But, while the torch body itself feels durable in parts - the metal surround around the led feels good - it feels quite cheap in others, especially the plastics immediately around the LED. For detailed garage work, you’ll probably want it on high, but it’ll still do three hours in that mode, and there’s a red light and a pulse setting for both white- and red- modes. So we’ve limited this product test to only rechargeable head torches that offer 200 lumens or more, but that still leaves room for a broad spread of price and performance. The Blukar rechargeable head torch has good build quality and doesn’t weigh much so you hardly notice you are wearing it. Comfort is also a big consideration, as many people want these for walking, cycling and more, so we were sure to test these out for how good they are if you plan on using them for more than just a potter around the garage.

Blukar Head Torch Rechargeable, Super Bright LED Headlamp

Low light mode is available when you first turn the head torch on. This is bright enough to read your machine’s display. On high mode, it is much brighter. You can certainly see a good distance all around. The EverBrite’s COB LED light has a motion sensor function, which allows you to turn it on or off with the swipe of a hand. The Aplos is a three-phase dimmable LED torch, and also has various strobe and flash modes. It’s similar to the Sofirn in design, with a removable, cylindrical, metal-bodied torch that can be rotated in the single strap. Our main issue is that the narrow strap doesn’t keep the torch all that stable when you’re moving around, and the run time isn’t great.A head torch is not something that all detectorists will need but for those who prefer to detect at night, whilst the rest of the world sleeps, they can be an important part of the essential toolkit. There are three light levels that can be used in both the motion sensing and standard modes. Most head torches with a motion sensing feature only let you use high level. There is also one flashing red light mode which you activate with a long press of the power button. On paper, the Lovcoyo looks really impressive. It’s waterproof, has a spotlight torch with a ‘zoom’ function that focuses the light beam, and a floodlight for a wider beam beneath the spotlight. The headband is comfortable and is fully adjustable. This head torch is also fully waterproof should you get caught out in a shower. It works surprisingly well, although we’re also glad that you can turn the function off as it could be really unhelpful in a garage situation for accidentally turning the torch off… The 350 lumen light can be dimmed, and there’s a red light, too, both of which have strobe settings.

Head Torch Rechargeable, Blukar 2000L Super Bright LED

We tested our torches for brightness, range of lighting modes and how far the beam goes in an unlit area. All in all, taking into account the low price I think this is a good value for money head torch. And to start the new year off, we are giving one of these head torches away! The Aplos also feels durable and hefty thanks to its metal body, if not as hefty and well-built as the Sofirn. Even so, with 1600 Lumen, this is one of the brightest lights we tested, and it’s a neat touch that the on-switch glows red when the battery gets low.

BEST BUY: BioLite 200 Lumen headlamp

The torch feels really well put together, too - at 50g, it’s light, and the casing feels solidly put together. It’s a shame that it’s not waterproof, but on balance of quality, comfort and a great run time, the BiolLite is the best here.