The Olight i3E EOS is a tiny keychain torch that runs on a single AAA battery: twist the head and it turns on, twist it back and it’s off. I paid $19 for it. Like all our Olight torches, it came with us on a trip up north to Bouddi National Park.
What’s in the box
A slim black aluminium torch about 6 cm long, with a key ring on the end and one AAA battery in the box. It has a Luxeon LED behind a TIR lens and one output: 90 lumens with a 44 m beam. There’s no button and no charging port; you twist the head to switch it on and off.
What we like
- Tiny: 19 g on our scale
- Runs on one AAA battery
- Twist on, no accidental clicks
- Waterproof to IPX8
- Bright for its size: 90 lm
What we don’t
- One brightness only
- About 45 min on a battery
- No charging port
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Olight |
| Colour | Black |
| Weight | 19 g |
| Length | 6 cm |
| Brightness | 90 lumensOne mode |
| Throw | 44 m |
| Battery | 1 × AAA |
| Run time | About 45 minalkaline |
| Water rating | IPX8 |
Size and light
This is the torch’s whole point. At 19 g on our scale and about the length of a finger, it sits on a key ring without you noticing, and it’s always with you. For its size, 90 lumens is bright: enough to find the tent zip, walk to the toilet block or look under the car. The TIR lens gives a smooth beam that reaches further than you’d expect from a light this small.
Battery and limits
Running on a AAA is a strength and a weakness. You never need a cable, and a spare battery costs next to nothing and fits in any kit. But a battery only lasts about 45 minutes, there’s only one brightness, with no low mode to save it, and there’s no protection if you put the battery in the wrong way round. It’s aluminium with a hard-anodised finish and rated IPX8, so rain and a dunk don’t bother it.
Olight keychain lights comparedKeychain lights compared
We also use the Olight iMini 2, another tiny keychain light. It charges by USB instead of using AAA batteries and turns on when you pull it off its cap, but it’s dimmer and only splash-proof. The i3E is the tougher, brighter and cheaper one; the iMini 2 is the one you never need batteries for. The i1R 2 Pro is the only one of the three with two modes, a 5 lumen Low that lasts about 12 hours, and it charges over USB-C.
This review Olight i3E EOS |  Olight i1R 2 Pro |  Olight iMini 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modes | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Battery | 1 × AAA | Built-in, USB-C | Built-in, USB-A |
| Switch | Twist | Twist | Pull off the cap |
| Water rating | IPX8 | IPX8 | IPX6 |
| Max brightness | 90 lm | 180 lm | 50 lm |
| Weight on our scale | 19 g | 21 g | 23 g |
| Price paid | $19 | $40 | $30 |
| Our score | 9.1 | 9.2 | 8.9 |
Conclusion: Olight i3E EOSConclusion
The Olight i3E EOS is a simple, tough keychain torch: one AAA battery, a twist to turn it on and 90 lumens from something that weighs 19 g. It’s waterproof and costs next to nothing to keep running. There’s only one brightness and about 45 minutes per battery, so it’s a backup rather than a camp light. I paid $19, and as a light that’s always on your keys, it’s very good value.
A 19 g, twist-on keychain torch that runs on one AAA battery and puts out 90 lumens, waterproof to IPX8.
One brightness only, and about 45 minutes on a battery.
- Everyday carry
- Campers
- Emergency kits
Yes. I paid $19 for a tough little torch that lives on a key ring and runs on a battery you can buy anywhere.
