What is your favorite cheapie led light?

I was in Alaska and stopped in a local hardware store. They had a bin of solid feeling, 8 LED pocket lights for $4.99. They take 3 AAA. The outside was aluminum and looked like a large bolt. I bought 3 and they were a great. I've since seen them, and variants of them, online and in catalogues. There seems to be an explosion of cheap LED lights. I was curious what surprises others have found in the cheap light realm.

Cheapest LED of any value I have found is the Rock River 0.5 watt from Target. Seems like a nice light for 9.99 and they sell the same light under the Nuwai brand in a titanium finish. The Rock River models are black and silver finish with white LED. I have 4 and gave my brother in law one for Christmas and he loves it.


I have noticed a bunch of cheap (15.00 and under) LED lights on ebay but most are from Hong Kong and I refuse to use Paypal. Wish I could find someone local that sold the cheap Walther LED lights, would be a nice light for my soft air gun.

Surefire E1L., cheap compared to most Led lights.

Dorcy 1AAA

Hrmm... I really like either a Nichia CS or Snow29 LED driven on a single LiON cell in either a Solitaire or a Quest minimag clone host. They are about $11 and $9 respectively. Some of my very most used lights are of this design.

Though they are a bit bulky, I've have very good luck with the XNovas, esp the most recent ones that require the battery to be put in negative end first.

Edit - yeah, I bought three or four CMG Infinity Ultras for $10 each. Those would be pretty high on the list. The various Nuwai/River Rock/Advancedmart 0.5W lights are very nice for the price as well.

Photon Freedom Max $11

CMG Infinity $15

Streamlight 4AA Lux.


Cheap throw monster

Most of the 0.5W Nuwai lights. I also like Dorcy AAA. I've heard good things about Lighthound's coin cell lights.

The little Xnova 1AA/8LED newer model (brighter) with the negative contact in the rear.

I have several all over, and it's my bread and butter using light.

I love my Peak Kilmanjaro (7LED 1AA) but the beams are the same.

nikon said:

Dorcy 1AAA

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+1

http://www.lighthound.com/sales/keychain_flashlights.htm

http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/ultra-bright-plastic-keychain-light-white-p-280.html?osCsid=7d52193eb70127a4a581b0ba7b89760a

For $1 each they are a great deal and certainly my favorite. Brighter than my AAA dorcy and 2xaa mimimag with 5mm snow put together and 1/15th the price.

Theres no reason to have a larger light that's dimmer.

CMG Infinity

I would have to go with the DorcyAAA as well. A couple of camping trips I have gone on, we take one of those and throw it at each other in a large area at night. Falls on rocks, hard ground, water...still works. While doing a test on one as well, it preformed very well. Threw it as hard as I could in the air and onto concrete street. Still worked perfectly, not bad for 6 bucks

Cameron

carbine15 said:

http://www.lighthound.com/sales/keychain_flashlights.htm

http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/ultra-bright-plastic-keychain-light-white-p-280.html?osCsid=7d52193eb70127a4a581b0ba7b89760a

For $1 each they are a great deal and certainly my favorite. Brighter than my AAA dorcy and 2xaa mimimag with 5mm snow put together and 1/15th the price.

Theres no reason to have a larger light that's dimmer.

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Well there is one reason, the batteries are more readily available and cheaper. I have a photon on my keys that was freaking 12.00, how do the Chinese copies compare to the photons as far as durabilty and brightness. Heck if I can buy 12 for one sounds like a deal to me.

ditto's on the dorcy1xaaa..... my favorite cheapie/tough little light.

PoliceScannerMan said:

Surefire E1L., cheap compared to most Led lights.

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I guess 'cheapie LED light' is a subjective thing. I personally don't think a $56 light is a cheapie. Most expensive light in my collection is a Petzl Tikka XP at $50.

Spongebob said:

Well there is one reason, the batteries are more readily available and cheaper. I have a photon on my keys that was freaking 12.00, how do the Chinese copies compare to the photons as far as durabilty and brightness. Heck if I can buy 12 for one sounds like a deal to me.

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There are multiple threads here about the "Fauxton" and other clones being brighter than the real Photons. Who needs batteries when the entire light costs less than a dollar? Buy a bag of 50 for $20 and they are disposable.

For $1 each, they are disposable, bright, long lasting on lithiums (included). When the light gets dim just open it up take out the led and throw the rest away. Replacement batteries cost almost more than the lights themselves. These are the brightest keychain lights I've ever used. Get a few dozen, put them on coat zippers, all your keychains. Hang one in each of your computer cases. Hang one on the back of your entertainment center. If it's dimmer than this 1$ light, unless its smaller and chaper, It is no use to me.

Nuwai TM-310H
Photon II
CMG Ultra Infinity

attowatt said:

ditto's on the dorcy1xaaa..... my favorite cheapie/tough little light.

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I concur but only if it has an ALB (Attowatt Little Booger) :wave: