Varta Dynamo Light - Wind up Torch
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Hand-powered LED torch.
UK price: £11.99
Pros: No batteries ever needed, rugged unit, strong LED light
Cons: Expensive initial cost
Verdict: Brilliant tool… and good for the environment
Rating: 
Available from: Amazon.co.uk
Product Review
I’ve got torches dotted all round the house, car and sheds… and none of them work. Once the batteries go that’s it, I never get round to sorting them out.
But this new Dynamo Light from Varta solves that perennial problem at a stroke - or about a minute’s worth of stroking to be exact. You simply wind the attached handle to charge the torch. It’s not hard work but you obviously feel a little like a dork if you are in a public place.
About a minute’s winding gives 30 minutes light. There’s no need to buy batteries - and no need to dispose of them afterwards.
Varta are so confident about this new torch they supplied 4,500 of them to the race marshals standing around the muddy forests of the latest Wales Rally GB, the UK’s round of the world rally championship. It saved an estimated 36,000 batteries being used and ending up in landfill sites.
It’s about the size of an electric razor but much lighter. There’s a big on/off button and a fold-out handle on the back. A light shows when you are charging it up. The torch job is done by three LEDs, which are plenty bright enough for most travellers’ applications like camping, boating or trekking. It would be ideal to keep in your car glovebox for emergencies too.
It’s a stiff initial expense - although I’ve seen it as cheap as £11 online. I’m told that when Varta finally get their website working properly the Varta Dynamo Light will just cost £10 direct from them. But even at the full price now, it’s a really worthwhile long-term investment. There are rivals out there but I haven’t seen one as sturdy and as bright as this.
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I think this is a great review of the product :) Makes me want to buy it now