I briefly reviewed the Dewalt DCL043 20V Max LED Spot Light, and Ben recently reviewed the Milwaukee M18 2354 Search Light.
In a comment to Ben’s review, Travis asks: which one do you like better?
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Uh-oh, I was hoping nobody would ask. To put it frankly – I don’t know!! Yet?
There are things I like about each. I’ve been using the Dewalt DCL043 a lot these past few months, both indoors and outside, and there are things that it does well. There are also compromises and dislikes.
True, the DCL043 offers 2 brightness settings, but what they don’t make it clear in product sell sheets is that one setting is very bright white, and the other is red. To go from white light to off you always have to go through red first. And to go from off to red, you have to go through bright white.
While it doesn’t have a perfect user interface, the DCL043 is simple to use and easy for first-time users to figure out. If I pass it to someone else to use, I don’t have to worry about them getting stuck trying to figure out different modes, brightness controls, or anything of the sort.
Some enthusiast flashlights now offer custom configurations to suit individual preferences, but I find that I have to look online if I want to relearn how to re-access secret settings and configuration processes.
The Dewalt Spot Light’s lamp head can pivot, and while I primarily use it in-hand, it’s stable when standing upright on a flat surface and also has a hanging loop.
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The Milwaukee is more versatile, thank to its flood light mode, which is as uniform and pleasing to work with as Ben described in his review.
The lamp head has a greater pivoting range, allowing for more flexibility in its operation. It carries differently, and can rest vertically on its battery pack, or horizontally.
By all means, the Milwaukee is a more versatile and flexible product.
I tend to use the Dewalt more, perhaps mostly out of convenience and habit. It has sort of become my default go-to work light, because I have not yet unpacked my others and because it’s easier to find than smaller flashlights.
The Dewalt is carried with a pistol grip, which I find makes it easier to aim and control. The Milwaukee Search Light allows for pistol-grip or briefcase carry. In briefcase-carry mode, sweeping it in an arc involves different hand and arm muscles.
The Dewalt is a quicker and more comfortable grab and go worklight. The Milwaukee is more capable.
For close-up work, I have to be careful how I aim the Dewalt spot light, often having to offset the center spot to avoid too much glare or brightness. Sure, it has 2 brightness settings, but red illumination is useless to me.
There was one time I needed the red light – when I was testing my new telescope the first and only good skies night since I bought it – and having to cycle past the bright white illumination mode was unpleasant. I had to squeeze my eyes shut and aim away every time I wanted to go from off to red. Red light is good for preserving night vision, but it’ll destroy it first. Only a big deal if you go on and off more than once.
The Milwaukee Search Light, on the other hand, while bigger and bulkier, is going to be more flexible and versatile.
Resting the Search Light on a table and aiming downwards to work under a desk or in a cabinet? I’m going to try that. Working in a computer case, without unplugging everything and moving the box, can be challenging. A headlamp by itself isn’t perfect, and flashlights resting on the floor are often difficult to aim. Larger worklights get in the way.
Grab and go? I think I’ll continue to prefer the Dewalt.
For hands-free light? I think the Milwaukee will continue to see more use.
Which should you buy if you don’t have a battery brand preference?
All I can say is this – the Milwaukee can do almost everything the Dewalt can do, but the Dewalt can’t do everything the Milwaukee can do.
Dewalt Advantages
- More comfortable in handheld “grab and go” use
- Red light mode (but you have to always cycle past it to turn the light off)
- Hanging loop
Overall, the Dewalt 20V Max spot light is a very good product.
Milwaukee Advantages
- Can be handheld vertically (not as comfortable as Dewalt’s) or horizontally (more comfortable)
- Can stand up vertically or lay down horizontally
- Flood light, spot light, and combination modes
- Strobe mode is hidden
- Lugs for a carrying strap (no strap included with bare tool)
Overall, Milwaukee’s Search Light is also a strong product, and while not perfect, it offers more.
Bare Tool Price: $78 to $80 for Dewalt, $99 for Milwaukee
Only Milwaukee offers a kit option.
Buy Now(Dewalt DCL043 via Amazon)
Buy Now(Milwaukee Bare Search Light via Acme)
Which do I like more? After another 6 months, I think I’ll be reaching for the Dewalt 5.1 times out of 10, and the Milwaukee 4.9 times out of 10.
I received both test samples at no cost, for review purposes. If I had to buy just one, it would probably be the Milwaukee for its greater capabilities.
For anyone who bought into Dewalt’s 20V Max platform exclusively, or Milwaukee’s M18 platform exclusively, I’d say that you can’t really go wrong with either. Neither are perfect, but they’re both very good.
Diamond Dave
I was interested in purchasing the Dewalt LED to add to my Dewalt arsenal but when I read the reviews the one thing that kept coming up was the fact that it was more of a spotlight than a floodlight and as you mentioned, caused a blinding glare! I already have the regular Dewalt 20v LED spot light that came in my kit. Dewalt needs to take this light back to the R&D and make the change IMO.
Lenny
I’ve had the Dewalt for about a year and love it. I have used it in confined spaces like a crawl space and under a sink and had no problems with it being too bright or too much glare. The only negative for me is the red light mode which I just don’t ever need.
Kent
It’s not more of a spotlight it is a spotlight, it’s in the name of the product. *facepalm*
Chance
I disagree that it needs to be taken back to R&D. It’s a spotlight. You don’t buy a Corvette and tell chevy to take it back to R&D because it doesn’t haul 4×8 sheets of plywood and pull your gooseneck trailer. Similarly, people buy a spotlight, well, because they need a spotlight. If you need a floodlight you buy a floodlight. Generally when using a floodlight you are illuminating a larger area so you can do work, and generally you don’t want to be holding a floodlight while you are doing said work. Therefore, DeWalt offers cordless floodlights that are very bright and run on batteries only, or batteries or 120V. They work great. So, if you need a spotlight, buy a spotlight, but if you need a floodlight, don’t buy a Corvette.
Rod Norton
The M12 Spotlight (2353-20) is probably a better apples to apples comparison against the Dewalt (Design wise but not voltage wise). I love mine…
Ryan Price
I’m curious what difference in brightness or light quality there would be between the m12 and m18.
fm2176
I have the DCL043 and love it! It is far from perfect, as I wish it had a different white light settings and a separate switch for red light, but the easy workaround for the single switch is to simply cover the lens. I press mine into my shirt when I need the red light and don’t want to ruin my night vision.
Granted, mine sees a far different use than what it was intended for. I’m a Drill Sergeant, so I like to confuse/anger new trainees during their first few nights by spotlighting those violating lights out as I conduct bay checks. They get blinded by a red light and think it’s another Private with an exceptionally bright flashlight–using language I won’t quote here– until someone notes it’s the Drill Sergeant and they scurry into their bunks. Later, during field training exercises, I use the red lens if I need to check on a patrol base and want my presence known. The white light comes in handy on nights with almost no illumination, or if hogs, coyotes, or snakes are in the area (almost always a certainty, but at least we don’t have to worry about bears light West Point Cadets do).
I’d recommend the DeWalt spotlight for any military instructor who needs a bright red lens light, especially if they also happen to enjoy working with cordless tools.
The yeti
I really like my older compact fluorescent. I might upgrade to led . But I really have no reason to .the cpl Fenix led I bought . They are nice but so bright . For taking the dogs out . Or working on something in the yard I use the CFL. If I were actively chasing after some little creep I would bring the Fenix light as it is smaller and has a long range .
casey
I have the DEWALT DCL050 20V Max LED Hand Held Area Light
and really like it. I usually want to light up and area, such as above a drop ceiling or crawl space and it does that without blinding me.
Different application I suppose but I wouldnt go back to a spot light.
It also has a hook to hang up so I can put on a truss or under the hood of the truck etc.
John Blair
I second this comment. I never need a “spot light” so much as I need an area light. I love my DCL050 and haven’t considered another light sense. I can use it in attics, under the sink, even to light up a room when the power goes off.
Rami
There seems to be two different versions of the DCL043, since my european model does not have a red light at all. It has two modes both being white light, 1000 lumens and 90 lumens.
Nathan
I see the milwaukee device as more a combination of the Dewalt DCL60 and the DCL43.
Since it has those 4 wide spread area emitters on it and the wider reflector set. Thus it’s a more capabile – more useful unit. HOwever I will say the DCL 60/61 is far more a wide area light but it has a respectable throw – it is however not ergronomic for carry – except as say a lantern.
I do love the thing though. The milwaukee is a more all rounder and if I didn’t have to consider battery flavor in my garage I’d take the milwaukee I think. But I’d want to test them side by side.
Mikal
I am knee deep in the Dewalt system but even if I wasn’t the Dewalt seems more compact and more comfortable to use.
Oleg K
Asking to compare those two lights is like asking to compare a range rover to a BMW M5 in order to finally figure out which one is better… To me, personally, it’s pretty clear that the two work lights in question are designed to serve very different purposes, it’s a conclusion that I immediately arrived to by seeing how different their shapes and functions are and the specifics their respective manufacturers mention in the product briefs.
Not even talking about the fact that they’re both kind of useless from the get go because if how way overpriced they are, they’re also way too powerful and contain a multitude of useless bells and whistles that no one will ever use. If i wanted a flashlight I’d buy a tried and true rechargeable Coast, limited to about 600-800 lumens or, if money was no object, I’d got for the aluminum Milwaukee flashlight that comes with a D2 steel blade knife as a part of a current promo. A handheld flashlight with 1000+ lumens is an overkill.
Wayne Ruffner
When I’m using a light to work on something, I don’t want to have one hand tied up in holding the thing. I can stick small lights in my mouth and that works fine. I can also drop them easily and retain them if it’s got a lanyard (most of mine do).
If I need a bigger light like one of these, I’d get the Milwaukee because it sounds like it gives more options for keeping my hands on the job.
How about Streamlight’s “Portable Scene Light”? I bet it’s expensive, but based on my experience with their LiteBoxes, I bet it works wonders too. Handheld would likely suck though.
http://www.streamlight.com/en/products/detail/index/portable-scene-light
Kent
Ridgid also came out with a full line of lights to fit most every situation. All 18v-3 panel light, wobble light and light cannon and the panel light and wobble light are hybrids so they can also be plugged in.
https://www.ridgid.com/ca/en/cordless-lights
Nathan
complete side rant – I sort of wish one of the tool companies would pair up with one of the other sport/professional light companies (coast, fenix, princeton tec, etc) and make a headlamp that uses a tool battery – remote pack connection.
IE have you’re 1.5 ah pack with a nub on it – and a belt loop/harness thing – with a detachable cord that goes to the headlamp that also snugs into a hard hat.
I keep looking at top tier headlamps with rechargeable batteries or sets of AA’s or LR___, etc. I think one uses 18650’s even. But it would be even better to use the tool batteries I already have.
firefly
Maybe it’s just me but I failed to see the need for a large spot light regardless of brand. Between my headlight and my flashlight, both of which are capable of throwing about 1000 lumens in a much smaller form factor, I just don’t see the appeal. A nice cordless area light that can also be plugged in are definitely on my wish light.
Nathan
It’s about light pattern and throw distance. If you’re an electrican and you need to check out some lines at night you might need a light that is bright and can throw out to 36 ft.
not all led flashlights will do that – and if they do they might not have a wide enough beam pattern. But hey if you had something that would run off the tool batteries you already carry – AND it provided the beam width and brightness you could use – wouldn’t you want to carry one.
I know mechanics in the hangar and line carried the streamlights or maglite this or that for years. Especially when the streamlights had the quality rechargeable ones. Today I see guys with makita lights or milwaukee and quite a few dewalt lights and the kicker is since they use the same tool battery it’s one less charger and other crap to keep up with. If I was doing line MX I’d have one.
Diamond Dave
That’s a good input as I had originally stated I thought Dewalt should take the light back to R&D and bring it back as more of a floodlight. Perhaps there are additional needs as a spotlight however the smaller 1 LED 20v light Dewalt makes throws out quite a bit of long distance light also? As stated by another above, how much concentrated light does one need in a small area? I like him use a fluorescent light for area illumination and I hope Dewalt comes out with a more “area LED light” and I believe it will do well for them.
Being involved in Security I have my favorites in my flashlights I carry with me and I have one that is excellent for long throw light and a smaller but brighter “area illumination” when I want to light up the complete enclosed area.
The yeti
I think what has happened . Is tactical lights . Are very bright . And popular . So now we have this strange race to a million lumens . Only problem is like u . I only need a few hundred 99 percent of the time . To be honest a wide angle lense and reflector is worth more than the extra bright light . Especially when the bright ones only seem to cover a small area
firefly
I totally agree with you. That’s why I have the Nitecore Srt7. I think it’s the best flashlight around :)))). It took me awhile to find the perfect flashlight. It’s also the flashlight that got me to move the 18650 battery platform.
So why is this flashlight so amazing that I have to rav about it. Nitecore have a series call the smart ring that the Srt7 belong to. It allow the users to dial to the exact brightness that they need. This is huge because most flashlight have mode that users have to flip through. I hate those. Plus with the smart ring I can adjust the brightness and/or mode while the light is off. That mean if I want red light. I can switch it to redlight mode while the light is off. It’s the most intuitive interface that I ever found on a flashlight, bar none.
As far as lumens, the more the better I would say as long as I can turn it down when it need to and the Srt7 allow me to do exactly just that. In door, having too much lumen is a bad thing though as I get older I do find myself needing more lights. Once outdoor thought, I quickly appreciate what a 1000 lumen light can do. Can I get by with a 300 lumen flashlight outdoor? Most likely but it’s just sooo much nicer with more lumens.
As far as build quality and reflector, I think most of us would be happy with any of the major brand out there, Nitecore, Fenix, Surefire to name a few. I would highlight recommend going with a reputable brand because the build quality and reflector do make a big different.
firefly
I don’t know if the light pattern and throw distance is a concern at 36ft. Any decent tactical flashlight at the $100 price range should have no problem throwing a beam up to 300ft. I personally tested mine out and at 36ft I have about a 3 ft hotspot. I can also make out most stuff outside of the hot spot.
I see your argument about already having the battery though I think tool battery in general are much inferior form factor in comparison to the 18650 battery when it come to mobile flashlight. Would you want to carry the DCL043 around as your primary flashlight? My point is if somebody is spending $100 for a spot light wouldn’t they want something that they can also use daily. I understand that it’s another battery platform that you have to deal with. I have the hardest time making the switch from AA to 18650 for that reason. But once I switch I hasn’t look back. There are just so many option for amazing flashlight for that platform and for good reason. It’s large enough to provide reasonable power and runtime yet small enough for everyday carry. Good 18650 cells are also a lot cheaper in comparison to tool battery.
Now if it’s a flood light or area light that isn’t mean to be carry around constantly then I would agree with you.
Kevin
Having both the milwaukee and dewalt lights above mentioned, love both for different uses. Milwaukee is currently using better quality led emitters, e.g. better quality light. They call it true view. Much more like an incandescent but still very efficient. Try the little m12. 49-24-0146. It does lots of things well, just not as well as purpose builts do. Lasts5 or 6 hours on the little stick battery, lightweight smalI and convenient. Can also use pod batteries for more life.
Edward Laughlin
I have found that I do not have to cycle thru the red lite to turn this lite off. Just pull back on the switch and hold it in till lite goes off. I learned this by try and error
Stuart
Thank you, I will have to try that!