Hand Crank Flashlight Products
Information about hand crank flashlights, where to get them, which ones are the best, and why they make an excellent choice over other flashlights.
Having a good hand crank flashlight is a really great idea for emergency situations, hiking trips, and other time when you might not have access to batteries or electricity. However, there are a few different types of hand crank flashlights available that you should be aware of.
LED Hand Crank Flashlight
This type of light can be better suited for emergency situations because an LED bulb will be drawing less power meaning you won't have to recharge the light so often. This can be really nice if you're stuck in the dark for long periods of time and don't want to be constantly cranking the light. In the past these used to be more expensive which was the major drawback but now they are the same price and some are even cheaper than their incandescent counterparts. One disadvantage is that you might not get as bright light with an led hand crank flashlight but this depends on size and amount of bulbs, etc more than anything to do with LEDs specifically. Just be sure you get what you need for your specific purpose.
Incandescent Hand Crank Flashlight
Of course this used to be the mainstay in terms of lighting but recently it has been becoming less and less popular as LEDs take over. However, there are still some reasons why you might want to get an incandescent hand crank flashlight instead of an LED one. One major advantage is the replacing burnt out bulbs is considerably easier with an incandescent. Also, your local hardware store will almost definitely have a replacement bulb available whereas LEDs will have to be sent away for. In addition to this incandescents can provide a brighter light in a smaller package. Take into consideration what you'll be using this light for and then decide if weight, size, light intensity, etc would fit better with an LED or incandescent.
Wind Up vs Hand Crank Flashlight
As sort of a subset of hand crank flashlights wind up flashlights are a useful alternative in certain situations. The most obvious advantage of a wind up is that they're available in smaller sizes. This is because there is no giant handle sticking out the side. However, this also means that you will be unable to turn the charging mechanism as fast as you could with a hand crank light. Basically in comes down to why you're looking for a manual charging flashlight in the first place. Hand crank is better for emergencies, hiking, and other situations where you'll want a lot of light with an easy charge. Wind up is better if you're just looking for something to have next to your bed to find your way to the bathroom that doesn't require new batteries ever.