MEI is committed to providing you, with the most affordable
price and the most excellent customer service of any online retailer for the product they sell. Not only do they firmly believe that they have the best pricing online, but they also feel strongly that they will provide you the best shopping experience overall of any web retailer in their industry. They
have been an online leader since 1992 and are constantly working to
improve product, themselves and their web presence and site to insure that you receive the best
online shopping experience possible. Here are just a few reasons why MEI is right for you.
- In-Stock, Quick Shipping
- Low Price Guarantee
- Full Warranties
- Easy Return Policy
- Toll-free Phone Number
- Secure Online Shopping
- Authorized US Dealer/Distributor
- Knowledgeable, Easy and Fun to work with Sales Staff
So why else? Who else will tell you the why behind the product beside the manufacturer!
What to look for in an LED flashlight
Currently there are two different styles of LED flashlights on the market today, low wattage and high wattage. Below is a brief description of the difference between the two to help aid you in selection of the proper LED flashlight:
Low wattage (Discrete) LEDs
In general, low wattage LED's (less that 1 watt) are good for close range and walking (10 feet or less). More specifically, most low wattage LED flashlights do not give a "beam" of light; instead they give a volume of light - like turning on a light bulb. In addition to eliminating the need for replacement bulbs, most low wattage LED flashlights offer extremely long run times and make for perfect emergency or close proximity lights.
High wattage (1, 3 & 5 watt) LEDs
Most high wattage LED flashlights (1 watt or more) do give a beam of light. It is generally a smooth circle of light with no clearly defined edge and does not feature a true center "hot spot" when compared to a standard non-LED flashlight. Because of the increased brightness, the run times of high wattage LED flashlights are usually significantly shorter than low wattage LED flashlights. High wattage LED bulbs also offer a 10,000+ hour life eliminating the need for costly replacement bulbs. The higher the wattage the brighter the LED.
Color temperature of LEDs
The color temperature of white LED light can look noticeably whiter, closer to sunlight, when compared to the light from a standard non-LED Mag light flashlight. In fact, standard non-LED light often looks yellow in comparison. However, the color of white LED light will vary from flashlight to flashlight and sometimes has a slight blueish or greenish appearance.
Final thoughts
LEDs are power-efficient, virtually impact and vibration proof, and can provide variable lumen output, but they are currently limited to a much lower maximum lumen output compared to incandescents and HIDs. Although LED Maglite flashlights have made tremendous advances in the last several years they are not yet able to replace incandescent (Xenon, Halogen) flashlights when compared toe to toe. The 3 & 5 watt Luxeon or xlamp LED bulbs are approaching similar performance of the lower end incandescents and at some point the high power LED’s may soon be equivalent as the technology in this area is rapidly developing. The two leading high performance Mag Lite Flashlights LED manufactures to look for in a flashlight are the Phillips/Lumiled’s “Luxeon” brand or the Cree “xlamp” brand of LED’s.
