This is the Bosch GLI VariLED, an LED worklight that can be used with their 18V or 14.4V Li-ion battery packs. It’s slim and has a neat feature that I think would be particularly useful. Too bad it’s only for sale overseas, and isn’t available in the USA (yet?).
The relatively new LED worklight features a pivoting base that allows users to angle the light to where they need it. Bosch says that the light has 8 settable lightning angles, which means there are likely hard stops to prevent the light from shifting around due to its weight. There are 3 LEDs which output 300 lux of light. Lux? Well, let’s just say it’s probably reasonably bright.
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See Also: What is a Lumen, What is Lux, and more LED Technical Stuff
Bosch also engineered the worklight with a hard rubber strap, presumably for hanging the light for better aiming.
What I found particularly noteworthy is how the spot and flood lighting modes are changed. From the looks of it, simply twist the lens. Part of the lens is optimized to focus the beam into a narrower path, the other part is optimized for spreading the beam. It seems to be a simple yet effective way to focus, or rather “focus” a beam.
I didn’t think VariLED was a good enough way to describe this, as I variable usually means variable brightness, hence the multi-spread wording of the title. Maybe vari-spread would have been okay too, but it sounds a bit funny. Not that multi-spread doesn’t, but it seemed like a real enough term to make up for the purpose of this post. Can you think of a better way to describe the functionality?
The worklight is impact resistant and said to withstand drops onto concrete from 2 meters (6-1/2 feet) high.
Runtime is ~135 minutes per 18V battery Ah, and the specs say it will run for 420 minutes when powered by an 18V 3.0Ah battery pack. That’s 140 mins/Ah. *Shrug,* power tool brands often do a bit of rounding with their math. Runtime is a little less (115 mins/Ah) if you use a 14.4V battery pack.
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Another neat part is of course how the worklight folds down into a very compact size, compared to traditional worklights and LED worklights which tend to take up a lot of space in a tool bag or box.
Price: £43
Buy Now(via Amazon UK)
Note: Amazon UK does NOT ship tools to the USA.
Bosch FL12 LED Mention
I wanted to squeeze in a mention about Bosch’s 12V LED worklight, which might actually be even better than the 18V VariLED. It’s got a magnetic base, clip, hanging hole, and is really compact. I only recently started testing it, but I’m already quite fond of it.
If you’re looking for a compact LED worklight, and bought into Bosch’s 12V cordless power tool lineup, the FL12 is a great accessory to consider buying. It’s odd how the FL12 is available in the USA, but the 18V LED worklight of similar compact and versatile spirit isn’t. Maybe that’ll change sometime.
Buy Now(FL12 via Amazon)
Not a Bosch fan? Here’s a recent look at all the LED worklights that Milwaukee is soon bringing to market in 2015 and 2016.
Hang Fire
Bosch’s 18V Lithium LED flashlights were long overdue. Now we get another while Milwaukee dumps truckloads of new tools in our laps (so it seems). While I’m happy with the Bosch 18V tools I have, they really, really need to catch up to the competition in variety and availability.
John S
I still cannot understand why so many of Bosch’s latest and greatest remains NAINA (not available in North America) for so long. The 12v jigsaw was supposed to be released in June, and whaddya know, it hasn’t 🙁
I am still happily committed to Bosch’s 12v and 18v line, but had I known that the NAINA issue would continue to be such a problem, I would have really considered Milwaukee.
Travis C
I am with you. I absolutely love my 12v lineup but the tools I could really use in addition to the basic drill/impact are NAINA. I am really in need of a cordless drywall screw gun and would absolutely purchase the 12v brushless one from Bosch but it isn’t available. I can have it for $195 shipped from Toolstop.uk store or I can just purchase the Dewalt 20v brushless screwgun for less to go with my 20v lineup.
Benjamen
I’m also still waiting for their 12V jigsaw (JS120), but I thought it was supposed to be out in July. Either way it’s the middle of August! (Menards keeps showing it online, but it’s available nowhere, I was hoping it’d show up during one of the recent 11% off weeks.)
I wouldn’t hold my breath on the 18V light being available anytime soon. It took a few years for Bosch to promise to bring the 12V Jigsaw to the US and they haven’t delivered on that.
Jeff
I myself have waited for Bosch to release their 12V rotary tool. I thought of buying it online, buy i thought that without the after sale support and service, it’d be a foolish idea.
NM
Stuart, I have a question about the FL12: how does it compare to Milwaukee’s 12v stick light in terms of color temp and CRI? I have read often on the web about how good the Bosch FL12 is but have not been able to find any commentary on or any published specs about the actual color temp and CRI.
One thing that really interests me about Milwaukee’s light is the warmer color temp and relatively high CRI. I’m wondering if the Bosch has similar specs? As I said I have not been able to find any actual information (official or not) but based on each manufacturer’s published brightness/runtime figures I suspect that the Bosch is using more efficient LEDs, which usually translates to higher color temp (more blue) and lower CRI. I hope this is not too much the case though as i would hate poor light quality to detract from what seems otherwise like a great little light.
Peter Fox
I have had the Bosch FL12 work-light for about 6 months and absolutely love it. the color temp is a bit on the cooler side but not bluish.
It is a very bright and even light, the two brightness setting are good, the run time is great 6 hours on high 12 on low with a 2AH battery (it does meet it run time spec on high).
When the battery runs two low for high it blinks a few times and drops down to low rather than just leaving you in the dark, if you turn it on with a low battery it will blink a few times before going into low to warn you that your battery is almost dead.
Last the Magnetic clip/stand is awesome, very well thought out and versatile.
The biggest down side it that it has no battery gauge (I don’t get why this is not a standard feature on every tool)
If you have the Bosch 12 volt platform you should get this light.
Otherwise I have the same complaints about Bosch being slow to release new tools. I have been waiting for the jigsaw since they released it in Europe, what the hell is taking so long???????? If Bosch did not have what I believe is the better trade off between size, power, and run time in their brush less Driver (PS32) and overall just a bit better build quality I would probably have dumped them for Milwaukee. I like Bosch better but not by much.
John S
If I was a pro I would have to say it would be hard to stay with Bosch in the 12v line with Milwaukee coming out with so many options in their 12v lineup.
Stuart
I don’t have my M12 Stick Light sample in front of me to compare (review here for the curious: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-led-stick-light-review/%3C/a%3E%29, but the FL12 light is neutral-cool. It’s bright white, without any noticeable bluish tinge to it. I can’t tell if it’s daylight, but it seems to be close, hence my calling it neutral-cool.
Milwaukee’s LEDs are somewhat warm-neutral.
I don’t have the means to determine CRI. If I can find the Stick Light and my photography color pallet thingie, I’ll do a quick color accuracy visual comparison.
Frank
About time for an 18volt LED light from Bosch. Now I just have to wait for it to make over here.
Nick
I love my 12v bosch light. The magnet is awesome.
Pablo
FL12 is awesome. I’d rather have like 5-6 of these than a big 2000 lumen light.
I mean, I have those too…but the FL12 is much more useful in most situations. Just the right amount of light, and never too blinding.
MBDE
Any word on when we can expect the PS42 in the US?
Stuart
It’s been 5 months since they were announced in Europe (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/bosch-brushless-impact-driver-wrenches-2015/%3C/a%3E%29. Still zero word as to USA availability.
john
My mate Andy The Plumber has the little LED and loves it.
Dwain (OZ Tool Talk)
That 18V vari-LED has been around for ages in other parts of the world, I think I’ve had mine 18+ months. Its a nice unit, super slim, light and practical. There’s not actually much difference in the two settings though.
I think this sort of work/room light is much more useful than a torch.
Peter
I have both and the 12V is better in all aspects besides maybe the run time..
Oleg
Stuart
I did a review of his
Bosch GLI DeciLED – https://www.bosch-professional.com/ru/ru/community/category/bosch-gli-deciled-professional-%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8C-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4-%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8F%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80-10-8-li/7051220-t/7051219#id7051219
however in Russian
if You ever need anything for Your reviews – can use
with respect
Oleg
redbarn
Ordered fine to the US for me. They took off VAT and added shipping for a price similar to the listed Amazon price in the UK.
Item Subtotal: £34.64
Postage & Packing: £10.91
Order Total: £45.55
Stuart
That’s odd. Tools and other stuff in the DIY category are usually prohibited from being shipped outside the UK and Europe.
redbarn
Received today. Ordered Saturday the 15th. It was “dispatched” Monday the 17th and arrived today. That was with the cheaper budget shipping. Good experience ordering from Amazon UK and would do it again.
The light itself comes in a compact holster and is the light to buy for the 18V batteries in comparison to the old flashlight one. However, I very much prefer the 12V LED version. Magnet, hook latch useful for positioning. More light and adjustable output. If you use both battery systems, go with the 12V light.
tool lvr
I suspect that the GLI VariLED light doesn’t meet U.S. product safety standards, therefore it cannot be sold in the U.S. That is the reason why some Bosch tools and other global tool companies cannot sell in the United States. The U.S. has the toughest safety and material standards of any country in the world. Sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes that’s a bad thing!
Martin
If you want a lot of light, get a PortaLED L-boxx case. Uses 18V and 14,4 blue batteries, consumes in the highest setting 0,7Ah with 18V packs. http://www.bosch-professional.com/gb/en/worklights-101306-ocs-c/
Nick Marques
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the FL12. I love it so much that I bought a 2nd one. You can put it absolutely anywhere and it gives off PLENTY of light.
Peter
Late to the party but the 18v light got nothing besides maybe runtime on the 12v.
On the for me most important part, light output, the FL12 is lightyears ahead.