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Buy an HF flashlight!!! Never. They always have coupons where you can get one free if you buy something else! I like their little blue or red bricks (I wish they made a couple more colors, then each grand kid would get their own color) I've probably have 5 or 6 around the house. The little hanging hook is nice.
They've stopped giving them away. I get the 20% coupon thing regularly, but they no longer have FREE items, and were down to just the little blue brick for about a year. Not sure if it's policy, economics or COVID.
But yeah, I have all the little blue lights and three or four cheap multimeters.
Besides a conventional flashlight, I would always recommend having a head light as well. A flash light is until until you need to use both hands while doing something in the dark which is often the case and don’t need the frustration of trying to position the light where you need it.
Headlights are inexpensive, practical and can be battery or USB rechargeable, or both. I keep one in each of our vehicles, along with a conventional flash light since many emergency tasks require both hands.
I'm not sure that's the case with the switch to LEDs. It used to be that a small flashlight was perhaps good for an hour, with diminishing light output, and anything with a lantern battery might go all day. Now most LED flashlights give full brightness for 10+ hours, and the LED lanterns go for... a long, long time on a couple/four AA, C or D's. There's not much reason for the big, heavy units any more.
Hey I get if you need a small light for brief amounts time. But physics and chemistry hasnt changed. D cells have more capacity. As I say with 0.5watt LED conversion bulb combined with 4 alkaline D cells in series, they last me 2 to 3 years. Thats using it every day. Not for super long periods but to walk around yard. The AA cell flashlights dont. Dont believe me, try it. I would have no problem trusting it for long camping trip without spare batteries. Or long walk home if car broke down.
The reason to use D cell batteries or lantern battery is cause they have more capacity. If you can get 3 years out of your AA flashlight on same battery, well you must either use it minimally or maybe just have an electric personality....
Now if you want to compare 24/7 constant use, and not sure why (live in a cave?), then I would assume month or two. Again try that with your AA or rechargable. If it had original incandescent bulb then it would last more like 3 days max like this.
I do have a small very dim light sold as a marker light. It has photocell that turns it on and off. Its very dim, again a "marker" light for outdoor stairs or door lock or something. I converted it by taking off diffuser and use it to illuminate my single AA battery alarm clock indoors. Its bright enough to read time at night and sort of a minimalist night light, works best on clock with black dial and white numerals. Anyway 3AA batteries in it power it with useful light for well over a year. Frankly I found that amazing. Cause the stupid self illuminated battery clocks sure dont and they tend to be crazy expensive. Its on all night, every night. And sometimes on during day if its a dark rainy day. But this is a very DIM light.
If you compare the runtime of a 2D incandescent vs. 2D LED Maglite, you'd be changing your tune. LED is so efficient it runs 8-9 times longer on a single set of batteries. Also aging batteries age more gracefully in an LED flashlight - it still produces usable light, even when running on fumes.
If you count the cost of the batteries you'd go through in the traditional model, the LED Maglite would more than pay for itself after its FIRST set of batteries.
After you get done with all the cheap crap, the re-chargeable stuff, and the "i saved a few dollars on this one" and then you go to use it when you really need it and it is rusted, the rechargeable battery is past its rechargeable life and the cheapie only turns on when you whack it on the door frame...
Then you go buy a two cell mag light and you are done for life. They are made in the USA, built strong, turn ON when you click the switch, every time, and don't fall apart the first time you drop them. Can't find a better light. Anywhere.
But you have to be of the " I buy the best i can afford" when i buy a product and i want it to last at least for my lifetime. I have three or four of them, some for probably 25 years or more, and they work like the day i bought them. First time. Every time.
Nothing else is close..... but i do have to admit to using my phone light to stumble around the house late at night because it is handy...and unless i put it down with the light facing down and the battery drains, it works fine.
I have Energizer flashlights w/rubberized exterior & a flip-out little stand. Different sizes. Black w/red markings.
I have a long MagLite. Metal exterior. Red.
I have small flashlights of various cheap brands I keep in various places for emergency or handy use.
The best flashlights I've had have had the rubberized exterior. I love my Energizer flashlights. I've dropped them a couple of times, and they didn't break. Work flawlessly. These are general household lights. Medium size. A rubberized exterior is no guarantee of protection from dropping it, but it seems to be more protection than the metal ones. I did have a large rubberized one years ago, but it DID quit working after one drop. I don't recall the brand. https://www.energizer.com/lighting/flashlights-lighting
The MagLites are supposedly great. Mine is very long/tall. I don't use it much because it's too visible to keep it out anywhere in the house (the Energizers can fit behind a corner shelf, in a tiny cupboard by the door, in a small drawer). I'm also afraid I'll drop it and it'll break.
I was trying for a while to find an old-timey flashlight like I had before stuck on the side of the furnace (had magnets built it) - my basement is unfurnished (well, except for all the stuff I have there and that's where the washer and dryer are) - I wanted a flashlight down there in case of a power outage, decided to check on the one I'd had for yrs. - corroded , tried to clean it but no go - can't buy those anymore.
I do have small LED flashlights in the nightstand drawers of the bedroom for an "in case"
Then you go buy a two cell mag light and you are done for life. They are made in the USA, built strong, turn ON when you click the switch, every time, and don't fall apart the first time you drop them. Can't find a better light. Anywhere.
Repeat emphasis on "can't find [it]."
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, tried to clean it but no go - can't buy those anymore.
