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What is the world's brightest flashlight? The top contenders ranked by lumens
Flashlights are an essential item for nighttime outdoor activities like camping or walking a dog, emergency situations, or whenever you need an alternative and portable light source. The average flashlight shines a decent enough beam, but if you're looking for something brighter, there are significantly brighter flashlights available.
The world's brightest flashlight clocks in at 100,000 lumens, but our list also consists of flashlights that can reach 80,000, 65,000, and 34,000 lumens and have impressively long battery lives as well as built-in fans to keep them cool. We've rounded up the brightest flashlights to shine a light on whatever you need.
Also: Scared of the dark? You won't be if you get one of our favorite flashlights
- World's brightest flashlight
- Super bright light
- Long distance
- Impressive battery life
- Long charging time
- Relatively heavy
Tech Specs: Lumens: 100,000 lumens | Distance: 4,429 feet | Battery Life: 14 hours on lowest setting | IP Rating: IP56
The brightest flashlight you can currently get is the Imalent MS18. Its maximum output gets up to 100,000 lumens That highest brightness level will last about a minute before it dims to 25,000 lumens, which it can sustain for an hour. It has nine settings, including cold or warm light options as well as a strobing light, and it has an OLED digital display to show the battery level.
As the world's brightest flashlight, it also has a heat pipe-cooling system that uses cooling fans to ensure high performance and longer runtime when it's at its brightest (and so that it doesn't overheat in your hands). In addition, its IP56 rating means that it is water- and dust-resistant.
- Durable material
- Most affordable
- Displays battery level
- On the heavier side
Tech Specs: Lumens: 4,200 lumens | Distance: 820 feet | Battery life: Up to 15 days (on lowest lumen setting) | IP Rating: IPX8
You get what you pay for, and you'll notice the brightest flashlights on this list can reach up to $600. But if you still want a brighter-than-average flashlight for less than $150, this option from Olight reaches a max output of 4,200 lumens for 2.5 minutes with a max beam distance of 820 feet. There are five different modes to choose from, and a rotary knob switch on the head of the flashlight allows for smooth adjustment between the different brightness levels.
- Portable design
- Built-in cooling fans for high lumens settings
- Fans can be noisy
- Low mode is still a bit bright at 1,500 lumens
Tech Specs: Lumens: 65,000 lumens | Distance: 3,399 feet | Battery life: Up to 4 hours on lowest setting | IP Rating: IP56
Another flashlight from Imalent produces almost as impressive lumens but is more compact for better portability. The flashlight can get up to 65,000 lumens for 45 seconds (turbo) before it goes down to 25,000 lumens for three minutes. It recharges in just two hours with a 2A adapter and can last up to four hours on a full charge.
This flashlight has seven settings, including turbo and strobe. In addition, three high-performing cooling fans automatically turn on at 5,000 lumens or higher output levels.
- Windy mode
- IP68 rating means it can be submerged in water for longer periods
- Short charging time
- Loud fan
- Pricey battery replacement
Tech Specs: Lumens: 80,000 lumens | Distance: 3,773 feet | Battery life: 8 hours | IP Rating: IP68
Most of these bright flashlights take longer to charge since they use so many lumens, but this flashlight from Acebeam only takes 1.5 hours to charge fully. Its turbo mode reached 80,000 lumens for 30 seconds but can run at 23,000 lumens for 20 minutes.
This flashlight has a built-in dual intelligent temperature regulation system, including an innovative cooling handle that turns on automatically when the flashlight needs to be cooled down. It'll even cool itself down after you've turned off the light, known as its Windy Mode.
- Lightweight and portable with a handle
- Battery voltage indication
- Charger not included
- Can get very hot
Tech Specs: Lumens: 34,00 lumens | Distance: 1,224 feet | Battery life: 34 hours | IP Rating: IPX8
At just .73 pounds that fits in the palm of your hand, this flashlight from Acebeam is super lightweight but will still shine up to 32,500 lumens. It has seven different settings and has the most durable IP rating on this list—IPX8—meaning it is shockproof and waterproof up to 98 feet in water.
What is the world's brightest flashlight?
The world's brightest flashlight is currently the Imalent MS18 which has a maximum output of 100,000 lumens and reach up to 4,429 feet. This crazy bright flashlight also has a heat pipe-cooling system that uses cooling fans
Flashlight | Price | Lumens | Beam distance |
Imalent MS18 | $700 | Up tp 100,000 lumens | 4,429 feet |
Olight Seeker 3 Pro | $140 | Up to 4,200 lumens | 820 feet |
Imalent MS12 Mini | $410 | Up tp 65,000 lumens | 3,399 feet |
Acebeam X75 | $400 | Up to 80,000 lumens | 3,773 feet |
Acebeam X80GT | $330 | Up to 34,000 lumens | 1,224 feet |
Which bright flashlight is right for you?
Any of the flashlights on this light will be bright and have high lumens, but it really depends on the size of flashlight you are looking for and what price you're willing to spend.
Choose this bright flashlight... | If you want... |
Imalent MS18 | The brightest flashlight overall. |
Olight Seeker 3 Pro | A budget-friendly flashlight that shines bright. |
Imalent MS12 Mini | A compact flashlight that gets up to 65,000 lumens. |
Acebeam X75 | A super bright flashlight that charges super fast. |
Acebeam X80GT | A bright flashlight that weighs less than a pound. |
How did we choose the best and brightest flashlights?
We chose these bright flashlights through extensive research in the market. We compared lumens, IP ratings, beam distance, and different price points to provide you with a wide variety of options.
What is a flashlight's lumens?
Lumens is a measure of the intensity of the light coming out of the flashlight, on the highest brightness setting. It may also be shown for multiple light settings. A high lumen output means that the flashlight shines bright.
How many lumens is a good flashlight?
The average flashlight emits about 100 lumens. However, the higher the lumens, the brighter the flashlight will be.
How many lumens is a smartphone flashlight?
Your smartphone's built-in flashlight only gets up to 40-50 lumens, so it is a significantly dim light compared to your average flashlight, and especially these bright flashlights.
What brand of flashlight is best?
You can trust brands like Imalent, Acebeam, a Hank light, and Lumintop, among others to have quality flashlights with bright lumens.
Are there alternative bright flashlights worth considering?
The market is flooded with flashlights, but not all are as bright as they claim. Here are a few other trust-worthy options to look into: