Home › Best EDC flashlights
Size is the first thing that decides whether you’ll actually carry a light, so we sorted our picks by how you carry it. Every outline below is drawn to the same true scale from published dimensions.
Disappears on your keys, still bright enough to find a dropped bolt or light a parking lot.
True-scale lineup with a AA battery for reference. Open all three in the comparer →
The best balance of size and output: 500 lm and a 90 m beam from a 52.5 mm, 30 g flat body, plus a separate red LED for night use.
The shortest pick at 46 mm and 26 g, yet still 500 lm. Flat enough to vanish on a key ring; throw is a touch shorter than the Fenix (89 m).
The slimmest (15 mm) and lightest (17 g) light here, with 650 lm and 110 m. The polycarbonate body feels less premium than aluminum.
Coin-pocket or clip-on size with a real cell and enough output for daily chores.
True-scale lineup with a 18650 cell for reference. Open all three in the comparer →
Only 63 mm long but 1,300 lm and 170 m, the most output per millimetre in this group. Runs on Olight’s own rechargeable 16340 with magnetic charging.
67 mm and 1,200 lm with a 146 m beam, the longest throw of these three, and it also takes a standard CR123A in a pinch.
The budget enthusiast pick: 1,300 lm from a 71.5 mm 14500 tube with the Anduril 2 interface. Its 32 g weight is listed without the battery.
Lives in the truck door or on the toolbox: 21700 power, long runtime and a beam that lights a whole job site.
True-scale lineup with a 21700 cell for reference. Open all three in the comparer →
2,800 lm and 380 m on a standard 21700, with a slim 26.5 mm head that still clips in a pocket. The safest one-light pick for the truck.
Up to 4,000 lm with a broad 35 mm head and a short 129 mm body. At 217 g it is the heaviest of the three, but it is built like a tool for the shop.
The brightest pick at 4,600 lm, with a wide 260 m beam made for lighting a work area. Charging is magnetic and proprietary, so keep the cable in the truck.
We weighed size and weight first, then output, beam, battery type, charging and build quality, using the published specs shown on each light’s page. We have not been paid for placement. “Check price” links may be affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you, which never changes the order. Disclosure.