Worklights Tested

Latest worklights brighten up the darkest garages, making DIY jobs on your car a breeze. We pick from 10 of the best

Auto Express Car Reviews

September 2010

Let there be light the next time you work on your car! Illuminating what you are doing has never been easier, thanks to the latest generation of rechargeable LED (light emitting diode) worklights.

Forget long power cables and fragile bulbs; these designs are light, bright and tough. Modern battery technology means most can shine continuously for four hours – in real terms, it could be weeks before they need topping up.

Standard bulbs tend to scatter light, but LEDs are more directional, so the lamp design can give a good spread of light without reflecting into your eyes. We charged up 10 and switched off the workshop lights to pick the best.

The Test

We counted the number of LEDs each worklight had, and rated build quality, quoted burn time, battery type, price and whether mains and 12V charge leads were included.

Brackets, hooks, stands and magnets for hands-free working also scored. We tested light output at several angles, and looked at how easy it was to position each lamp in an engine bay and under a front wing.

Verdict

The Sealey 21+5 shone through as a clear winner in this test, despite its hefty price tag. It ticked all the boxes – with an excellent spread of light and superb versatility – while the rugged finish means it will last for many years.

Draper’s Expert Rechargeable RIL27E was a close runner-up – it’s extremely robust and costs around £15 less than our champion. And although the Ring RIL2550 lacked the heavy-duty specification of the top two models, it still impresses for general work or carrying in the car for emergencies.

Top 3

Sealey 21+5 LED Cordless Rechargeable Lamp
Draper Expert Rechargeable LED RIL27E
Ring Compact Multi-Angle LED Lamp RIL2550

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3 Comments

Rip off

You can get the 60 LED rechargable inspection lamp for £9.99 from Lidl.

A handheld 27LED worklight that runs off 3 AA batteries can be bought for £4.99.

Why pay way over the odds for these ones on here?!

By scott1234 on 29 September, 2010, 7:45pm

Agree - Go to Lidl or Aldi for real bargains.

I got 2 of the 60 LED ones like in picture but in black, bought first so good went back and bought another at £9.99 each with 12v & 240v chargers included. Recently Aldi were doing same deal plus 2 other small ones with able 27/30 LED's, one doubled up as a torch also, one looked just like the one my MOT tester uses, they were only £4.99 or £5.99, remember many items from Lidl & Aldi come with a 3 year warranty. Only problem they are only there when offers are on not all the time.

By Contax on 30 September, 2010, 9:16pm

Also at Clas Ohlson - the Swede homeware megastore...

.......They have the 60 LED rechargable inspection lamp for £11.99.

Stores are starting to open across the country & its current stock so should be available to buy for some time yet.

Agree with Contax, Aldi & Lidl's are good but stock is available for limited time only. Look on their homepage under the "Special Buys" section for up coming bargains.

By scott1234 on 2 October, 2010, 12:48pm

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