General Purpose Flashlights

What are the best "general purpose" flashlights? It's not hard to find rave reviews about the various EDC lights inclucing the Arc AAA and LS and SF E2e/KL1 (after all, they're much more fun to talk about ), but what about good examples of household flashlights. These need not have tail switches (unless you have frequent tactical engagements in the family room) or other fancy features. Cheap operation, common batteries, and a switch near the head are probably good features for these lights. The way I see it, these could fall into two basic categories of general purpose lights:
</font><ul type="square">[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">1. The type meant for intensive/specialized use. You would only need on of these (NEED is subjective, though ). It should be high-quality and rugged.</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">2. The kind that is cheap enough to keep many throughout the house (one in the kitchen, garage, basement, bedroom, cars, &c.) for spontaneous tasks and emergencies.</font>[/list]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Does anybody have suggestions about these two kinds of general purpose lights?
Another interesting discussion might be users' recommendations for other types of lights: outdoor, headlamps, diving, lantern, specialty, novelty &c. If CPF has a polling capability, this might be an easy way to get opinions.

Originally posted by FlashBulb:
If CPF has a polling capability, this might be an easy way to get opinions.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I think we do, in the CAFE.

anything that lights up will do in the house...i guess...

i always carry several lights with me, so i don't need to worry aobut it.

when putting something in your car, it might be a good idea to use either lithium 123's or aa lithiums as they are more resilent to cold weather.

if i were you, i would get a tigerlight for every room, and an m6 and an e2e for the car.

also, you will need to carry several lights, arc aaa work well, arc ls, e2e, mods...whatever

Sears has a Craftsman 2D with a battery level indicator that I like for around the house. It has a decent beam, uses cheap batteries, good runtime, decently constructed, lifetime guarantee that is easy to make claims on and I like the indicator. The PT 40 is a good inexpensive light that uses cheap batteries for around the house too. No switch though, twist on.

Dorcy 4AA light is a good but cheap light. It`s a tough rubber covered body and a textured reflecter with a great beam. If you change the bulb to a 3.6v or 3 cell Mag bulb it will be plenty bright for most task. Cost is $3.99 at Dollar general.

Probley the best bang for the buck out there!

Eric

I like the Streamlight 4AALED for household use. It's inexpensive to buy, inexpensive to run, bright and even, waterproof, nearly unbreakable, and no bulbs to burn out. Except for a minor increase in initial cost, as far as I can tell it is in every way superior to the cheap 2D cell lights we all grew up with.

Originally posted by FlashBulb:
2. The kind that is cheap enough to keep many throughout the house (one in the kitchen, garage, basement, bedroom, cars, &c.) for spontaneous tasks and emergencies.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I guess it depends on "how cheap is cheap?".

A pretty inexpensive but still really good and highly effective light is the PT Attitude $16 @ TTS . It's dim enough to use effectively as a task light but bright enough for almost all flashlight uses. At $16 you could easily afford a few...and you NEVER have to buy bulbs ever again (ever). Plus...batteries will last a very, very long time.

If this price is too high... I like the 2AA Ray-O-Vac rectangular flashlight that you can get from Walmart ($3). It is compact, won't roll on a flat surface and is OK for many "light up a closet" uses around a house.

Although, once I bought my PT Attitude... I've never used a light like this since.

For the type 1 flashlight, it really would depend on what "intensive/specialized" use means.

For the type 2 flashlight, I would go with the Princeton Tec Rage. Cheap enough that you could put one in every room of the house, and small enough not to get in the way. Good illumination for most "normal" or everyday tasks (for non-flashaholics, that is). Just my opinion.

Originally posted by flashfan:
...type 2 flashlight, I would go with the Princeton Tec Rage.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yeah, the Rage is a great little light!

Although, once I bought my PT Attitude... it's been my light for almost all uses.

For in the house and dry, the Eveready Comfort Grip (2C) is nice. I got one at my local Walmart as an impulse buy and put a Versalux PR-2 LED bulb in it. This is not something you can stand on end, but it does have a wrist lanyard and battery door.

A good #2 light that runs fine on Lithium AAs or Alkalines, is the Brinkmann Rebel (1 LED, 2AA, tail switch).

Emergency usage: incandescant not necessarily a good idea, as bulb burns out, breaks, eats batteries.

I see you state that you are in Minnesota. This means you need to consider very cold conditions. This rules out AAA batteries (no Lithium AAAs).

For a nice headlamp that can use lithium AAs and get extended runtime, plus waterproof, is the PT Matrix or Solo with Matrix Module.

If you already have a 2C or 2D Mag, get a Versalux PR-2 LED bulb for it. ( www.techass.com )

I think the 4AA style flashlights have the best balance of features for all around use. Representatives here are the Responder, Streamlight Propolymer 4AA in incandescent or led, and the UK4A. They are reasonably priced at around $20 each or less, the batteries are cheap and last 4 hours or more, they're a nice size for the hand, they put out a very useable beam (the 6V helps get you into a brighter bulb category not normally achievable with 2 cell lights), they're waterproof, they're tough as nails, they look nice but nobody really wants to steal one, they come in bright colors so they're easy to find amongst the clutter.....

I have various high end lights from ARC, Streamlight, Surefire and led mods of Legend (pun somewhat intended) but I still use my Responder 4AA a lot. It's what I give the kids to use. I don't worry about it getting broke and can tolerate it getting lost. They're a great choice.

StreamChucker

Hello FlashBulb,

I came to this forum after the failure of my 2D plastic Eveready Halogen light that I keep in my truck died. I used this light for years and have one in the house. Everytime I used it, I had to twist the lamp and shake it to get it to turn on. Then I was greeted with a yellow sick looking beam. I made it work. I replaced the light in my truck with a LightWave 4000.

My every day use light for years has been the PT 40 (4AA). I have not replaced that light and still love it.

I have added a 1 LED key ring light to my keys.

To give my answer to your question of lights around the house.

My specialized light is the TigerLight. The NiMh batteries seem to allow it to sit on the charger for an extended time and still work when you need it. I have had NiCd recharable lights before and they only run for around 10 minutes or so after they have been ignored on the charger for a year. I don't know how this will work out with the TigerLight, but the test is underway. I have heard reports of leaving the light on the charger (with some use) for 4 years and the batteries still work. That sound pretty good to me.

For the arround the house I would suggest that you start trying different lights. As you find a light that is better than the one you currently have, leave the old one in a room. That way you will have a variety of lights and a variety of stories to go with them.

Tom

Just about ANY of the myriad of products in the flashlight aisle of your local Wal-Mart will serve in your category 2. However, members here have likely evolved from considering such marginal products. That's why they read and post here. Nonetheless, those lights will suffice.

I seldom am without my Inova X5 in my trouser pocket. When it begins to get dark outside, my Surefire 9N is never farther than arm's length from me; fulfilling the criteria of category 1. This practice has worked well and has enabled me to purge my modest flashlight inventory.

Family room tactical engagements notwithstanding, I wouldn't have another flashlight for general household use. For me, there is little reason to supplant the tailcap-switched Surefire 9N just because it is equipped that way. It makes more sense to use this high quality tactical light in general applications and have it for possible tactical usage than to have one of those Wal-Mart general application 'cheapies' and expect it to perform in a tactical scenario; family room or any other room.

As far as cheapies go...

I got all enthused about the RayOvac 4AA Camper for a short while. Then its switch basically stopped working entirely. I gotta say, an inexpensive (relatively speaking) LED based light will be reliable and probably last the rest of your life with no further costs for bulbs ever.

I guess you can tell I really like that PT Attitude?

I second ikendu on this one. The PT Attitude is an awesome little light. Mine goes with me everywhere.

I have three Rayovac Industrial 3D lights around the house (by front door, by couch, on haedboard) and a 2D Swivel head on nightstand. These eat relatively cheap D cells, have simple and so far indestructable slide switchs. Tough enough plastic construction. Very nice beams.

2D non swivels are at Walmart for cheap. 3D can be had at Lowes for about 8 bucks including batteries!

I have better stuff, TEC40, Attitude, LW2100, Madmax LED module in a Mini, Rebel, UK4AA etc.

Every one of them cost over twice (except Rebel and Attitude about 1.5 and many 4 or 5 times) what a 3D Industrial costs.

Thanks for the advice, guys. It sounds like Princeton Tec makes pretty good inexpensive lights. I have a bunch of those cheapo 2D lights around the house. When the bulb burns out, it doesn't make much sense to replace the bulb; you may as well replace the whole light!