Freak369's Full Review: Basic Fun Pez Peter Clown Flashlight Mini Keychain
I don't remember where I got my Pez flashlight keychain but I do know that it made the cross country trek with me when we moved. Being someone that has a 'thing' for Pez this was something that I knew I would eventually get. It looks a lot like a regular Pez dispenser but it has a thicker stem and is overall a tad bigger than a regular sized Pez dispenser. It is a very well made, solid and slightly heavy product that is officially licensed by Pez and made by the Basic Fun Company. This makes for a great gift for anyone that is into Pez, collects key chains, is into clowns or likes to have a small flash light with them. The best part, the battery can be replaced so you don't have to buy a new one when the battery dies.
Basic Fun Pez Peter Clown Flashlight Mini Keychain
As I said, this looks almost identical to a regular Pez dispenser but it is a little chunkier. The stem houses a AAA battery that can be replaced when it starts to dim. Flip back the clown head and you will see the bulb port; you aren't getting a ton of light from this but it is enough to keep you from fumbling with your keys in the middle of the night. Push the button on the side of the flashlight to release the latch for the clown head, if you just flip it back you will wear out the spring and it will flop open at will. I learned that the hard way. The head does snap back into the locked position and stays there.
Basic Fun touts this as a key chain, that is a bit of a stretch because of the size of it and the weight that it as. It does come with a super strong metal linking and snap open key holder so you can attach it to something. I had this on the outside of my backpack for a while but it would get banged into things so I attached it to the inside pocket near the key ring loop. I can still get to it when I need it but it isn’t exposed to the elements or smacked into things. I fully expected Peter's yellow hair fluffs to get broken but so far they are still attached and haven't gotten chipped.
One of the nicest things about this is the battery door. It has the recessed screw safety hole to it so kids can't 'accidentally' open it but you do have to have a small eyeglass size screwdriver to get it open. The first time I replaced it I had to laugh because it was an el cheapo battery inside but it lasted about two years with moderate use. This is a nice thing to have if you need to get a key into a keyhole or have dropped something in your vehicle but it isn't as strong as a regular flashlight. It is durable and rugged, its been bumped around on my backpack and I am sure it gets a lot of bouncing around inside it even though it is hung from the key loop. The only thing that has broke on it is the small yellow plastic Basic Fun tag that was attached to the metal linking. I wasn't all that fond of it to start with so it wasn't a big deal when it cracked and broke off.
Since it has been years since I bought mine and I can't honestly recall how much I paid for it, I had to look online for prices. Needless to say, I know I didn't pay ten dollars for this so when I saw a specialty site selling this for that amount I did laugh out loud. It is nice and well made but there is no way I would pay more than five dollars for it. The average selling price was about that but most were in the $5.50 to $6.00 range. Considering how long mine has lasted and how much it has been put through it is something that will last a long time so if you spend a little more on it you won't have to worry about it falling apart or breaking any time soon.
The Bottom Line
If you are a Pez collector, love clowns or just want something a little strange or retro on your key chain this is a great thing to look for. I have seen it sold at larger candy stores that sell other Pez products so you don't have to order it online because it is sold in stores. Peter the official Pez clown hasn't changed much over the years; this version of him still has the Pez logo on his cap [done up in a Pez candy design of course], big red nose and huge grin. Being someone that thinks Pez is one of the coolest candies out there, this is something that always makes me smile when I use it. I love knowing that it is something that is dependable and will work when I need it to but the kid in me cracks a smile at all the Pez related memories it evokes.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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