Best Keychain Flashlight Review & Buying Guide
Imagine it is already dark outside and you have just arrived home in your car. You remember that there was some important data you copied from your work PC onto a pen drive so you can continue working on it at home, after dinner. You rummage in your car, on the seats and in the glove compartment to find the pen drive and don’t succeed in finding it, wherever you search. The car’s interior light does not seem to help either!
A keychain flashlight is a quick and reliable way to provide the light you need to accomplish your purpose. It’s also a great survival tool to carry with you in the outdoors while camping or hiking.
Best Keychain Flashlight 2017 – My Top 3 Choices:
- SureFire Sidekick 300-Lumen Ultra-Compact Triple-Output Keychain Light, Black (~$75)
- Best Small Flashlight Highest 360 lumens: UltraTac K18 Powerful LED AAA Key Chain Torch Light 4 (~$29.85)
- Nitecore TIP BLACK 360 Lumens USB Rechargeable Keychain Flashlight with LumenTac USB Cable (~$29.95)
#1 – SureFire Sidekick 300-Lumen Ultra-Compact Triple-Output Keychain
My choice #1 for the best keychain flashlight 2017 is almost rectangular shaped and can produce a powerful 300 lumens of visible light that reaches up to 50 meters. There are three brightness settings you can choose from, at the simple flick of a button.
The rechargeable battery is the most attractive feature of the SureFire Sidekick, as with other flashlights you either replace the existing battery or remove the battery first from the unit to recharge. The charging process for this keychain flashlight is as simple as directly plugging the device into the mains through its micro USB port, as you would normally do with your smartphone. Incredible but true! Your flashlight is always readily charged as you would normally carry a power bank to charge your smartphone wherever you go!
The external body of this weather resistant keychain flashlight is very compact and the metal clip provided makes it convenient to carry around with you, wherever you go.
Features:
- Length: 2.5 inches
- Bezel diameter: 0.58 inches
- Battery: Lithium-ion
- Weight: 1.2 ounces
- Brightness: 300 lumens (high), 60 lumens (medium), 5 lumens (low)
- Runtime: 1.25 hours (high), 4 hours (medium), 45 hours (low)
Pros:
- Micro USB port for charging
- Lightweight and very compact
- Weather resistant
- Multiple light output
- Flood beam
Cons:
- Made of plastic
- Unit becomes non-functional if the built-in battery dries up
- Beacon mode during charging may be annoying for some people especially at nights
#2 – Nitecore TIP BLACK 360 Lumens USB Rechargeable Keychain Flashlight with LumenTac USB Cable
My #2 selection is also a very good choice for a portable keychain flashlight. The exterior material is made of water-resistant polycarbonate and is so robust that it can withstand 77 pounds in weight!
You have a choice between four modes for brightness and the highest power achievable is a brilliant 360 lumens which is quite high for a battery equipped with rechargeable Li-ion. The device memory will “remember” the last brightness mode used before the flashlight was turned off. The light beam lights up your peripheral vision and can reach up to 74 meters.
You can conveniently recharge your Nitecore keychain flashlight directly using its micro USB port just like your smartphone (very exciting?) or if you are not near an AC outlet, you can conveniently plug your device into your power bank just like the SureFire Sidekick keychain flashlight.
The advanced temperature regulator automatically stops the flashlight from overcharging even if it is plugged in, preventing the unit from overheating. You can easily loop this flashlight in your keychain using the metallic key ring to conveniently carry it around.
Features:
- Length: 2.39 inches
- Bezel diameter: 0.85 inches
- Weight: 0.75 ounces
- Battery: Lithium-ion battery
- Brightness: 360 lumens (turbo), 150 lumens (high), 35 lumens (medium), 1 lumens (low)
- Runtime: 30 minutes (turbo), 1.5 hours (high), 6.5 hours (medium), 46 hours (low)
Pros:
- Lightweight and compact
- Waterproof
- Shock absorber up to 1.5 m
- Multiple light output with memory function
- Micro USB port for recharging
Cons:
- Consumes battery in turbo mode
#3 – UltraTac K18 Powerful LED AAA Key Chain Torch Light 4
My #3 choice for the best keychain flashlight 2017 is an aluminium-bodied flashlight and one of the best keychain flashlights you can find. Since it is compatible with multiple battery types, you can use alkaline or rechargeable Li-ion batteries with this device and consequently experience a significantly higher level of brightness. You get enhanced lighting through the hidden strobe mode on this device, and four different modes of brightness through a toggle switch, the highest being 360 lumens.
The keychain flashlight is waterproof and impact resistant as the external body is made of aerospace aluminium. A direct copper thermal path inside the body ensures efficient thermal dissipation so this keychain flashlight won’t overheat.
This keychain flashlight is very compact and can be conveniently attached to your head as a headlamp using the detachable metal clip provided. Using the carabiner clip you can attach this flashlight to a keychain.
Features:
- Length: 2.95 inches
- Bezel diameter: 0.55 inches
- Battery: Lithium-ion
- Weight: 0.75 ounces
- Battery: Li-ion 10440 or Alkaline AAA
- Brightness: Using Li-ion 10440: 360 lumens (high), 80 lumens (medium), 5 lumens (low)
- Brightness: Using Alkaline AAA: 110 lumens (high), 25 lumens (medium), 3 lumens (low)
- Can be used as a headlamp
Pros:
- Lightweight and ultra-compact
- Shock and weather resistant
- Multiple light output
- Flood beam
- Better thermal dissipation
- Detachable clip
Cons:
- Consumes battery in high mode during extended use
Conclusion
All three of my choices for the best keychain flashlight in 2017 would efficiently serve the purpose of providing a bright, but miniature light to help locate something quickly in the dark in a small space, or light your way on the pathway outside your home or in any other similar situation.
However, if you were to choose only one of the above, then my choice # 1 is the SureFire Sidekick 300-Lumen Ultra-Compact Triple-Output Keychain Light as it reputed to be both durable and reliable, while at the same time retailing at a very affordable price.