Maybe the wife asks you to bring down something down from the attic, or to bring in packages from the car trunk. Maybe you've got both hands full, dealing with a clog under the bathroom sink, or struggling to eliminate that pesky leak behind the washing machine. Maybe, just before bedtime, you remember the tools you left in the backyard, so you have to go out and find them and carry them back in. What light would you pick for these various tasks?
For hands-free light, a headlamp seems an obvious choice. When working on something where I need light for a prolonged time, like pulling cable runs under floors, I use a headlamp. But, sometimes a headlamp isn't the best choice. Maybe you need to look under or behind something when things are really tight. Maybe it's handier to have the light source off to one side or beneath the work area. Maybe you don't want to hassle with putting on and adjusting a headlamp just to perform a quick task.
Is there a general utility light that would be not just usable, but excellent, for accomplishing the household tasks listed above? A light you could use to handle nearly any task around the house, even those where you need both hands free to work or carry things?
I've tried a variety of household utility lights over the years: most notably the classic Fulton 2D anglehead, the Ray-O-Vac swivel-head 2D lights, and some others that didn't work out so well. The Ray-O-Vac 2D swivel-head was about the best of the bunch: OK for short term use, but rather clumsy when clipped to the belt, and it dims rather quickly while working.
Starting today I have a better alternative: the Underwater Kinetics eLED Unilite 4AA: http://www.brightguy.com/products/Underwater_Kinetics_UniLite_eLED_Flashlight.php
After playing with it for a few hours, I am amazed by how all around wonderful it is as a household utility light.
While bright enough for most household tasks, it's not blindingly bright when used close up. The output is fairly white, but very ringy. Tiny hotspot with wide corona, and lots of good spill. Those CPFers who fixate on how a beam looks on a white wall won't like this light.
But, those looking for a light just to get something done should like it a lot. In use, I don't much notice the ringy artifacts in the beam, but I do appreciate its broad flood of light. And, although I haven't tested it yet, that output should remain almost flat for over ten hours.
A light's dimensions - overall length, width, and thickness - may fail to give a good idea of its size, due to it having a complex shape. This light is close in overall dimensions to a Streamlight PP 4AA, but seems much smaller while in use. While the SL PP 4AA pockets about as well as a small 2C light, the UK 4AA pockets about as handily as a 2AA MiniMagLED.
The light has three attachment slots for straps or lanyards, two on the body and one on the head, and comes with a large split ring and snaphook for hanging. It also comes with an easily removable wide, flat clip. The clip is excellent for clipping securely to a belt, waistband, or breast pocket.
The ninety-degree anglehead will swivel in any direction around the light's long axis. When clipped to waistband or breast pocket, the beam can be swiveled to face straight ahead. This makes it nearly as good for hands-free use as a headlamp. When set down to rest on one of its flat sides, a combination of swiveling the head and spinning the body can direct the beam in any direction.
The anglehead can be removed, and the LED module and bezel screwed directly to the body. This quick conversion produces an even more compact, easily pocketable light. The floody beam, pocketability, and long runtime make for a nice little walking light. The bezel can be unscrewed slightly to lock out the switch and prevent accidental turn ons.
This is best home utility light I've ever seen. I regret that I didn't buy it months ago, when I was first looking at it. Should also make for an excellent campsite utility light, due to the clip and various options for hanging. Of course, it would also be good to load with lithium AAs and carry in a car for emergency use. If you don't like headlamps, this light is the next best thing.
What utility lights do CPFers use for tasks around the house?
Anyone know of a general utility light that is as good or better than this one?
For hands-free light, a headlamp seems an obvious choice. When working on something where I need light for a prolonged time, like pulling cable runs under floors, I use a headlamp. But, sometimes a headlamp isn't the best choice. Maybe you need to look under or behind something when things are really tight. Maybe it's handier to have the light source off to one side or beneath the work area. Maybe you don't want to hassle with putting on and adjusting a headlamp just to perform a quick task.
Is there a general utility light that would be not just usable, but excellent, for accomplishing the household tasks listed above? A light you could use to handle nearly any task around the house, even those where you need both hands free to work or carry things?
I've tried a variety of household utility lights over the years: most notably the classic Fulton 2D anglehead, the Ray-O-Vac swivel-head 2D lights, and some others that didn't work out so well. The Ray-O-Vac 2D swivel-head was about the best of the bunch: OK for short term use, but rather clumsy when clipped to the belt, and it dims rather quickly while working.
Starting today I have a better alternative: the Underwater Kinetics eLED Unilite 4AA: http://www.brightguy.com/products/Underwater_Kinetics_UniLite_eLED_Flashlight.php
After playing with it for a few hours, I am amazed by how all around wonderful it is as a household utility light.
While bright enough for most household tasks, it's not blindingly bright when used close up. The output is fairly white, but very ringy. Tiny hotspot with wide corona, and lots of good spill. Those CPFers who fixate on how a beam looks on a white wall won't like this light.
But, those looking for a light just to get something done should like it a lot. In use, I don't much notice the ringy artifacts in the beam, but I do appreciate its broad flood of light. And, although I haven't tested it yet, that output should remain almost flat for over ten hours.
A light's dimensions - overall length, width, and thickness - may fail to give a good idea of its size, due to it having a complex shape. This light is close in overall dimensions to a Streamlight PP 4AA, but seems much smaller while in use. While the SL PP 4AA pockets about as well as a small 2C light, the UK 4AA pockets about as handily as a 2AA MiniMagLED.
The light has three attachment slots for straps or lanyards, two on the body and one on the head, and comes with a large split ring and snaphook for hanging. It also comes with an easily removable wide, flat clip. The clip is excellent for clipping securely to a belt, waistband, or breast pocket.
The ninety-degree anglehead will swivel in any direction around the light's long axis. When clipped to waistband or breast pocket, the beam can be swiveled to face straight ahead. This makes it nearly as good for hands-free use as a headlamp. When set down to rest on one of its flat sides, a combination of swiveling the head and spinning the body can direct the beam in any direction.
The anglehead can be removed, and the LED module and bezel screwed directly to the body. This quick conversion produces an even more compact, easily pocketable light. The floody beam, pocketability, and long runtime make for a nice little walking light. The bezel can be unscrewed slightly to lock out the switch and prevent accidental turn ons.
This is best home utility light I've ever seen. I regret that I didn't buy it months ago, when I was first looking at it. Should also make for an excellent campsite utility light, due to the clip and various options for hanging. Of course, it would also be good to load with lithium AAs and carry in a car for emergency use. If you don't like headlamps, this light is the next best thing.
What utility lights do CPFers use for tasks around the house?
Anyone know of a general utility light that is as good or better than this one?
