This $20 keychain flashlight is the most versatile accessory I’ve tested

I thought that with the introduction of flashlight mode on smartphones, dedicated flashlights would go the way of wristwatches and dinosaurs.

But the truth is, using your smartphone, a device that costs hundreds of dollars, like a flashlight isn’t that smart. This makes your smartphone vulnerable to drops, and turning on the flashlight is a quick way to drain the battery.

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This is why I like to carry a dedicated keychain flashlight with me. Ideally, I want something affordable, strong, durable and waterproof. Oh, and while I’m at it, I wish it had a UV LED feature to let me do things like detect counterfeit notes.

It turns out Boruit V3 Keychain Flashlight Have all this and more!

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Boruit V3 Keychain LED Flashlight

Small, lightweight, powerful, and packed with features like strobing color and UV, this keychain flashlight is a steal for $20!

Boruit V3 Keychain Flashlight feature

• powerful: At full 900 lumens, the beam can travel an impressive 100 meters.
• Lightweight and portable: Small and easy to store in your hand, pocket or backpack, meaning you’ll never be without it Dimensions are 2.2 x 1.2 x 0.6-inches (56 x 31 x 15 mm) and it weighs only 1.17 oz (33 grams).
• Light and dark: Makes it easier to find in the dark.
• magnetic: Strong magnets on the base allow it to be fixed on metal surfaces like car hoods.
• Four LED colors: Choose from white, red, blue flash and even a UV feature
• 12 lighting modes: Choose the power of the white LED to suit your needs, and also static or flashing red and blue, even an alternate flashing red/blue mode.
• USB-C fast charging: Rechargeable 500mAh battery offers 75 minutes to 76 hours of runtime (depending on mode) and takes just 2.5 hours to recharge.
• IP65 water-resistant: Don’t let the rain spoil your fun.

So, what do I like about this keychain flashlight?

First, it is extremely durable. A keychain is a hostile environment for anything that isn’t a key, and several of my keychain flashlights have failed quickly. They crack, break buttons, or they just die.

This is not.

I have problems with waterproofing. Many of these keychain flashlights claim to be water-resistant, but many are not.

This one, so no worries on that front. It is a durable keychain flashlight.

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Another feature I like about this keychain flashlight is that it has two LEDs on the front. Not only does this allow it to pack a bigger punch when you need light, but the two LEDs mean the light is better spread. I had previously used keychain flashlights with a single LED, and I found that they produced a rather concentrated pool of light, which was often not what I wanted.

You might argue that powering two LEDs is redundant, but with this flashlight offering 75 minutes to 76 hours of runtime depending on the power mode you choose for the white LEDs, I don’t see that as a problem.

In addition to the white LED, there are red and blue lights, which can either be static or run as a strobe. There’s also a red/blue strobe mode if you really want to see.

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The UV LED also has a decent enough power output and is good enough for checking things like the validity of banknotes or leaks in cooling or AC systems that contain UV tracer dye.

Controls all lights and functions via a combination of two button presses and double presses. The manual does a good job of explaining what all of this does, and after you’ve used the flashlight a bit, it quickly becomes second nature.

And All this for $20 — It’s really stealing.

It’s a great keychain flashlight that hits the Goldilocks spot of being small enough not to leave at home, but big enough for a useful power output and long battery life. Without a doubt, it has earned a place on my keychain.