LED WORK LIGHT BUYERS GUIDE

If you’re in the market for a LED Work Light for your business or at home read this Buying Guide before making the investment.

Why Buy a LED Work Light?

LED lighting is the way of the future.  With LED technology rapidly advancing every year designs are more innovative and affordable than ever. LED work lights are now being designed for specific industries, and applications that weren’t possible before.

What You Need to Know

LED lights are more cost effective and energy efficient than incandescent, fluorescent or halogen bulbs. LEDs use 90% less energy than incandescent lights. And they produce almost no heat.

LED Lighting is durable. There are no delicate parts that can break meaning LEDs can be placed in abusive environments.

LEDs have a long life span and can last up to 100,000 hours of continuous use.

Lumens

Because LEDs are so energy efficient their brightness is measured in lumens instead of watts. The chart below will give you a better idea of how incandescent lights (the way we’re used to measuring brightness) compare to LEDs.

Features to Look For

Brightness & Adjustability

If you need a light source that provides different brightness levels look for work lights that have selectable lumen output settings.  For example a light may feature two different lumen output settings like 800 or 1000.

Because LED brightness can be adjusted look for work lights that have a wide range of brightness settings i.e. 2000 lumen to 10,000 lumen.  This way the light can be set for the proper amount of brightness needed depending on the work environment.

Power Source - Corded or Cordless

LEDs can work on both AC and DC power.  As a result, many LED work lights are cordless and use a rechargeable battery for the power supply. Cordless LED lights are generally smaller, lighter and easy to transport.

Look for rechargeable LED work lights that use a Lithium Polymer Ion battery (Li-Poly) versus a Lithium Ion battery (Li-Ion). Li-Poly Ion batteries will provide a longer battery life and are comparatively much safer than a Li-Ion battery.

Some LED work lights offer both a corded AC power option and a rechargeable option. Usually found on LEDs with higher lumen output (8,000 +) they provide a continuous power source and the flexibility of a portable light when no AC source is available.

Waterproof, Water-resistant and Dustproof (IP Rating)

When choosing an LED work light consider the environment in which it will be used.  Dust and water are the two elements that typically cause damage to electrical equipment so look for lights that are waterproof, water-resistant and dustproof.   Waterproof and dustproof don’t always mean the same thing for all devices.  Look for the light’s Ingress Protection Rating commonly referred to as an IP rating.  For example a LED work light with an IP67 rating means it is fully protected from dust and can also withstand being submerged in about 3.3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.  Whereas a light with an IP65 rating means it is protected from dust and against low pressure spray like from a nozzle.

Other Features and Options        

Consider other features and functions that are available when choosing a work light.

Magnetic Base – is an alternative option that a mechanic may find useful so the light can be attached to the frame of the car or under the hood.

Power Bank – gives the user the option to charge other devices like a cell phone.

Bluetooth Speakers – are now an option with some work lights allowing the user to stream music along with illuminating the work area.

Tripods & Stands – are accessories that will allow work lights to be mounted at different heights giving the ability to illuminate a larger area.

Battery Level Indicator – this is a feature that shows the charge level of the battery.