Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've purchased and reviewed several of the small, inexpensive “tactical” flashlights offered at Amazon. The two most important factors for me are brightness and cost. This generic is exceptionally bright and, of all the flashlights I've purchased in this class, is the best buy for the money. When comparing brightness, I do not consider the seller's claim on lumens. Those claims can be very exaggerated. Instead, I take the flashlights into a dark room, get the light beams on a wall from about the same distance and at the same size (if they zoom in and out), and then compare brightness. The only other flashlight in this class that MAYBE has a brighter or better light beam is the Coast HP7 Focusing 360 Lumen LED Flashlight. But that flashlight currently sells for $32, whereas these are under $15. This flashlight has metal-like casing and a heavy feel to it. It's 5.25 inches long and weighs 6.6 ounces. So it's a little bigger and heavier than some of the other flashlights in this class. It takes three AAA batteries in a cylindrical clip. For comparison, the Coast is slightly longer, weighs 7.2 ounces, and takes four AAA batteries. This flashlight has five modes, including two blinking modes. I don't care about the different modes, but you might. The beam can be zoomed in or out. When it's zoomed out, the beam is very even with a slight bluish tint. There are no rings or hotspots in the middle. The flashlight can take a lithium battery instead of the three AAA's. (Update: I wrote this review based on use with AAA batteries. I eventually tried a lithium battery (18650) using the plastic sleeve that comes with the flashlight. The beam was significantly brighter. In dark areas, it illuminated details like sunlight. I've found that some 18650 batteries are better than others. EBL has worked well for me; Ultrafire has not) This flashlight is a rebranded generic. It's offered by many sellers under different names. If you look at the images on the Amazon webpages, they are obviously the same product. The only difference is that each seller/importer has their name stamped on the middle of the flashlight. At least 5 of the sellers currently offer 2-packs for under $20. The prices change a lot, almost like there's a price war going on. I've recently seen 2-packs offered for under $11. From this seller, I got 2 for $13. One of these flashlights is already well worth the money at $15. Under $7 apiece for two is a fantastic deal.