Torch to use as a candle(bright one duh)?

Firstly id just like to say that this is not related to another thread i made about an EDC. Thanks to that i decided on an EDC, but this is for my sister:

As you people will probably know, the mini maglite led's head can come off, and it can tail stand, acting like a candle. We are going overseas where blackouts are common, and it will be useful to light up rooms. My sister told me she wants something like my minimaglite led.. it doesn't need to be able to tailstand, as long as you can use it in candle like mode. - Only problem, i live in Australia and her budget is <20.
Anyway, - Shes not a flashaholic and she doesnt want anything complicated. Just 1 mode, and AA/AAA battery powered. Any size (not a brick plz lol)

So know i come to the question: The torch will probably be purchased from dealextreme, AND they have LED Lanterns...(even cree: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12073) Im no longer sure a candle torch is the best idea.

Which one is better for lighting up a room? Those LED lanterns, or my minimagled(or similar torches) ? Battery life is also important

So what would you guys recommend for me to buy? A torch like minimagled(link plz), or a lantern(which one), or anything else.

PS: I cant get a mini maglite led, unless you know of a store that will ship it to AUS for <20 (inc shipping).

Raven, when people tailstand they use the ceiling as a reflector to reflect the light back towards them, so the torch doesn't really need a candle mode if the places you are staying have ceilings. A torch or headlamp may be more useful than a lamp. Your sister may want to increase the budget if the torch is necessary, $20 may not supply the reliability you need.

How about E01 with a chap-stick cap?

I am surprised at how well the E01 works as a roomlight with a simple Chapstick cap or Vick's inhaler diffuser.

It's not very bright and doesn't light up the room like a lantern, but it provides a dim light that illuminates a fairly large living room enough to go about one's business. You can't read by it, but you can make a sandwich, etc. And the runtime is great.

There must be other lights available that are similar but a little brighter than the E01? I was actually interested in getting some sort of beefed up E01 with a decent diffuser for the same purpose.

What about a "Milky Candle"

Contact Milkyspit here on CPF to see if he has what you need.

Well its above your budget, but the E20 has the same focusable and removable head as the maglite. It lights up a room wonderfully without the head on, or even on flood.
I also own a coleman led lantern and it is ok, not amazing. Its just very bright to look at so when I use it, I use it when I have parties on the roof of my building there is a picnic table up there, I put a thin plastic bag over it as a diffuser. Its not bad, but its not great. The indentations on the clear plastic casing also create some weird patterns in the light,although using a plastic bag gets rid of them. If you do choose a lantern though coleman makes the best led ones and they are quite cheap. They also collapse which is a great feature for portability. Also if you go to coleman.com you can access their family store with the password "family", that cuts most of the prices in half. Very handy.

If you can get a mini maglite 2AA cheaply (GO-LO sometimes have them for $8), you can get one of these:

http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-5.html

I think shipping was only like $3. It still works out cheaper than buying the same or similar products in australia I've found. I've seen them sold in those outdoor adventure stores for around $30-$40.

I have two of those and candle mode works great although I dont have it in a maglite. I bought a PR base to fit in a dorcy lantern picked up in the post office. $5 I think they are selling them for. The above store doesnt seem to sell the PR bases for the tle-5 anymore, or I cant find them.

The Fenix E20 with the "CPF8" coupon is around $35, still $15 off your target price though.

The RC-N3 could work, but a diffuse would be needed(or this instead of the RC-N3, unknown quality though).

I have a mini-mag with a TLE-5EX upgrade and I find it almost useless in "candle" mode. It will light up a room nicely, but it is uncomfortable if the light is anywhere in your field of view. Personally, I find it much better to use a ceiling bounce with a light that tail-stands. For $20, I would get an E01.

Hi guys sorry for the late response, was busy, anyway;
to glockboy and max6166 - thanks for the information about a diffuser ! Lol i didn't even you know you could do that >< After my EDC comes ill try that out

DaFABRICATA - thanks contacted him

Solleks- Yeh e20 is great, more brighter than my minimaglite led and im sure it'll work well >< Too bad its over double the price my sister wants.

Gunner, about that torch you gave alink to, can it work as a candle?

Brucec- I have the mini maglite led and it seems alright. But after reading your post im going to go and check and see if it is actually useful. So far ive only really went in a dark room and seem how much it lights up, not if it is very useable.

Anyway, personally im going to try out a diffuser + EDC, might get an e01 if it works out well. My sister hasn't decided yet but is leaning towards a lantern.

Thanks for all the help ppls!

Raven, PM replied.

Check out the coleman lanterns definitely then, remember to go to the family store to get a discount. The exponent lanterns are very small too.

Get a RC-G2 Q5 (AA) from shiningbeam.com. Unscrew the head and the led will be expose. You can use that, VERY useful.

The E20 you can remode the head and use the Bare LED as a candle like thing.

The RC-N3 you'll have to use a diffuser, the reflector part doesn't come off easily.