Husky LED Lights Review
This review was created as part of a paid affiliate program with the Home Depot.
My first order of business with this and every product review is a disclaimer: I am not an expert… anything really. I am a farmer and a fine furniture maker. When it comes to working on cars, construction, framing, electrical and renovation, I’m a DIYer and weekend warrior. My goal in reviewing tools and products is to provide honest feedback based on my own use and experience with these tools to other regular folks like me- wanting to get their hands dirty, try new things, and get the best value for their hard earned dollars.
Ok let’s talk lights: The Husky 200 Lumen LED Magnetic Clip Light $9.97, The 200 Lumen LED Magnetic Hook Light $9.97 (I like to call it a puck light), and the Husky 300 Lumen LED Dual Beam Aluminum Headlight $14.97.
I’ll be honest, at first glance, I made a snap judgment that these lights were just going to be another thing knocking around in the bottom of a drawer somewhere, but I tossed them in my work bag to put them to the test and was shocked at just how often they’ve come in handy. As I’ve mentioned many times, I spend a lot of time working around the farm where there are no power cords. I also have a bad habit of working really late at night, so extra light is usually a huge plus. I have and love the 18v Milwaukee work light, but it doesn’t fit in my work bag and can’t sneak into tight spots for directional lighting.
It’s important to remember that, especially with tools, you get what you pay for, and Husky definitely does appeal far more to the homeowner and the contractor looking for a good deal than to those making lifetime tool investments, but I really appreciate that Husky backs up their brand with solid warranty and replacement plans. While Husky tools had a noticeable dip in quality several years ago, the brand has made a lot of strides over the past two years to really kick up their product lines and production standards, so if you haven’t used any of their recent tools, I think they are definitely worth a second look.
These little Husky lights are compact, bright, and have a decent battery life considering the amount of light they are putting out. The magnetic puck clicks onto car hoods, hangs on nails, and provides great directional lighting in tight spaces. The magnetic clip light has a little pull-out stand, and can be set on the floor and angled directly at the area you need to light up. Though I hate wearing headlamps, it’s often the only option when climbing around in rafters, something I’ve been spending quite a bit of time doing lately. The headlamp is comfortable, has four modes- spot, flood, both, and a flashing red light. The incorporation of the reflective backing on the battery pack expands the useability of this light outside the jobsite to biking, hiking, or camping. The lights all have rubber casing, with the intention of giving added protection for drops. The clip lights have Phillips head screws on the battery pack, and while I hate having to grab another tool to change batteries, it is nice that when the lights do get dropped or knocked over, the batteries don’t go flying in ten different directions.
Since I’m planning on keeping these little lights in my work bag, always at the ready, I went ahead and invested in some rechargeable batteries. The lights come with batteries to get you started, but they only had about a three hour run-time on those batteries. I just feel better knowing I’m not running through and disposing of a whole lot of batteries over the life of these tools.
Would I buy these tools?
These three lights have earned a long-term spot in my tool bag, because they shed much needed light in tight spaces and have a small footprint in my toolbag. For under $35, it’s a small investment with big rewards.
That magnetic puck light especially, for $10 is pure awesome. I’ve used it all over the farm, working on my old farm truck, and it now lives on the fridge in my metal shop, ready to grab whenever needed.
