Mini Maglite LED

I saw the mini maglite AA LED at walmart the other day and was interested. Is this worth two times the price of an original mini mag? How is the output compared to the original as well? I have always hated maglites due to their wierd beam and splotches, etc. So any opinions from owners? Thanks.

For the money it is not bad at all, much brighter then the original, nice beam and color rendition... only con, no regulation... I like mine.

oh and no more "wierd beam and splotches".

There is a gazillion posts about it over the last 3 weeks, but in a nutshell, yes, it's definitely worth it. I cannot find a better EDC (Every-Day-Carry) Lite.

Performance is super on NiMH cells.

The stock lense is total cr@p, as it is on all MagLites, replace it with something -- anything at all is better.

It lacks a lanyard, which is really not necessary in my case but YMMV.

Neat light, although perhaps a bit longer than it must be.

You twist the head to cut it on, like the original. Neat feature.

The throw is most excellent. It may not be the best choice for reading in bed however, for that the Nite-Ize conversion unit gives you a better flood with longer run time. As an all around light, MagLED rules.

I am going to invest in a holster for it as I keep loosing it (in the car seat usually)

I think it runs more like 3-4 times the original, given you can find the original MM for about $6 or so. Moot point here.

Bring extra cells, as it will cut off suddenly when they are dead.

Left, Fenix L1P with SXOH Emitter, Right, Mag-Led 2AA @ 45"




I have a review on the 2AA and 3AA Mini Magleds.

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=131000

Actually as I mentioned in different thread here, the 2AA MMLED is what as known as "semi-regulated". I'm not too well versed in the technology behind lighting and power, but I do know that 2 1.5V cells isn't enough to power an LED like a Luxeon. The 2AA MMLED uses a boost circuit, which is probably why it suddenly dies when the batteries are drained. As for the 3AA version, I'm not sure if there's any boost because 4.5V should be enough to directly drive the LED. The 3AA version is brighter, albeit noticebly longer.

The Mag LED is fantastic. Bright, Long-running, focusable. It's well worth the money. I wouldn't buy the incandescent version at any price.

Actually for the Money (about $25 at department stores), the 2AA MMLED is a relative bargain. Usually 3 Watt LED flashlights run about $30-40 at the same department stores you'd find Mag LED Flashlights. But if you're willing to spend more for a 2AA 3W LED light, I'd recommend a Fenix L2T--which can be had for about $45.

I bought one of these as a gift for a relative....when he opened it he asked if there was a replacement bulb in the tailcap.......I had to give a quick lesson in LED technology.

1313 said:

I saw the mini maglite AA LED at walmart the other day and was interested. Is this worth two times the price of an original mini mag? How is the output compared to the original as well? I have always hated maglites due to their wierd beam and splotches, etc. So any opinions from owners? Thanks.

Click to expand...

The regulation/discharge curve is atrocious, you would be better off buying a Fenix for the same money.

To me the Mag AA LED is one of the best Lights for the dollar value.

1313 said:

I saw the mini maglite AA LED at walmart the other day and was interested. Is this worth two times the price of an original mini mag? How is the output compared to the original as well? I have always hated maglites due to their wierd beam and splotches, etc. So any opinions from owners? Thanks.

Click to expand...

I've got both a 2AA and 3AA Mini-MagLED. Both work well and are brighter than a standard Mini-Mag. Considering what you get, definitely worth the price. Wal-Mart is the only place I've seen that seels the Mini-MagLEDs in pewter, as well as black.

theres probably a bucket of threads on the minimag led, it is indeed a fantastic light, I own the 3AA version

www.action-lights.com has them in all colors, that's where I got mine. Really good customer service.

Next time I see them on sale @ $19.97 I may pick up a three cell one in black or pewter. Walmart's probably got them at that price again right now. I think the discharge curve with alkalines is terrible, but from what I understand it's alot better on rechargeable NIMH which is what I would use it with anyways.

I have an extra piece of mineral glass lense in Minimag size laying around here somewhere. I might want to switch the tailcap to the original style with the lanyard, providing it fits. I think the original styletailcap might just be shorter as well, though I can't remember, have to look closer next time.

Come to think of it, I might get a tailswitch for it instead, can't stand that twist on feature where you have to re-focus the light everytime you turn it on. I do alot of turning off and on while using lights. Especially at work where I go from brightly lit places to pitch black ones throughout the night.

I am also very tempted to get the clickie.

However, the twistie seems to have the reliability edge.

And, pertaining my circumstance (YMMV) I carry the light in the pocket, switch down. I wonder if this TErra-Lux switch is sensitive enough to cut on in my pocket.

Yeah, the performance on NiMH is excellent. The darn things just keep on going.

It depends on what you want to use it for. Compared to the original version, it is a much better light. For a Luxeon 3, it's not the brightest. I have a couple of Streamlight Luxeon 1 lights that are far brighter.

But it is perfectly fine for general use inside and outside your home. It's rather light and not too big. IMHO, it would be great as a spare light in the car. I use it for walking at night. And it's relatively affordable. Overall, it's a useful light and worth the money.

I bought a AA Mag LED. It was OK but not impressive. I gave it to my brother and he uses it as a bike light.

These are very satisfactory lights for the money. Both the 2AA and the 3AA MMLed. I have one of each. The 3AA outperforms the 2AA and is well worth the extra few $......if you don't mind the extra length. :rock:

As someone mentioned in a previous post, you would be better off buying a Fenix for the same money. Unfortunately, you can't buy a comparable Fenix for the same money. And you can't buy just one Fenix, LOL. They are habit forming.

To answer your original questions, yes the LED Minimags are worth twice the price. The output and beam quality are both tremendously improved over the original incandescent models. And so is the run time. I hear also that they do even better with NiMH batteries, despite Maglites warning not to use them.

I never thought I'd ever buy another Maglite but I bought the 2AA LED because....because I'm a flashaholic...and was curious about it. I'm pleasantly surprised. It's a decent light, although I've always hated the Mag reverse-twist head and the fact that you must adjust the beam every time you use it. Further, the abnormal length for a 2AA doesn't facilitate a good pocket carry and seems a little strange to me. However, it's a quantum-leap improvement over the old incan version.