Medical

Best Medical Penlights 2022!

Last Updated April 7, 2022 By James Levinson

Our Top Choices

Any medical professional needs a reliable and well-made penlight. It should be bright enough to allow for sight, but not so bright that it blinds; it should also be durable, yet still very portable, and, of course, it must be affordable. If you are in the market for a new medical penlight, start your search here with this list of the best medical penlights.

A proper penlight that’s rated for medical use will have multiple settings, allowing for the lower lumen output for checking your patient’s eyes and the higher lumen setting for checking throats and ears.

Top 12 Best Medical Penlights Of 2022

Welch Allyn Professional Penlight

This Welch Allyn penlight is one of the best on the market. Comes with a pocket clip, It’s bright white halogen light and solid brass build, it is sure to not only be effective but to last years, which means no more replacing penlights every week or dealing with the hassle of a poorly constructed, cheaper product.

FOURSEVENS Preon Penlight

The Preon Penlight from FOURSEVENS is an industry favorite due to its bright output, different modes, and its incredibly sturdy construction. There are three different brightness options, with the maximum output being 180 lumens and the lowest being 5 lumens, This is the brightest penlight on our list. There is no pupil gauge, but that is a small price to pay for such a durable product. ADC’s penlight below may be the perfect flashlight for doctor’s pupil examination.

The body is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel and the lens is made of impact-resistant glass with sapphire coating on the outside to prevent scratches and physical damage and an anti-reflective coating on the inside to aid efficiency. It uses AAA batteries and has a memory function that will remember the last setting it was on during its last use.

It is also lightweight and highly portable, making it the perfect penlight for nurses or doctors.

ADC Disposable Diagnostic Penlight

For those prone to losing their penlights or having them “borrowed” by coworkers, it may not be fiscally responsible to spend a large amount of money on a penlight, which is why there are cheaper options, like this ADC Disposable Diagnostic Penlight. Even though they are disposable, they have an impressive battery life, though that seems to differ according to experience.

This is partially due to the difficulty of turning it on accidentally, which saves a lot of battery. It includes a handy pupil gauge, but it is not as bright as most other penlights. However, it is bright enough for simple eye exams and uses incandescent light for good tissue color rendition. This is another penlight that nurses will find helpful, though doctors may find it slightly dim for their needs.

Allheart Economy Reusable Penlight

This is another affordable penlight that is ideal for those prone to losing their penlight. It comes in several different colors (green, red, blue, white, and black) and has a sturdy, stainless steel construction for durability. It is reusable with a bright light and simply a good, basic penlight for everyday use.

Primacare Disposable Diagnostic Penlight

Primacare Disposable Diagnostic Penlights come in a pack of six, are easy to use, and can be used in a number of circumstances. It is made of lightweight molded plastic, has a sealed concentric warm light beam, an imprinted pupil gauge, and pre-focused pinpoint lens that directly illuminates not only eyes, but ears and throats as well. It comes in six colors: red, blue, green, purple, black, white, and orange.

While these are one of the more popular brands of disposable medical penlights, there have been some complaints about short battery life, but given the cost, it is easy to overlook minor flaws.

Patterson Medical High Intensity Penlight (Model 563531)

For those looking for a sleeker and more stylish penlight, there is the Patterson Medical High Intensity Penlight. It is 5in long with a .5in diameter and the body is chrome-plated. The unit runs on two AAA batteries and produces a nice, bright light perfect for use by the medical professional. For extra convenience, it comes with a pupil gauge and measurement tool, making it a great penlight for nurses.

MDF Pocket Illuminator Diagnostic Penlight

Super affordable and incredibly bright, the MDF Pocket Illuminator Diagnostic Penlight is a great buy. It comes with a pre-focused light, clip switch, moisture-resistant seals, and uses a halogen bulb for good tissue rendition and runs on two AAA batteries.

Dorcy 41-1218 Portable LED Pen Light

For those on a budget who don’t want to sacrifice quality, there is the Dorcy Portable LED Pen Light. Its aluminum body is much more durable than its plastic counterparts and its 15 lumen maximum output will not cause people to go blind.

Additionally, the silver finish gives it a sleek look and high-tech feel while the metal clip is sure to keep the light in place when it is not in use. This Dorcy penlight also comes with a one-year limited warranty and two AAA batteries.

ZITRADES Diagnostic Reusable LED Penlight

This is likely one of the best medical penlights in its price range, offering durability, brightness, and great design. The click mechanism is not as sensitive as those on other penlights and it does not usually come on unless it is pressed on purpose. This allows the penlight to save battery life.

It uses a white LED and a pre-focused pinpoint lens that easily illuminates eyes, ears, and throats and it also comes with a pupil gauge for added convenience. Overall a great nursing penlight!

Fortelux High Intensity Deluxe Diagnostic Penlight

Made of sturdy aluminum alloy and featuring a sterilizable special lacquer coating, the Fortelux High Intensity Deluxe Diagnostic Penlight is durable and bright and perfectly suited for everyday use. Its strong metal clip ensures that it will not fall off of any clothing to which it is attached. It also comes in a variety of colors: yellow, blue, green, white, and black.

Siam Circus Penlight

This penlight is a little different from the others in this list as it was specially formulated for professional ENT doctors. It has a free-focused high intensity bulb and comes with an attachable otoscope, making it useful for ears, noses, and throats. This penlight is extremely convenient and practical and affordable enough to try without having to worry about losing a lot of money.

Dixie EMS Disposable Penlight

EMS personnel need penlights too! And their penlight needs are a little different from those of the nurses and doctors that work in clinics or hospitals. While those that work predominantly indoors under bright lighting need a high brightness output, EMTs need the opposite—a low lumen count so as to not blind their patients. However, the brighter pen lights should only be used to examine the patients’ throats and not their eyes. Anything over 60 lumens can be dangerous for the human eye. You need to make sure the pen light you are considering is actually suitable for medical use

Dixie disposable penlights are equal in quality to reusable penlights, even those that are more expensive. They have an exceptionally long battery life as well as a pupil gauge.

Conclusion

When buying penlights, you won’t find many reviews or buying guides, but luckily most of them are cheap enough so that an individual in the market for one can purchase various kinds and not be out of a large sum of money should they not perform to expectations. Some people may find that using penlights not necessarily labeled as “medical” or “diagnostic” may work just as well or better than penlights that are specifically for medical professionals.

Lastly, be sure to select the right type of penlight according to your job—EMTs need to make sure they purchase penlights with a lower lumen count, while those professionals who work indoors need a slightly stronger beam.

The Energizer PLM 22: Is it rated for medical use?

Last Updated November 28, 2020 By James Levinson

Energizer PLM 22 is it a good medical penlight?

The Energizer PLM 22 is not officially rated for medical use. It’s more of a general purpose penlight. However, it can be put into low lumen mode for eye examinations and high lumen mode for ear and throat examinations. The most important thing with a penlight that’s rated for medical use is that it has the multiple output settings. If it’s too bright you can only use it for ear and throat, and if it’s not bright enough you can only use it for eye examinations. Overall the energizer PLM 22 is suitable for medical use, and some medical practitioners use it, but it is far from the best penlight for doctors and nurses.

Medical practitioners have many uses for pen lights, they are used to help within medical examinations of the mouth, ears and to test alertness through the eyes. A pen light is an essential piece of equipment for any medical professional so it is vital that there are high quality models available. The great thing about pen lights is that they can be used to help visibility in areas of the body that would otherwise be hard to see like the throat and ears, this simple device helps improve the accuracy of the doctors medical diagnosis so I’m sure you can agree how essential this item is and that it is important that doctors have access to a device that they can rely upon in terms of quality. It’s also important to know how to correctly use a medical penlight for the different types of examinations. Not only do you need a suitable penlight, but you do need to know the correct usage.

There are many pen lights available on the market so it is important that you find the best one that is going to last a long period of time, there are many things to consider when purchasing a new pen light such as battery life, brightness and practicality. Medical environments can be very hectic places so you will have to find a model that is resistant to damage to avoid you having to replace your pen light more regularly than you should. As this is an essential item for medical professionals I would recommend that you invest in a quality device in order to ensure you avoid the nightmare scenario of being caught without a working pen light. The Energizer PLM 22 isn’t marketed as a device designed for medical use but its long battery life and virtually indestructible LED could potentially make it a great choice for the medical environment. If you are in the market for the best penlight for doctors then you may want to consider the Energizer PLM 22 which is a strong contender in comparison to other models that are currently available.

Specifications and Suitability for Medical Use

The Energizer PLM 22 comes fully equipped with a long life LED bulb, this would make this device great for medical staff as you are provided with peace of mind that your pen light is going to last a long time without need of replacement. The thirty five lumen light brightness is great for inspecting hard to see places and would make medical inspections a breeze due to the heightened visibility that this light provides, it also has a run time of over twenty hours per set of batteries so that you will get plenty of uses from this device before you will need to change them. The light itself is enclosed within a virtually indestructible glass casing, as previously mentioned the medical workplace can be very chaotic so having a device that is able to withstand damage is definitely a great idea to save money by avoiding buying replacements.

The Energizer PLM 22 is encased in an extremely durable stainless steel casing which also contributes to this products suitability within a medical environment, it is also equipped with an easily accessible power button and a strong clip so that you can attach the light to your uniform for efficiency and to make sure that you never lose this useful device. As a medical professional it is important that you know where your pen light is so that you can efficiently make your rounds and complete your medical inspections without having to search for your equipment, which not only wastes your time but also wastes the time of your patients.

This light is powered by household AAA batteries which are easily accessible and affordable, so you don’t have to worry about replacing your batteries too often. The metal casing on this device makes it suitable for a medical environment as it can easily be cleaned and sterilized to avoid bringing bacteria into your workplace, this is a very important factor to consider which is often overlooked when it comes to buying personal medical equipment. It has been said that this penlight is one of the brightest available, in comparison to other models that are available it would make sense to invest in a product that can fulfill its function to the highest standard.

If you are an emergency medical technician then your work environment is likely to be more hectic than that of a normal doctor, as you are working on the go and will be traveling around dealing with unknown emergencies it is vital that you are able to find reliable pieces of equipment. The Energizer PLM 22 is arguably the best emt penlight currently available, its sturdy design and high quality brightness is even more important when you are working as an EMT, the brightness also makes this device great for checking responsiveness within the eyes when a patient is potentially suffering from a concussion.

How to replace the batteries on a medical penlight

Last Updated November 28, 2020 By James Levinson

replacing batteries on medical penlight

If you are someone that uses a medical penlight as a part of your daily routine, you will be more than aware of how often you will find yourself reaching for your penlight. If you are a nurse or a doctor, a medical penlight is one of the main tools that you will use throughout the day. Due to how much they are used and how small they are, you may find that you will have to replace the batteries in a medical penlight quite regularly.

Due to how small the medical penlights appear to be, changing the battery may seem like a difficult task. However, it is actually quite straightforward, as long as you know all of the steps.

Which batteries will you need?

Before you even consider changing the batteries of your medical penlight, you will first need to know which batteries you will need. Not every penlight is the same and it really depends on the manufacturer, but most penlights use either AA or AAA batteries. You can also check which batteries you need to use by opening up the battery chamber in your penlight, but if you don’t have access to your penlight you can also figure it out with a simple google.

Where is the battery chamber?

Due to the compact nature of a medical penlight, the battery chamber may not be in an obvious place. With most penlights, in order to access the chamber you will first need to unscrew the bulb. Make sure you don’t do this immediately after using the penlight, as depending on the brand there may be some heat emitting from the light. If the area is cool, you will be able to unscrew the bulb and there will be the battery chamber.

How do you change the batteries?

The process of changing the batteries of a medical penlight is actually extremely straightforward. You simply need to take the batteries that are already in the chamber out and make sure you place the new batteries facing the way that you want to put the new ones. You should also make sure that you take the time to clean the inside of the chamber when you are replacing the batteries. This can be done easily through the use of a cotton bud and will ensure that your medical penlight stays in working order and will prevent any unnecessary premature breakage in the future.

If you are a medical professional, then you should also know how to correctly use a penlight for medical use, then it is important that you regularly clean your penlight anyway as many germs can get caught on the surface, so why not use the battery changing time to your own advantage.

How long does the battery life last?

Once you have changed the battery of your medical penlight, you may wonder how much battery life you will get out of it. This really depends on the model, but for most you can usually expect to get around three continuous hours of life.