This little delightful torch is clearly designed for children. That is the obvious target group of the manufacturers and their marketing people. The design and the price make that clear and parents are unlikely to find anything negative about the item. However, it is a torch and does what a torch is supposed to do (how well, I will touch upon shortly) and therefore regardless of what age you might be, this is an item you may wish to consider if you are looking for a torch. There are solid reasons why you may find this to be the right choice out of the plethora of torches on the market.

The Cow Dynamo Torch is designed in the shape of (you guessed it) a cow. The cow has got its mouth wide open from whence emerges the light. Children are bound to love that. What is more, it is a feature that is abuse-proof. There is no battery to run down. If you are more ornithologically inclined, there is a 'Penguin' version available. The Cow Dynamo Torch is small measuring a touch over 10 cm (4 inches) long and light. It is, in that way, accessible to young and old, healthy and infirm.

__No; Not Wind Up__
The manufacturers market it as a wind-up torch, something that is puzzling because it is not. Instead of the traditional winding action on similar torches, this one uses a pump action which is, in fact, a lot easier to do and, in my view, less tedious. There is a small handle on the side that you squeeze and release repeatedly to charge the inbuilt battery. The bulb (that can't be replaced) is LED type and gives a surprisingly bright beam. It is bright enough to allow you to see adequately in total darkness.

__Emergency Light__
For me, this type of torch makes more sense as an emergency light to keep in one's bedside cupboard or the glove compartment in the car. It is small enough to fit there without crowding off other items and, much more importantly, it will not give you that heart-sinking feeling of reaching for your emergency light only to find the battery died months ago. Let's face it, it is uncommon to need an emergency light and therefore the traditional torches always run this risk. With this little cow, all you need to do is give it a few squeezes and you have light. Perfect.

__Children__
As mentioned earlier, the design of the torch shows that it is aimed at children and that is a good thing. Unlike the ubiquitous 'games' the sole destination of which is that obesity magnet, the games console, this is a safe and inexpensive item that can encourage physical activities on the part of young children. Whether it is venturing into the garden in a balmy summer night or otherwise having fun outdoors or even during a camping holiday, this torch, requiring the child's physical input to facilitate light generation will make for a fun and useful companion for a child.

__It Just Works__
The Cow Dynamo Torch just does what it promises to do without a fuss. As long is you pump the little handle, light will be produced for a long enough period to deal with minor chores. If the light starts to fade, you pump again and the full beam is back on. It just works. The fact that it is available for less that £5 ought to make it an almost irresistible acquisition for most of us.