The DeWalt DPGA-3AAA LED flashlight is one of a series of DeWalt flashlights I have reviewed this year. Fitting neatly between the sizes of the DPGA-3D full-size flashlight and the pocket-sized DPGA-1AAT, the 3AAA has a number of features to make it a good choice for navigation lighting, work lighting, or even as a tactical light in a pinch.
I found the light to be very solid, and it worked without any problems throughout the past six months I have been using it. Let’s jump into the review.
General Features
Like the other DeWalt flashlights, the 3AAA uses a CREE XLamp LED. The 3AAA is rated at 80 lumens (total light output). Like other LED flashlights, the 3AAA’s light is a much whiter light than regular incandescent bulbs, which tend to be yellow. The center beam is well focused, providing a good spot across a room. The flashlight also throws a good amount of less intense light around the center focus.
The 3AAA has a very rugged anodized aluminum body with a raised grip pattern. The grip is very positive and allows the user to easily hold the flashlight in wet conditions. The flashlight head has a hex pattern, providing an anti-roll feature.
The body of the light is a flat black, with the recognizable yellow DeWalt name in the center of the body. The switch is a matching yellow.
As the 3AAA name suggests, the flashlight is powered by three “AAA” batteries.
The flashlight has a very nice lanyard that can attach to the buttcap of the flashlight.
Experiences
I used the DeWalt 3AAA for six months. During that time, I used it for navigating around the inside and outside of my home during the night. I also used it while working on my truck and on other household projects. I also carried it to the range to shoot with it. I found this light to be quite capable of handling every task I threw at it.
I found the 3AAA was bright enough for any of the jobs I outlined above. It is not as bright as the Streamlight PolyStinger LED DS or the Fenix TK40 that we tested, but both of those flashlights are much more expensive and were designed for tactical purposes. However, even for tactical purposes, the 3AAA was a good performer.
The 3AAA lights the target well in room and hall distances. The 3AAA would not be my first choice for a tactical light, however, it is bright and handy enough to be used as one. As the 3AAA is relatively inexpensive, you could have several of these lights placed in various locations such as your nightstand, glove box, and bail-out bag.
Run time was very good, with only two sets of AAA batteries providing the power for half a year of service.
Final Thoughts
The DeWalt 3AAA flashlight is a handy LED flashlight that is durable, bright, and inexpensive. It makes a very good utility light and a good secondary tactical light. If you need a quality light for general use, you would be well served by the 3AAA flashlight.
Editor’s Note: DeWalt no longer makes this flashlight. For its time, it was pretty advanced, and even on par with many of the offerings from brands like Streamlight. I wish DeWalt had continued expanding its flashlight line, but I also understand why they did not.
Last update: July 30, 2021.