Whether you’re planning an adventure into the great outdoors or just need to fix a leaky pipe under the sink, a torch is an essential piece of kit to have on hand.
Emerging technology means that the best flashlights now have longer battery life, superior brightness, and colour rendering, and are versatile enough to take anywhere.
What is the best LED torch in Australia? We’ve put a spotlight on some of the best models on the market and explored what features make a great torch.
WUBEN 1200 Lumens LED Flashlight
Wuben has been manufacturing flashlights for major global brands since 1981. In 2016 the WUBEN brand was officially registered, and they began manufacturing products to fit into the medium to high-end flashlight market.
Best Torches Australia – Buying Guide
Whether you’re purchasing a camping torch, a rechargeable torch, or simply want the best flashlight, there are a few necessary specifications to consider.
Man in Night Giving Product Overview of Wuben 1200 Lumens LED Flashlight
Battery
Torches use various batteries, usually ranging from AAA to a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. When considering what type of battery you’ll need, you should think about when and how the torch will be used. For example, if you plan on taking the torch camping where there won’t be a power source to recharge, you may be better off with disposable lead-acid batteries. If you plan on being close to a power source, a Lithium-ion powered torch offers distinct advantages such as life span and high energy density, meaning it can go longer between charges, plus they are low maintenance [1].
Run Time
Ensuring your new torch has a long run time is essential. You don’t want to get halfway to the camp toilet in the middle of the night and find the light on your torch fading. Most torches have an option to run on an eco mode or a low setting so you can preserve battery life and increase run time.
Do you know the best torch brands in Australia? Check our article to find the answer.
Throw Distance
Are you going to be night hiking in mountainous terrain? You might want to consider how far your torch beam will illuminate. In this situation, the further, the better. Throw distance refers to how far the light beams can reach. Some high-powered torches can stretch as far as 800m. While this may be great for camping or hiking, it’s generally unnecessary around the home.
Image | Name | Features | |
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WUBEN 1200 Lumens LED Flashlight |
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see price on amazon | |
OUYOOOO High Lumens XML T6 Flashlights |
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see price on amazon | |
NITECORE MH20GT Nitecore Multitask Hybrid Series MH20GT Flashlight |
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see price on amazon | |
Olight Tactical Flashlight Warrior X Pro |
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see price on amazon |
Lumens
Lumen is the term used to describe the total amount of light emitting from a source, in the case, your flashlight. Traditionally, the power of a light bulb is measured in watts. However, with the emergence of LED light technology, light capacity is measured in lumens. A 60W incandescent bulb would produce about 800 lumens as a rough guide, and a 75W bulb would produce about 1100 lumens [2].
Best Torches Australia – Reviews
It’s time to shine a light on the top four best torches in Australia. Whether you need a small flashlight to find that lost earring under the car seat, or you want to light up the countryside, these torches will cover every occasion.
We won’t keep you in the dark any longer. Here are the top torch reviews.
1. WUBEN 1200 Lumens LED Flashlight – Best Overall
Why we love it:
The perfect torch to take into the great outdoors, it boasts a long battery life and is waterproof up to 2 metres for up to an hour. It has a super sturdy design but is lightweight enough to fit into a hiking pack without adding to the load.
Wuben has been manufacturing flashlights for major global brands since 1981. In 2016 the WUBEN brand was officially registered, and they began manufacturing products to fit into the medium to high-end flashlight market.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why this torch has been awarded Amazon’s Choice and has an impressive 4.5 out of 5-star rating.
The Wuben L50 contains the German-engineered OSRAM P9 LEDs, which are known for being high-quality and provide a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours. This small but powerful torch offers 1200 lumens so you can see up to 200m away, plus the 160-degree beam angle allows illumination closer to where you’re walking as well.
The L50 has five lighting modes, including high, mid, low, eco, and SOS mode. The Lithium-ion battery has a run time of 143 hours on eco mode, so you won’t be caught short at an inconvenient time.
This torch is constructed from aeronautical grade aluminum alloy and is impact resistant up to 1.5 metres, and has been designed to handle the rugged outdoor lifestyle.
2. OUYOOOO High Lumens XML T6 Flashlights (Best On A Budget)
Why we love it:
This torch is perfect for camping, hiking, power outages, and general household use. The handheld design is compact and lightweight enough to take anywhere, and because it runs off AAA batteries, you’ll never be stuck without light as long as you have backup batteries.
The 200-metre beam distance is also really impressive for such an inexpensive torch.
What’s better than one torch? Two torches for the price of one! The Ouyoooo may have a strange name, but nearly 200 five-star ratings on amazon.com.au speak to the quality of this torch set.
This torch has five light modes, and with the press of one button, Seeing in the dark has never been easier because this torch uses the upgraded XM-L T6 LED Chip, which means it’s brighter than a standard LED torch. you can change between high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS. Plus, the zoom function allows you to dial up the brightness in a specific area or zoom out to have a larger illumination area. This is a great feature for outdoor nighttime activities, such as cooking dinner around the camp BBQ.
We all know that the weather is never perfect when exploring, so it’s great that this torch is water-resistant in the rain and bad weather. Although not suitable for immersing in water.
3. NITECORE MH20GT Nitecore Multitask Hybrid Series MH20GT Flashlight
Why we love it:
We love this little pocket rocket! It boasts a maximum run time of a whopping 680 hours, or around 29 days, and also has an intelligent micro USB port to charge up the Li-ion battery. Although speaking of batteries, you will need to buy one separately for this torch. It can strap to your belt or pants with the clip and is impact resistant to 1.5 metres and waterproof up to 2 metres.
The Nitecore MH20GT is one of the most compact rechargeable torches in its class. The design ensures it’s comfortable to handle and you won’t lose your grip easily. Plus, it’s super lightweight at a mere 87 grams.
It offers a powerful 1000 lumens of light output that has the capability of reaching up to an impressive 362-metre throw distance. The extended reach beam operates at double the intensity thanks to the revolutionary SC5 technology in conjunction with the patented Crystal Coating reflectors. This means that it provides super bright, tint-free pure white light.
The MH20GT also features Advanced Temperature Regulation (ATR) technology that allows the torch to dynamically adjust its operating performance based on its temperature. This unique feature ensures the torch never overheats and increases in overall lifespan.
4. Olight Tactical Flashlight Warrior X Pro
Why we love it:
Is this one of the most powerful torches in Australia? It’s definitely one of the best we’ve seen throughout our research. This indestructible torch offers superior performance and durability, but it does come at the expense of battery life. If you will be spending a few days in the great outdoors, it would be prudent to purchase an additional battery to carry along. In saying that, the dual operating modes are easy to switch between and it’s super easy to operate in the dead of night.
The crème de la crème of flashlights, the Olight Warrior X Pro is an excellent flashlight for extreme outdoor activities, emitting up to 2100 lumens with an impressive throw distance of 500 metres. You’ll be lighting up the countryside with this bad boy.
The torch is powered by a 5000mAh 21700 rechargeable Li-ion battery, and yes, it comes included with the torch. It also offers 100% faster charging speeds and a run time of up to eight hours when operating on level 2, 300 lumens.
The torch feels ergonomic in hand and sports an IPX8-rated aluminum alloy body that is texture milled to provide a superior grip. Plus, the tough construction means it can survive a drop from 3 metres without any serious damage, and it can be submerged in up to 2 metres of water without damage.
The Verdict
The torch that dazzled us the most was the WUBEN 1200 Lumens LED Flashlight. It’s feature and performance-packed and is the perfect rechargeable torch to take on a trip or keep in the house for emergencies. It’s also exceptionally well priced for such a powerful torch.
In our opinion, the best budget LED torch in Australia goes to the OUYOOOO High Lumens XML T6 Flashlights. Again, it’s competitively priced, and the performance is relative to some of the higher-end models.
FAQs
The lower the lumens (brightness), the lower the power draw is on your torch. Therefore it will run for a longer period before needing to change or recharge the batteries. As a general guide, batteries can last from 1.5 to 7 hours on a high setting and anywhere up to 680 hours on a low or eco setting [3].
LED lightbulbs can last much longer than an incandescent light bulb. Depending on the quality and manufacturer, an LED lightbulb can last between 50,000 to 100,000 hours [3]. Safe to say, you’ll have your torch for quite a while before it needs replacing.
References