If you’ve used a flashlight at least once, you probably know how important it is to have the best UV flashlight.
It’s the most helpful piece of equipment to use when looking for something in poorly lit areas while camping, hiking, etc.
However, have you ever used a UV flashlight? Maybe you’ve seen it in movies or the ambulance without knowing how handy it can be in your everyday life.
We reach for our flashlight at the first sign of a power failure. Flashlights are more practical than candles and aren’t as messy or dangerous. In general, they light our way, but UV models have a different role.
Often referred to as the blacklights, these do not emit a black light. Instead, they talk about an ultraviolet one that can be used in several ways.
Table of Contents
How Do UV Flashlights Work?
UV light works by showing phosphors – A substance that reveals visible light when pointed at by a black light.
The human eye can only see a portion of a UV light spectrum, and it’s precisely that portion incorporated in a UV flashlight. Awesome, right?
That portion is the thing that gives a UV flashlight its unique role. If you were to turn one on in a dark room, you might find a hidden note and a wide variety of hidden stains. But, of course, it’s perfect if you have a pet.
What Makes The Best UV Flashlight?
You want something robust, easy to use, and ideally lightweight.
Since you’ll often be using them indoors, it doesn’t matter if they’re waterproof, but it always helps. But, of course, you also want flashlights to be powerful enough to illuminate a large area.
Typically, UV flashlights aren’t sturdy and only light up a small circle, so you need to hold them close to the surface you’re illuminating.
The more expensive ones tend to illuminate more surface area and save you lots of time when you’re using them.
What Are UV Flashlights Used For?
Flashlights can be used to locate and identify a variety of substances. For example, if your pet urinated on your carpet, and it dried out before you saw it, you could find a stain by smell.
Fortunately, a UV light allows you to see these stains to find and clean them more effectively. In addition, it’s cost-effective in the long run since you wouldn’t have to steam clean the entire carpet or hire professional cleaners.
You can use them in hotel rooms to check for cleanliness before settling down. It’s also great to have a cleaning agency and check on how well your employees clean the area.
Use it to find bacterial residue, semen, urine, wine, saliva, and body oils. Its unique abilities and versatility made UV models skyrocket into modern world popularity.
Other Uses For UV Flashlights
You may find it helpful if you live in an area prone to scorpion infestation. These tiny arachnids can easily be seen with a black light, which is excellent if you’re a fan of camping. It’s also suitable for mineral hunting since some minerals glow under UV light.
Black lights can check fine details in most currency notes, and official documents since most have security strips. In addition, if you take large amounts of cash payments, a small UV lamp will enable you to check any bill.
Best UV Flashlights In 2023
In no particular order, here are the best UV flashlights compared for various purposes in 2022. The links open in new tabs, and I’ve included the pros and cons of each one.
Vansky 51 LED VS-FV03 UV Flashlight
There is no need to crawl around sniffing the carpet any longer.
The Vansky UV flashlight is perfect for revealing pet and rodent stains and similar spots otherwise undetected to the naked eye.
It can just as well be used to spot scorpions, authenticate official documents and notes easily. It can even be used as a nail dryer.
This one has 51 UV LEDs, covering a larger area without weakening the light. The light emitted by high-quality LEDs is 395 nm in Wavelength. Each of the LEDs lasts up to 12 years.
Cylindrical casing is made from aluminum alloy, making it durable and long-lasting. Measuring 2.2″ x1.4″ x5.7″ weighs 7.2 ounces, which is expected of a model with such dimensions.
The LEDs run on 3 AA batteries (4.5 V), not included in the original packaging. It works best in completely dark environments; the darker, the better. It’s very good at detecting dog and rodent stains and even cat urine.
Pros Of The Vanski 51
- Durable case
- 30% more light
- 12-year durability
Cons Of The Vanski 51
- Batteries not included
Escolite UV Flashlight 51LED
The sturdy aluminum alloy body makes this model quite durable and resistant.
It has a big head with 51 high-quality LEDs puts this flashlight among the brightest on the market.
It has an anti-slip handle, and since it’s waterproof, it makes a perfect camping and hiking companion. In addition, it’s ideal for detecting minerals and scorpions.
As cool as that sounds, this one has more common uses, like identifying pet urine and food stains. Unfortunately, it has problems detecting cat urine. It’ also doesn’t work well on reflective surfaces.
It’s highly recommended that you use higher-quality batteries. Low-quality batteries might cause issues that aren’t covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
Pros Of The Escolite
- Durable
- Waterproof anti-slip body.
- It has a large-sized head.
Cons Of The Escolite
- Batteries not included
LE Small UV Flashlight 9 LED
The LE Small is the UV flashlight for adventurers.
If you like going on a scorpion or mineral hunt, this pocket edition of a lamp is perfect for you.
With dimensions of 1.1×1.1×3.7 inches, it justifies its name size-wise, but make no mistake; it’s made for the outdoors. The sturdy aluminum alloy body made no functional problem on a 5ft test drop.
It’s still an essential tool for pet lovers, as it makes dried urine, feces, or vomit visible to the human eye. Unfortunately, it only has 9 LEDs, powered by 3 AAA batteries, included in the package due to its size.
Pros Of The LE Small
- Compact size
- It has been drop tested to 5ft
- Comes with batteries
Cons Of The LE Small
- Only nine LEDs
Streamlight 66149 Stylus – Best Rechargeable UV Flashlight
It’s a professional-grade blacklight flashlight with a spectrum of 325nm Wavelength.
This torch can be recharged up to 300 times and has a digital control circuit that prevents it from over-charging. It runs for 6.5 hours.
No need to break your back walking bent over a carpet, looking for pet urine stains or bacterial residue. Those 18W provide more than enough bright light that cover a large area.
The UV LED provides ultraviolet light to detect fraudulent documents, forensic investigations, or detect engines or HVAC leaks. This flashlight is easy to keep charged using the included USB cord and optional AC wall adapter, sold separately.
Pros Of The Streamlight
- Used and trusted by various agencies
- Waterproof
- Shockproof
Cons Of The Streamlight
- Batteries not included
Black Light UV Flashlight (The best one for pet stains)
This is an excellent black, cylindrical flashlight.
The body is made out of aluminum alloy, which has two sections that are machine-textured.
This UV Flashlight has a textured stripe design, so it is sure to have an anti-slip grip, providing function and comfort. And it weighs only 3.2 ounces, so it’s easy to carry. In addition, the blacklight is CE and RoHS-approved.
It has 12 powerful Ultraviolet LEDs that emit 395nm Wavelength. It’s perfect for revealing dried pet urine or other stains on rugs, carpets, clothes, and the floor.
This torch can also authenticate official documents and check the camping area for scorpions with such high strength.
Unfortunately, the lamp detects only dried dog and rodent urine and feces. It does not detect cat urine very well.
This flashlight comes with 3 AAA batteries included in the package, which can continuously power the black light for up to 5 hours.
Pros Of The Black Light UV Flashlight
- CE and RoHS approved
- Batteries included in the pack
Cons Of The Black Light UV Flashlight
- The light beam does not cover large areas
Super Bright 100 UV Flashlight
This flashlight is among the most popular models on the market. With its 100 LEDs, it’s much brighter than any 51 LEDs light.
It has a beam of 385-395nm Wavelength, high-intensity 18W light, and the shaft is effective up to 50 feet. In addition, each of the LEDs is designed to last up to 12 years, contributing to the overall durability.
The flashlight is 7.5 inches long and weighs a reasonable 7 ounces. Made out of aluminum with “O” rings for water resistance. Its body is treated with textured anti-slip material ensuring the light will stay in your hand.
It also has a wrist strap for some added security. It runs on 6 AA batteries (9V in total), not included.
This flashlight is on the better part of the scale. It feels safe and has a sturdy body and a powerful beam.
Pros Of The Super Bright 100
- Very reliable
- Bright and efficient light
Cons Of The Super Bright 100
- Might burn skin
FAQS About UV Flashlights
Can A UV Flashlight Burn You?
Yes, it can, but most flashlights aren’t powerful enough to cause any severe damage unless you hold them too close to your eyes.
Ideally, you should wear UV-protecting sunglasses when you’re using the flashlight.
The bigger and more powerful ones can cause burns and aren’t very good for your skin, eyes, or overall health. Also, they’re only meant to be used occasionally and not for just everyday use.
If you’re using a flashlight like this for hunting or catching things like scorpions, and you’re doing this OFTEN, you should wear sunglasses.
And if you’re looking for an ordinary flashlight, we reviewed the best flashlights for hunting the other week.
Are UV Flashlights Bad For Your Eyes?
Yes, UV flashlights and UV light, in general, are terrible for your eyes if you look directly at them. This is why you should never look directly at the sun without sunglasses. You can use sunglasses to protect yourself from most of the damaging effects of UV light.
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