11 Best Penlights (Review) in 2019

How We Chose Our Selection of Penlights

We put a lot of care into our selection of the best penlights. As with all of our buying guides, we wanted to identify the very best products just for you. To do this, we looked at the four major factors that determine whether or not someone will purchase something. These factors are:

Quality - The quality of the construction is what sets apart the best products from the worst. They might look similar, they might weight the same, but a low quality product is not going to provide the same results as one designed with higher standards. This quality can consist of the type of material used, the battery required and the strength of the beam. These were all factors we considered when separating great pen lights from simply okay pen lights.

Brand - The brand is an important way to gauge how reliable and respectable the pen light will be. There are tons of different types of pen lights out there, but with sufficient research we were able to identify the best brands that delivered the best results every time. Sometimes though, brands will continue to get by on reputation, despite putting out inferior products. Again, this is something we looked into to make sure that we found only the best pen lights.

Reviews - People who have bought and used the product are the best way of determining how good the pen light is. These are customers who know their stuff, have utilized the product in the exact situations that they are intended for, and have hopefully owned them long enough to figure out all the pros and cons that make them an authority on how good the pen light is. We could just take the manufacturer’s word for it, but that wouldn’t be fair to you, would it?

Price - We’ve tried to find an acceptable price range that means that anyone who reads our lists and is inspired to purchase a pen light can do so. To make it easier, we’ve identified 5 of the best and brightest pen lights that we believe stand out above the rest and offer a decent scale of affordability.

Features To Look For In Penlights

If you are planning on buying a brand new penlight or adding one to your collection, then be sure to consider the following features that make only the best penlights stand out from the rest.

Convenience - Penlights are supposed to be easy to use and simple to carry. Depending on your needs, you want something that is both convenient and effective. Unlike larger flashlights, the pen light is should be easily sorted in a pocket or backpack, or clip onto your belt and can be grabbed and used in a flash (light, hahaha, sorry).

What you need to consider is whether the penlight is convenient to carry around with you and not feel too cumbersome or weighty when attached to a pocket or backpack and whether it will provide adequate light when you need it the most.

Material - The kind of material that is used is another thing to consider. Typically, you will be using this light when camping, during checks and maintenance activities or even for work, if you are a medical military or law enforcement professional. These activities require the product to be robust and durable, able to last years of use without suffering scratching or external damage that could affect its operation.

You also need to look at thow waterproof the pen light is. We’ve tried to identify pen lights that are water resistant in some way, but there are levels of waterproofness. Some will be resistant up to just one meter for 30 minutes, which will normally be enough time to retrieve the pen light should it be dropped or knocked off, while others can withstand as much as two meters of submersion.

Ease-of-Use - The design of the pen light itself is a crucial feature to consider. This means having buttons that are easy to press and is not too large to be carried with ease. In certain situations, the ease-of-use of your penlight could mean the difference between survival and injury (or worse), and so having been able to operate it quickly will make a world of difference.

Runtime - The last thing you want to happen is to have the battery run out when you need it most. Pen lights offer a wide range of runtime, but this all depends on the Lumen level. Some lights will only work for up to 30 minutes on the highest setting. However, when used on the lowest setting, this time can be as much as 9 hours or even more with certain products.

It all depends on what you need your pen light for. If you want something to help you to identify hard to see areas at work, then it doesn’t really matter if the runtime is only 30 minutes on high, as you will not be using it for that long. If you need it when camping, though, you will need to find something with a longer runtime on its highest settings so that you can rely on it in the depths of the woods during the darkest nights of the year.

Durability - Durability has a lot to do with the type of material used, and you want to ensure that your pen light will last a lifetime through all sorts of knocks, scrapes, and drops. Many of these penlights use aerograde casings, which keep it safe through years of use.

Furthermore, some will be designed to prevent rolling when placed flat on a surface. This keeps it even safer, as you do not need to worry about losing the penlight down gaps, drains, or other places.

Durability - The type of battery will depend on the runtime, reliability, and brightness of the penlight. Some batteries are harder to come by than others, so it is a good idea to check that you can easily get hold of these batteries when the ones provided run out. It is always important to have a decent backup supply of batteries to take with you and replace in your penlight if the existing batteries run out while you are using them.

Difference between Penlight and Tactical Flashlight

The differences between a penlight and a tactical flashlight are minimal and really, the major focus should be on the difference between these two products and a regular flashlight. Both pen lights and tactical flashlight constructed much better than the traditional flashlight, which make them more durable and more reliable in any kind of situation.

But, when it comes to the difference between a pen light and a tactical flashlight the main contract is the purpose. Tactical flashlights are used in military operations and self-defense scenarios, whereas penlights are a much more casual, everyday light. There is a bit of overlap, which you will have seen on this list, and really, there is little difference between the two, with both types having their advantages depending on your situation.

If you need a reliable light source in your home, then a pen light or tactical flashlight should be considered above the cheap products you can find in any dollar store.

Penlight FAQ

Q: What is a Penlight?

A: A pen light is a pocket LED flashlight that looks more like a pen than something you would use to light the way. They are lightweight, compact, and easy to carry around, while still being an excellent light source for all kinds of situations. They are great to use at work, while camping, and for general self-defense that can be stored with ease without getting in the way or weighing you down.

Q: Why Should You Carry a Penlight?

A: Due to their small size, especially compared to powerful flashlights, pen lights are excellent to carry around with you, even if you rarely need to use them. They are helpful to have in any situation that you might find yourself unexpectedly in the dark, and can be used to help you see things more clearly where there is no light source, such as trying to fix the back of the TV, or searching through your backpack for something important, without having to remove anything.

They are also excellent tools to use when camping, hunting, or at work, especially if you are a medical professional. They do not take up much room at all, and can be easily accessed from your pants pocket, shirt pocket, backpack or belt clip so they can be used quickly whenever they are needed. Even if you do not go camping, or have no reason for using a penlight at work, they are still a useful purchase to have on your person or around the house, just in case. You never know when it will come in handy.

Most people would not think to carry around a flashlight with them, believing that it is unnecessary to carry one with them, and would often not have room. However, there is always the chance of finding yourself in a situation where you need a light source. Most of us would use our smartphones, but having a penlight will help you save your phone battery as well as lighting the way, even if you are just walking down a dark alley where the streetlamp still hasn’t been fixed.

Q: What kinds of batteries are required for these units?

A: An LED pen light or one with a small bulb typically requires AA or AAA batteries, although there are some which can use AAAA batteries, which are thinner than more common models. Typically, you will need to put between 2 and 4 batteries in the pen light, and the brightest pen light will more than likely either require stronger or a greater number of batteries to operate to its full potential.

For even greater convenience, you might even find a rechargeable penlight, which will save you heaps of dough on batteries in the long run, and means that you can always rely on your penlight to be easily operational, but maybe take a couple of spare batteries with you, just in case.

Sources

1. Uses of Penlight - Techwalla
2. Tactical Flashlight vs. Everyday Flashlight - The Home Security Superstore
3. What is A Penlight? - Best Review Home