15 Best LED Flashlights on the Planet

This flashlight is pocket-sized and primarily for outdoor use, security use, or law enforcement. It has two general modes – Outdoor Mode and Tactical Mode. The Outdoor Mode has six output modes meaning you’ll never have an issue seeing in the dark again. It’s 5.51 inches and runs on one 18650 battery or two CR123A batteries. 

This flashlight is incredibly bright and can shine up to 656 feet or 200 meters. It provides robust and reliable lighting for a wide variety of situations. This flashlight comes with a low-voltage reminder so you’ll never have to worry about your battery running out of power in a time of need. The Fenix has a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours and can reach up to 1000 Lumens. 

The price of this flashlight cannot be beaten. It’s under $70 and will last you up to 50,000 hours – plus it’s one of the brightest flashlights on the market. If you need a flashlight for nighttime outdoor use, security, or law enforcement – this should be your go-to. 

This is definitely a flashlight intended for use in large enclosed spaces (like a warehouse). It is the brightest flashlight we found under $300. With up to 7300 lumens produced and a beam nearly 300 meters long, it makes sweeping large spaces easy. The flashlight is fully waterproof (up to 1.5 meters), impact resistant for up to 2 meters, and is built using aircraft-grade aluminum. Definitely one of the most durable flashlights on our list!

There’s no denying that this is one of the brightest options around. The six flashlight modes give you a lot of light options, perfect for both conserving battery life and user-friendly operation. There’s even a “memory mode” to remember your last setting for one-click use. Additionally, the low voltage indicator will let you know when the batteries need recharging.

However, be prepared for a bulky flashlight. It’s roughly the same diameter as a soda can, so it takes a big hand to hold it comfortably. The beam is also very wide and unfocused, so it’s not as bright as it could be given its 7300 lumens. Thankfully, the built-in Intelligent Temperature Control technology will stop it from overheating.

This is definitely a high-priced flashlight, and one you may hesitate to buy unless you are patrolling wide-open spaces and need a flashlight that can produce A LOT of light.

The J2 is the best flashlight for military, security, and police use. But beyond that, this flashlight works really well for just about anyone who needs an easy to carry flashlight with a strong beam. The heavy-duty design makes it resistant to damage, water, dust, and impact, and you’ll find it’s compact enough to carry on any trip. 

The best thing about this tactical flashlight is its portability. Typically, when you want a well-built flashlight with a variety of features (high, low, and strobes) as well as a strong light beam, you’re looking at some heft. Not so with this flashlight. It’s lightweight and wonderfully compact, yet still has a beautifully powerful light–300 lumens, producing a beam up to 600-feet long. Expect a VERY long battery life and excellent durability with this bad boy.

For a mid-range tactical flashlight, the price for this is spot-on. It’s inexpensive, highly compact, and guaranteed to last you for years to come. 

This is the best flashlight for tactical purposes, but is still great for everyday use. It’s the perfect size to carry or tuck beneath your arm, so there’s really nothing to hold you back from using this. Thanks to its durable yet lightweight design, you’ll have no trouble using it all day long. It’s built to last and one of the most powerful flashlights on the market.

If you’re looking for a dependable, portable, rechargeable, and super bright LED flashlight, you’ve found it. It’s also easy to cycle through all its settings (unlike with some other flashlights), which makes this pretty user-friendly. The C4 LEDs get up to 50,000 hours of use before needing to be changed, and you’ll find the battery life per charge is also surprisingly good: 90 minutes on the highest setting or 5 hours on the lowest setting, with a beam between 155 and 310 meters in length. Charge time is just 7.5 hours, and the three included batteries ensures you’re always ready to go.

That’s the one thing about this flashlight that might make you hesitate. Watch for discounts on Amazon, and it might become worth the investment.

This is the best flashlight under $30. It is the sort you carry around in a purse, backpack, or briefcase to have with you for any situations. It’s small enough to fit in any bag and weighs just 1.7 ounces. There’s even a clip so you can secure it to your belt. Thanks to its excellent battery life, good light output, and multiple settings, you’ll always have reliable light at a moment’s notice.

The flashlight has an output of 500 lumens and a beam distance of 118 meters, making it great for use at home and outdoors. It runs on AA batteries, so you can buy a couple of pairs of rechargeable batteries to use. You’ll get 17 hours of run time on the highest setting and up to 100 hours on the low setting.

The flashlight’s body is made with aircraft-grade aluminum, and it’s fully resistant to water, dust, and dirt. Sadly, though a fall or drop won’t damage the exterior, users have reported that the flashlight stops working reliably after a hard impact. However, it has a no-roll design and will stand up on its end, making it highly convenient to use anywhere. With two buttons for controls and five settings—including a low-light “Firefly” setting—you’ll find it delivers amazing value in a small package.

At $30, this is a flashlight that just can’t be beat. It performs better than some of the higher-priced models on the market, yet has a very low price tag. If you’re looking for value and don’t mind its small size, this is the flashlight for you.

This is the best flashlight for situations where you want something small and powerful, you can really use them for anything: hiking, camping trips with the kids, fishing, late-night barbeques, walking the dog, etc. Their aluminum body can handle impact, water, dust, and damage like a boss, making them one of the most durable choices despite their small size.

Aside from the cons noted above, customers seem really pleased with the overall performance of these flashlights. The simple operation makes them easy to use, they don’t require uncommon or expensive batteries, and they provide a strong beam whenever you need it. They may be small, but their 9 built-in LED bulbs put out 30 lumens–more than enough for use at home, while camping, in cases of a power outage, or emergencies.

With these four flashlights around your house, you’ll never fumble in the darkness again! Thanks to the fact that they run on standard AAA batteries and have a 30-hour run time, you’ll always have light.

The base price is a total steal, and you’ll find they’re one of the best-valued flashlights on our list.

For anyone looking for a super handy flashlight with a good amount of light, this is a great pick. Streamlight, in general, provides some really high-quality tactical and safety flashlights, but this is the pick of the litter based on reviews. Doctors and EMTs will find it handy for use on the job, but anyone can use it thanks to its compact size. 

This is a tiny flashlight, but it packs a whole lot of light in it. It’s super durable too (made from similar aluminum alloy material Streamlight uses on all their flashlights), so you shouldn’t have to worry about dropping and breaking it. With two AAA batteries included, you get great runtime before needing to replace the batteries. There’s even a lifetime warranty to ensure your pen flashlight is always in good condition and working well.

It’s a little expensive for such a small flashlight, but you’re paying for the high-quality construction and dependability of one of the brightest pen flashlights on the market.

This headlamp is the best flashlight for hikers or campers who want light without carrying a flashlight. While it’s not as bright as your average flashlight, it’s more than bright enough to see what you’re doing while setting up a tent, cooking a camp meal, or following a trail.

The fact that it’s integrated into a headband means it will sit comfortably on your forehead and give you light wherever you’re looking. The perfect solution for hands-free lighting!

The Quad Power LED and Double Power LED combine to emit 300 lumens of light, which is more than enough for the average camper.

The single-button controls can be a bit tricky to use, but once you get the hang of them, you’ll love all the settings options you can cycle through: full strength proximity and distance mode, dimming setting, strobe light, and red night vision mode.

There’s even a lock mode to ensure the headlamp stays on while you’re using it or off while you’re traveling with it packed.

The headlamp is IPX8-rated for waterproofing, so it’s more than capable of remaining functional in heavy rains. It’s also dustproof and resistant to damage, drops, and falls. It’s durable, highly versatile, and the best choice of headlamps for hikers.

At $29, this is one of the best-priced headlamp flashlights on the market. You’ll love its functionality and durability, as well as its multiple light settings.

While this can be used as a regular flashlight (especially if you want to use the emergency red “flare” setting on the road), this is the best flashlight to use as a worklight. The magnetic bottom turns this into a super handy, hands-free flashlight. The anodized aluminum body makes it super durable, and the recessed LED housing will protect the bulk from damage or impact. 

There are a variety of settings on this one, so play around with the different low and high beams to see which one works best for you. And don’t forget about the magnetic bottom, which keeps it stable and upright on metallic surfaces. The COB LED technology generates up to 400 lumens, with a secondary 160-lumen low light. It’s an awesome work light, emergency light, or back-up camping light. 

The price of this flashlight is standard for well-made, mid-grade LED flashlights.

Tackle indoor projects in a dimly lit room or outdoor projects after dark with this powerful flashlight. This Stanley spotlight includes a pivoting stand for hands-free use, so you can prop it under your vehicle or on a desk as you work. This is a good starter flashlight if you’re learning how to do home repairs or have a job that requires you to provide your own supplies for essential maintenance or repair-related tasks.

This durable flashlight is also great for camping trips, evening hikes, and fishing trips. With 920 lumens, it’s not surprising that some reviewers refer to the beam as blindingly bright. However, it’s not bright enough to fully illuminate a dark warehouse, but it is brighter than many of the other budget-friendly flashlights on our list.

Shine this spotlight-style flashlight on dark areas and let the 10-watt, 920-lumen beam instantly brighten your surroundings. Choose from a low setting, which lasts up to 7 hours without draining the battery, or a high setting, which lasts up to one hour.

You receive AC and DC charging adapters with this Stanley flashlight, so you can easily recharge it at home or in your vehicle. The battery holds a charge for up to 12 months when the flashlight isn’t in use.

This 1000-lumen Stanley flashlight typically costs between $40 and $50, but you can get a similar model for less if brightness doesn’t matter.

Maglite flashlights are popular with military members, police officers, and emergency responders, but they’re also great for regular folks who need a reliable light source.

If you fall into the second category, keep this flashlight on hand for power outages, household tasks (like that leaky pipe you’ve been meaning to fix), and late-night poop pickup when the dogs go outside. You can also use it while fishing, camping, or hiking.

This is only a 168-lumen flashlight, yet multiple reviewers rave about its brightness. We love that the bright light shines up to 80 hours before it needs new batteries. That gives you plenty of time to stay safe during a power outage or find your way back to camp after a wrong turn in the woods.

This flashlight is built to survive frequent use and rough tasks, so if you’ve accidentally broken other flashlights, this is the right one for you. It’s water-resistant and shock-resistant, so it can effectively handle unexpected drops, bumps, or dunks.

You’ll shell out around $30 to $35 for this heavy-duty Maglite, which reportedly lasts longer than many pricier models.

Designed for underwater photographers and divers, but can also be used during beach vacations, cave explorations, and fishing excursions. Basically anytime you need a water-resistant flashlight.

A lanyard and an adjustable wrist strap make hands-free use a cinch as you swim through murky areas. The flashlight’s fluorescent exterior glows in dark areas, making it difficult to lose it during deep-sea dives.

This 1100-lumen BlueFire underwater flashlight works surprisingly well when you consider its price. Choose from two brightness levels and a strobe light as you photograph vibrant fish, search for hidden treasure, or examine colorful coral.

Reviewers praise the durable exterior, which effectively withstands drops and bumps during underwater adventures. Three waterproof O-rings prevent water from damaging the batteries or inner workings of this resilient flashlight, which shine brightly for up to 50,000 hours.

For optimum performance, remember to replace or recharge the batteries every few hours, plus rinse the flashlight in clean water after each use.

Around $15, plus free shipping for Prime members. Numerous reviewers say this flashlight is worth the price; in fact, some even say it works better than expected for a $15 flashlight.

The Goal Zero Torch 250 works well in emergency situations where you can’t access an electrical outlet or a set of batteries. It’s nice to have this flashlight on hand if your car breaks down or your battery-powered lantern dies during a camping trip.

It’s also an ecofriendly option for people who prefer to utilize the earth’s natural energy sources when possible. You power this flashlight by cranking it with your hand or setting it in the sunlight.

Use this 250-lumen flashlight to illuminate your vehicle, living room, or garage for anywhere from 7 to 48 hours when fully charged. However, it’s worth noting that it takes a while to charge it completely if you live in a cloudy area or don’t have much strength in your hands.

We’ll break it down for you: One minute of vigorous hand-cranking equals two minutes of light. If you connect it to a USB port or set it in the sun, expect to wait at least 7 hours before it’s ready for use. This can be frustrating if you need light right away.

Despite the drawbacks, this is the best solar-powered flashlight we’ve found, and it’s also one of the most versatile flashlights on our list. In addition to functioning as a regular flashlight, it has an emergency setting where the light shines red instead of white. It also works as a temporary power supply for smartphones and tablets.

Your wallet will be around $80 lighter after you buy this multipurpose flashlight from Goal Zero. That’s higher than other hand-crank flashlights we’ve researched, but it also does more than they do.

This flashlight is perfect for water and outdoor adventures. It’s not extremely bright but will provide enough light to keep you going during your nighttime camping trip or boating adventure. The flashlight is slip-free thanks to the shock absorbing rubber around the body and top of the flashlight.  

The Dorcy 3AA 4 LED Incredible Floating Flashlight is waterproof and able to float! With its 55 lumens of light, beam distance of 31 meters, and battery life of over 8 hours, this flashlight is perfect for night strolls or water activities.  The built-in clip makes using this flashlight on-the-go simple. 

This is the cheapest flashlight on our list, and it’s exceptionally durable and impact resistant. We think this flashlight comes at a great value.