ByMatt Mullins updated December 4, 2021
When talking about the best flashlights, we’re talking about tactical flashlights which are engineered and built to excel under harsh abuse… where one’s life may depend on their light source. Tactical flashlights made in the USA are among the most reliable flashlights in the world. I prefer to buy high-quality American-made lights rather than waste money on cheap flashlights (with falsely inflated specs/lumens) that can’t stand up to long term outdoor use. Often the difference is internal, found in the quality of the electronics and soldering, which often fails on imported lights subjected to hard use.
Best Flashlights at a Glance
- Surefire Tactician: Editor’s Choice Best EDC Flashlight
- Maglite ML300L: Best Buy Flashlight for Value
- Surefire Dual Fuel: Brightest EDC Flashlight
- Titan Plus: Best Keychain Flashlight
- Surefire G2X: Best Budget Duty Light
Top Recommended Flashlights
Surefire Tactician - Editor's Choice Best EDC Flashlight
Surefire manufactures weapon lights in the USA for elite military units and it shows. As a tactical EDC light, theTacticianjust feels right. It’s compact, extremely well built, and delivers a wide blinding beam of 800 lumens with a sure click of the tail or switches to 15 lumens with a quarter twist of the bezel. This intuitive dual output twist and tail cap combination is my new favorite method of light operation. All of these qualities earn the Tactician our Editor’s Choice Award. The E2T Tactician takes two CR123A batteries which are common military batteries; Surefire also offers one of the only high quality rechargeable CR123A’s on the market.
Last price observed: $161
Click for Current Pricingfrom Amazon.com
Maglite ML300L - Best Buy Value Flashlight
Want a big, solid, American made classic with impressive performance on a budget? If so the 3 D cell battery ML300L is your choice. It’s extremely bright at 625 lumens and robust; it could double as a defensive club if that’s your thing. The smaller2 D cell version has 524 lumens. Due to the ML300L’s impressive brightness, battery life, build quality, and price, it earns our Best Buy Award. Note two versions exist with slightly different grips: the ML300LX (pictured) and the slightly less expensive ML300L.
Last price range observed: $50 – 85 (depending on model)
ML300L and LX
Click for Current Pricingfrom Amazon.com
SureFire Fury Dual Fuel Tactical - Brightest EDC Flashlight
The Surefire Fury DFT is an insanely bright, super reliable flashlight.It’s truly a pocket searchlight with 1,500 lumens, able to fill every nook and cranny with light… or it can obviously blind would be attackers.The Fury DFT uses either 2 x CR123A batteries or one rechargeable 18650 battery (included). I believe rechargeable 18650’s and similar batteries will become (or already are) the new standard for high output civilian flashlights. However, I doubt the military will ditch super long shelf life CR123A batteries anytime soon so this flashlight fills an excellent niche by using both.
Last price observed: ~ $192
Click for Current Pricingfrom Amazon.com
Surefire G2X Series - Best Budget Duty Flashlight
For an all around general purpose flashlight that’s virtually indestructible and good to go for duty, yet still remains affordable, bright, and less bulky than the Maglite ML300L then I recommend Surefire’sG2Xseries flashlights. They have a strong nitrolon body with an aluminum head and a dual output tailcap clicker. The high output 600 lumens is plenty of light, and the low is a functional and battery efficient 15 lumens. The G2X runs on 2 CR123A batteries.
Last price observed: ~ $63 and up
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Surefire Titan & Titan Plus - Best Keychain Flashlight
Surefire’s tough all brassTitan Plus is the brightest AAA battery flashlight you can find, and probably the only AAA flashlight worth depending on. It’s tiny enough to put on your keychain but bright enough to illuminate entire rooms with a choice of 300/75/15 lumens.The Titan Plus comes with a high quality rechargeable AAA battery.
Titan Plus
Last price observed: $116
Click for Current Pricingfrom Amazon.com
Surefire Stiletto
The light-weight (2.8 oz) Surefire Stiletto brings an interesting concept to flashlights. You can program different sequence modes for it’s main switch, alternating between 650 high, 250 medium, and 5 lumen low outputs. Another tactical switch activates high only and high frequency strobe. This water resistant light has an integrated lithium polymer battery that recharges by a micro USB cable.
Last price observed: $116
Click for Current Pricingfrom Amazon.com
Elzetta Charlie
Elzetta produces fantastic tactical lights. The Dual OutputCharlieproduces a blinding 900 lumens or 30 with a simple twist of the tail cap, while the light is turned on or off by a tail cap click. An optional crenellated bezel provides a strike surface should you need it. Elzetta also makes the smallerAlphaandBravoshould you want less light in a compact package. Like most tactical lights Elzetta runs on CR123A batteries.
Last price range observed: $225 – 254
Click for Current Pricingfrom Amazon.com
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