Looking for a budget < $15 light with a nice low moonlight mode, and at least additional medium and high modes. Needs to tailstand. Want it as night light to leave on the dresser or a table.
Currently using a Trustfire F20 but think it is just low and not moonlight as it is a bit too bright.
Thanks !
Closest thing to what you’re looking for is the UT01 with discount code at gearbest for $16.99 http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_555778.html?wid=21 It has a configurable UI that will get your moonlight down to a decent level but I prefer something even lower. Trevi_lux estimated the lumens here: [Ended]Groupbuy : Utorch UT01 (XP-L , AA & 14500 battery , e-switch etc) - #458 by Trevi_lux
For an even lower moonlight, the Thrunite T10 seems to be a favorite but slightly more expensive at $19.99 on Amazon: http://www.thrunite.com/thrunite-t10-xp-l-252-lumen-flashlight/
UT 01 or Manker E11 fits that role nicely. Its lowest low is around ~1.5 Lumens though (estimate)… so its not in the true sub-lumen category I don’t think.
My old 4Sevens quark AA-t has a .2 Lumen firefly mode. Back then 4Sevens was one of the first companies doing a sub-lumen mode. I upgraded its old XP-G2 with an XP-G3 for roughly double the Lumens, so it should be around ~.5 Lumens I think. By that comparison the UT-01 and E11 are about double the apparent brightness on a ceiling bounce.
JetBeam Jet-1 MK is another option. I think you can get it for well under $15 right now with some of the sales going on.
Some people don’t like its tint color, but I personally think it’s fine.
+1 for the thrunite T10, it has a nice low 0.2 lumen firefly mode. It tail stands and comes with a diffuser tip which would make it a good night light. I have one with the neutral tint led and it’s quite nice. The thrunite archer also has a nice low, I had one in neutral tint but it was a bit to yellow for my taste so swapped it for one with a cool white tint.
Hard to beat thrunite firefly modes. My TH20 (headlamp) has a .3 low-low mode and a creamy neutral tint.
Same as my TH20. I find the floody OP 0.3 about half as bright as the 0.4 from the TN12. It’s perfect for tasks in the dark or checking on the kids.
Damn you guys… you just made me pull the trigger on T10 with neutral tint, even though I’ve been perfectly happy with Jet-1 MK up to this point. :smiling_imp:
You won’t regret it. :+1:
I went through all this research for a friend recently and ended up getting her a Thrunite T10. Runs off of 1 AA and has three well spaced modes. Low mode is pretty low already, but the torch comes with a diffuser that makes it an excellent light for bedside use.
http://www.thrunite.com/thrunite-t10-xp-l-252-lumen-flashlight/
Has anyone checked how realistic that 240-hour runtime rating in firefly mode is on the T10?
BTW, I also just ordered some high capacity Amazon rebadged Eneloop Pro AA cells to go with it. Based on the below review, the NiMh discharge curve is much nicer than the alkaline one…
I would also be interested in seeing how long it runs in firefly mode. A couple of lights I’ve tried (Sunwayman S10A, V11R with extender) only last about 36 hrs in the lowest mode.
I’d like to do a AA flashlight firefly mode shootout but don’t have any of the Thrunites that boast 200 or 400 hours. I do have a Tiara A1 Pro (v1) that ran about 20days in the second lowest mode with a Duracell (eneloop). I’m trying the UT01 now in the lowest programmable mode, but it’s still too high to really be a firefly mode. A really good low, but not quite firefly to me
Thanks for confirming this. I find my UT01 brighter than my “true” ~.5L firefly low modes.
Got my T10 today, and I must say I am kind of disappointed. The high mode seems weaker than Jet-1 MK, and the moonlight mode is so low, I think it’s actually too low to be useful. No wonder it can last 240 hours. 
Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve chosen the NW tint, but I didn’t expect the difference in output to be that huge between NW and CW…
Not < $15, but maybe Olight S15?
Both the ones I bought were cool white and moonlight, even with the diffuser, makes a great night time light, IMO. Then again, opinions vary.
I would really suggest that you spend a little more and get the Pineapple! It has an incredible low moonlight with AA and 14500! It always starts in moonlight, no night blindness by mistake!
The other issue is that my T10 has a hard time tail standing. It wobbles quite a bit. Sometimes I can make it tail stand on its own, but if I put on the diffuser, forget it. And that’s too bad because that diffuser cap is the best thing about this light, IMO.
I’ve got a driver from the pineapple that I haven’t put to use yet. I am wondering if it has LVP or LVWarning of some sort when using a 14500.
I do not know… I have not tested that, mine is always used on the 2 lowest modes and the battery lasts forever.