Defiant stuff is made as cheaply as the Walmart Ozark Trail, but they are functional, and straight forward.
Of all my lights, my grandson likes to take a Defiant 3 LED 3C light when camping. Go figure.
And a convoy C2+ with biscoti software on low for a tent night light.

 

[jabe1]

For the non flashaholic, besides Mag, which are pretty good value, I have recommended Rayovac indestructible, and the energizer hard case. Basic, simple UI, good value.
This is of course not for those worried about tint or CRI.

 

[mickb]

My mother is getting back into astro viewing, a necessity of which is finding a spot in the yard to set up and some red light to bumble about changing eyepieces and aligning things to retain night vision. I told her I would find a good option. Today she went out and bought her own. A $6 junk light from the local store and presented it to me with a piece of red cellophane rubberbanded around the head. This pretty much sums up lights for non-flashaholics, most dont care.

 

[Daniel_sk]

A bit more pricey but Surefire Sidekick is a neat small flashlight, the rectangular plastic body fits well into pockets and doesn't scratch your phone or other items. The beam pattern is very useful for general use. And most importantly - it's USB rechargeable, no chargers or batteries required. The UI is dead simple, just one button. SF also sells a clip for it. I have had many flashlights from cheap to expensive ones, but the Sidekick is something I keep using around the house and it usually also travels with me in my pocket.

 

[ben_r_]

Another vote for the Fenix E12. Have had a bunch of those stashed all over the house for years now and LOVE them!

 

[DaLichdBua]

I stopped giving lights that take alkaline to family. They come back after one or two sets of batteries complaining that the light got ruined by leaky cells.

Using Eneloop NiMH instead of alkalines - no leakage and thanks to Low Self Discharging (LSD) they can be stored for many months (if not years) and still work. Keeping the standard battery form factor (AA or AAA) allows the muggles to replace the Eneloop with batteries if they experience a longer outage, etc.

I provided a Lumintop Tool AA 2.0 and a triple AAA headlamp to my parents as a Christmas gift in 2019, with Eneloops (well their IKEA Ladda 2450 / 900 mAh counterparts), and they love it. I also added a cheap IKEA 4 slot NiMH charger and told them to use this to re-charge. They are fine with it - something that not every 75+ adult would be.

Re muggle-friendly flashlights: I would consider most of the previously mentioned lights, and also - if size matters (e.g. if fine motor skills are reduced) a ThruNite Archer 2A (it's double AA) light. Hopefully this doesn't get me into trouble here

 

[adamlau]

Streamlight POLYTAC X.