Customer Reviews

Milwaukee 49-24-0146 M12 12-Volt LED Work Light

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It goes down hill from there.

I really like the the bright light & beam pattern. For me it's ideal for illuminating a small work area. The light intensity is constant right-up until the battery is depleted. Which leads into the con's.

You have no idea when the battery will die, and then you have nothing.
The magnet is not really strong enough to be useful.
IMO it's not really water resistant other than a few rain drops.

Other notes:

Mine developed a rattle after a couple days use and then the articulating head started jamming. By the time I got around to get it fixed I was a few days past the 30 day policy and would have to send it in for repairs. So I decided to disassemble it & see what's going on. Luckily it does come apart with a T10 & T9 driver. A screw had loosened and fell out of the LED head that was jamming it. No biggie but I noticed all the screws were loose. After tightening everything up it was good as new.

I was planning to get another one of these because I really like the light beam & brightness despite the other issues. However, after disassembling this thing I don't have a good feeling about it's durability and have changed my mind. Specifically, the plastic is cheap, there is a PCB inside subject to moisture and the wires going to LED head are going to chafe. As someone else mentioned, the odd are not good if you drop this thing. Given the weak magnet its going to happen.

I bought mine for $44.99 and hoped for a outstanding light. Now at $49 its definitely not worth it!

The gadget geek inside overcame reason when I saw LED and once again Milwaukee's m12 line surpassed my expectations. It's a lot for a flashlight but I think it was worth it.

The Bad

* It doesn't feel very tough in places. Especially the black plastic on the business end of the light and at the joint where you can twist to a 90 degree angle. I would take it hiking but I'd probably take extra precautions to secure it when in high places. I like the light overall but this is uncharacteristic of Milwaukee tools and bugs me enough to pull a star.

The Good

* It's LED. I didn't notice any candlepower ratings on it, which surprised me because it seems quite powerful. Definitely more powerful than a large mag-lite. Won't have to replace the bulb and you get more light for the juice.
* It's powered by m12 batteries. I've been using them for months now and have been very impressed with their longevity, ability to hold a charge over time and very rapid recharge.
* Powerful magnet. Sticks to our fridge which is more plastic than steel and usually requires more than a strongish fridge magnet to hold a piece of paper. It's not a super-lightweight flashlight so this impressed me.
* The 90 degree tilt works well in conjunction with being able to stick it to stuff.

Might as well get the negatives out of the way first on this one.
1) The price is much higher than a work light with a "regular" flashlight bulb.
2) The magnet could stand to be a little stronger - it holds fine unless the light or what it is fastened to gets bumped sideways.
3) There is no power gauge to let you know how much battery life you have.

All the rest is positive.
1) The light is bright. Almost too bright - working in a tight cabinet doing plumbing with this light, you may be wishing it were dimmer.
2) Great design with the aluminum head working as a heat sink for the LED! Aside from driving an LED with too much voltage/current, heat is the real killer. A properly designed and cooled LED light should have a life of 20,000 to 30,000 hours. Given that the "end of life" tends to be when half of a large sample reaches 70% of it's initial output, the light should still have decent light output for a very long time. After 10 or 15 minutes of use, mine is only slightly warm!
3) Smallish and easy to carry size - this will fit in a pants pocket. Try that with your 18 volt worklight :-)
4) Solid construction and quality materials. This looks like it should hold up over the long term very well.

Not only has mine earned a permanent place in my traveling tool bag, it will do double duty as the light of choice when the power goes out! When Milwaukee releases the M12 radio, that will be the other missing piece solved for power outages.

Milwaukee 49-24-0146 M12 12-Volt LED Work Light
SUPER LIGHT-SUPER BRIGHT-SUPER LONG RUN TIME. I get comment from people all the time as to how bright this light is. I have many more larger flashlights and they are not as good as this.

I have both the standard bulb and this new LED light. Was a little surprised at how much light this one produces. I also like the fact that the light is in a flood patern. Works great in both tight places and larger places were you need a fair volume of light.

This is a great light! It throws a bright, wide beam of white light without any hotspots, and is handy in the toolbox. The magnet could be stronger, and it will kill a battery in about 4 hours, but neither of those attributes bothers me in the least. It is THE solution for working in dimly lit areas.

At $50 this flashlight seems a bit expensive but it is a really good performer. I use it for work nearly everyday and I like the fact that it is very bright, compact, and rechargeable. I should emphasize that it is REALLY BRIGHT - probably brighter than other standard 18 volt flashlights. Battery life seems reasonable, I haven't timed how long it lasts yet, but certainly for several hours.

This is a nice light. I'd give it 5 stars if it was a little cheaper.

I work in lots of places as a carpenter, and I need light, low temperture lighting is important as well.
A led light is the best. The Milwaukee M12 led worked great of a couple of months. It was so bright it was the light I always reached for. But it slowly got dimmer and dimmer to a point where I never use it and will ship it out for warranty work as its almost useless. I've had other issues with my other Milwaukee tools and the service has been good, with their mail in service.
My batteries are all good, and giving a true 12v.

It lasts a long time and is a very bright flood light. I take it camping or anywhere I want serious flood light (for flashlight size anyway). Normally I keep it mounted to the inside of a steel trailer, so at night it's the first thing I go for entering the dark interior. It lights up the interior like stadium lighting. Of course, the magnet is what keeps it stuck to the steel wall of the trailer, but it could be stronger so it doesn't fall off driving on the road. The one power switch is on the same side as the magnet which makes it a bit awkward turning on/off. Otherwise, what a great light and I highly recommend it. Also have M12 right angle drill and Hackzall with extended LiIon battery--love'em all! Great kit. Good on Milwaukee. Now, if it could just make all this in America.

Great flashlight! I had the regular version of the M12 flashlight but it sucked the battery dry quickly and was always blowing out bulbs. The battery last 10 times longer and I've dropped it several times with no adverse effect.