what is a BASIC and CHEAP LED flashlight?

You know, I used incandescent, but read on this forum about LED and I see on amazon they can cost 20-30 and much more, but I need something simple for emergencies, 2-3 AA would be fine.

Thanks

The cheapest and simplest ones are coin cell "Fauxton" (fake Photon) keychain lights. There's just a pair of coin cells and a LED, nothing more, but they produce plenty of light for several hours, and usable but dim light for dozens of hours more. They are under 50 cents each including shipping in bags of 10 from dealextreme.com or kaidomain.com -- you should buy a bag or two of them and have yourself, your friends and family carry one on their keys at all times, and stash away a few spares.

Next step up is maybe the Countycomm SOLED lights: again cheap coin cell lights, but with a nifty metal clip that lets you attach them to a baseball cap for use as a handsfree light. This is more useful than most people imagine. They're $1.75 but you have to pay shipping: http://countycomm.com/ARES SOLED.htm

After that I'd go for a 3AA 4-led light, as I've seen in the $5 range at Walgreens and hardware stores recently. Those are plenty bright for household use and last practically forever on a set of batteries.

Heck, PM me your address and I'll send you a Fauxton since you're new here.

Agreed. *see sig*

One of my favorite cheap flashlights is the River Rock .5W led light that runs on 2 AAA batteries. You can pick them up at Target stores for about $10. They will run for up to about 13 hours per set of batteries, and put out enough light to be useful.

The most useful light in an emergency (or any other situation where you need light for that matter!) is the light you have at hand, the light you have with you. The fauxton is small, cheap, and easy to keep a few strewn about in handy places. Runtime is suprisingly respectable given it's size.

Im my SHTF kit (for emergencies) I have a few of these lights:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/amart_tm317x.htm

I just really really like this light. It has rediculous runtime on low with useable light, and high gives you plenty of light for most situations. They are $6.99 now at Advancemart:
http://store.advancedmart.com/nu5waposiled2.html

Which is a steal for what you get, in my opinion.

I also wanted to mention the $10 River Rock. You might find either the 2AA or 3AA MiniMag on sale somewhere for less than $20,too.

Geoff

Not the cheapest but my go to recommendation for a starter LED is always a Streamlight 4 AA Propolymer Luxeon. ~$30 at a good website...like ours.

I just put a review of the SOLED in the reviews section.

If you want something coincell-sized... fauxton from www.dealextreme.com / www.kaidomain.com / www.qualitychinagoods.com
For a better, reliable, programmable (different brightness settings, slow/normal/fast strobe mode) coincell-sized light get the Photon Freedom! I think this should be the best price for it on the net: http://www.batteryjunction.com/phfrmipesafl.html

For a 2/3 AA light you should get something that uses a Cree XR-E or Seoul semiconductors led!

The cree and the seoul (wich is based on the cree) are 2 extremly efficent new high-power leds, way better than any of the old lumileds luxeon leds.
IMHO any money spent on luxeon-using flashlights is absolutely wasted at this point of time, unless it can be easily modded to take a Cree/Seoul led (such as the Minimag LED).

You can buy a LED drop in bulb for a 2AA/2D incan. Make sure the flachlight uses PR2 style bulbs (see picture in link).
http://lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1768
BTW Lighthound usually throws in a coin cell LED keychain light with every order.

THE ONLY LIGHT THAT MATTERS IS THE ONE YOU HAVE WITH YOU WHEN YOU NEED IT.

I will conentrate on 1AAA/1AA pocket lights.

A good starter light is the Dorcy AAA. $5 at Walmart USA. C$13 at Sears Canada.
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=107794

Next step up is the Nuwai TM-310H. This is the 1AAA version of the River Rock 2AAA.
http://store.advancedmart.com/nu5waposiled.html
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=99836

Now we are into the medium priced fancy lights. The L0P SE is a 3 level light. 'CPF5' in the discount code box gets you 5% off. Free shipping from Fenix store.
http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?products_id=111&osCsid=a2c28d3b52bda2fb39da7bc53da78b28
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=140208

The L0P SE is on clearance sale as Fenix has released their ultimate AAA - LOD-CE. The 3 levels are twice as bright with the same runtime and they have added strobe and SOS. CPF5 discount code and free shipping applies.
http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_49&products_id=191
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=150892

If you want to stick with AA batteries I recommend the Civictor. It is the shortest of the 1AA lights and the only one that 'disappears' into my leans pocket.
CPF5 discount code and free shipping applies.
http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_50&products_id=76
If you need clickies/multimodes just click on AA lights on the left. Hang on to your wallet!

Some people do not need the brightness of luxeons/cree-XRE leds. These lights are dimmer but have fantastic runtime.
http://www.pocketlights.com/x1.asp
http://www.pocketlights.com/infinity_ultra.asp

EDIT
The Magleds (see Redled's post below) are good bigger lights. They also go on sale ftom time to time. Keep your eyes peeled on the forum for sales notices. IIRC the last one was $15 at Walmart.

The Canadian sales notices tend to show up here:
More Canadian light discoveries
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=97002

Well, I like the 3 AA Led Mini Mag Light. They are $25.00 at Mega Lo Mart. (Wal-Mart.) Home Depot has them for $23.00.

Sprawl Mart has a very nice selection of Mag Lights and some accessories.

I have a fairly good size collection of Surefire lights, and I really like this Mini Mag in the 3 AA.

For the money it is a wonderful little light.

Good luck,

Redled

Cheapest LED I have that is very usable is the $2.50 3AA Luxeon-1 Taskforce plastic flashlight from Lowes. A great basic flashlight. I don't think you'll find them for $2.50 again anytime soon, but it's still a good buy for under $10.

Next on my list of recommendations is the Sears Craftsman Endurable 3AAA Luxeon-1 flashlight. Usually goes on sale for $9.99. OEMed for Sears by Dorcy. Well constructed, rugged, water-resistant. LuxeonStar is well focused and throws the beam quite nicely. Less runtime than the AA's though.

The MiniM@GLed 2AA is a good all round inexpensive Light

I agree with WNG. That Taskforce Luxeon was a steal for $2.50. I picked up 12 of them! They are in stock again at Lowes but are now $15.00. I don't own one but when Home Depot has the AA Mag on sale for $16.00 I think it's a good deal.