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Nov 16, 2023

Best Flashlights 2023

While any old flashlight can help you out to no end in all sorts of situations,

While any old flashlight can help you out to no end in all sorts of situations, the best flashlights add extra utility and shine brighter than an overcast moon. They're super bright, portable and don't drain batteries the way they used to thanks to advances in LED technology. Some can be charged with solar power, or you can pick up a smart one that automatically adjusts its own power, making them one of your must-haves when packing camping essentials.

The best flashlights give you a long battery life and bright illumination.

You can also get a high lumen flashlight for far cheaper than you could in the past, and there are many excellent flashlights which come in surprisingly compact sizes to make them easier to keep with you should you need them unexpectedly. Whether you want an emergency flashlight for your bug out bag, or just an every day carry (or "EDC") or just want a bright flashlight for finding things at night, here are some of the best flashlights you can buy in 2023.

Amazon

Brightness: 1,600 lumens | Weight: 5.6 ounces | Waterproof rating: IP68

Best for: Lighting up the darkest paths on a camping trip.

Few flashlights pack as many wonderful features and extras as the Fenix P36R. It has a 5,000 mAh battery which can last up to 115 hours on Eco mode, or more conservatively, eight hours on medium. If you need it to, it can hit 1,600 lumens in both static beam and strobe mode, and its fully rechargeable using a USB-C cable. Just ten minutes will give you five hours of light.

Because it's IP68-rated, it can handle storms, rain and can be submerged in up to three meters of water, so you have nothing to fear from the elements. Weighing 5.6 ounces, the Fenix P36R is extremely portable and has a handy two-way pocket clip to easily attach to your belt, bag or pocket.

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Amazon

Brightness: 100,000 lumens | Weight: 8 pounds | Waterproof rating: IP56

Best for: Those that want the brightest flashlight on the market.

If you need the absolute brightest flashlight possible, the Imalent MS18 hits 100,000 lumens (albeit not for lengthy periods of time) it is up to 100 times brighter than most of flashlights on the market right now. That's not to say it's better, but for raw lumens power, there's nothing that beats it.

It can illuminate objects upwards of 500 meters away and is so powerful that it requires active cooling, and can be quite noisy when the fans spin up. You also need to take real care not to look directly into the beam, or even stand directly in front of it, as it gets extremely hot.

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Amazon

Brightness: 700 lumens | Weight: 0.9oz | Waterproof rating: IP54

Best for: Adding to your hiking backpack or travel tote while on the go.

The Nitecore Tip SE embodies all of the best facets of top-notch flashlights with an amazing 700 lumens maximum brightness despite weighing less than an ounce.

It comes with four brightness modes to toggle between, which can extend the battery to as much as 50 hours on the lowest setting, and supports strobing for when you need to get attention. When it does need more power, you can charge it using the built-in USB-C charging port.

Rated for IP54, it can withstand water splashes or rain without worry, and has robust anti-dust and debris protection. It's slim enough to slip into your pocket, and comes with a clip system to help attach to your keyring or backpack so that it's always within easy reach.

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Amazon

Brightness: 1,500 lumens | Weight 3.63 ounces | Waterproof rating: IPX8

Best for: A lightweight, compact flashlight that offers many colors for easy spotting.

The Olight offers an easy EDC style measuring only 4 inches long, so you can tuck it into your pocket and head out for your next adventure. Another perk to this great flashlight? The power it packs, clocking in at 1,500 lumens. Its aluminum frame can handle a lot of heavy lifting and survive a 1.5-meter impact in case of unexpected drops.

You’ll get an IPX8 waterproof rating so you can use it in the elements. Plus, it comes in a host of colors, so you can customize it to your favorite shade.

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Amazon

Brightness: 8 lumens | Weight: 3 ounces | Waterproof rating: Unknown

Best for: Emergencies when you have no access to any power.

When you don't have access to any power whatsoever, a hand crank flashlight can be a life saver. This little model from MECO isn't particularly powerful, but it doesn't take hours of cranking to get plenty of battery life either. Just a few minutes of cranking will give you up to an hour of light—more than enough time to get you out of whatever darkened situation you're stuck in.

Alternatively, you can use the hand carabiner clip built into the frame to attach it to your backpack and let the built-in solar panel do the hard work for you. This flashlight is super affordable, so you can grab one or two, put them in your car or your emergency bag, and know that if you ever run into trouble, you can have portable light close at hand without having to worry about battery life.

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Amazon

Brightness: 650 lumens | Weight: 0.83 ounces | Waterproof rating: IP68

Best for: Those that want an affordable and bright option.

The best flashlights can get expensive, but they don't have to be. This fantastic budget flashlight from Lumintop has many of the same great features as the best flashlight, but at a fraction of the budget. For $20 you get a flashlight that can hit 650 lumens and lasts up to 60 hours on a single AA battery.

It offers four different lighting modes, is IP68 rated so can handle dust storms, can handle complete submersion in up to 6.5 feet of water and everything in between. Its anodized aluminum shell gives it drop protection up to five feet. This little flashlight will be durable no matter where you take it and what you do with it. The pocket clip has received some complaints from users for not being particularly durable, but it's there and does give you the option of attaching it to your pocket, belt or bag without the need for additional accessories.

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Amazon

Brightness: 1,000 lumens | Weight: 6.2 ounces | Waterproof rating: IP54

Best for: Those that need a hands-free light for their projects.

This isn't just the best headlamp flashlight you can buy right now, it's a new-generation design that's highly customizable and hyper connected. Along with bearing a powerful 1,000 lumens maximum brightness and IP54 weather resistance rating, it's a smart head torch that automatically adjusts to your surroundings. Looking at something up close? It'll dim itself so the light isn't drowning out detail or blinding you from a reflection. It can also be customized using the companion app and a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone, letting you setup individual profiles for certain conditions, tweak the color of the light itself or fine tune the brightness to a precise level.

The focusing system lets you seamlessly switch between spot and flood beams, and the angle of the light can be adjusted to aim up and down through 120 degrees. The battery lasts four hours at full power each charge, and the tri-color indicator will warn you when your battery is running low. To recharge, snap on the magnetic charging cable and plug it into any USB-A port.

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The Forbes Vetted tech team strives to offer accurate and trustworthy product assessments that are the result of intensive research and hands-on testing. Our writers and editors have years of experience writing about a broad range of consumer electronics and have the background and expertise to help you make the best buying decisions possible.

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