The best head torches
Hands-free light for lofts, fuse boxes, punctures and dog walks: the head torches that are bright, comfortable and rechargeable.
A good head torch is one of those things you don’t think about until you need both hands: the loft, the fuse box, a puncture on a dark lane or the evening dog walk. Most people are best served by a rechargeable one with a spot and flood beam and a red light.
What matters
- Rechargeable (ideally USB-C) saves a fortune in batteries.
- Ignore huge lumen claims on budget torches; judge them on real beam and runtime.
- Spot plus flood beams cover both distance and close-up jobs.
- A red light keeps your night vision and doesn’t dazzle others.
Best overall
#1 of 5
9.1/10
Blukar Rechargeable Head Torch (2-pack)
£17.99 RRP · for two
Wave a hand to switch it on: exactly what you want when you’re holding a fuse box cover or a muddy lead. Two in a pack for less than most single torches.
- Spot and flood beams
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- Red light mode
- USB-C charging
- Showerproof (IPX5)
What owners say: Owners rave about how bright they are for the price, and the wave-on sensor is a hit when your hands are full.
Heads up: On full brightness expect a few hours per charge, not the 30 on the box. A 2026 Gen 2 is out, but it costs more and has far fewer reviews so far.
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A closer look: Tilt the lamp down so the beam lands on your hands rather than straight ahead, and long-press the button to dim it when full power is more than the job needs. Red mode keeps night vision intact and won’t dazzle anyone you’re talking to. After a sweaty walk, the headband comes off the lamp and can go in the wash.
Best for: Most people: dog walks, camping, jobs in the loft
- Torches in the box
- 2
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Red light
- Yes
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- Yes
- Water resistance
- Showerproof (IPX5)
- Runtime
- A few hours on full brightness
Runner-up
#2 of 5
9.0/10
Lepro Rechargeable Head Torch (2-pack)
£18.99 RRP · for two
Light at 75g, with a separate button for the red light, so you don’t dazzle everyone round the campfire.
- 4 white modes + red
- Separate red light button
- USB-C charging
- 75g
- Rain-resistant (IPX4)
What owners say: Stays bright for hours, comfortable to wear, and a favourite for winter dog walks.
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A closer look: With two in the pack, one can hang by the back door for bin runs and power cuts while the other lives in the car or the camping box. Tilt the lamp down by up to 45 degrees for reading a map or cooking at the campsite, and stick to the low setting on long nights, as that’s where the 30-hour runtime comes from.
Best for: Runners and walkers who want red light at a press
- Torches in the box
- 2
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Red light
- Yes, on its own button
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- No
- Water resistance
- Rain-resistant (IPX4)
- Runtime
- Up to 30 hrs on low
Best premium
#3 of 5
8.9/10
Ledlenser H8R Rechargeable Head Torch
£109.95 RRP · brand price
Ledlenser is a German torch specialist, and it shows: a genuine 600 lumens and a twist-to-focus beam that goes from floodlight to spotlight.
- 600 lumens
- Twist to focus, spot to flood
- 150m beam
- Red rear safety light
- Up to 7-year warranty
What owners say: Super bright and comfortable, and it lasts a full working day, which is why tradespeople love it.
Heads up: A full charge takes about six hours, so top it up the night before.
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A closer look: Charging is by Micro USB rather than USB-C, so keep a suitable cable with it, and press the rubber flap firmly shut afterwards to keep rain and dust out of the port. Short of time? Three hours on the charger gets it to around 80%, plenty for an evening under a car bonnet or a walk home along an unlit lane.
Best for: Serious walkers and anyone who needs a long, focused beam
- Torches in the box
- 1
- Power
- Rechargeable (Micro-USB)
- Red light
- Rear safety light
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- No
- Water resistance
- Dust and splash resistant (IP54)
- Runtime
- Up to 120 hrs (lowest)
#4 of 5
8.8/10
Everbeam H6 Pro Head Torch
£15–£40 Price range
A single rechargeable torch with a wave sensor and a tested 126m beam, with a long track record behind it.
- 650 lumens
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- Red light mode
- Rechargeable 1200mAh
- Weatherproof (IPX4)
What owners say: Excellent brightness and the hands-free switch is loved, especially by runners and country walkers.
Heads up: On high it runs for about two and a half hours, so keep it on the lower setting for long walks.
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A closer look: Sensor mode has to be switched on before the wave control works, and your hand needs to pass within about 10cm of the lamp, which helps when your gloves are muddy or you’re holding a lead. A travel case comes in the box, and the red light runs for up to 20 hours without startling the wildlife on an evening walk.
Best for: A bright single torch that switches on with a wave
- Torches in the box
- 1
- Power
- Rechargeable
- Red light
- Yes
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- Yes
- Water resistance
- Rain-resistant (IPX4)
- Runtime
- 6.5 hrs normal, 2.5 hrs on high
Best budget
#5 of 5
8.7/10
Gritin LED Head Torch (2-pack)
£11.99 RRP · for two
Simple, light and reliable, with batteries in the box, so it’s ready to go straight out of the wrapping paper.
- Wide, even COB beam
- 3 modes
- 86g
- 6 AAA batteries included
- Tilting lamp
What owners say: Good quality for the money, bright enough for the job and comfortable to wear.
Heads up: Runs on AAA batteries rather than charging by USB.
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A closer look: Expect a wide, soft beam that reaches up to 30m, which makes it best close to home: rummaging in the loft, changing a tyre or checking on the chickens, rather than fell running. Keep one of the pair in the glovebox for breakdowns, where the strobe mode doubles as a warning signal, and switch to low when full brightness isn’t needed.
Best for: Kids, power cuts and the camping box
- Torches in the box
- 2
- Power
- AAA batteries (included)
- Red light
- No
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- No
- Water resistance
- Water-resistant
- Runtime
- –
How they compare
| Feature | #1Blukar 2-packBest overall | #2Lepro 2-packRunner-up | #3Ledlenser H8RBest premium | #4Everbeam H6 Pro | #5Gritin 2-packBest budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | £17.99 RRP | £18.99 RRP | £109.95 RRP | ££ £15–£40 | £11.99 RRP |
| Torches in the box | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Power | Rechargeable (USB-C) | Rechargeable (USB-C) | Rechargeable (Micro-USB) | Rechargeable | AAA batteries (included) |
| Red light | Yes | Yes, on its own button | Rear safety light | Yes | No |
| Wave-to-switch sensor | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Water resistance | Showerproof (IPX5) | Rain-resistant (IPX4) | Dust and splash resistant (IP54) | Rain-resistant (IPX4) | Water-resistant |
| Runtime | A few hours on full brightness | Up to 30 hrs on low | Up to 120 hrs (lowest) | 6.5 hrs normal, 2.5 hrs on high | – |
| Best for | Most people: dog walks, camping, jobs in the loft | Runners and walkers who want red light at a press | Serious walkers and anyone who needs a long, focused beam | A bright single torch that switches on with a wave | Kids, power cuts and the camping box |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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