Last year, Bosch came out with an 18V compact folding LED worklight that was somewhat of a scaled-up version of their awesome FL12 12V Max-sized worklight (currently $45 via Amazon).
Good news – it’s now coming to the USA too, as the GLI18V-420.
The new Bosch LED worklight can deliver up to 420 lumens of light, and can run for up to 13.5 hours on a 6Ah battery pack. It has a focusing knob for adjusting beam angle, from spot to floodlight, depending on what the situation calls for.
There is a “9 position bracket,” for adjusting the angle of the lamp head, and a hard rubber mounting strap.
Price: $49 (bare tool)
First Thoughts
I like the idea of the adjustable focus, although I think I would rather see adjustable illumination settings. Or, specifically, I would want to be able to dim the light. Sometimes a wide angle floodlight is still too bright for close-up work. Perhaps that’s not the case with this light.
I LOVE the Bosch FL12 LED worklight that I’ve had for sometime now. It’s small, bright, adjustable, and has a multitude of mounting options. I also love the FL12’s magnetic backing.
But there are upsides to this version. For one, I think it’ll pair well with Bosch’s wireless charging system. This is one of few tools outside of their drills and drivers that can be easily paired with the wireless charger without having to first remove the battery.
I think $49 is a good target price for what looks to be a very versatile worklight.
Look at that beefy heatsink! Bosch also says this unit is jobsite ready thanks to a tough exterior housing.