The brightest flashlights of 2025: Expert recommended

Bright flashlights that have a high lumen output are good for some scenarios, but they are most certainly not always the best. Short said super bright flashlights can actually make it harder to see. 

“Brightest isn’t always best for a lot of people. When flashlights are really bright, you get a lot of the beam shining off of things and back towards you, sometimes making it hard to see,” he said. 

Poulson agrees and said that a higher lumen count will drain your flashlight’s battery quicker. 

“12,000 lumens do me little good if I can only use it for an hour or so. If I can get all-day use out of a 1,000-light, then that’s what I want,” he said. “Also, a rechargeable battery is far more valuable to me than one that takes non-rechargeable ones. The way I use them, it would cost too much to have to replace batteries.” 

However, use cases for a bright flashlight still exist, and you may find yourself needing the brightest in a situation. 

“[Bright flashlights] could be used by a search and rescue scenario where you need to illuminate a wide broad surface area,” Short added. “You could also use a high lumen output light for self-defense to temporarily blind an attacker so you can remove yourself from a potentially horrible and scary situation.”