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There's a new type of flashlight on the scene -- LED flashlights. Most of them burn for a loooong time on a set of batteries. I haven't been using them long enough to assess reliability but performance is good. A Lantern There are LED lanterns. We lost power for a few days during hurricane Ike and my old fluorescent lantern ate batteries -- I ran out and the store was sold out. Promptly closing the gate after the horse was gone, I got this RAYOVAC model SE3DLN lantern:
I got it from ACE hardware. I ordered it online and had it sent to the ACE store five blocks from my house. It will light a room (though not brightly) and claims to run for almost 6 days (or 12 nights) on three D cells. I haven't tested this claim. Headlamps And now for something different. I find a headlamp extremely useful. It allows you to have both hands free and have plenty of light to repair things or grope around it places that would otherwise be dark -- like the attic. I have an older one that's no longer sold, but the Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme seems to get good ratings and was a current model as of this writing.
You can get it at Walmart for about $19.
Probably Just A Novelty but . . . I bought this Romisen model RC-F4 P4 I bought mine here. Seemed like a reasonable price. They were a few days long on shipping, but it wasn't urgent, so it wasn't a problem. The one I got has a P4 suffix (Romisen RC-F4 P4). The suffix identifies the type of LED used. There's a brighter version. A newer model is a Romisen RC-F4 Q5. It costs $6-8 dollars more, and is supposed to be brighter. If you need one brighter than mine, well . . . Just don't aim it at your face or you may be permanently blinded. ;) It uses two CR-123A batteries which are expensive. When I got it and realized how expensive the batteries are I figured I'd made a mistake and would never use it. My first set of batteries cost more than the flashlight -- and, they don't last all that long either. I figure it costs about 25¢ a minute to operate. But, it's a really nice light. I was able to light the side of a house in the next block. It's very bright and small enough to slip in your pocket -- about five inches long and one inch in diameter. Here's My Original (now obsolete) Flashlight Article I spent most of my life buying flashlights that soon begin flickering and fading in-and-out. I'd then bang them on something to try to make them give a steady light until they broke or I threw them away. I'd buy another brand/model, and start the same routine again. Then I found one that works. Because I could never find a flashlight when I needed one I now have 3 spread around the house, plus one in each car. I've had good luck with a Garrity model T5, but I'm sad to say you can't buy them anymore. I've dropped and thrown the old style and haven't broken one yet. Somehow I do lose them occasionally, so I've probably bought more than a dozen over the last 20 years. I got one that was defective new and I had one start flickering -- otherwise I've had good luck with them. Here's the replacement model. I bought a couple of these and I don't like them. They are not as convenient or reliable. I've had them for about three years now. You can find them most places for about $6-$8. They're black rubber with a heavy raised ribs/nubs, and have a push button switch. Update: Garrity now has a LED Tuff Lite they claim is twice as bright and lasts ten times longer on a set of batteries. I'll be trying one soon. A
really neat keychain flashlight?
Other optionsThe Famous MagLiteMany people swear by MagLite flashlights. They are a police standby, so I'm sure they are very good. They're heavy and all metal, making them a good weapon too. They're also $20+ a piece. If you decide to buy one, do not -- that's . . . DO NOT buy a copy/cloneIf you decide to get a MagLite, get the real thing. I've owned a clone that frustrated me 'til I threw it away, and a friend bought a Radio Shack clone that was no good either. If I bought a regular MagLite I'd probably get the 4 D-Cell model. They now have LED models that last up to ten time longer on a set of batteries, making a 2 or 3 D-Cell model last a long time. Another Economy Model I've heard a few people say good things about Energizer Halogens (also sold as EverReady Halogens). I've had no first hand experience with them, so I can't confirm these claims. |
