DeWalt 1000-Lumen Rechargeable Area Light DWHT81422

When you look to the major tool manufacturers for LED work lights, most of them either run on a tool battery and some are hybrid so you can use a cord. The DeWalt 1000-Lumen Rechargeable Area Light bucks the trend in several ways. It looks good on paper, but let’s see how useful it really is.

Pros

Cordless light that doesn’t need a power tool battery
Runs while charging
Clamp, stick, stand, or hang it
IP67 rating – great for outdoor use

Cons

No charge indicator

Recommendation

Every Pro can find a use for this light and I highly recommend you get your hands on it if the lack of a charge indicator isn’t a deal-breaker for you.

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Feature Set

Key Design Features

The DeWalt 1000-Lumen Rechargeable Area Light packs a lot of versatility into its compact package. You’ll notice a robust rubber overmolding that gives it some excellent drop protection (1 meter). The system is sealed up in a way that gives it an IP67 rating. That means it’s waterproof up to a meter deep for 30 minutes.

Working around the frame, you have a variety of mounting options. The light is perfectly happy standing on its own. You can also hang it from a nail, screw, or hook; clamp it down; or use the magnets in the base to stick it on steel.

For what I use the light on, the clamp and magnets are incredibly useful features.

Power Source

I love that the DeWalt DWHT81422 doesn’t require you to have 12V Max or 20V Max batteries to operate. The battery is internal and claims to run 4.5 hours at the full 1000 lumens and 9 hours at 500 lumens. Our testing validates the claim, with 4 hours, 41 minutes of run time on high.

The charging cord that comes with the light seems like overkill at 17.5 feet long. That’s intentional since you can use the light while it’s recharging. Since sooner or later, the battery will go bad, it gives you an option to continue using it once the battery goes.

There’s a part of me that wishes it had a more universal charging port, like micro USB or something. However, this is an indoor/outdoor light and I realize the connection needs to be solid if you’re using it outside. It’s a trade-off I’ll take.

In the Field

It’s hard to overstate just how useful the DeWalt 1000-Lumen Rechargeable Area Light is. Two modes give you 1000 lumens on high and 500 lumens on low. Its output makes it a great close to medium-range option and it’s small enough to take with you in confined spaces.

There are a million ways you can put this light to use on the job site. Here are some of the ways we’ve been using it:

Clamped on a truss in an attic
Clamped to a rail on a stairway
Stuck on a breaker box
Stuck on the side of a truck
Clamped to the side of a boat
Emergency light when the power goes out
Camping light

The one downside is that there’s no charge indicator. You won’t know how much battery you have left or where you are in the charging process.

What are some of the ways you’d put it to use? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Price and Value

At $119, this isn’t a cheap DeWalt LED light, but it’s not bad at all. To get something similar, you’re looking at the cost of the light plus at least one battery and charger from anyone in the tool industry. Shifting to the outdoor market, there’s just not a lot of options anywhere near the quality and versatility of what DeWalt is offering.

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The Bottom Line

This light goes with me everywhere thanks to its versatility, output level, durability, and compact design. It’s one of those rare products that nearly every Pro can put to use in a package that I heartily recommend.