Customer Reviews

Fenix E21 Flashlight

5 star:		(100)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got this light as a backup for my headlamp and wanted a durable, bright LED that took AA batteries so I can run all three lights I take with me on the same AA NiMh rechargeables and don't need different sets of batteries for each. I took this light on a caving trip last weekend and was impressed with the throw and also the durability of this light. I got about 6 hours of use on a set of 2100mah batteries in constant 45 degree temps, mostly using the lower lumen setting but freqeuntly using the 150 lumen setting for brief periods to look for routes or view high cave ceilings or distant features. I know there are brighter lights available and there are lights with more specific features, but this light is well made (dropped on rock w/o any damage other than a nick in the aluminum bezel. ran at good intensity util it was time to change batteries then still provided good light but would not switch to the high setting until I changed batteries. the lower lumen setting was still brighter than my black diamond halogen headlamp and at high, has more light with a better throw than my 3D cell Maglite. the reflector on the Fenix is much better that the Mag so the light is also more usable with a good combination of bright center beam with a fair amount of general flood around it with no irritating rings or shadow in the beam. This light is not focusable, which would be a nice feature, but that is available in other models and at this price point the E21 is an outstanding light.

Just got one of these.
At low power (48 lumens) its alot brighter and has a better throw than a 2nd generation 2AA LED Maglite, which is rated at 69 lumens. Go figure.
At high power (150 lumens), its like a car headlight. No kidding. Its stupid bright.
Its not focusable but its set for a perfect balance of spotlight
and flood. I can stand in the street in front of my house after dark and light up the stop sign 3 blocks away.
I was just up in the mountains and in the pitch dark forest
it can light up the woods like a search light.
Very solid and well made. Has a heft to it.
I know Fenix makes some more exotic lights that run on 2AA's
but how many people need a light with 6 different levels of brightness?
It seems to me this is all the light most people would ever need.
A steal at $35.00

This isn't your cheaply Made in China junk; it's high-quality Made in China junk.

Seriously though, the machining and finish are top notch, and is what I expected. The only thing that has me curious though is the high/low setting. The manual sez high is 150 lumens and low is 48 lumens.

However, you can hardly tell the change in intensity from the two positions. Either the light is super-efficient at low power, or low power is much more than 48 lumens.

I like that it is IP-x8 (IEC Standard 60529; Ingress Protection; adopted by ANSI-60529). The first digit "x" in the IP rating is the protection against foreign objects such as dust, and x = "not specified", or "don't care". The second digit '8' is the highest waterproof rating and means "Waterproof when immersed beyond 1m".

For those of you that are not familiar with them, the IP waterproof ratings are as follows:

0 = No Protection
1 = dripping water
2 = dripping water tilted up to 15 deg.
3 = spraying water (water spray tilted up to 60 deg).
4 = splashing water
5 = water jets
6 = power water jets
7 = immersion in water up to 1m
8 = immersion in water beyond 1m

If you want detailed information as to what those descriptions mean, google IEC 60529.

This is the first quality made LED flashlight I ever purchased. I bought this light a few weeks back and I have went on to do a lot more research and acquired a couple more flashlights. I have revised my review accordingly:

The Fenix E21 is a very well made flashlight that offers a lot of light for around $30 bucks. It has a convenient form factor, which uses readily available 2 AA batteries. The beam has a decent amount of throw and a reasonable amount of spill for flood lighting. You get two modes activated by a simple twist switch, but no strobe or SOS. Contrary to what some reviews have said there is a noticeable difference between the high and low modes on this light, but the 48 Lumen low mode is relatively bright and very useful with an 11 hour runtime. No need for the Strobe or SOS in a general purpose light like this, but a "true" low 5 lumen (Nite-light) mode would have been nice.

While the value proposition on this light is great, there are reasons why it cost less. The Fenix E21 uses a Cree XP-E LED. More expensive lights in the 2xAA category use Cree XP-G LED's, which generally are capable of producing 20 - 30 more lumens with similar or slightly better run-times. An example of an XP-G light in the same family is the Fenix LD20. The latest 2 x AA lights being introduced use the more powerful Cree XM-L LED. An example is the Thrunite Neutron 2A (XM-L), which produces close to twice the light output at 260 Lumens with run-times that are pretty much in the ballpark of the XP-G lights. Note that both these other XP-G & XM-L based lights I mention sell for about twice the price as the Fenix E21. In addition to higher output LED's you also get more switching options with the more expensive 2xAA flashlights.

So this is not the best 2XAA LED light on the market, but a very good flashlight for this price.

I've used Fenix lights for years. They are made in China. This company builds high quality products. I've been waiting for a Surefire-like product that is affordable and takes AA batteries. Previously only 123A or other lithium based lights had enough output to be used in a defensive lighting situation. The E21 is the first 2-AA light to do this at a reasonable price point. Plus, you can lower the brightness level and use it as a general purpose light.

The build quality of this light is excellent. The operation is simple. There's not much else I can say about it. One negative for some might be that the light does not stand on its tail due to the switch protruding beyond the end of the body.

Excellent flashlight. I like the "just" on/off switch on the tail cap. I don't need to go thru 5 settings to get it to work! Excellent for my line of work (electrician), more than enough light. I spent hours searching and researching on the 'net for a good quality BRIGHT LED flashlight and this is the one. No complaints. Durable too, as I already dropped it a couple of feet in the first week that I owned it. If you buy this or any other high output LED flashlight, you really need HIGH capacity rechargeable battery's as it sucks them down. I bought a set of 4 rechargeable (2500 mAh) Ni-H for this use (2 always charged). It even has a GLASS lens. You won't be disappointed.

I admit I didn't do a great job researching flashlights before this purchase. It just seemed that my Maglites from 30 years ago were looking a little dim and maybe it was time to upgrade to an LED flashlight. I'd picked up two LED flashlights from Costco a few years ago. I was impressed by the light but the flashlights were poorly built. After reading a review on Amazon that putting an LED bulb into the Maglite was just a waste of money, I went by the reviews and price to find something I thought would be a nice everyday kinda light.

Boy, was I surprised! When the flashlight arrived, it was quite small and seemed like a mini light, not a full blown flashlight. Then I flashed myself in the eyes and had to sit down and blink for a few minutes because I couldn't see. This flashlight makes my Maglites look FEEBLE. It lights up the whole street at night and I wonder if I'm disturbing my neighbors. It's so small and easy to carry around. Just slip it into any old pocket and you're good to go. I've taken to traveling with it because it's so small. I don't worry about dropping it or immersion in water mostly because the build quality is so solid. It looks and feels as well built as the Maglites (and I'm wondering what to do with those), so I might as well use it.

However, a guy I know who is in the lighting business, recommended I don't stock up on LED's right now. Even if you need the flashlights, try and space out the purchases. The technology improves significantly every year. By now, I'm sure there is something better on the market. I can't wait to see what the next generation of flashlights can do.

A big thank you to all the Amazon reviewers who made this purchase swift, painless and the right choice.

Great throw ("tight" hot spot). Comfortable form factor. EXCELLENT "clicky" switch. In my cookie-cutter neighborhood, this light makes it easy to find kitty. Even if she's 8 doors down visiting one of her buddies, I can make her eyes glow.

Sits on the night stand. Useful should one find a need to disorient another. Tactical push-button tail cap switch works the way it should. I love this light.

What I really like about this flashlight is the simplicity. There aren't all the fancy settings - just two; low and high. I don't have to scroll through all kinds of settings just to turn on the flashlight. Just click the tail cap. Adjusting the mode is a simple twist of the head. I really wish more lights had this feature. The light is extremely bright on low - and practically daylight on high. I haven't found a situation yet in which I need the high setting. I really like the way the beam is focused, and haven't longed for a focusing head at all. The light doesn't come with a holster, and finding one that fits was a little tricky because it is an unusual size (I eventually got a holster from Ripoffs that I really like, but it was a little expensive). Anyone interested in this light should know it's pretty big for a 2AA light. It's significantly longer and wider than a Mini-Maglite, and it won't fit any Mini-Mag holsters, nor will it just sit in most pockets like a Mini. However, for the power, ruggedness and simplicity, you can't do better.

Who the heck is giving this 4 stars? There is nothing 4 star about this flashlight. There simply is not a better light for the size and price. Plus, it can take a beating.