Hey Wirecutter, there is a new best light for most people and it is the Lumintop Tool v3.

Is this an enthusiast-caliber torch? Of course not. Is it a machining masterpiece? Nope. Does it have a rosy tint that renders colors with nearly perfect fidelity? Hahahaha, absolutely not. But what it lacks in high end features it makes up for by being a dual-fuel light that can tailstand, has a simple and useful UI, and costs under $30. Pretty much everyone on planet Earth could do well by owning one of these lights. In that regard, it is to flashlights what a good SAK is to knives. Why such high praise for a torch that looks like two dozen other torches on the market? Read on and find out.

Here is the product page. Here is a purchase link to Amazon with proceeds to the site. Here is a review of the Tool v3. There are dozens of variants across the three generations of lights. Here is my review sample (purchased with my own money):

Review TLDR: Nothing precious or high performance, but perfect for most people.

Design: 2

A dual fuel 1xAA light is about “for the masses” as it gets. Everyone has a few AA batteries at home and with a very simple UI and compact size, the Tool v3 can do real work for lots and lots of people. This light has a bevy of smart design features to complement its wonderful, muggle-friendly design. It tailstands easily, it has a good friction fit clip, and the clicky has built in RGBs that are very, very faint in the day but easily visible at night. All of those years of blank tritium slots and the hassle of sourcing them yourself are gone—this light solves the puzzle of locating torches in the dark with a cheap and effective solution that does not require two-part epoxy or slightly radioactive material.

Fit and Finish: 2

When you get lights under $30 it’s usually a bit of nip/tuck to get them to look nice. Somewhere, usually the threads, betrays the poor quality of the machining. Here, despite my best effort and most critical eye, I found nothing. Now, this is all Machining 101, so it’s not that difficult, but sometimes greatness is simply not making any mistakes. And the Tool v3 makes no mistakes when it comes to Fit and Finish. Start counting—this is a theme.

Grip: 2

It’s not that these lights are tiny—they are bigger than all but the meaty-est 1xCR123a, but the ratio between the diameter of the body tube and the length of the light is just perfect. I wish this was a e-switch with the same tailcoat design, as the light would be the perfect size then, but as is, it works well in the hand.

Carry: 2

The Tool v3 is not QUITE a coin pocket light. It is a little too big for that, but not so big that the light is impossible to drop in a pocket. In shorts it’s a bit much, but in a pair of jeans, this light is just the right size. I still like 1xCR123as and 1xAAAs better, but not by much.

Output: 2

900 lumens on high with a lithium battery is quite competitive, especially among dual-fuel 1xAA lights. This punch comes at a real price, described below, but it is bright. The low is a little too bright at around 20 lumens when the included battery. I would much prefer a single digit low than a 900 lumen high, but that is not what the mainstream’s preferences are. They go for more of the sizzle than the steak. The 4 lumen low with an alkaline is great.

Runtime: 2

The runtimes are good—the low lasts for a very nice 37 hours and the high cranks out 500 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, a less substantial drop down than many lights with a “turbo” mode. Its not Zebralight territory, but that can’t be the standard for a 2.

Beam Type: 2

This is a good balanced beam, not as throwy as some and not as floody as others. As a general use light, the Tool v3 has a beam that PERFECTLY suits its use. Most people don’t need to illuminate the side of a building two miles away and very few folks need to illuminate the entire floor of a house. Instead, they need balance and that is just what the Tool gives them.

Beam Quality: 0

And here is the place where all of the good stuff comes to a grinding halt. After years of using high end torches, the cool almost grating tint drives me nuts. I wish Lumintop opted for something better as even a last gen Hi CRI emitter would have been a revelation. Instead you get something that seems to render everyone in a pallid, bland, almost ashen hues. If you wanted to know what you’d look like as a corpse, use this light to illuminate a dark room while you stand in front of a mirror. Reds seem purple, greens seem gray, and the warm light of the sun (or the VME) is about as far away as possible.

UI: 2

Ready? Here is the answer: L-M-H with mode memory, advance to next mode with a half press. What’s the question? The question is: “What should be the default UI for all flashlights?” It’s a simple thing and kind of mystifying that we have devolved into all of these different UIs with gizmo features. I’d be okay with a direct from off access to turbo with a double click too, but that’s a cherry on top and not an essential feature. Fortunately, the Tool v3 has the L-M-H mode memory UI. That’s yet another reason why this light is the best light for most people. It’s super easy even for a full-on flashlight muggle. There is a strobe, but it is thankfully quite hidden.

Hands Free: 2

It tail stands well, is small enough to be used hands free, and won’t roll away. The Tool v3 proves yet again that greatness is not difficult, it just requires a bit of thoughtfulness.

Other Considerations

Fidget Factor: Low

There is not much to play with even if the tailswitch RGB is hypnotic as it cycles through colors.

Fett Effect: High

An anodized tube of aluminum will show wear and tear almost immediately. But its not beat up, its patinaed.

Value: PEAK

As a light that just about anyone could get use out of, the Tool’s price tag of under $30 is a song.

Overall Score: 18 out of 20

While it is a country mile away from what enthusiasts want to see in terms of tint, the rest of the Tool AA v3 is quite nice. Instead of dozens of modes and features, the light is just a simple design with nice touches. The UI is great—no Andruil 1 or 2, just three modes with mode memory and a truly hidden strobe. Likewise, the body tube is simple and excellent. It is straightforward without any frills but tail stands quite easily. The tail switch is also great—the RGB takes the place of cumbersome tritium inserts and allows you to find the light in the dark. Again and again, the light just does things right. Like one of those baseball teams that plays good fundamental baseball and somehow wins a World Series against a slugging powerhouse (see: 1960 World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates), the Tool AA v3 is great by not making any mistakes (except the tint). Its ability to go dual fuel coupled with its sub-$30 price tag cements its status as the best light for most people.

Competition

There is a bevy of competition, but most of it is pretty terrible.

The 1xAA market is stuffed to the gills with garbage, especially at the lower end of the price spectrum. At around $60 things pick up nicely, with Zebralight, Reylight, and some other options. But at the price point the Tool AA v3 sits, it’s garbage as far as the eye can see. But there are a few competitors worth a look. In my mind it comes down to two different groups of lights—e-switch 1xAAs and mechanical switch 1xAAs. The e-switch trio of the Lumintop FW1A, Wurrkos TS10, and the Loop SK03 are among the best options in this price range (with the Loop pushing it when it is not on sale). These lights are significantly smaller, but I have found they all hot pocket too much. The SK03 is the best of this trio, but it’s not perfect. Given the huge price difference, I’d snag the Tool AA v3 everyday and twice on Sunday if these were my choices.

If you switch over to the non e-switch group there are literally hundreds of choices, but a few stand out. I like the Weltool T1, the Acebeam Pokelite, and Fenix E12 v3. Each is inferior to the Tool AA v3 for different reasons. The Weltool has a diabolically terrible UI and cannot tail stand. The Pokelite cannot tail stand either and has a weird, ultra spotty throw beam pattern. The E12 is real competition, but I prefer the Tool AA v3 because of its higher potential output AND because its RGB tail cap. One light that looks promising that I have not had a chance to use is the Convoy T6. It’s a 1xAA version of the S2+. That could be a real challenger for the Tool AA v3. My only concern with the T6 is the UI. In all, I think this is the best AA light out there until you hit Zebralight prices and even then there is still a reason to consider the AA. If this light had a better emitter, it might be the best 1xAA price no object. Alas, the emitter is the thing in which we shall catch the conscience of the king.

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