# Your Top-five budget lights !



## jk037 (Feb 19, 2010)

This is a thread originally posted by Cruzer23 and subsequently closed by a moderator due to a reference to two particular retailers... however, I think without making it retailer-specific this could be an interesting thread, hence I'm re-posting it in a suitably adjusted form 

Hope you don't mind this Cruzer23! 


Cruzer23 said:


> Greetings LED junkies !
> What are your top - 5 budget lights between 5-30$?
> Only those who are worth the price, only those who are actually made well, function well, and will last like a Fenix.
> 
> Let's hear it


 
(BTW, should any mods read this, what's the position on stating the retailer which each light was purchased from? I've erred on the side of caution and omitted them for now, but would like to know for certain if it would be OK to tell other CPF'ers where our favourite budget lights came from :twothumbs )

My current favourites, in order of preference, are:

(1) iTP A3 EOS - $24
(2) Akoray K-106 5-mode - $13.99
(3) Unbranded 3-mode Cree P4 flood-to-throw 3xAAA light - $9.90 
(4) Trustfire XP-EF23 - $13.80 
(5) Black Cat HM-01 - $7.99









The iTP wins for being so incredibly bright yet tiny and well-made; the Akoray is a really nice size and shape for EDC, with plenty of output and a good selection of modes; the unbranded flood-to-throw is surprisingly powerful and the focusing ability proves very useful; the Trustfire is beautifully made for such a cheap light and produces plenty of light; and the Black Cat is tiny, has a nice, bright, warm-tinted beam, looks very neat in red and is quite frankly astounding for the equivalent of a measly £5 of my English pounds!  

(All prices including delivery)


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## kramer5150 (Feb 19, 2010)

ITP A3 EOS
Romisen RC-N3-Q5
D/C Mag
Solarforce L2 series
Ultrafire 503B

Akoray K109 is the odd man out of my list.
If you include sale pricing, the eagletac P100C2 for $24 during the 4-7 firesale destroys all. Thats probably the best deal I have ever scored on a light.


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## p moore (Feb 19, 2010)

Romisen RC-N3-Q5
Romisen RC-G2
Solarforce L2 series
AKOray 106
Tank007 E07
If I could add one more: MG L-mini II

Paul


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## wingnut86 (Feb 19, 2010)

C/D Mags
Romisen RC-N3 WW
Romisen RC-G2 (original)
Advance Auto Parts 2C
Dorcy 1aaa (newest gen with fisheye)


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## boomhauer (Feb 19, 2010)

iTP A3 EOS
AKOray 106
Solarforce L2
TANK007 E07
Romisen RC-29

Not necessarily in order...


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## old4570 (Feb 19, 2010)

No1 = Solarforce L2 
Piritlight SG-L8 [ Thrower ] 
Ultrafire A20 [ last one I got is just unbelievably good ] 
Akoray 3mode Programmable 
Maratac AAA


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## Light Sabre (Feb 20, 2010)

Since I don't buy anything online, they are all B&M lights and the ones that I use the most:

1) Safelight 9 volt PALlight $15
2) Energizer E250 2D with old NiteIze flange drop in, with contact paper type clear diffuser $10
3) Everready EVLL25S 2D 3 LED $9
4) Everready EVLL21s 2AA 1 LED $6
5) Minimags with Terralux TLE-20 and TLE-5 drop ins. $23 - $28.

My most expensive light/lantern is a 3D Mag with 3 watt Mag drop in. $35-40.


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## Black Rose (Feb 20, 2010)

Based on price and not where they were made/bought, in no particular order...

ITP A2 EOS / ITP A3 EOS
Romisen RC-N3-Q5
C/D Maglite
Solarforce L2/L2P
MG L-Mini II


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## Ian2381 (Feb 20, 2010)

ITP A3
Solarforce L2
Akoray 106
Fenix E01
Romisen RCg2
:wave:


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## NonSenCe (Feb 20, 2010)

top 5 budget under 25 dollars.

not in order.
1. *Solarforce L2* (surefire copy, all the dropins and upgrades)
2. *Romisen N3* (tough light. 2AA or cr123.. good idea!)
3. *Akoray k106* (programmable, ok qc,works with AA and screams on 14500)
4.* iTP eos a3*. (awesome tiny light that uses common AAA) 
5. hmm..cant think of 5th.. romisen g2/ultrafire c3/maglite 2aa led get a vote..but maybe im odd and vote for 60 *dx fauxtons*? (10 of them for under 4dollars) 

about 40 ish dollar range:
1. *L-mini 2*
2. *iTP c7/c8/c9* (maybe even the new eluma series.. dunno)
3. *47s quark mini*. 

then comes tricky.. maybe eagletac t100c2 or p100a2/p100c2? 47s preon also sounds nice. 

and all of these i have, except t100c2, p100c2 and preon.. (but preon is very likely to be bought soon)


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## B12 (Feb 21, 2010)

I only have four budget lights bought from DX and KD. All are very different for different purposes. I have tried only to pick lights with good reviews and high user satisfaction rate. All have good build quality and have worked without any issues. All use li-ion rechargeables.

The order is power, not preferation

MTE P7 2-mode (general outdoor use, very bright and floody light)

Ultrafire 502 with R5 led (smaller than the MTE but almost as bright. mainly used as bicycle light on mid setting)

Akoray K-106 5-mode non-programmable (general EDC use, used at work everyday for inspecting welds etc.)

Romisen RC-C6 (general EDC use, great flood for indoor use, throws better than any of the above.)


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## edap617 (Feb 24, 2010)

1. Romisen RC-M4
2. Romisen RC-A4
3. UniqueFire 1AO-R4 5 modes
4. Akoray K-106 3 modes
5. Romisen RC-F4


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## Ecolang (Feb 24, 2010)

Romisen RC-F4
Tank007 E07 This is always with me
Fenix E01 As is this
Uniquefire AA-S1
Ultrafire C3 Q5 stainless steel. But treat the high mode as a "turbo" mode unless you have heatproof hands.


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## AlexLED (Feb 24, 2010)

Tank 007 E07 (AAA)
iTP EOS A3
L-mini (18650)
Streamlight Microstream (AAA)
TrustFire XP-EF23 (AAA)


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## Pete Mcrash (Feb 24, 2010)

Romisen RC-29 11 Q5-(aa) $22 a mint E.D.C
MTE SSC P7-(18650) $31 amazing floody light 
Tank007 tk703-(aaa) $11 (better than the black cat)
Black cat hm-01-(aaa) $8 good for the kids 
2/3d Mag for modding under $30


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## shark_za (Feb 24, 2010)

1. iTP A3
Greatest keychain light there is, brightness or runtime, you decide. 

2. iTP A2 
I love this more and more each day, does everything a torch needs to with minimum size and great efficiency.

3. Romisen RC-N3
Mine is a great single mode torch that gets used for standby and odd tasks around the house and campsite. Compared to a mini maglite LED it wins every time. 1x in each car.

4. Romisen RC-F4 
I took this with me to an African country where I thought they would confiscate randomly and without reason, it proved to be a great little 2xCR123 EDC and general light. Forward clicky, bright beam with nice throw.
$/reliable lumen , <RC-F4. !!!

5. Romisen RC-G2
My kids and friends love them as gifts. Simple reliable and effective. 

6. Fenix E01 
If it cant be an iTP A3 then make it an E01. Long runtime and solid construction.


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## UpChUcK (Feb 25, 2010)

Dorcy 220 Lumen Rechargeable - $12.50 :twothumbs

MagLite MiniMag Rebel Multi-mode - $20

MagLite 2D/3D Rebel - $25

Inova X1 4th Gen - $20

Lowes TaskForce 2C - $30


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## Nautic (Feb 26, 2010)

Romisen C6 Nice little shrower, but also flood when needed.

Romisen RC29 Q5 Same as above and easy available AA battery.

Romisen F7 Used as keychain light.

Romisen G2 II Q5 from SB EDC Warm white with good brightness. 

Ultrafire WF 501B Cree R2 P60 pill for the moment. A R6 are considered.


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## bedazzLED (Feb 26, 2010)

Romisen RC-C3
Romisen RC-C6
Romisen RC-G2 II
Romisen RC-29 II
AKOray 106


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## guyg (Feb 26, 2010)

My only expensive lite is a Fenix L2T.
The rest I use are economy models.
energizer 2aa 1 watt
fenix 1 aaa
garrity w tailcap button
mini mag 2aa new style, and
energizer headlamp


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