What is the least expensive aaa for gifting? Something like the Enjoy Deal?
Right around thanksgiving and Christmas Olight runs a free usually AAA flashlight deal, you pay shipping. About $6 bucks.
Use a different email for a second account to get two.
This was a pretty good deal that ended just over a week ago. You could buy up to 5 each day.
It really depends on a few things. Is twisty ok? CRI/CCT requirements? Single/multi mode?
The new Skilhunt E3A is a good single mode twisty. Similar to the Olight i3E, but available in multiple CCTs including Hi-CRI. Sofirn C01S is a good Hi-CRI 2-mode twisty. All of these are under $10 each.
+1
I would also mention the popular Astrolux A01. 3 modes twisty with a nicer/rounder body shape. Lots of color options.
The Skilhunt E3A is one of the smallest AAA light i’ve seen so far.
Lumintop Tool AAA
And C01S is back in stock on Amazon US I just got 2 blue and they are indeed Lo-Hi version.
Olight i3T EOS.
Has US based warranty in case something goes wrong.
these EDC01 are $10
I like the 3 modes, and I like that it starts on Medium, which is about 20 lumens and the most useful level for most of my needs.
essentially the same light with a tailswitch:
My personal favorite is the Lumintop Tool aaa, those cost $16
this version has a nice wide Tir beam
This 3 mode Glaree is also worth considering
and this 3 mode Adier, which is basically a Tool with a different lens
I vote No on the 100 lumen single mode Olight and Skillhunt, they are small and cute, but only One mode, so the battery will be done in 30 minutes of use.
I vote Yes on the Sofirn C01S with two modes, because the 3 lumen Low mode is sufficient for close work, and I like the High CRI LED, but I wish it had a middle level, like the tool and edc01
I avoid black flashlights and prefer more visible colors…
share your impressions of what you buy 
I still call the A01 a “Boney” (like the Manker), but you gotta watch out, because some batches notoriously had NMM and might still be floating around out there.
The 348 (BLF likely doesn’t exist, but the Sang-whatever probably does) looks like a class act, but the threads are wishful thinking at best and strip waaaaaaaay too easily (ask me how I know).
Thrunite had their 6buk (free, you pay shipping) dealy for the Ti3 which is quite nice. Easily modded to whatever brightness levels you want by swapping 3 chip resistors, iirr. Default levels are great right out of the box, if you ask me.
The Glaree is a great little budget light that’s also a featherweight.
The E3A is really nice. Love the slate blue-gray (HA3 ano, vs HA2 for the others), even though it’s a buk extra. I reviewed one and got a couple more, even though I’m certainly not an AAA-guy.
Awesome finish, dedicated lanyard/ring loop that’s not just milled into the end-cap as an afterthought, pebbled(!!!) TIR lens, so many nice touches I was genuinely impressed. Not the cheapest (at 11bux for the slate, and 10bux for all others), but probably the classiest.
That, as well as the Ultratac and Wuben AAAs with their tailswitches, are nice, but also are monsters compared to the twisties. Great if you must have a tailswitch, but I like twisties better.
I don’t like the Astrolux, it’s slippery in the hand and the lack of mode memory is a bother. Sofirn C01S is much nicer.
Considering that I carried a 1-mode 18650 light for a few years and it never bothered me, 1-mode AAA lights are fine for me.
Multimodes are nice, but it depends on what you’re expecting from the light.
For generic light, looking in a car trunk or under a cabinet, finding a keyhole, etc., 1-mode 100lm is fine.
For a multi-use light where you need moonlight or even firefly mode to read maps in complete darkness, etc., yeah, a multimode light would be a must.
If you’re gonna be exploring old abandoned WW2 zombie bunkers (like in “Panzer Chocolate”), I wouldn’t be carrying only an AAA light to begin with. :laughing:
BLF-348 aka singfire-348
https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_227505.html
https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_131992.html
lumintop tool AAA
Lumintop IYP365 2xAAA, or the IYP07 single AAA. Watch for sales. I picked up 6 - IYP365’s last year for 13 each. Made great xmas gifts
And if you can’t get the BLF-348 at a reasonable price, you could always grab a few of the original SingFire lights and replace their LEDs. That’s my next modding project!