What's The Best & Cheapest Flashlight ?

It started out just wanting something better than my old phone.
Then I realised there was something even brighter
Oohoh the lights are getting bigger

Look here at this US seller: https://mohrlumens.com/collections/flashlights

In addition to the available Convoy lights, the Sofirn SP31 V2 kit provides battery, charger and even beam with good throw and spill. I wrote a review if you'd like to get some info on it.

Wurkkos fc11 4000k walmart online $24. I would never recommend a cool white light to anybody.

Any particular reason?
Personal preference shouldn’t roll over to others. If someone simply wants “light” from a torch, and they aren’t all hung up on high CRI - or even know about tints / bins etc - why not recommend cool white? In fact you may not literally be “recommending” it at all, as the perfect device may only come in cool white. I believe if a person asks for recommendations and know all about tints, then they actually know a lot more than they are letting on. Most people don’t even notice or care about tint, they just want light.

1 Thank

Neutral white, simple UI, built in charging.
No one comes back with complaints

So right. I have something like 100 plus lights. Most were purchased based just on lumens. Which, of course, means 6000 plus K. They are all perfectly fine for doing what most people do with a light, meaning light things up in the dark. In addition, they are the most efficient at doing it.

There are situations where lower CCT and tint perfection, as well as high CRI and RA are very important. But for a person getting a first decent light needing to make the dark light, it simply should not be the determining factor. Most of us have gotten to be CCT/CRI/tint snobs have done it over time and with lots of experience. That doesn’t mean that a first light should be discarded from consideration just because it does not meet our “connoisseur” expectations.
In fact, probably most new users will be more impressed and quite happy with a high CCT light, than something that makes some of us perfectionists happy.
In response to the OP, your friend would likely be quite happy with any of the recommendations above in neutral to cool white.
I picked up a Csteboke (Sofirn) SC31T SE for a good price from Amazon (shipped from USA) with an 18650 battery and cable. LH351d sort of neutral white. I gave one to my neighbors in their 80s. Added a cheap wall wart for charging (I have dozens of them). They love it. Not a huge thrower, but a great beam for walking or around the house. I think it was under ~$25.

Sofirn if25a has been around $30 lately, including the 21700 cell. Can get 4000k high CRI or 6500k cool white.

Because they don’t care to complain, based on what I said in my post. Those of us who are knowledgeable about these particular things may “complain”, but 99.9999% of the population just don’t care or know about tints to know then can complain. I’m my 41 years, I’ve never met another person in to torches, and no one I know has ever turned one on and gone “damn, this tint is horrid” - because they just want light. We are not the average layperson… They are when it comes to lights.

Yet when i have shown people lights of different tints they prefer neutral to warm.
So be kind and get a first timer a neutral white.

I have absolutely no doubt. Yet my girlfriend and 2 kids (19 and 12) prefer cool. The people you have shown had the choice and knowledge of the tints you showed them - because you showed them. They are quite entitled to choose what they prefer, when shown both options. Nothing is to say if you give a person neutral, they won’t like or prefer cool. It’s an assumption that is based on our own knowledge and bias. I love my Q8 tint - it’s absolutely perfect and I deem it rather stunning. However, I do like a nice (not ugly extreme blue) cool, in some applications. I hear what you are saying in that in general we all prefer neutral or warmer. However, when someone just wants light, they honestly don’t care.

Bort, That's been my experience, too. However, I'd pick a cool white for distance lighting use. I didn't realize that until recently, when I set up some powerful throwers.

When you are choosing for someone else who does not have extensive experience there is no perfect undisputed choice, you should choose what is statistically the popular choice.

One could argue that an analyzing charger is the better choice than built in charging, there are many nerds out there.
Again for a newb you should keep it simple because it is the more statistically smarter choice.

I don’t deem tint an issue that needs to be kept simple because it is anyway. In fact one could argue giving someone who doesn’t care for tint more options is the less simple approach. As for statistically smarter? For whom? People who don’t actually care what they use? That makes no sense.

For a newb a neutral tint with built in charging and a simple UI often works well.

You don’t appear to agree and you don’t like the explanation so no point going in circles.

Certainly never argued with UI or charging.
As for tint, no I definitely don’t agree, as it is an assumption to think people who receive cool lights won’t like them. If people you recommend lights to are happy with them, that’s exactly what we want, but to definitively assert they’d be less happy with cool is subjective. And it’s not really an explanation, it’s one assuption based on bias knowledge and personal tastes. Also of note is I’m talking about people who don’t actually care, so they would not care what tint it is.
Anyhow, as you said, no point going in circles any longer, as you really aren’t getting my point.

I guess I’d agree with the FC11. It’s a couple of years old but can still run with the best of them.

If you decide on the FC11 there is currently a coupon code good at Amazon US.
Sorry old code
There is a thread here with other discounts on their lights.

Is there not an updated FC11 coming out soon?

[quote=Bort]

[quote=Codec]

[quote=Bort]

—i agree
i have one warm white, 2700k i think , and it always annoys me
neutral white is still my favorite

wle

Whoa ! There’s a bunch of suggestions and opinions about flashlights. Also , the back & forth regarding tints.

Keep it coming , so I can show my friend the info being presented.

As for a USA seller , my friend just meant a seller who ships from within the USA , for quick deliveries.