Favorite budget light 2021

[bykfixer]

It's that time again. What time, you ask. Time to start discussing our favorite budget light for 2021. Be it one released in 2021, or just new to us, or a carry over favorite from previous years.

My initial entry for this year is a 130 lumen number by Energizer. A 1aa with a two-way clip. It was $12 at my local grocery store where my favorite $3.50 home comfort air filter is $5.99 so you can probably find it for less if interested. It's model PMHH11.

I surmize it's probably not regulated, but my moving ceiling fan blade test showed the what appears to be 25% output low showed what appears as a very fast PWM. The beam is a nice egg shell neutral in the upper 5000 kelvin range. Nichia perhaps? The flash mode is not some weird epilileptic inducing so called tactical "self defense" flash but more of an attention grabber for road side emergencies type thing. Think 1 flash per second.

The clip is ok. I'd hesitate to use the term robust simply because it will probably be to soft and bend if abused, yet will make it easy to slide onto a ball cap brim. It comes with an energizer max battery and a wrist strap that is attached in the package.

The modes are hi/lo/flash where if you wait a couple of seconds it prompts back to hi. Momentary is available with the forward clicky that was like a goldilox bowl of poridge……just right. The button produdes enough to eliminate tail stand but not enough to pocket activate. The head is glued on and the clip is not removeable unless you can get the head off. The tailcap is user serviceable and has a gold color coating over the button instead of using a bare spring.

Overall this one falls in the "these days even bad flashlights aint bad" category.

The specs

The clip and lanyard

The PWM.

 

[dmattaponi]

Thrunite T10 II.

I bought one in 2018 as an edc light. It's been serving that purpose well ever since. I love the single cell AA, the different light levels and great runtimes and the neutral tint. I paid $20 at the time. I saw them on Amazon over Christmas for only $16 and bought a couple more...one for myself a backup and another as a gift for a friend.


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[raggie33]

sofirn if 25a i like the 6500 tint but im weird

 

[Lyteheaded]

Another vote for the Thrunite T10 II.

It does surprisingly well with AA/Eneloops, and when I got around to putting a 14500 in it, wow! I find the multi-battery capability very useful, and the runtimes are good. Picked it up after having the TH20 for a while, and was not disappointed. All in all, I find it an awesome little light for its size and price point.

 

[MikeWill07]

Another vote for the Thrunite T10 II.

It does surprisingly well with AA/Eneloops, and when I got around to putting a 14500 in it, wow! I find the multi-battery capability very useful, and the runtimes are good. Picked it up after having the TH20 for a while, and was not disappointed. All in all, I find it an awesome little light for its size and price point.

I've read that because of its small size, some users are not comfortable holding it in their hand. How do you feel about it?

 

[dmattaponi]

I've read that because of its small size, some users are not comfortable holding it in their hand. How do you feel about it?

This is not a problem with the T10 II. More than ample size to hold onto. I can't imagine any single AA light being so small that they aren't comfortable enough to hold in the hand, though I've had some single CR123 lights I've felt this way about.


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[Scotty321]

I don't know if it's considered a budget light now, because it was on sale for quite some time at HD for $20 (so I picked up two), but now it's over $40.

It's the Coast Polysteel 700 with side C.O.B.'s and magnetized base. It was really handy for working under my hood at night when the battery and fuse mount needed to be replaced. It also works pretty well outside, and with the decent lumens, the hard, twist-to-zoom feature actually works for me. Maybe it's just me, but I found it kind of cool to that I could stick it to one of the rails in my garage door and basically illuminate the entire garage interior with all the LED's on.

Downside, the plastic housing doesn't dissipate heat well for the LED's. I'm currently using NiMH AA's in them... hopefully it doesn't cause an issue. I like it so much I put the second one in my home emergency kit with Energizer UL AA's.

 

[Timothybil]

I like the Lumintop Tool AA 2.0, but at ~430 some won't call it budget. I have been EDCing a Sofirn C01S (two mode AAA) which I really like. Last time I looked they were $6.99 at Sofirnlight.com. Ten lumen low to help preserve night vision, and 100 lumen high to light up the local area very nicely. And High CRI as a bonus.

 

[cave dave]

I have some high zoot lights, but this year I am really digging some budget neutral white lights with consumer batteries like:

-Wurkkos WK02, 2xAAA, SST20 NW 4000k ~$13
-ThruNite Ti3 v2 , 1xAAA, XP-G2 LED (NW) ~$13
-Sofrin C01, 1x AAA 3400K LED 95+ CRI ~$5
-Fenix E20v2, 2xAA, SST20, 5500k ~ $40 MSRP, but less with coupons

E20 and Wurkkos WK02 shown below with some old style lights in 2xAAA, 2xCR123, single AA to show off their slim and compact size.

 

[sp5it]

Ask that question 1.01.2022. Too early to answer.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

So far, I'd say the two pack of Duracell 4D 1000 lumen lanterns with usb charging port for $20 ($10 each) at Costco is probably the best budget light deal I have seen so far.

 

[parang]

So far I really like the Sofirn SC01 and the Convoy S12 3500K. A 2700K S2+ is in the mail, I expect I will like it as well.

 

[Grijon]

Sofirn C01S has been absolutely incredible to me for the price, with the C01 single-mode not far behind it.

I have had a trio of Convoy S2+ for years now and am still using and appreciating them, so they definitely belong in a 2021 Best Budget Light conversation.

 

[Burgess]

Yes, indeed --
the Sofirn C01S flashlights are such handy little Gems !

And now --
Amazon has cut their price by 20 %, also !

And with free Prime shipping !

Sure beats waiting for a package from China.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RFQNCCL/?tag=cpf0b6-20

:thumbsup:
_

 

[adamlau]

Convoy M21B KW CULPM1.TG 6A. Drives the Osram close to its max spec of 6.6A = Great throw and nice spill (8A version takes into account the max pulse spec and why the 6A is preferred for longevity and runtime). 12group driver is straightforward. Cren bez and tactical tail. Nice, stiff springs. Support for 18650 and 21700. Only thing cheap about it are the silicone o-rings and the price...Under 28 USD shipped!

 

[NiOOH]

So far, I've been enjoying my Convoy M21A/SST40. My first budget light and a pleasant surprise in terms of quality and performance, for less than 40 Euro, with 2 year warranty.

 

[flatline]

I finally picked up the Lumintop Tool AA 2.0. It's an amazing little light whose only flaw is that it has mode memory (that's the reason I resisted trying it for so long). If it always started on Low, it would be the perfect pocket EDC light.

--flatline

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I finally picked up the Lumintop Tool AA 2.0. It's an amazing little light whose only flaw is that it has mode memory (that's the reason I resisted trying it for so long). If it always started on Low, it would be the perfect pocket EDC light.

--flatline

Maybe you could hack it to fix that problem. I've done the "next mode" memory cure on a light and it works if you do it too well it loses all memory.

 

[flatline]

Maybe you could hack it to fix that problem. I've done the "next mode" memory cure on a light and it works if you do it too well it loses all memory.

My backup light always starts on LL, so if I'm in a situation where I absolutely can't risk cycling through the higher nodes, I'll just use it. I'm trying to develop the habit of cycling back to L when I'm done with the light. Maybe that will be the long terms solution.

--flatline

 

[TurboRabbit]

sofirn if 25a i like the 6500 tint but im weird

That makes two of us... bought the SP36 pro as 6500k and was afraid it would be too "blue" but don't notice it. I would buy 6500k again today.