Milwaukee has come out with a new M18 Rocket Tower LED worklight and charger.
This is a second-generation update of their 2016 model, and features quite a few improvements. It’s brighter, has more charging capabilities, and there’s also a new carrying bag.
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To start, Milwaukee has doubled the brightness of their M18 Tower worklight and charger. It looks like this was accomplished by making each LED light head larger, but it’s possible the LED emitters are also brighter.
There are 3 output settings, with 6,000 lumens at maximum brightness.
The M18 Rocket Tower light/charger has a covered AC port, compatible with standard 3-prong extension cords – for powering its on-board M18 battery charger.
Of course, the AC plug also means that the Milwaukee M18 Tower light can be powered by battery or AC power.
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And, there is also a new USB charging port, for recharging your smartphone and other personal electronic devices.
There is also a new carrying bag.
This zippered soft-style carrying bag will be included in the M18 Rocket Tower light/charger kit (2136-21), and will also be available separately (42-55-2137).
It looks like Milwaukee has also beefed-up the base unit and tripod leg deployment mechanism.
Milwaukee has undoubtedly drawn upon several years of M18 Rocket Tower LED worklight field use and consumer feedback to make this new model even better than its hugely popular predecessors.
Milwaukee boasts that their newest M18 Tower worklight towers above the rest with 2X the light output, and it does look to be the most sophisticated tripod-style worklight on the market today.
Features & Specifications
- Powered by M18 battery or AC cord
- 3 multi-direction pivoting light heads
- 3 brightness modes
- 6000, 3200, 1700 lumens
- Runtime
- 3.5, 5, 10 hours
- Built-in M18 charger
- USB charging port
- Weighs 21 lbs without battery
- 40″ tall when closed
- Can be extended from 4′ to 7′
- TrueView high definition light (what’s this?)
The kit, (2136-21) comes with an 8Ah battery and carrying bag. A bare tool (2136-20) will also be available, and the carrying bag will also be a separate accessory (42-55-2137).
The carrying bag will presumably be compatible with Milwaukee’s other M18 Rocket Tower LED worklights.
Price: $399 for the bare tool, $599 for the kit
ETA: October 2020
Buy Now: Kit via Tool Nut
Buy Now: Bare Tool via Tool Nut
Compare: Gen 1 via Acme Tools
Compare: Gen 1 via Home Depot
Discussion
At the time of this posting, Home Depot has the first-generation model at $239, but Acme Tools and other Milwaukee dealers still have it at $399.
So, let me get this straight. The Gen 1 model was regularly priced at $399. The new model is 2X brighter (6000 lumens vs 3000 lumens), has a built-in USB charging port, looks to have a more robust tripod leg deployment mechanism, and benefits from several years of field research, and without costing a penny more?
With an October 2020 ETA, that means the new model should start shipping any day now.
This should also mean that we’ll see the first-gen model discounted, as Home Depot seems to be doing right now. If you don’t want the newer features or added brightness, $239 for the original Rocket Tower LED worklight and charger seems like a great deal.
This new version will be $399 for the bare tool, and $599 for an 8Ah battery and carrying case.
We don’t know how much the carrying case will cost by itself, but the M18 8Ah High Output battery typically sells for $169 by itself.
The kit doesn’t come with a separate charger, because the light itself has M18 charging capabilities, you just need a standard 3-prong extension cord.
More brightness, and more features. Sounds good to me!
Have you used Milwaukee’s M18 Rocket Tower tripod LED worklights before? How likely are you to upgrade to this one?
Jason
I have the original Rocket tower light (the one that was discontinued because it didn’t fit the largest batteries) and absolutely love it – it has been to hell and back and works great.
Can’t wait to get this newest version so that I can plug it in when needed – that’s the only thing that I wish I could do with mine.
Great light and so useful for almost any project or jobsite!
Tom D
You know you can call Milwaukee and they’re send you an updated Rocket light that fits the new battery? If you wait a while you might luck out and get this new version!
Chris
They don’t send you the whole light, They send a new extended base with directions on how to swap them out.
Still nice, but not a new light.
Tom D
Aww, that’s too bad, I know on the Vacuum they sent a whole new one.
Jason
oh man I have the old Vacuum too! I better call for both!
Daolee hang
Yep, I did what Tom said and Milwaukee did not send me a new rocket but sent me back with a bottom that fits my 12.0s now. Pretty cool deal.
Rigard C.
I have a second gen 2135 with charger and pivoting heads, which I’m using often when working outside at night. Sometimes I wish it would be an extra 1000 lumens brighter, even though it is bright enough for all my needs, as I can always bring it closer to me. Now, this third gen is double of my 3k and I think that I will invest in it a year or two from now, so by setting two of them on my backyard they will fill the whole area when needed. Or maybe if I can sell mine for a good price, I’ll buy this one now.
Tom D
As an aside I’ve noticed that the Milwaukee Quik-Lok polesaw setup seems to be backordered or out of stock everywhere normal; I wonder if a refresh is around the corner.
Stuart
Could be a seasonal effect – it’s fall cleanup time for most regions.
Slug
I bought one recently on clearance for $99. Makes me think either there’s a new one on the way or they’re phasing it out for some reason.
TimL
I have the DeWalt bazooka light, but that electrical plug makes me jealous.
S
I wish they would list the color of the light (K). I’ve wanted to try these out for some photography setups, but have never found Kelvin ratings for any of their lights.
Jim Felt
Either invest in a Sekonic Kelvin meter or even a Kelvin reading App for your iPhone. (I dunno about Android).
But Stuart just posted above the Kelvin number and the CRI via Milwaukee so for this lamp.
Otherwise just plan on a bit post time on PS, Capture One or LR correcting everything. Groan.
Stuart
Milwaukee’s TrueView LED products were described as 4000K and 85 CRI, but it’s unknown as to whether this changed in the 6 years since I talked with them about this.
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-led-trueview/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
White balancing isn’t the biggest concern, in my opinion, as that can be compensated for in-camera or with any image processing software. It’s the shadows and harshness that will cause problems, and you cannot easily fix that in post processing.
Even if you knew the approximate color temperature, you might then use bounce lighting, and the color temp will change.
Koko The Talking Ape
Yep, white balance (or color temp) can be fixed, but color accuracy is more complicated.
If I were S, I wouldn’t use these for photography. I would use actual photo lights.
I happened to be shopping for one, and here’s one at B&W, 96 CRI (about as high as it comes), selectable color temp, continuously dimmable, for $189. It can produce 5000 lux at 3 ft., but that’s complicated to convert to lumens. If it helps, it consumes up to 60 watts, making it similar in output to a 300 watt incandescent. It doesn’t come with a stand, but they aren’t expensive and they are standardized, so you get a choice of clamp mounts, poles, etc.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1367506-REG/dracast_drbrplf600b_boltray_600_plus_led.html/
Gregg
I have the first GEN Milwaukee tower light. I really wish they would put a retractable cord inside of it like they do vacuum cleaners. Maybe mount it right above where the battery goes. I talked to a Milwaukee rep last year about it he thought it was a good idea. I know the specific reason you by this is that it’s battery power. Just an idea
John
Hard disagree! The light is so heavy already, I would absolutely not want to carry around additional weight of a cord built into the unit. I likely would not even need it most of the time because I didn’t plan to plug it in, or I need a different length than the built-in cord is anyway.
Stuart
Added weight, added cost, added size, and one more thing that could break, especially in dusty and dirty jobsite environments.
Frank D
Our old favorite little home vacs had a rectractable power cord.
Guess what was the first thing to fail?
The spring for retracting the cord …
Slug
I have one of the oldest rocket lights, that can’t fit the 12.0. TIL Milwaukee will fix that for me which is really amazing. I’ll say this though: I can’t imagine needing more brightness. In fact, I wish it had just one more setting lower than the existing 3. And I can’t see a good need for a carrying bag as this thing is such an easy carry to begin with. Corded option is nice, but I have that on my M12 rocket. So I wouldn’t buy one but it’s nice to see they’re moving forward in development. I’d LOVE to see a corded option on something other than just lights in the future.
King duck
Agreed the only thing I do is put an old motorcycle helmet draw bag over the top to protect the lenses from dust
Clarebce Daigle
I’m too happy with my last gen rocket light. If I need a second light in the future and I can’t find one of mine then I will get this newer light.
alan
I love my rocket light but I hope they improved the casing
The casing that came with mine – literally is like 1/8″ of free space. U really need to put the light into the entry and pull, shove, pull, shove to slip the very snug fit case on it. I’ve opted to just put a cloth bag around the head when in transport to minimize any scratching as the case is a PITA.