I hear ya. At first I thought the $2 LED flashlight I got from Harbor Freight was enough, but I really like the Streamlight for the subtle stuff.
Hey, I own 8 bicycles, I am a gear freak and I believe in the right tool for the job. I have no remorse for this purchase, like I said it has already made me a stud in the eyes of She Who Must Be Obeyed, and that is worth a mountain of things I shoulda woulda coulda done ;)
I tell people that they can buy all the cheap LED lights they want for extras and lenders, but sometimes you NEED a light, and you want a light with many capabilities, and dependabilty built into it and that is why everyone needs a couple of true, high quality, (expensive) name brand lights, like Fenix (my favorite), Streamlight, and Surefire, and so on.
Maglite’s day is already old and gone, they finally adopted LEDs, but only in basic ways, they are an adequate light for housewives to buy, but not gadget, hi-tech guys, and the no name lights are not what you want to depend on when it is your ONLY light.