The diminutive Blocklite SW805 flashlight proves good things come in small packages.
Why do you need a flashlight? If your answer is “Because the night is dark and full of terrors”, then consider the Pelican 7060 LED Tactical Flashlight which retails for $120. It provides a strobe light, triple digit lumens, and scalloped metal edges that I would have no idea how to use in a confrontation.
But for most of us, we simply need a flashlight to project a beam of light into the darkness. A small bright LED flashlight that fits into a pocket is a useful piece of technology. A sturdy flashlight for less than $10 that uses easily obtained batteries is what you might need. The Blocklite SW805 is a brilliant design that will meet these needs. It is not water-resistant but it excels in other areas. This is a little rectangular device that clicks onto a 9 volt battery to create a nearly perfect minimalist design. The Blocklite SW805 is approximately 1 inch by 1.5 inch by 0.5 inch in size. It is about is half the size of a 9 volt battery. The Blocklite SW805 battery comes with a 9 volt battery and retails for about $8 on Amazon. Third party sellers at another major online retailer are selling what they describe as Blocklites. However their appearance (and perhaps their authenticity) vary from the unit I purchased on Amazon. This review will describe my experiences with the unit I bought directly from Amazon.
Features of the Blocklite SW805
The rectangular Blocklite device is made of durable thick plastic. There are 5 grooves precisely placed into two sides of the Blocklite to provide a secure grip. The business end of the Blocklite has 6 small LED circular bulbs. It resembles a miniature version of an 1980s Soviet trailer-mounted rocket launcher that use to be paraded around Red Square in military parades.
The Docooler Blocklite SW805 has a toggle switch that securely clicks into one of 3 positions. The positions are Off, On (Low), and On (High). This lets you choose the appropriate amount of light that emits. There’s no strobe light setting and the switch is slightly raised (not flush) for ease of operation. Docooler includes an off-brand 9 volt battery (manufactured by GoldenPower), but if you have an eye for design, pair it with an Energizer 9 volt battery. The black plastic housing and the shiny bulbs mirror the finish of the Energizer.
The build quality is very satisfactory. After three and one-half months of weekly usage (10 minutes a week), the Blocklite SW805 is holding up well. The switch is still tight and the device fits snugly. When crammed into a bag, the switch does not activate when it bumps something, the switch is small. In contrast, other small flashlights with ergonomic, large on/off buttons can be turned on easily from accidental contact.
Light as a Feather, Built To Last and Generating 24 Lumens
The Blocklite weighs far less than a 9 volt battery. The device itself weighs about 0.30 ounces. A 9 volt (9V) battery weighs about 1.60 ounces. Together with the battery, it weighs approximately 1.85 ounces.
There is something very satisfying about initially assembling the Blocklite. It’s like clicking together toy Lego bricks together so perhaps it harkens back to childhood. Again, it’s small. If I place an assembled Blocklite in my opened hand and make a fist, the entire flashlight is hidden as my fingers completely cover it. Users who need to store a small flashlight in the front or side pocket of pants will appreciate the small size—it is smaller than a typical LED compact flashlight using 3 AAAs. I would strongly advise against storing the Blocklite SW805 in a purse or a bag that has liquid in it, as the liquid could come into contact with the 9 volt battery. The rectangular design prevents it from rolling off furniture and falling to the floor. While carrying the flashlight around, I have dropped it on wood floors and tiles and the Blocklite keeps working.
The Blocklite SW805 puts out a generous amount of light for its size, but the 6 LED bulbs powered by a single 9 volt can only do so much. I’d say it’s bright enough for casual tasks even when using the Low setting (2 bulbs are on, 4 are off). The Blocklite’s output is reminiscent of the incandescent Maglite flashlights of the 1990s that used 2 AA batteries. Emitted light is bluish white, it is not a warm yellow. When I am outside at night and shine the Blocklite SW805 on the ground 10 feet away, I can see details fairly well on the High setting (6 bulbs). If you need to clean up after your dog in the evenings, this flashlight will be adequate. The light output of the SW805 is far too weak for a night hike or emergency blackouts, it simply won’t light up objects well that are more than 20 feet away. The similarly priced ETRENDS Portable LED light is a better choice for camping.
When I first turned on the Blocklite SW805, my guess was that it was under 60 lumens in strength. Docooler states that 24 lumens is the actual output, and that 36 lumens is the SW805’s theoretical maximum output. In summary, it’s not extremely bright but it’s plenty strong for common tasks. Its output feels like it’s brighter than the flashlight output of popular 2017 smartphones.
Partially Charged 9 Volt Batteries Find a New Purpose with the BlockLite
One reason I purchased the Blocklite flashlight was to use up half-charged 9 volt batteries. Smoke alarm detectors from days past used 9 volt batteries (permanent batteries are becoming the legislated norm in the United States). Once the 9 volt battery is depleted to half its original charge the smoke alarm detector began chirping audibly to indicate the 9 volt needs to be replaced. I also prefer to use well charged 9 volt batteries in garage door openers that belong to elderly relatives. As a result, I had a lot of used but not fully depleted 9 volt batteries.
The Docooler Blocklite is the ideal solution for using up these half-charged non-rechargeable batteries. There is no flickering, just a steady beam of light that emits from the Blocklite’s LED bulbs. I cannot describe the battery life yet—it still running on the original 9 volt battery that I installed, after a total of 3 hours of use (10 minutes per week on High for about 18 weeks).
The SW805 is Not Water-Resistant or Childproof
The Blocklite SW805 is not for everyone. Households with children are a poor fit given that a child could easily detach the battery from the device. The Blocklite lacks a rubber seal where it meets the battery, this lack of a seal allows for a clean look and easy attachment. As a result the Blocklite SW805 is definitely not for environments where flashlights are likely to come contact with water. This Blocklite is not water-resistant, and certainly it is not waterproof. This is not the flashlight for boating, rain, snow, sleet, gardening, or damp indoor environments. For what it’s worth, the fit with the battery is tight and if you hold the assembled device to a sunlit window, no light is coming through the gap.
Small is Beautiful
Small, simple, and priced at under ten dollars, the Blocklite flashlight is minimalist marvel of engineering that is compact and effective. It is not for children, and its 24 lumen output is modest. The Blocklite SW805 is a great ultra compact flashlight for casual everyday use. This thoughtful little design that will could end up in New York’s Museum of Modern Art someday. Docooler built this Blocklite to last. If you are an adult who needs a no-frills pocket everyday flashlight, the Blocklite SW805 deserves your consideration.
You can grab your own Blocklite SW805 at Amazon.com.