Most individuals work requires good lighting, whether you are doing repairs, remodeling, or new construction. This need is amplified even more in situations where detail work comes in. Without adequate lighting, you can't see the work, let alone complete your project accurately. Unfortunately, most of the places where we do this work don't have adequate lighting.This is why most contractors end up investing in work lights and the same goes for any handyman. I'm not talking about having a good flashlight here (although that's a good idea too), but rather having lights you can set in place to illuminate your work area.
To LED or Not to LED
Today we are living in the midst of a shift in technology. Just like the CFL is replacing the incandescent light bulb in the home, the LED is replacing the incandescent light bulb in other applications. While there are still a number of different work lights on the market which use incandescent, fluorescent, or halogen bulbs, they are gradually being replaced by LEDs.
Power Consumption
LEDs offer several advantages, the biggest being their lower power consumption. An LED work light producing 1600 lumens only requires 64 watts of power. That's the same amount of light that would normally be produced by a 100 watt incandescent bulb.
Long Lasting
LEDs also last much longer than any other type of light currently available. The average life-expectancy of an LED is 50,000 to 70,000 hours, much more than even CFLs can offer. Additionally, they’re virtually impervious to breakage, traditionally the bane of any work light that’s been dropped on the ground.
Unit Cost
The one disadvantage of LED work lights is cost. The initial cost of purchasing these units is still relatively high, especially when compared to incandescent and fluorescent units. However, if you look at the lifetime cost, the longer life of the LEDs makes the overall cost of the unit lower; you also don't have to worry about stocking the bulbs.
Corded vs. Cordless
Work lights probably vary more than most categories of tools that you can find. The good part is it gives you lot of different light configurations to choose from, greatly increasing the likelihood of finding a work light that will meet your specific needs. I'm a firm believer in having a variety of different work lights since it increases the chances I'll have the right light for every need.
While there are a lot of different ways in which we can categorize these lights, we're going to just split them between corded and cordless lights. If you are working in a workshop, there really is no need for a cordless light. However, if you are doing a series of repair jobs, which require you to move around the house, then having a cordless light will help you save time, by eliminating the need to run an extension cord and hooking up the light wherever you go.
LED lighting works much better for cordless work lights than other types of bulbs, simply because of their lower power consumption. The batteries last longer, allowing you to use the light without having to stop and recharge.
Other Considerations
Brightness
I used to think that there was no such thing as a light that was too bright; but then I bought a 1600 lumen headlamp as a work light. For a lot of things, that's too bright. Generally speaking, the brighter the worklight you have the better. Of course, brighter lights are usually more expensive so keep that in mind when you’re thinking about how bright a light you want to buy.
Physical Configuration
The other thing that makes a huge difference is the physical configuration of the light. Many times, you have to work in awkward places, like under a car or in a crawl space. When that happens, it can be extremely difficult to find a good place to put your light. That's part of the reason why I like to have several different work lights. At the same time, I try to buy lights which have adjustable stands, brackets, hooks or other ways for positioning them. The more variety, the more options it gives you for working.