Short Description:

The Radioshack Fluorescent Pocket Flashlight (61-853) is a general purpose area light available at Radio Shack stores. It contains a single "U" shaped Osram 5 Watt fluorescent bulb which is advertised to put out as much light as a 25 Watt incandescent bulb.

The body of the light is black plastic with a clear plastic panel in front of the bulb. The entire body has molded ribs in it for grip. The clear plastic panel is textured to diffuse the light. Behind the bulb is a silver panel to reflect the light forward, giving about a 180 degree lighting area.

There are no seals of any sort on the light. Use should be restricted to areas away from harsh environments.

The switch is a simple little red slide switch which is not protected from accidental turn-on.

Batteries used are 2 AA alkaline. They are not included. There are 2 separate battery compartments, one on each side on the back, each holding one of the AA batteries. To open the compartments, slide the lid about 1cm and then twist toward the side of the light until the cover pops off.

No accessories are included in the package.

Reviewer's Impressions:

Well, I certainly wouldn't give this fluorescent light top billing, but it is a bright little general purpose area light. As compared to the Energizer ArcWhite's cold cathode fluorescent tube in the pictures above, you can see that it is a little bit dimmer, but has a much warmer light.

Fit and finish are OK. Certainly not great. No sharp edges, but no frills to be found here.

Quality / Durability / Construction are about what you would expect from a cheap transistor radio (did I just date myself or what?!). Don't drop it too much and it should last a while. I don't know that I would trust the belt clip to staying in one piece if forced onto a relatively thick belt.

Output is very good. It lights a dark room very nicely, and although dimmer than the ArcWhite, its light seems to be more pleasing on the eyes.

Water resistance is negligible. Don't get it wet.

The best feature of this light is that it will stand up on any side, allowing you to easily direct the flood of light wherever you need it.

I can see this light really being used in a few important ways. First, it would be good for general use like working under a sink or a confined area where a broad flood light would be better than a standard spot. Second, with some double-face tape and velcro, you could easily attach this inside cabinet doors, closets, etc. where no other light is available. As a power outage light it would be good for illuminating a whole room with a soft glow for navigating around. Inside a dark car it could be very useful for looking for things in the passenger compartment or trunk.

Improvements? Well, for what it is, I don't think we will be seeing any improvements from RadioShack on this little critter. Most important, it needs to be waterproofed. If you're taking it camping, keep it in a Ziploc bag or something to keep it dry and operate the switch through the bag.

+ + + Pluses: Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight, Stands up

- - - Minuses: Not water resistant at all, Switch unprotected - accidental turn-on possible.

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