Best LED Flashlights to Have in Your House

This weekend I had the unfortunate task of replacing a toilet. If you’ve ever replaced a toilet, you know it’s pretty easy, but certainly not fun and there can be a few setbacks along the way. For me, it was the plastic gasket from the waterline getting stuck. This blog isn’t about replacing toilets, but it’s about flashlights that are really useful to have when tackling projects around the house. When I was replacing the toilet I had with me an LED lantern, a handheld LED flashlight, and an LED headlamp. I used ALL of these flashlights for this task. It may sound like a lot, but I needed each one. My headlamp was useful, but there were times I needed the angle of the light to shine in a different spot than where my head was. That’s where the handheld flashlight came in. Also, I needed to illuminate behind the toilet and waterline. That’s where the lantern came in handy. After replacing the toilet and seeing all the lights I used it was abundantly clear to me just how important having multiple flashlights including headlamps and lanterns, are when it comes to working around the house. So today, I want to talk about the best LED flashlights for house projects. I know that flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns are all different tools, but I’m going to put them under the umbrella of “flashlights” today.

Types of LED Lighting Tools

First, I want to talk about the three different lighting tools that every DIYer should have. I’ll explain a little about each one and talk about how they can be useful. As you read above, one flashlight is not always good enough for a single task around the house.

Handheld LED Flashlights

Handheld flashlights are the most commonly found among households. As the name implies, they fit nicely in your hands and are easy to carry around. They vary in outputs and features so it can be a lot of fun to pick a flashlight with the exact features you’d like. I usually recommend a flashlight that has a built-in memory function if you’re planning on using it around the house. It really comes in handy when you don’t need a higher output for your task.

LED Lanterns

Lanterns are useful things to have around the house, but they’re always marketed for camping or outdoor activities. While they’re awesome for camping, LED lanterns can be really useful for house projects as well. They gently illuminate an wide area and allow you to work with both hands. Depending on what lantern you get, they can have magnets so you can attach them to metal or they can be hung so you can see around you clearly.

LED Headlamps

Headlamps are great because they illuminate the task in front of you and allow you to work with both hands. While a lantern will light up a whole area, a headlamp allows you to focus on a single area wherever you happen to be facing. Some headlamps allow you to adjust the beam angle giving you more versatility with controlling the beam. With most house projects I find that I reach for my headlamp more than any other lighting tool.

Best LED Lights

Now I’m going to talk about some of the best LED lights that are great for household projects. Of course, there are many different flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns that you can choose between, but the ones we list here are our top picks. So take a look and see if one or more of these is the right light for you.

Klarus ST15R

The ST15R is a newer release from Klarus and we can’t get enough of it. In fact, it’s one of the main flashlights I’ve been using for household projects. It delivers 1200 lumens and has a great balance between flood and spot. It’s incredibly lightweight to the point where I can’t always tell if there’s a battery in it. The user interface is really simple and doesn’t require much thought process which is good since your focus will probably be on the task at hand. Fumbling and making the flashlight do what you want with a more complicated interface can really slow a project down. It features seven total outputs and has a built-in memory function. The ST15R is also USB rechargeable which is a must for any household. Make sure to check out the Klarus ST15R to learn more about this awesome handheld flashlight.

Fenix CL25R

The CL25R is a small little lantern that illuminates a big area! It delivers 350 lumens but honestly seems a lot brighter when you’re using it. It has a maximum beam diameter of 25 meters, so it’s great for working on the house. It features a hanging ring that allows you to easily hang it as well as a magnetic base so you can attach it to metal. It’s easy to use and is USB rechargeable so it’s a convenient tool to have. The light it emits is soft and does a great job of illuminating a whole room. Learn more about the Fenix CL25R today.

Fenix HL60R

This headlamp delivers a whopping 950 lumens! Granted, you won’t need all that power for most projects, but it’s nice to have especially if you plan on using the light outside. It features multiple outputs that you can choose between and has a simple single switch operation. You’re also able to tilt the light 160° giving you more versatility with the beam. It’s lightweight so your head won’t feel like there’s a bulky item on it. It’s also USB rechargeable so you can charge the battery easily using a computer or any USB adapter and micro USB cord. Check out more on the Fenix HL60R.

Concluding Remarks

As I mentioned before, having a headlamp, lantern, and handheld flashlight can make your household projects run more smoothly. However, you can always start with one and build your flashlight collection. Do you have a favorite headlamp, flashlight, and/or lantern that you use when working on household projects?

If you’re more interested in tactical flashlights and need help picking a tactical flashlight that’s right for you, make sure to check out this blog post by floodandthrow.com.