Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Small magnifiers with real glass optics are inexpensive. Many reviewers recommend buying several and placing them in various sites, such as glovebox, tool shelf, or desk drawer. With this in mind, I bought three different brands. The Carson 5X minibrite with LED is my favorite for around the house and car. I perceive that it has slightly more width of field than the Bausch & Lomb 5X Aspheric, meaning that I see the magnification extending in a larger ring around the target item without distortion. There also appears to be less distortion in the depth of field, meaning that you can move the magnifier in slightly larger increments toward and away from the target item without encountering blur. The case is nicely designed and the LED is a useful on-off feature for many situations, but the 3 AAA batteries add weight. I will use the Bausch & Lomb 5X Aspheric for back packing. It is smaller, light weight, and easily balanced for reading topographical maps. The case is a less rugged plastic than the Carson case, but I have had it rattling around in an exterior pack pocket with no sand entry or breakage. The third glass magnifier I have tested is the General Tools 532, with 2.5X magnification. It is a more slender and comfortable pocket carry than both the B & L and Carson. The lens is stored in a fold of soft leatherette that is open to dirt. When the lens is rotated out, the leatherette is easy to hold between thumb and forefinger for inspecting. The General Tools 532 is the lightest of the three and I carry it for wildflower hikes. To me, the optics have adequate but not powerful magnification, good width of field and it is easy to read left to right without distortion.