$3 flashlight review

[alaskabushman]

Hey all,

I recently purchased on a whim a small cheap LED flashlight on Amazon.

Mini Cree Led Flashlight Torch Adjustable Focus Light Lamp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006E0QAFY..._qwo9tb1Z6NKXF

It looked like a decent light so I figured "less than $4 with free shipping? What the heck!"
It took several weeks to arrive. When it did show up the package had stamps from China on it, so it probably came from a sweatshop where barefoot children assemble these...

First impressions were good, and it seems to be worth the money. It's around 3 3/4" long and has a decent pocket clip which is held on by two Phillips screws. It has only one brightness but the lens can slide up and down, providing either a flood effect or a more pinpointed beam. At full spotlight mode the beam is square not round, a common trait of cheap LED lights. It takes one AA battery. Amazon says it's 300 lumens...I don't think so. I don't have a way of measuring its output but I would guess it's between 80 and 100 lumens.

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Here it is compared to my EDC light, a Fenix LD15, which is 118 lumens and also takes a single AA. I love the Fenix and it has been an awesome light.

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As you can see, the higher quality (and cost, the Fenix runs around $35) light is a whiter and brighter cleaner beam. The $3 light is no slouch though. The $3 is small enough for EDC pocket carry but it has some sharp edges that kept poking me in the leg while I carried it. It has a click button on the back but it is recessed so the light can tail stand and be used hands free. For all the texture and ridges on the lights body, it's still round and will roll until the pocket clip stops it. Not sure what the purpose of ridges and flats are if they don't prevent rolling on a smooth surface.

So, what do I think? Well, for the price I don't think you can go wrong. Personally I prefer quality lights, something I can depend on. I see using this light around the house or maybe stashing it in a vehicle. A hunting pack would be a good home for this as well. I like the brightness and simple 1 setting style, no brightness levels or strobe settings to fumble with. Also the fact that it takes a standard battery makes it a keeper in my book.

I like it, it will not be replacing my Fenix as my EDC, but it will have a place in my flashlight usage. If you have a few spare bucks, grab one, I've certainly bought worse things for more money in my lifetime.

[RangerXanatos]

I have bought several and am thoroughly impressed.

[ElevenBravo]

THANK YOU for the post, I need to get one or five of these come pay day!!

EB

[crashdive123]

I bought a few of them a while back. I think they are the Mora of the flashlight world.

[WolfVanZandt]

Honestly, I love cheap flashlights (I buy a lot of the ones at the checkout line in department stores). Back when I hosted the SEHowl, I always had lots on hand for campers that forgot their flashlights (redundancy is a synonym for good hosting) and now that I no longer host camp outs, I pile them into our redundancy closet for guests who want to go hiking but didn't bring hiking equipment, or if the lights go out.

[hunter63]

I'm a mag Light guy....but when Menards had the little LED, 4 pk w/batteries....for like $5 bucks.....couldn't NOT buy it.
Harbor Freight has about the same ones for $2.00 or free with coupon for time to time....again w/ batteries.(3 AAA).
They are like BIC lighters, use them till they go out then pitch......LOL

[Tokwan]

I love them but one is my truck. As for hiking, I use a UCO Clarius LED..a torch transformable to a lantern.

[MrFixIt]

I'm a cheap flashlight hoarder myself.
Thanks for sharing the info and review!

[backpacker3]

Cool! I collect (my fancy word for hoard) flashlights but that one looks pretty nice I have a few more fenix lights to get ahold of before anything else right now.

[WolfVanZandt]

There's an outfit called American Science and Surplus. Long ago, they were called Jerryco and the first catalog I saw, I didn't order from because I thought it was a joke (the descriptions and illustrations of stock grade from merely silly to hilarious), but I did finally order something and I have been ordering stuff from them ever since. I have never had a complaint about anything I have ordered. They have all kinds of stuff including military surplus and science items (thus the name) and materials and hardware. The prices are startlingly low.

And they have a plethora, a cornucopia even, of very inexpensive flashlights and laser pointers. I even have an ultraviolet flashlight from them that I can look for scorpions and fluorescent rocks with.

[hunter63]

Wow that's a blast for the past.....Thanks for posting....used to by all sorts of stuff from them....going back to the 1950's

Kinda like the "Est. in about 1937"....LOL....Y'all don't remember?

[Tokwan]

50's? I wasn't brought into the world yet.....hey..that makes me a young man...

[WolfVanZandt]

Aye, 1937, I just looked..........

The 50s and 60s were not that much different, Grandpaw. You can no longer claim young man status. Heck, AARP was bugging me about joining when I turned 50.

[Tokwan]

No harm is trying to be one...hahahahahahaha

[Williepete]

There's an outfit called American Science and Surplus. Long ago, they were called Jerryco and the first catalog I saw, I didn't order from because I thought it was a joke (the descriptions and illustrations of stock grade from merely silly to hilarious), but I did finally order something and I have been ordering stuff from them ever since. I have never had a complaint about anything I have ordered. They have all kinds of stuff including military surplus and science items (thus the name) and materials and hardware. The prices are startlingly low.
And they have a plethora, a cornucopia even, of very inexpensive flashlights and laser pointers. I even have an ultraviolet flashlight from them that I can look for scorpions and fluorescent rocks with.

Wolf is that place out of Chicago? I used to visit a Chicagoland Hobby which was just up the street from a place like that and it had stuff like you describe. I've often wondered if they were still around.

[hunter63]

Another was Edmond Scientific.....
Still in business ..
Solar fire starter...
http://www.scientificsonline.com/sol...e-starter.html

[WolfVanZandt]

Skokie, Illinois. I think that's in the Chicago area.

I've also ordered a lot from Edmund. They're a little to a lot more pricey than AS&S and there's some overlap.