AA Flashlights

The Best AA Flashlights

Why Choose a AA to Power Your light?

For those who are familiar with the flashlight industry, if you want big and powerful lights, you'll want to power those lights with bigger Li-ion batteries. If you are looking for a more compact EDC, you'll want to reach for the smaller AAA-powered lights. But what about AA flashlights? Where do these little guys fit in? We've taken a look at our inventory and have compiled a list of some of the most important characteristics and selling features of AA flashlights to help you make the right choice when it comes to shopping for the right LED flashlight.

AAA Versus AA Flashlights

As we've mentioned already, AAA flashlights are the ideal size, weight, and output for everyday use. So why should you even consider purchasing a larger and heavier AA-powered light? For starters, you have to understand how batteries work. AA and AAA batteries both offer a 1.5 voltage. Where they differ is in their capacity or their stored energy. AA batteries are larger and can, therefore, store more energy. Power is calculated by multiplying the current by the voltage. The higher the current, the higher the power. For flashlights, the higher the power, the brighter the light. This is why our AA flashlights range in outputs so much. We even offer the Nitecore EA81, which runs on eight AA batteries and offers a maximum output of 2150 lumens! There is no way eight AAA batteries could reach such an intense brightness level. While this is an extreme example, in general, AA flashlights are much brighter than AAA lights. As a result, they are also more versatile.

More Lumens Leads to More Uses

As previously discussed, AAA lights are suited best as everyday carry illumination tools. AA flashlights, on the other hand, are much more versatile and can be utilized a wider variety of applications. From EDC and emergency backup usage to tactical self-defense or even in some amount of search capacity, once you move up to the higher capacity of AA batteries, you're able to do more with your LED illumination tools. For example, approximately 25% of our collection could be considered or used as a tactical flashlight. More AA flashlights offer safety features, such as a Strobe or an SOS output, which qualifies them as tactical and law enforcement flashlights. Many of these lights also feature a protruding tail-cap switch, which is the preferred button of many tactical users. What sets AA flashlights further apart from AAA light is their size as well. These small-sized flashlights average about 5.5 inches in length, which is larger than AAA lights, but still small enough for attaching to one's belt or for storing in one's pocket. Police officers, for example, need to carry a flashlight with them while out on patrol. A compact AA flashlight is a great choice as it pairs its compact size with its high-powered illumination!

Available Everywhere!

As with AAAs, AA batteries are available in almost all brick-and-mortar grocery and convenience stores. When you need to quickly re-power your light, it is extremely appealing to know that you can find replacement batteries almost anywhere. While most of our customers purchase their AA batteries from us (thank you!), we understand that you cannot always predict when you will need replacements, and therefore having this convenience is a huge factor when shopping for the right flashlight. All we ask is that you stick to the reliable and well-known brands to power your LED lights.

14500 Batteries Do Not Equal AA Batteries

It is important to point out that some AA flashlights are also compatible with 1400 Li-ion batteries. Prior to inserting any rechargeable Li-ion cell into your flashlight, please do the research and make sure that the light is, in fact, capable of using the higher-voltage cell. Li-ion batteries have a 3.7 voltage, which is over twice the voltage of a standard alkaline. In some cases, the flashlight is not capable of utilizing that additional power and will overheat or will potentially short circuit during use. BatteryJunction.com does an exceptional job at distinguishing between 14500- and AA-flashlights; however, we understand that you may have obtained your light elsewhere. When in doubt, please consult your light's user manual, or feel free to contact one of our customer service representatives who will be able to help you navigate the confusing world of flashlight power sources.

Conclusion

Now that you understand the differences between AAA and AA flashlights, as well as what makes a AA light the right choice for you, feel free to browse through our entire collection above. Not quite what you need? BatteryJunction.com offers an extensive selection of flashlights that can be broken down into a few different sections: shop by power source, for when you know the battery, shop by product type, for when you know the functions, shop by brand, for when you know the manufacturer, or even shop by application, for when you know the purpose.