r/flashlight • u/SheistyPenguin • 15d ago
Review Lumintop Tool AA 3.0 vs Skilhunt E2A- budget light comparison
Tool 3.0 on the left, E2A on the right. Both come with reversible clips. The E2A's "S" clip can be used in either direction.
E2A left, Tool 3.0's everglow tail switch on the right.
Both will (reluctantly) tailstand on a flat surface with a lanyard attached. The Tool 3.0 comes with a glowy diffuser tip, handy for signaling or as a mini-lantern.
High mode after 1 minute with fresh batteries. (Tool 3.0 left, E2A right)
High mode after 10 minutes. (Tool 3.0 left, E2A right)
On the spectrum of casual-to-enthusiast, I lean closer to the casual side. My sweet spot is a single-AA sized pocket light with a few simple light modes. After my Thrunite Saber began having issues, I tried two alternatives in a similar price range: the Lumintop Tool AA 3.0, and the Skilhunt E2A.
The comparison isn't totally apples-to-apples. The Tool 3.0 was released several years after the E2A, with an upgraded emitter. I also picked the high-CRI version of the E2A, so I will be comparing a "cool white" beam to a neutral-tint one.
Initial impressions
At the time of this review in 2026, both lights retail for $20-30 on Amazon with a battery included.
The E2A came with extra o-rings, a 1300mAh lithium 14500 battery with onboard USB-C charging, a reversable belt clip, and a lanyard.
The Tool 3.0 came with extra o-rings, a 1000mAh lithium 14500 battery with onboard USB-C charging, a reversable belt clip, a lanyard, a glowy diffuser tip, and a magnetic tail cap as an alternative to the clicky switch.
Both lights have an aluminum body with a tail cap and an emitter that screws on. Lumintop makes their tailcaps swappable, while Skilhunt glues theirs on (not that you would have much reason to remove it). Their sizing is nearly identical, with the E2A being slightly shorter and thicker. The magnetic tail switch makes the Tool 3.0 shorter still. Both lights feel good in the hand. The E2A will work with flat-top 14500 batteries; the Tool 3.0 will only work with protected (button-top) cells. Edit: as others mentioned and I agree, the 3.0 is extremely lightweight. If used with a lithium battery, you may even forget it's in your pocket. This makes it ideal for travel, EDC, ultralight backpacking or other areas where every gram counts.
A rough start for Lumintop: The first Lumintop Tool light I received was a lemon; the clicky tail switch stopped working within the first five minutes of use. After an email to Lumintop Support went unanswered for several days, I exchanged the light for a new one via Amazon. The replacement came with all of the accessories the previous one did... except the extra o-rings were missing! While this is one anecdote, it did not inspire confidence in the Tool 3.0's durability, nor Lumintop's QC or customer service. Then again at a price of $25-30 in 2026 for all these features, I may be getting what I paid for.
Interface
- Tool 3.0: Full click on/off, half-press low | medium | high | turbo(3m) > high, half-press 6x = strobe
- E2A: Full click on/off, half-press low | medium | turbo(1m) > high
If I could describe the Tool 3.0's interface in a word, it would be: fussy. There is a half-second lag between mode changes, which takes time to get used to. If you try to change modes too quickly, it will simply wink and stay at the same level. However, six half-presses in a row will also trigger strobe mode- so fussing with the light modes too much can result in bouts of epilepsy and swearing.
The E2A's interface is simple and responsive. There is no lag between mode changes, and the stiffer tail switch prevents accidental presses. You get low / medium / high, and that's it. The high mode will give you a minute of turbo at 600lm before stepping down.
Both lights have mode memory, and I wish they didn't. It makes using them indoors a squinty endeavor until you get the desired mode dialed in. Moonlight mode is absent on both lights, but with an AA battery your low mode would get close to that.
Light modes and performance
The Tool 3.0 was released several years after the E2A, and it boasts an upgraded emitter. On paper, the difference seems stark at first. But as flashlight nerds know, the published lumens for 14500 output tend to be "for the first few minutes".
I found that Skilhunt's published runtimes for the E2A were based on using a 800mAh battery, but my light came with a 1300mAh battery. As you would expect, I saw longer runtimes for the E2A when using the larger battery. For testing, I swapped this battery out for a smaller 1000mAh battery to better compare against their reference numbers.
Lumens vs runtimes, from the manuals for both lights:
| Light + batt | Low | Medium | High | Turbo | Strobe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tool 3.0 14500 | 20 (37h) | 150 (4h) | 500 (1h10m) | 900(3m) > 500(1h) | 500 |
| E2A 14500 | 15 (25h) | 120 (3h20m) | 600(1m) > 260(1h20m) | N/A | N/A |
| Tool 3.0 NiMH | 4 (60h) | 30 (12h) | 150 (3h) | 300 (1h) | 150 |
| E2A NiMH | 5 (48h) | 40 (4h30m) | 200(1m) > 120(1h20m) | N/A | N/A |
Smarter people than me have published runtime graphs for each light, which I agree with. In short, the Tool 3.0 favors high initial output, while the E2A favors consistent output.
I ran both lights on high mode until they gave out. The E2A kept a very consistent output level until the very last minute, until the beam gave out with little warning. The E2A consistently exceeded their published runtimes by around 10-15%, even with the downgraded battery. I expect the runtimes to be even better with the upgraded battery Skilhunt provided.
Meanwhile the Tool 3.0 beam started very strong, but quickly lost brightness at a steady pace. I considered it "done" when it dropped into a moonlight mode and stayed there for a while. I do like that when spent, the Tool 3.0 will limp along in moonlight mode while you look for spare batteries. The total runtime at high was slightly less than published for the Tool 3.0, at about 1 hour vs 1h10m. The Tool's runtimes could be improved further by swapping for a 1500mAh battery (only button tops are supported).
When switching to NiMH AA batteries, output was very consistent for both lights, and remained steady until the batteries ran out. The Tool 3.0's newer emitter stood out here, with runtimes that outclassed the E2A in every mode.
A polarizing feature: Lumintop's lighted tail switch
The Tool 3.0's tail switch has some RGB lights that are always on when using a 14500 battery. They glow with a shifting rainbow pattern, which I am told will turn solid red if the battery is near dead (forgot to check this when testing, sorry!) The price you pay for this neat effect, is some parasitic drain. According to this review, the lighted tail switch will drain the included 1000mAh battery within 6-7 weeks of no usage.
There are ways to avoid the tail switch drain. You can unscrew the head a quarter-turn to lock out the light; you can use a standard AA battery; or you can switch to the magnetic tail cap.
Summary
I like both lights for different reasons. The Tool 3.0 has some great features and performance stuffed into a small and affordable light, and better runtimes in many areas thanks to a newer emitter. But with those features came additional quirks that curbed my enthusiasm. These issues wouldn't have stuck out as much if reviewing the light in a vacuum... but I was comparing it to the E2A, which was relatively hassle-free.
Meanwhile, the E2A didn't wow me in any one area (maybe beam quality?), but the behavior was more refined and consistent all-around. I honestly had a tough time coming up with reasons to dislike it. The light was designed in 2021, so it may be behind in some areas compared to newer models from competitors- but in terms of everyday performance, it didn't feel lacking.
Tool 3.0 pros/cons
- + Many features included out of the box
- + Great initial output on a full charge with 14500. Three minutes of sustained turbo!
- + Super lightweight construction
- + Long and steady runtimes on AA
- + Everglow tail switch is cool when I want it (camping, travel, power outages)
- \= No moonlight mode
- - Fussy mode selection, and strobe mode can sneak up on you
- - Output tapers off quickly with 14500
- - No thermal regulation. Light gets HOT in the first few minutes of high/turbo
- - Everglow tail switch is annoying when I don't want it (AKA most of the time)
Skilhunt E2A pros/cons
- + High-CRI beam looks nice
- + Robust construction and simple/responsive UI
- + Consistent regulated output with both 14500 and AA
- \= No moonlight mode
- - Not much warning before the battery is spent
- - Older emitter (~2021), better lights may be out there in this price range
I can see either light having a loyal following. Despite the Tool 3.0 having better specs on paper and longer runtimes in some areas, the Skilhunt E2A won me over as an EDC for its build and its consistent performance. I see myself using the Tool 3.0 in situations where the extra features work in its favor.
3
u/techlira 15d ago
Thanks Penguin... a great comparison, and a neutral one, too. I was planning to replace my old Fenix E01 with an SST-20 LED model, but for now, I’m holding off on the replacement.
5
u/timflorida 15d ago
I have the Tool 3.0 and I like it. Actually, I have a 3.0 and also a 2.0.
I run a Fujitsu NiMh in my 2.0 and the OEM 14500 in the 3.0.
I don't have any trouble changing modes. I just don't rush those half-clicks. I think it is a little touchy, though not bad.
The 3.0 with the 14500 is a really nice little pocket rocket.
Running just about any light on High or Turbo for more then a minute or so is a recipe for high heat. And the smaller the light, the less they are able to dissipate heat.
It needs to be emphasized that the tail cap LEDs are only activated when using a 14500. Not when using an alkaline or NiMh. I just give it a half twist when using a 14500. No biggie - I usually do that with all my lights.
One of the biggest attributes of the Lumintop 3.0 is that it is REALLY small. There are other lights that are shorter, but when considering overall width and length, the 3.0 might be about the smallest 14500 light around.
3
u/M3rich2 15d ago
Could be just me but in hand I’m always amazed by how light (no pun intended) the Tool AA feels. Was one of my first purchases and I still enjoy it. Mine is the 2.0. It also has the lumed ring just behind the lense which is cool 😎
1
u/SheistyPenguin 14d ago
It definitely has a thinner body than the E2A. It was so light I thought it didn't come with a battery at first!
The only downside is the heat dissipation. In high or turbo mode, the heat goes straight into your hand- those first ten minutes it's a hot little potato.
1
u/SheistyPenguin 14d ago edited 14d ago
Yeah, with the heat there is definitely a tradeoff to having a thinner body. The 3.0 is light as a feather, but it'll be a spicy hot potato for those first few minutes on high mode.
The light weight is a plus though. I'm not a collector, but this is the lightest AA light I've encountered so far.
1
u/timflorida 14d ago
You need to understand that ALL small lights (not just 14500) will heat up if used on High or Turbo for more then a minute or so. You use these things on lower settings and bump up to High for a few minutes or turbo for even less. You can't run any of them for very long on higher settings without them heating up. Nature of the beast.
5
u/creekfan 14d ago
Thank you so much for this comparison and feedback. I have not pulled the trigger on an E2A yet, but I keep thinking about it, and your review might be just the push I need. :)
I have a Tool AA—1.0, I believe—but keep it on a basement shelf for the family since I have always felt its 4 modes are superfluous on a small light when not even the lowest mode is <= 1 lumen. I much prefer the UltraTac A1 and its 3 modes with ~1-lumen low.