Our In Depth Review of DeWalt DCL040 LED Work Light
Editor Rating: 4.7/5
Excellent
DeWalt DCL040 LED Work Light Review
Reviewed by: Timothy Henderson
Published on: November 30, 2018
Last modified:
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Dewalt DCL040 Review Summary:
When it comes to working with power tools, most contractors often find themselves working in low-visibility conditions. In areas that are dark or dimly-lit, a LED work light can make all the difference – it illuminates the working surface and makes life a lot easier.
Fortunately for the fans of DeWalt, but also for all those who recognize and appreciate quality power tools, the DCL040 LED Work Light is among the finest devices of this type available on the market. It’s an ergonomic torch that draws minimal power but provides bright illumination, allowing one to use it for an entire workday without having to recharge the battery.
In case you’re a professional contractor or a homeowner who often does repairing in basements or dark sheds, keep on reading – the DCL040 just might be what you were looking for.
DCL040 Specifications:
- Weight – 1 pound
- Brightness – 110 lm
- Battery – Lithium-Ion
- Head Rotation – 120°
- Runtime – 11- 25 hours
DeWalt DCL040 – The Basics
Available in a few DeWalt toolsets but also sold separately, the DCL040 provides the user with a quick and easy way to illuminate his working space. This torch is an especially excellent choice if you already own tools manufactured by this company – staying within one brand’s ecosystem is always a wise decision.
The DCL040 is a cordless pistol-grip style working light that produces 110 lumens of bright light. It comes with a rotating LED head and an over-molded rubber grip. When sitting upright, the model is very stable and doesn’t get excessively warm even when it’s working for hours on end.
Depending on the battery amp hour, this LED work light can provide illumination for up to 25 hours. When paired with a powerful 3.0 Ah 20V Max lithium-ion battery, it will produce light for the maximum of 11 hours, which is quite an impressive stat. Let’s check out all of these features more closely:
DCL040 Features
The Design
Just like all other tools manufactured by DeWalt, the DCL040 also has a design that gives it a great fit in hand. In order to prevent slippage, DeWalt has equipped this LED light with an ergonomic rubber grip, as well as with an integral hook for hands-free use.
Overall, the model is quite compact – the combination of its low weight (just 1lb) and pistol-style grip immediately removes the chances of fatigue and hand cramps. As we said, the light is very stable when it’s sitting upright, so you won’t have to worry about it getting knocked over while you’re working.
Power
Although it has 20 fewer lumens than its DLC510 cousin, this model is still quite potent and provides 110 lumens of bright light. With an efficient LED bulb that improves run-time and low heat output, this device can be used wherever and whenever. The fact that its head can be rotated for 120 degrees and locked into ten different positions is yet another benefit that comes with owning this model.
Battery
Depending on what type of cell you’re going to use (specifically its amp hour), this LED work light will provide you with illumination for the maximum duration of one whole day. This period is cut in half when using 3.0 Ah 20V Li-Ion batteries – 11 hours total.
Warranty
This tool is covered by DeWalt’s standard warranty deal of three years. The manufacturer also provides a 90-day money back guarantee and one year of free service.
Pros:
Ergonomic shape
110 lumens of lighting power
Low heat output
Head rotates for 120°
Cons:
No dimmer
Low-quality lens
Things We Liked / Didn’t Like
Things we liked about it
The number of DCL040’s advantages undoubtedly outweighs the number of its flaws. First of all, this device has a great, ergonomic shape, and holding it in hand feels very natural. Due to its rubber molding, there is no need for worrying about slippage, while the model’s good balance allows it to stay sitting upright even on vibrating surfaces.
Furthermore, the DeWalt DCL040 provides very bright lighting and is guaranteed to make a dark or dimly-lit room completely illuminated. It features a 120° pivoting head with ten different lockable positions, so it’s quite easy to find the optimal illumination angle. The model’s LED bulb produces less heat than most of your standard Xenon bulbs, which is essential when it comes to working at places with lots of flammable material lying around.
Things we didn’t like
When it comes to DCL040’s flaws, the most significant one is that it throws quite an intense beam, creating a center spot that can be hard to look at. There is no dimmer, so you’ll have to be careful not to use this LED work light on very reflective surfaces (like the table saw, for example).
Other than that, we also have to mention that the unit’s lens has been manufactured from soft plastic – it scratches very easily.
General User Impressions Of The DeWalt DCL040
Users are generally quite impressed with the lighting power and useful features of DeWalt DCL040. Most of them agree that it provides bright illumination, reducing shadows and allowing them to easily differentiate between colors. They also praise the unit’s pivoting head, saying that it extends the range of visibility and allows hands-free beam centering.
However, some users aren’t that pleased with the model’s lack of a dimmer – the beam cone is very concentrated and can hurt the eyes when the device is not used properly.
Conclusion
All in all, adding this LED work light to your toolbox brings a lot of benefits. Whether you buy it as a separate tool or inside one of DeWalt’s combo kits, the DCL040 will provide you with bright illumination and make working in dim areas a lot easier.
The model has an ergonomic shape, rotatable head, an integral hook for easier carrying, a stable base, as well as a great runtime. Moreover, it doesn’t create excessive heat and uses the same battery as all other 20V Max DeWalt power tools. Because of its qualities, it’s one of the best choices for contractors who often work in dimly-lit rooms.
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