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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Got a Light?, January 2, 2008
I was looking for something to replace the cigarette lighters in my car. I don't smoke, so they serve no purpose. I even considered buying plastic caps from the dealer at fifteen dollars each.
Imagine my surprise when I came across this little beauty. The body is machined out of solid stainless steel, even the cap. Very high-end appearance, heft, and feel in the hand.
When placed in a cigarette lighter, it looks like it came from the factory that way. It replaces the existing lighter, and is inserted with the lens facing outward, away from the socket.
It is exactly the same diameter as the original lighters that came in my Lexus, and is low-profile enough to fit inside the closed ashtray. It does come with a metal ring that fits around it to make it a bit thicker for outlets that are larger, but that wasn't necessary for my application.
The cap twists to turn the light on or off, which keeps it from activating accidentally, but does require two hands. There are small holes drilled in a ring around the cap to allow light from the LED to show from the sides. It has a blue LED in it that lights softly when it is charging, and the small holes allow it to be easily seen from the sides. This works well for locating the light in a dark cabin.
The main LED is a white Nichia. They have a patented technology that makes the wire grid that covers the base of the LED clear, which allows up to twice the light output of a standard white LED. Note, however, that this is not a Luxeon or Cree LED, which are extraordinarily bright, but also use lots of current and would quickly drain the small battery in a device this size. The Photon Freedom Micro light also uses a Nichia LED, so that may give you a better idea of how bright it is if you are familiar with that one.
The lens is convex, like a magnifying glass, so the beam is bright, round, and has very little side spill. This is good for tasks that you might use it for in a car, like reading a map without lighting up the entire interior of the car and blinding the driver.
It is rechargeable, and according to the included instructions can be left in the outlet when not in use.
Mine just arrived today, and I've already ordered another one. Highly recommended.
Sean P. Logue, 2008
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