Energizer Vision HD LED Metal Torch 1500lm - 7 Modes, IPX4

Vision HD is Energizer's full size handheld torch, and it puts a great deal of light into one hand. The pack states 1500 lumens from its LED, enough to pick out a hedge line at the end of a long garden rather than only the ground in front of your boots. The body is metal with a ribbed grip and a single rubberised button set behind the head. The light is cool white at 4,000K, the crisp daylight sort of beam that shows detail and colour honestly rather than the warm yellow of an older filament torch.

This is a torch for the hook by the back door, the boot of the car or the top of the meter cupboard. Seven modes are printed on the pack, so you can drop the output for close work in a loft or under a sink instead of bouncing full power back off a white surface, and the digital focus sets the beam anywhere between a broad flood and a narrow spot. Dog walkers, anglers and anyone working outside after dark tend to want that adjustment. The pack also carries an IPX4 mark, so rain and spray are accounted for, although a splash rating is not a licence to put it under water.

Power comes from AA alkaline cells and the pack includes them, so it works straight out of the pack. No runtime is printed, so keep a spare set of AA cells with the torch if you depend on it. There is no dimming, so brightness is set by choosing one of the seven modes rather than by turning it down smoothly. It is sold singly, with a minimum order of one. If a hands free light would suit you better, our Energizer head torches run from 130 to 750 lumens.

Which batteries does it take, and are they included?

It runs on AA alkaline cells and a set comes with it, so the torch works on the day it arrives. Keep a spare set with it if you rely on it in the dark.

How bright is 1500 lumens in real terms?

The pack figure of 1500 lumens is well beyond a pocket torch. On full power it reaches across a field or a long drive, which is why the lower modes are useful indoors.

What does the digital focus do?

It sets how wide the beam is, from a broad flood that lights a whole path to a tight spot for picking out something at distance, without changing the torch itself.

Is the brightness dimmable?

No, it is not dimmable. You choose between the seven modes the pack lists rather than sliding the output smoothly up and down, so brightness moves in fixed steps.

Will it cope with rain?

The retail pack carries an IPX4 mark, which covers splashing water from any direction, so rain and spray are fine. It is not rated for being dropped into water.

What colour is the light it gives?

Cool white at 4,000K. That is a crisp, daylight leaning beam that keeps contrast high and shows colours and surface detail more truthfully than a warm yellow light.