Best keychain/coin cell light for least money?

I'm about to order 100 keychain lights for a non-profit. I've ordered KevinL's lights before and they were great, but he seems to be out of stock.

(1) Which are the cheapest (under $1) and brightest keychain light?
Candidates: KevinL ($2.35/light), Dae (www.qualitychinagoods.com for $0.80/light or the wholesale version for $0.50/light), emilionsworkbench, $0.49/light or elsewhere?

(2) for ordering from Dae, what's the deal with getting prints? Minimum $40 for less than 500 pieces? What if I only want 100 or 200 pieces, still $40?

Thanks everyone, please let me know your suggestions and alternates.

http://emilionworkshop.com/oscommer...id=92&osCsid=5d21f2f8cfe5d79549568b796e1c3a3a

Dae's keychain lights are excellent, very bright. Fifithunit lights are $.49 a piece shipped, although they used to be dimmer (and more blue) than Dae's offering. FU claims to have updated these with 14,000mcd LEDs, but I haven't tried them out yet.

Fifth Unit is hard to beat at .49c shipped. I like them, but the plastic is a bit on the cheap side, and you do have to wait a couple of weeks for delivery (typically). Waiting for a new order to come in now, so can't comment on any newer leds.

That said, I also really like the lights over at countycomm:
http://www.countycomm.com/light10.htm
Pricier, but I like the quality better.

The new orange body ones are nifty too.
http://www.countycomm.com/orngled.htm

Shipping is reasonable @ countycomm and they do have other nice toys to help defer shipping costs.

Is this an accurate summary of the best sources for keychain lights? (highest priced to lowest):

$1.00/light - Countycomm - good quality, shipping extra

$0.58/light - Dae @ qualitychinagoods retail - bright, good quality, free shipping, logo printing available

$0.52/light - Dae @ qualitychinagoods retail - bright, good quality, shipping extra, logo printing available

$0.49/light - Emilions workshop - quality?

$0.49/light - Fifth Unit - maybe improved quality/brightness, free shipping

i think the keychain lights lighthound sells are the best and there cheap only .99

Try ebay

benchmade_boy said:

i think the keychain lights lighthound sells are the best and there cheap only .99

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Dae and Lighthound both have good keychain lights, because they are the same light, the best I can tell. I ordered some other keychain clone lights that cost more from other places, but they were not as good as the keychain lights that Dae and Lighthound have.

jbrams said:

Is this an accurate summary of the best sources for keychain lights? (highest priced to lowest):

$1.00/light - Countycomm - good quality, shipping extra

$0.58/light - Dae @ qualitychinagoods retail - bright, good quality, free shipping, logo printing available

$0.52/light - Dae @ qualitychinagoods retail - bright, good quality, shipping extra, logo printing available

$0.49/light - Emilions workshop - quality?

$0.49/light - Fifth Unit - maybe improved quality/brightness, free shipping

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With the exception of the countycomm light, all of these are basically knockoffs of the original photon design that I bought back when they cost $15.00 a piece. But the knockoffs (in my opinion) are made with cheaper plastic. The leds on the other hand are much better these days.

I like the mechanical design on the countycomm lights a little better, but it may not be worth the extra $$$.

I just compared some lights from fifthunit and county comm. The fifthunit ones were bought back in July, the countycomm are from probably back in March.

I'm not a good judge of tint, but side by side the fifthunit leds seem brighter (pretty damn bright actually). The countycomm were dimmer and I'd guess somewhat warmer.

I've had very good luck with fifthunit over the last few months, .49 delivered is a very good price if you can afford the wait.

Dae & company would probably be on par. You might be able to get them a little faster, and it looks like you get a choice of body colors.

It's still only 50-60 dollars for a hundred led lights which is pretty damn amazing considering I don't think I could get the cr2016 batteries alone for that kind of price.

I'm sure I've muddied the waters enough at this point.

Skashkash said:

I don't think I could get the cr2016 batteries alone for that kind of price.

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Sure you could. Quite easily, on eBay.

ebay item 150055270098

and similar from this seller are the best, brightest and sturdiest I have found.

Cheap too.

The two I got from Lighthound are very bright. They both used two 2016's, so the LED's are overdriven. Probably, they are meant to be throwaways after the battery dies, because I don't know how long any LED will last off of two coins cells at close to 6V direct driven.

Which ones use decent 2032's? My red Photon III could probably use a replacement battery by now.

KevinLs 35k ones are great - But he is "on the road" at the moment so not supplying. I got some of the $0.49 ones off fifth unit - The price is outstanding as it includes free international shipping.

The fifth unit ones are more plasticky (a thinner plastic) and in white for the cheapest ones. KevinLs are black and a better plastic and brighter and whiter - but for 5 times the price. KevinLs will last longer but you can have 5 of the fifth unit for the price.

The ones I get from lighhound as a freebie ($0.99 I think to buy) are in the middle of the two in terms of build and light output.

I actually prefer spending the extra for KevinLs and will get some more once he is supplying again.

The fifth unit ones are a total bargain and for the price you pay you will not be disappointed.

You pays your money - you gets your choice.

abvidledUK said:

ebay item 150055270098

and similar from this seller are the best, brightest and sturdiest I have found.

Cheap too.

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Funny, independent of your recommendation I decided to get these keychain lights from the same seller, $0.75 each is an okay deal, great if they're better than the fifthunit lights (also got 10 of the fifthunit lights, great price) ... I'll have to get back to you when they all arrive on which are brightest/highest quality.

thanks, any other recommendations very very welcome.

jbrams said:

Funny, independent of your recommendation I decided to get these keychain lights from the same seller, $0.75 each is an okay deal, great if they're better than the fifthunit lights (also got 10 of the fifthunit lights, great price) ... I'll have to get back to you when they all arrive on which are brightest/highest quality.

thanks, any other recommendations very very welcome.

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I mainly use them as a cheap source for 16,000 mcd leds.

See this thread of mine, 9v / 6v lights (not keychains):

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/136081

Just been delivered 10 of the ones recommended by AbviledUK off ebay.
HK to UK in 4 days - now that's fast.

yes they are good - brighter and a bit more sturdy than the fifth unit ones. $0.75 each including delivery. The £ against the $ is very good at the moment so they are a proper bargain.
They are not as bright as KevinLs but pretty good all the same - the outer case looks identical.

I'd recommend spending the extra few cents and getting these over the fifth unit ones.

Thanks, I am going to pick up a few off ebay. The fifthelement ones are a deal, but I don't like the white body. How much are replacement batteries for these????

jezzyp said:

Just been delivered 10 of the ones recommended by AbviledUK off ebay.
HK to UK in 4 days - now that's fast.

yes they are good - brighter and a bit more sturdy than the fifth unit ones. $0.75 each including delivery. The £ against the $ is very good at the moment so they are a proper bargain.
I'd recommend spending the extra few cents and getting these over the fifth unit ones.

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I found the 5th Unit ones to be quite a bit dimmer than the ebay ones, they're now my Xmas giveaways.

Bill97z said:

Thanks, I am going to pick up a few off ebay. The fifthelement ones are a deal, but I don't like the white body. How much are replacement batteries for these????

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Cheap as the replacement batteries are, I think it's virtually the same, if not cheaper, to buy a new keychain light.

And you get a spare LED this way !!

And a spare keyring !!

great, maybe ill get 10 more....

I have some spare batteries but changing them is very very fiddly. I only do it for the bright kevinL ones - The rest I don't bother with - they are the same price as the batteries so its not worth the effort.

I do wonder though if replacement batteries would last any longer - I've never bothered doing run tests though - May be one day if I'm REALLY bored I might. I just think how can these things be sooo cheap unless they are using reject batteries or something