Best Penlights in 2022: Professional Precision - Gear Hungry (2024)

Sean McCoy

Sean McCoy is the editorial director at Lola Digital Media. The former editor-in-chief of GearJunkie.com, McCoy now manages a portfolio of websites dedicated to helping consumers find the best products for their needs. A graduate of the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism, McCoy built his reporting skills at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and an internship at The Family Handyman before moving to the Virgin Islands, where he served as a sports reporter and photographer at the Virgin Islands Daily News for nearly 10 years. Now a resident of Denver, Colorado, McCoy is an avid mountain man and ultramarathon runner. When he's not hunting or fishing with his dog Leika, he's skiing, trail running, or often working on home repairs or improvement projects. Among his proudest achievements, McCoy was named "Dirtbag of the Year" in Elevation Outdoors' "Best of the Rockies" awards in 2020.

1

Streamlight 88033 ProTac Professional Tactical Penlight

The Streamlight 88033 is a tactical flashlight/penlight combination that is built to last. It is perfect for military and law enforcement officials and has a push-button tail switch to easily alter between programmable modes whenever you need it. This makes it appropriate for a tactical, overhand carry in which you control the light with your thumb.

It has a variable light output and a strobing function, both of which are useful for law enforcement or military applications. Its casing is robust and durable and can survive being dropped and submerged in water, even for days at a time.

2

Coast HP3R Rechargeable Focusing Penlight

One of the brightest penlights on the market, the Coast CREW HP3R offers a strong and ultra-focused beam of up to 245 lumens. This is a lot of light from a very smalls source. It’s great for inspecting sensitive electronics, working on mechanical projects in dimly-lit spaces, to for outdoor use. Having used this one a lot, I love that it’s easy to recharge with any micro-USB cable. It also has a reversible clip to attach it to any baseball hat, a great and useful feature.

The charge port is hidden to protect it from the elements, and the outer casing is easy to grip and hugely robust to withstand damage such as drops or being driven over.

3

Nitecore MT06MD Medical Penlight

Nitecore is a well-regarded flashlight manufacturer. Its products span tactical, everyday use, outdoors, and medical products. And the MT06MD is among the better medical flashlights you can buy.

That’s because it packs excellent efficiency (up to 35 hours runtime on two AA batteries) and excellent color-rendering for close-up use. It uses a Nichia 219B LED that produces a warmer beam color with lower peak intensity than alternatives. The resulting light reveals details and colors well.

Optimized for medical use, it turns on at the low 4-lumen mode by default. This prevents accidentally flashing patients with bright light, especially helpful when checking for pupil dilation. It weighs under 1-ounce to easily clip onto a lab coat pocket.

4

Infray LED Penlight

Infray’s mini LED flashlight boasts a strong beam despite its compact size at a value price. For those working in maintenance, or those who just want a reliable, small backup light, this is a great addition to your everyday tools that will make life a little bit easier.

The light has the ability to be focused on different situations and comes with a decent run time using easy-to-find AAA batteries. The aluminum body can take quite the beating, which is ideal for those who find themselves in tough environments day after day.

5

ThruNite Archer 2A LED Penlight

Topping out at a maximum of 500 Lumens, this is the brightest penlight on our list. ThruNite Archer 2A is a powerful flashlight at an entry-level price. It offers five modes, including strobe, that are easy to switch between depending on your needs. It is small enough to carry easily in pockets without taking up too much space.

On the lowest “firefly” setting, the battery life runs at an impressive 28 days, while higher settings will help to illuminate deep, dark areas of the world like it’s the middle of the day. It uses easy-to-find AA batteries. While this does save money at the time of purchase, it does cost more to refuel over time.

Love this product? Check out our review of the top EDC flashlights for our top picks.

6

Brite Strike Executive Precision Penlight

The Brite penlight is an effective little device that is slim, understated, and provides EPLI output perfect for all kinds of outdoor adventures.

Its size offers impressive brightness, even though the whole light is only ever so slightly larger than a marker. The outer casing is durable and meant to last through the years.

While the high runtime is merely 30 minutes, there are few occasions where you will need to use it for this long, so this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

7

Pelican 1920 LED Flashlight

A massive improvement on the previous model, the Pelican 1920 LED pen flashlight brings an increased Lumen count (from 67 up to 120) despite only requiring one battery while still providing a decent beam that can prove massively useful in any situation.

The flashlight is slightly bulky but still compact enough to fit comfortably in your shirt pocket for easy access. The penlight offers two output levels so that you won’t waste battery life in situations requiring less light.

8

Streamlight 66133 Stylus Pro Pen Light

The Streamlight 66133 is a rechargeable flashlight that offers a high-quality feel perfectly suitable for professional and everyday environments. There is nothing cheap about it, and it promises to provide excellent brightness that can survive years’ worth of use. The Streamlight penlight also boasts a long runtime — invaluable when camping or during power outages.

9

Streamlight 66118 Stylus Pro

One of the best value penlights to make our list is the Streamlight 66118 Stylus Pro.

The penlight comes in a high-quality finish as well as a tear-resistant holster to keep it safe in extreme environments.

The push-button switch is easy to operate and won’t get stuck, while the light is compact enough to be carried in shirt or jacket pockets without weighing you down.

It has an excellent battery life and has a durable outer casing to keep it operational come rain or snow.

10

Fenix LD22 215 Lumen Flashlight

Yeah, it looks more like a lightsaber handle than a flashlight, but doesn’t that make it cooler? The Fenix LD22 comes with a lifetime warranty while also delivering in the functionality department.

It works perfectly as a camping light or one to use when working on the car but can also function ideally as something to have around the house. Also provided is an excellent runtime with decent output that won’t blind you but will also not have you straining your eyes, either.