The Best Flashlights of 2024

The Fenix PD36R Pro ($120) is the latest evolution of our favorite overall flashlight on the market. A slightly upgraded model of the also-great PD36R, the PD36R Pro has one big improvement, and that is the dual tail switches. The system works like this: One larger tail switch turns the light on and off. The other toggles through the five brightness modes, or, if the light is off, activates the strobe function for self-defense. In the dark or with gloves, it’s still incredibly easy to manipulate the switches and get the desired output in seconds.

If you prefer the lighting control mounted on the body of the light, the standard PD36R is still available. But I suspect most users will love the upgraded PRO model.

Beyond user experience, the runtime is phenomenal. With the new PD36R PRO in Eco (30 lumens) mode, you can achieve a solid 42 hours of runtime. If runtime is your primary concern, the non-PRO version of this light has a much longer runtime, but lower overall output.

For casual users (occasional camping trips and short bursts of high-output modes), that should amount to months between charges. Our tester has gone more than 2 months without recharging this flashlight with regular usage.

Speaking of modes, the PD36R PRO ranges from a low-end 30 lumens to a searingly bright 2,800 lumens. At that 2,800-lumen turbo mode, you can easily see objects at 1,247 feet. That’s more than enough for most use cases for outdoor recreation. And impressively, the PD36R PRO can maintain that brightness for 3.5 hours.

With an IP68 waterproof rating, it can withstand being underwater for 30 minutes at up to 6.5 feet. It’s also dustproof and shock-resistant. One feature I love is how easily you can manipulate between tactical (and strobe-enabling) functions.

Beyond the specs, this is a perfect hand-size flashlight (5.74 inches long, 1.04 inches in diameter) with user-friendly functions. Turn it on and off at the large tail switch, press the smaller tail switch to adjust power, and check the LED near the USB-C charging port when turning the light on for a battery-level indication.

Overall, the PD36R PRO is the best flashlight on the market today.

While the ThruNite Archer ($30) lacks a few of the higher-end features of other lights on this list, it comes in at an excellent price of just $30. For that, you get a quality CREE XP-L V6 LED light source with a maximum power of 500 lumens. While that number may not look impressive, it’s way more than enough for most uses. Using two AA batteries, it has a runtime of up to 4 days on firefly mode and 11 hours on medium (75 lumens).

You heard that right — this flashlight does use AA batteries. That certainly brings down the price compared with high-end rechargeables and costs money to operate. Our team prefers rechargeable flashlights for several reasons I’ll get into below. But flashlights with disposable (or rechargeable) AA batteries are very easy to repower on backcountry trips — just bring a couple of extras.

A budget flashlight needs to have more than just a nice price. It must also be durable, so you won’t have to run out and buy another in a few months. I put the Archer through rigorous testing, including submersion and drop testing. It came through with flying colors, barely edging out the competition with the Coast G32. I loved the simple interface — particularly the side button to scroll through brightness settings.

For a budget flashlight, the Thrunite Archer is still the one to beat.

Read Review: Cheap Flashlight Faceoff

The Nitecore EDC33 ($70) is a new light for 2024, and it’s incredibly powerful yet very small. For context, this little light will fit in the palm of your hand and weighs a scant 4.48 ounces. It clips to the inside of your pocket, where it doesn’t take up very much real estate. But pull it out and push the tail switch, and wowsers!

The EDC33 packs incredible power, reaching a maximum of 4,000 lumens with a beam distance of almost five football fields. But even better, it has nice low and mid-output modes that are very useable at normal viewing distances of close proximity out to about 50 yards. And at that distance, this little powerhouse will burn and burn and burn, kicking out a very useful 300 lumens for nearly 7 hours straight.

The EDC33 has a bunch of other fabulous tech packed in the diminutive package. It has a great, physical lock to secure it in the off mode. Given the power of this light and the heat it creates, it’s very important. Fortunately, it’s easy to use.

The light packs a “Lumen Shield” mode, which it touts as a replacement for strobing self-defense. Call it what you will, but it’s a great, powerful floodlight. Finally, the light has a proximity sensor that automatically dials down the power when it’s too close for high output modes.

Now, for the negatives of a small, powerful flashlight. First, the battery is not removable. That means if the battery gets weak, the flashlight won’t perform as well. Given the quality of Nitecore batteries, I imagine you’ll get a long lifespan of multiple years from the light, but it’s worth considering, and a significant drawback for some buyers. Next, note that this light will get very hot very quickly in high-power modes. So if you need a powerful beam for longer than a few seconds at a time, get something bigger.

Overall, I love this light. Some folks don’t like the single-button tail switch, but it works well for me. And the light will tail stand! If you want a tiny light that has a lot of power, this one is worth considering. It’s also a heck of a good price for so many features.

The NITECORE EDC27 ($90) first launched at SHOT Show 2023. This light dazzled folks with a wonderful design and massive light output. If you can get your hands on one (it’s still selling out quickly with every batch produced), this light is the latest and greatest EDC flashlight on the market. I expect it to be popular for a long time.

Let’s begin with the design. The NITECORE EDC27 is a flat flashlight with a pocket clip. That means it fits easily in your pocket. It will even fit in most knife pockets on pants, making it a dream to carry. To turn it on, press the large tail switch. Next to that switch is a smaller tail switch.

Once on, depress that smaller switch to flip between modes. Or, you can press the smaller tail switch when the light is off to fire the strobe or momentary on modes. For the EDC user who may need to use the light for self-defense, this is a slick interface that should result in never hitting the wrong button for the needed use.

A quick look at the specs reveals class-leading numbers. A top output of 3,000 lumens and a 200m range will serve all but the most dire search and rescue, hunting, or tactical needs. And a run time of 37 hours on low provides a good, long life for the vast majority of uses.

Finally, the light has an easy-to-read OLED display. It reads run time and current lumen output. This takes the guesswork out of recharging the battery and lets the user know exactly what they can expect the light to do.

Overall, the EDC27 is an incredible new flashlight. I haven’t had enough time testing it to say it will outperform our current top pick, but it certainly should give Fenix a run for its money.

Read Review: This Flashlight Could Be an EDC Dream: NITECORE EDC27

Blackfire, a newer division of Klein Tools, is making some nice flashlights these days. Overall, the BBM6412 ($35) is an excellent upgrade to our previous top flashlight for mechanics.

At around the $40 range, this light packs in a ton of performance that makes it fit for both the garage and the wilderness. It has a top output of 500 lumens — while not super powerful, that’s certainly sufficient for use on the trail and around the campsite. And it’s more than enough power when working under the hood of your truck.

Where it really stands out is its magnetic base and side-throw lantern. This work light illuminates a larger area with soft, useful light at five brightness settings. In our testing, it was the perfect companion while checking for loose wires under the hood of a truck in the dark. And it’s capable of big tasks, too. It’ll kick out 375 lumens for 10 hours in work light mode or 500 lumens for 7 hours in standard mode.

Our testers also loved the simple, common USB-C connection for fast recharging and the multicolor battery level indicator. Top it off with a glow-in-the-dark bezel that makes it easy to find in a center console in the dark, and you’re looking at a lot of flashlight for not much money.

NITECORE discontinued one of our previous favorites (the i4000R) but replaced it with an even better, more powerful torch. A strong contender for the best overall flashlight, the new NITECORE P20IX ($120) is one of the best flashlights on the market in terms of overall performance.

It’s slightly larger than our winner from Fenix, however, so it’s less suitable for hikers, hunters, or others who value lightweight and small size.

That said, the new version shaves half an ounce and half an inch off the previous model, coming in at 4.06 ounces and 5.57 inches long. So it’s edging closer and closer to a pocket-friendly size.

The P20IX punches through the darkness with 4,000 lumens on turbo mode for up to 30 minutes. That’s enough to light up objects 250 yards away, so it should be high on your list for performance alone. More importantly, it has four continuous and strobe modes, ranging all the way down to the 2-lumen ultralow mode that provides light for up to 350 hours.

It runs on a rechargeable battery that powers four CREE XP-L2 V6 LEDs. This setup provides exceptional versatility for everyone from campers and hunters to search-and-rescue and tactical uses. The user interface is great, providing easy access to toggle between modes (like its turbo output and strobe mode) through a dedicated button separate from the rear tail switch.

While this is a high-end flashlight, it’s absolutely worth the price for those who need a powerful, reliable flashlight with the potential to hold up to extremes.

We put the Coast G32 ($25) in a head-to-head test against the Thrunite Archer, our overall budget choice, and the competition was neck and neck. In the end, the Thrunite defeated the Coast in the drop test. The G32 failed a brutal drop from 10 feet to concrete onto the lens, while the Thrunite survived.

The G32 is a no-frills AA flashlight with two modes, but it provides excellent lighting. Zoomed out, it provides a wide, perfect circle with no halos, thanks to Coast’s Pure Beam focus. Then, zoom the lens for a bright light point with a 134-meter throw. The zoom motion is very simple and smooth. Grab the zooming head by the nice knurling and twist it. It zooms to a hard stop on wide and long throws.

For the money, the G32 is a solid, well-made flashlight that impressed me in use outdoors and around the house. It’s a bit long for EDC use but will work great around the campsite or at home. And, if you want to upgrade it, Coast offers its ZX555 ZITHION-X rechargeable battery (not included).

Check out our full head-to-head test here.

The Ledlenser MT10 rechargeable flashlight ($90) competes well with the Fenix above, and on paper, it in some ways outshines the competition. The specs put these two top flashlight choices in similar categories, and I expect users will love them both.

One thing I love about the MT10 over the Fenix PD36R is the Ledlenser Advanced Focus System. This simply means you can adjust between a broad floodlight and a long-distance beam in an instant. Simply press the front bezel forward, and the light focuses tighter and tighter.

It works extremely well in the field. We’ve used it to find our way out of the woods while bushwhacking during elk hunts in the Rocky Mountains and appreciated the ability to scan far away hillsides for trails and landmarks with the max 1,000 lumens and 180 meters of throw.

The Ledlenser MT10 also gives a great useable low light, running up to 144 hours at 10 lumens. It has a mid-power setting, but the brand doesn’t share specs on it. But at its middle setting, you get nice light for hiking and good runtime. I’ve only charged this flashlight twice in about a year of testing.

Speaking of charging, this light charges off a micro-USB cable. I love that feature, as it’s a common size and doesn’t require you to carry an oddball cable on trips.

Overall, the MT10 is one of the best flashlights you can buy, with most of the features an outdoor user will require. It’s reasonably priced as well, given its strong power and battery. I also appreciate its simple user interface.

The only ding against this compared with the more expensive Fenix is the build feels a little less robust (it’s IP54-rated for dust and water splashes and rain but is not fully waterproof). I also liked the color rendering a bit better on the Fenix. But the Ledlenser MT10  still puts up a great fight.

With a maximum output of 2,250 lumens (and the ability to project it a whopping 500 m), the Warrior X Pro ($120) packs a heck of a punch. For most people, that level of output is overkill. But for those who need to sweep large expanses of nighttime terrain (like search-and-rescue personnel), this kind of power can come in handy.

Those are pretty wild specs for a flashlight that weighs just 8.43 ounces and measures less than 6 inches in length. It runs on a 5,000mAh rechargeable battery. You can recharge it anywhere you have a 12-volt USB outlet or recharger. It comes in three additional colors.

While the Olight Warrior X Pro does give you excellent high-power performance, it’s weaker in the runtime category. That’s because its lowest power output is 300 lumens — more power than you usually need around a campsite. So for people looking for better runtime with lower outputs, there are better choices.

For search and rescue personnel, or anyone who needs a reliable tactical flashlight for nighttime scanning, however, this is one of the best flashlights you can buy.

The Olight Prowess ($140) is a unique entree to our flashlight guide due to its charging system and the fact that it can be configured as a lantern. While we’re not crazy about the charging system, the lantern mode combined with its low light settings make it a very versatile light in emergencies.

Purely as a flashlight, the Prowess packs a powerful 5,000 lumens with a commendable beam distance of 245 m. Five levels of lighting allow you to dial in your preferred brightness-to-battery life ratio, with 10-hour runtime at 300 lumens. Not too shabby.

With the flick of a switch, the Prowess becomes a lantern, projecting a warm light, redirected toward the base of the flashlight. While resting in its detachable charging base, the light can sit on any flat surface, producing a cozy glow to read or work by. In its lowest moonlight setting, it can go for a continuous 20 days.

The charging platform and magnetic charging cable keep this light from reaching the top of our list. We love the ability to recharge any electronic device. It’s cost-effective, better for the environment, and you’ll never have to hunt through your drawers for batteries. The Prowess can be charged with a USB-C cable, via its detachable base, and it can also directly connect to an MCC3 cable for super-fast charging. 

However, if you lose the base and the MCC3 cable (they’ve got to be in a drawer somewhere with all those batteries), then you can’t charge with the ubiquitous USB-C, and you’ll need to buy another MCC3 cable, and the light is already on the pricey side. The USB-C is the current standard and should be the default method

Charging preferences aside, the prowess is compact, plenty powerful enough for most applications, and the lantern function is super useful in camp or whenever the power goes out.