Comments on: Cigarette-Lighter Flashlight

By: Jack Danials

Jack Danials — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:23:12 +0000

granted there are plenty of lights out there for far less, but the one thing i think this little guy has over all the other cheapies is the simple fact that you never have to hunt for it. i know we have all rifled through the glove box and trunk trying to find the flashlight and it’s a 50-50 chance you won’t find it and if you do it will be dead. so i give kudos to this little guy

By: DaveD

DaveD — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:32:21 +0000

Dunno if it was the same brand, but I saw something similar in Harbor Freight this weekend. I think it ran about $15. I just keep one of those cheap $5 led flashlights from Harbor Freight in my car.

By: Toolmonger » Blog Archive » The Week in Tools: Toolmonger Top 5

Toolmonger » Blog Archive » The Week in Tools: Toolmonger Top 5 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:38:04 +0000

[...] Cigarette-Lighter Flashlight Now that smoking isn’t politically correct, most automobiles don’t come with a cigarette lighter — the manufacturers have repurposed that hole as a power port. Fill the empty port with the Auto LED flashlight from Coast. You can leave it charging in your vehicle’s power port, always ready, like the lighter it replaced. [...]

By: Eubie’s notes » Flashlight for the cigaratte lighter

Eubie’s notes » Flashlight for the cigaratte lighter — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:05:47 +0000

[...] From Toolmonger: Cigarette-Lighter Flashlight [...]

By: Jim K.

Jim K. — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:42:36 +0000

Hmm… based off the comments I think I’ll just stick with the maglight I’ve had in my truck for years. Never had it fail me and honestly I only change the batteries once in a blue moon. Probably wouldn’t work out as well if I was in a colder climate where the temps can kill batteries quickly, but out here in CA it’s never been a problem.

By: cc

cc — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:56:06 +0000

Great idea. but now that I’ve read about the problems folks are having, i’ll probably just stick with my regular powered LED flashlights. I’ve got one in the door compartment and one on my keychain and these will probably last quite a while on the stock charge.

By: Tetsubo

Tetsubo — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:33:55 +0000

I was looking forward to buying one of these, until I read all of the negative comments. Thousands of companies make devices that use the lighter port in cars. How hard is it to make a flashlight like this that fits?

By: Benjamen Johnson

Benjamen Johnson — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:39:34 +0000

Maybe if one of you guys who purchased the Auto LED could take a calipers and measure the diameter of the light and adapter ring so people who are interested would have a better idea if the light would fit in their vehicles power port/ cigarette lighter.

—-

I’ve noticed that some power adapters have a switch that change how far the contacts extend from the body of the plug. I guess that implies that the sizes of the power ports and or cigarette lighter ports are not all the same diameter. It’s a real shame that these ports aren’t all standard.

By: Kurt Schwind

Kurt Schwind — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:00:42 +0000

Bah. These stories are disappointing. I really wanted this to work right because the idea is a great one. I guess I’ll buy a wind-up flashlight and stick it in the glovebox. Probably for around the same cost.

By: Shopmonger

Shopmonger — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:34:52 +0000

I had one of thee for awhile, it was not a good tool. Same problem kevin had, it did not always fit and was not alwasy charged.

It was great for only my wifes one car….. kind of a bummer

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:44:37 +0000

I bought an Auto LED about 4 months ago, found that 2 out of the three 12v sockets in my US-made SUV would either not fit the light or fit but not make contact. Luckily the third try was the charm, found a socket that is only powered when ignition is on and that fits the light…

Got mine for $16 from ToolParadise.

Puts out just enough light to find that lost lugnut.

By: Matthew Gerber

Matthew Gerber — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:16:14 +0000

Bought one of these from Think Geek for my wife’s Ford Edge. It does not fit in the power port position on the dash, or inside the center console, and the included adapter is too large to help. I’m really disappointed, since it looked like such a cool gadget.

By: Michigan Mark

Michigan Mark — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:29:34 +0000

That seems like a really good idea, I am always dropping things in places that the interior lights of my truck don’t illuminate very well, this would help, and I don’t have a lot of other things to charge, no ipod, no cell phone, but for others who have 10 things always charging it might not be as practical. Besides it is always a good idea to have a good flashlight in your vehicle incase you have to change a flat at night.