The best LED work lights
Light where the ceiling bulb can’t reach: under a bonnet, up in the loft, at the back of a cupboard. Five rechargeable work lights compared, from pocket torches to a three-headed job-site lamp.
A work light puts bright, even light exactly where the job is, and a rechargeable one goes where no extension lead will. The five here come in three shapes: freestanding floodlights that light a whole garage or campsite, a slim magnetic bar that sticks under a bonnet or inside a shed, and folding magnetic torches small enough for a toolbox. The SYLSTAR at the top sits between them: a floodlight with three heads on a magnetic base.
Brightness and run times here are the makers’ own figures, and the two pull against each other: the brightest setting drains the battery fastest, so the longer times quoted are for the dimmer modes. A magnet frees both hands on anything steel, and two of the five double as a power bank for a flat phone. Where a maker quotes IP65, that means dust-tight and protected against jets of water, so a shower of rain won’t stop it.
What matters
- Shape: a floodlight for a whole room or campsite, a bar or torch for tight spots.
- A magnet or a hook, so both hands stay free.
- Battery and run time: the makers’ longer hours are for the lower settings.
- Extras: phone charging, warm or red light, a battery gauge.
#1 of 5
Best overall
SYLSTAR 30W Rechargeable Work Light
£30–£50 Price range
A main light and two side panels that fold out or back and work on their own, so one lamp can flood a garage bay or light an engine and a wheel arch at the same time. Four magnets and a screw hole in the base hold it to a steel bench, a car body or a bracket.
What owners say: Owners say the magnets grip steel firmly, and find the adjustable angles handy in the loft and around the car.
A closer look: The main head tilts and turns right round, so it can stand on the floor and still light a ceiling or a loft hatch. A UK plug and a USB-C cable come in the box, and the power indicator shows how much charge is left before starting a job.
- SYLSTAR quotes up to 3,000 lumens
- 3 heads: a 20W main and 2 side lights
- 4400mAh, doubles as a power bank
- 4 magnets and a screw hole
- IP65 water resistance
Best for: Garage, car and loft jobs
- Style
- 3-head job-site light
- Lights in the pack
- 1
- Light modes
- 5 (main, sides or all)
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 4400mAh
- Run time (maker’s figure)
- 3–9 hours
- Magnetic
- 4 magnets
- Charges a phone
- Yes
#2 of 5
Best light bar
LETOUR Magnetic Work Light Bar, 40cm
£30–£50 Price range
A slim 40cm bar of 216 LEDs that gives an even strip of light rather than a spot, which suits the underside of a bonnet, a shed roof or the inside of a wardrobe. A magnet holds it to steel, and stick-on metal discs in the box let it cling to a cupboard or a wall as well.
What owners say: Owners like how it lights up tight spaces, and use it in sheds and even chicken coops, where the magnetic pads keep it firmly in place.
A closer look: Dimming it right down stretches the charge on a long job, and the warm white setting is softer on the eyes in a cramped loft or cupboard. Where there’s no steel for the magnet, the hook hangs it from a rafter, a nail or a tent loop.
- LETOUR quotes 4,000 lumens
- 7500mAh with a battery gauge
- White, warm white and yellow
- Stepless dimming and SOS
- Magnet, hook and stick-on discs
Best for: Even light in tight spaces
- Style
- Magnetic light bar, 40cm
- Lights in the pack
- 1
- Light modes
- 3 colours, dimmable, SOS
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 7500mAh
- Run time (maker’s figure)
- 4–8 hours
- Magnetic
- Magnet and discs
- Charges a phone
- No
#3 of 5
Most light modes
Beizkna 30W Rechargeable Work Light (2-pack)
£20–£30 Price range
Two compact floodlights with white, warm and red light, so one can light the workbench while the other flashes red behind a broken-down car. A digital display shows how much charge is left, so there’s no guessing.
What owners say: Owners find them surprisingly bright for lamps that sit in the palm of a hand, and handy for all sorts of jobs around the house and garage.
Heads up: The bright white settings run down quickest: switch to low or warm for a long job, and recharge between sessions.
A closer look: Two switches split the work: the left steps through the white and warm settings, and the right handles the red light and strobe, so the warning light is one press away. In a power cut the USB output can top up a phone from the lamp, so give both a full charge before putting them away.
- Beizkna quotes 2,000 lumens each
- 3000mAh, 5 to 9 hours
- 7 modes: white, warm and red
- Magnetic handle
- IP65, charges a phone
Best for: Workshop and roadside
- Style
- Floodlight, magnetic handle
- Lights in the pack
- 2
- Light modes
- 7 (white, warm, red)
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 3000mAh
- Run time (maker’s figure)
- 5–9 hours
- Magnetic
- Magnetic handle
- Charges a phone
- Yes
#4 of 5
Edasion 30W Rechargeable Work Light (2-pack)
£20–£30 Price range
Two freestanding floodlights for lighting up a garage, a driveway or a campsite, with just three settings to learn: high, low and SOS. Each runs on its rechargeable cells, on four AA batteries, or straight from a USB lead.
What owners say: Owners like the wide spread of light, and say each lamp tucks into a toolbox or a motorbike top box without taking over.
Heads up: Keep four AAs in the toolbox as a backup: each lamp also runs on them when its rechargeable cells are flat.
A closer look: Set one at each end of a garage or tent and together they light the space with far fewer shadows than one lamp. The SOS flash makes a handy marker at the roadside, and because they charge over USB, a power bank or a car charger can top them up away from home.
- Edasion quotes 2,000 lumens each
- About 5 hours on high, 9 on low
- 3 modes: high, low and SOS
- Rechargeable, AA or USB power
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Lighting a whole space
- Style
- Freestanding floodlight
- Lights in the pack
- 2
- Light modes
- 3 (high, low, SOS)
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- Rechargeable or 4 AA
- Run time (maker’s figure)
- 5–9 hours
- Magnetic
- No
- Charges a phone
- No
#5 of 5
Best budget
Coquimbo Rechargeable LED Work Light Torch (2-pack)
£10–£20 Price range
Two folding torches with a magnetic base and a hook, the ones to reach for under a sink, inside an engine bay or behind a washing machine. The head swivels right round, and a long press switches to a red light or a red flash.
What owners say: Owners like having two brightness levels to choose from, and say the light is strong for such small torches.
A closer look: Keep one in the car’s door pocket and the other in a kitchen drawer, so there’s always a light for a flat tyre or the fuse box. The anti-slip finish helps with oily hands, and a full charge over USB takes two to three hours.
- 2 torches in the pack
- 5 modes, with red and red flash
- Magnetic base and hook
- Head rotates 360°
- Built-in rechargeable battery
Best for: Toolbox and glovebox
- Style
- Folding magnetic torch
- Lights in the pack
- 2
- Light modes
- 5, with red
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 3.7V lithium
- Run time (maker’s figure)
- 2–3 hours on high
- Magnetic
- Base and hook
- Charges a phone
- No
How they compare
| Feature | #1SYLSTAR 30W | #2LETOUR 40cm bar | #3Beizkna 30W (2-pack) | #4Edasion 30W (2-pack) | #5Coquimbo torch (2-pack) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best light bar | Most light modes | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| Price | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range |
| Style | 3-head job-site light | Magnetic light bar, 40cm | Floodlight, magnetic handle | Freestanding floodlight | Folding magnetic torch |
| Lights in the pack | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Light modes | 5 (main, sides or all) | 3 colours, dimmable, SOS | 7 (white, warm, red) | 3 (high, low, SOS) | 5, with red |
| Battery (maker’s figure) | 4400mAh | 7500mAh | 3000mAh | Rechargeable or 4 AA | 3.7V lithium |
| Run time (maker’s figure) | 3–9 hours | 4–8 hours | 5–9 hours | 5–9 hours | 2–3 hours on high |
| Magnetic | 4 magnets | Magnet and discs | Magnetic handle | No | Base and hook |
| Charges a phone | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Best for | Garage, car and loft jobs | Even light in tight spaces | Workshop and roadside | Lighting a whole space | Toolbox and glovebox |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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