Work lights may not be the main tool you rely on for carrying out a task, but they play an integral role in your ability to properly complete them. Being able to clearly see what you’re working on helps minimize accidents, while reducing the risk of mistakes that can end up costing you in both time and money.
The best work lights will vary based on the kind of work you’re doing. Small handheld ones, such as flashlights, will do the trick for small and quick jobs you can do with one hand, although most tasks will likely require a work light that you can mount, stand, or hang somewhere on its own to free up your hands to carry out the job at hand. Some of these lights come with their own stands, so you can set them down on a flat surface, while others use clamps that let you be more creative with their placement. Many work lights, on the other hand, will incorporate a hook for hanging somewhere, while other work lights can be mounted on a tripod to give you more placement options.
How bright should the best work lights be? Again, that depends. For most household tasks, work lights with brightness levels of 500 to 800 lumens will usually suffice. For slightly bigger DIY jobs, work lights up to 2,000 lumens may be necessary. Anything brighter than that will probably not be needed for most close-up work, but may come in handy when doing carpentry, painting, or plumbing over a larger area.
These are the best work lights to illuminate your home DIY tasks.
Woods Portable Work Light
Pros
- Rugged all-metal construction
- Strong, bright halogen light
- Head can tilt up and down
Cons
- Very short power cord
- Gets very hot
Brightness: 500 lumens
Power source: Plug-in
Dimensions: 8 x 8.5 x 12 inches
This work light looks like the kind you’ll find sitting in a box somewhere in your grandpa’s attic. It just has that vintage charm. In fact, we won’t be surprised if this was a legacy design that Woods just keeps making to this day, especially since it uses a halogen light. The halogen shines a bright 500 lumens, making it ideal for use in up-close tasks, although it does get very hot, which, we’re guessing, is why they put a protective cage out front. We love the rugged all-metal construction, the self-standing design, and the convenient carry handle, as well as the light head that can tilt up and down for easily aiming the light where you need it. On the downside, it doesn’t have a power switch and comes with a very short cord, both of which just feel inconvenient.
Stanley SAT3S
Pros
- Cool fold-out design
- Works as handheld flashlight and work light
- Comes with hook and magnet for mounting
Cons
- Runtime is limited to six hours at the lowest setting
Brightness: 1,000 lumen
Power source: Rechargeable battery
Dimensions: 12 x 11.25 x 11.75 inches (with all arms folded out)
This work light can function as a handheld flashlight or a self-standing task light, making it quite the versatile addition to anyone’s toolbox. Not to mention, this thing look really cool, with an appearance resembling those space satellites you see on pictures and video clips. With the three folding panels collapsed, it can be used as a handheld flashlight with a 600-lumen beam. As a work light, though, all three arm panels are designed to fold out, such that they face the same direction as the torch light, with all four sections putting out a total of 1,000 lumens together. Even better, you can tilt those lighted areas for facing directly at whatever you’re working on. It also comes with a hook and magnets at the base, so you can stick onto ferromagnetic surfaces or hang it like an overhead light, which is our favorite way of using it. We do wish it had a longer runtime, though, because it does drain out pretty fast.
Performance Tool WV2233 LED Work Light
Pros
- Bright flood light
- Compact folding design
- Comes with nail slots for permanent surface mounting
Cons
- Power cord is a bit short at just three feet
Brightness: 3,000 lumens
Power source: Plug-in
Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 2 inches (folded size)
Does this compact work light really produce 3,000 lumens? We don’t know. Its LEDs shine awfully bright, though, so we wouldn’t be surprised if it really produces that level of illumination. It produces a flood beam that spreads out the light across a wide space, allowing it to illuminate an entire workbench pretty easily. The work light comes with a pivoting base and a 360-degree rotating head, allowing it to aim its wide beam towards any direction, while the base can also serve as a rectangular frame for hanging on hooks. There’s an integrated swivel hook you can use to hang it on beams and similar close structures, as well as nail slots on the base that you can use it nail it down for semi-permanent surface mounting. It’s also IP54-rated for dust- and water-resistance.
Maxxeon Cyclops
Pros
- Very compact size
- Can mount onto tripods
- Tilts a full 360 degrees
Cons
- Very limited battery life
- Limited water resistance
Brightness: 720 lumens
Power source: Rechargeable battery
Dimensions: 5 x 3 x 1 inches
We’ll be honest – we didn’t know what to make of this work light when we first saw it. We mean… it could pass off for a reading lamp, a baby monitor, or even a children’s toy, especially at its small size. It is, however, a functional work light that puts out 720 lumens in brightness, which it delivers in a round floodlight beam with no rings, no shadows, and no hotspots. The main light can tilt a full 360 degrees on its frame, by the way, allowing you to angle it exactly to your liking, while base comes with integrated magnets for snapping onto ferromagnetic surfaces. Alternatively, it also gets a screw-on socket for mounting onto tripods, giving you even more versatility in mounting options. We like the simple but functional design, although we do wish it had longer battery life, since it can only go a short four hours at the lowest 180-lumen setting.
GearIT COB LED Work Light
Pros
- Very bright LED light
- Dual swivel hooks and magnet for mounting
- Long 20-foot power cord
Cons
- Can’t stand on a flat surface
Brightness: 3,000 lumens
Power source: Plug-in
Dimensions: 14.6 x 3.7 inches
With many of the corded work lights we tried, we were disappointed with the short power cords, which made it necessary to carry an extension brick along. Not the case with this one, which comes with a 20-foot power cord that lets you move it around without worrying about where to plug in. We initially thought it was a folding bar light, so we were disappointed when we realized it wasn’t. It can be used handheld with a nice grip at the bottom for tasks you can do with one hand, although it doesn’t have a flat base that you can use to stand it upright. What it does, though, are two swivel hooks (one at either end), allowing you to hang it at either orientation. You can even hang it using both hooks to set it at an overhead angle. They also threw in a magnet at the back for snapping onto ferromagnetic surfaces, which we found very handy when working under the hood. It’s durable, too, with a metal and rubber construction that feels very hardy. We were confused a bit with the dual power buttons, but figured it out pretty fast.
Dewalt DCL077B
Pros
- Sturdy and water-resistant
- Versatile mounting options
- Bright daylight hue
Cons
- Doesn’t come with batteries
Brightness: 2,000 lumens
Power source: Dewalt 12V/20V MAX batteries
Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 5 inches
If you use Dewalt power tools, it’s probably a good idea to get a work light from the brand, too, so you can use your existing batteries with it. This one works with both Dewalt 12V and 20V MAX batteries, so you just plug one in from your drawer to get instant power. It has a 2,000-lumen brightness rating that’s perfect for household DIY tasks, as well as a 360-degree rotating handle for versatile hanging options. The handle can also serve as a stand for setting it down on flat surfaces. We love this work light’s day light hue, which really illuminates a space with a bright white glow, as well as the IP54 water resistance, integrated tripod socket, and the reasonably lightweight build (only 2.8 pounds). On the downside, it feels a little pricey, especially since it doesn’t come with a battery, so the primary appeal should really be for existing Dewalt users.
Ryobi P727 One+
Pros
- Great variety of mounting options
- Clever folding design
- Really good at eliminating shadows
Cons
- No batteries included
- Expensive
Brightness: 950 lumens
Power source: Ryobi 18V One+ batteries
Dimensions: 16.25 x 3.9 x 6 inches (with batteries at the base and the upper panel folded flush)
We love the design of this bar-shaped work light, which uses two light panels connected together by a hinge, each of which can be turned on together or separately. You can use it as a standard bar light that distributes the illumination vertically or you can fold down the upper section for more focused lighting. The upper panel can be folded anywhere across a 270-degree angle, so you can concentrate the light directly to any area you desire, while being very useful for eliminating shadows. It works with Ryobi’s 18V One+ batteries, which can also serve as the base for standing it on flat surfaces. However, it also comes with additional mounting options, such as a pull-out hook, hanging brackets, and even nail pegs so you get plenty of choices for how to set this thing up in your work site. With a single 4Ah battery, by the way, it can allow for a full nine hours of continuous illumination at the lower settings (around three hours at max brightness).
