Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Makita ML005G 40V max XGT LED Work Light vs DeWalt DCL043 20V MAX LED Pivoting Work Light
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Work Lights: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The ML005G is the only light in this group that pairs each brightness setting with a runtime, which is the pairing that makes a lumen figure mean something. The DCL043 is a spotlight rather than an area light, and at 1.75 lbs it reaches into places the Makita can only shine towards.
Makita ML005G 40V max XGT LED Work Light
Buy itThe only light here that tells you how long each brightness setting lasts, and it runs on AC as well as battery.
- 3,600 / 1,800 / 900 lumens paired with 3.5 / 7.5 / 15 hour runtimes, the only published runtime figures in this group.
- AC adapter included, so it works plugged in when the job outlasts the battery.
- Runs on both 40V max XGT and 18V LXT packs, which is unusual across two platforms.
- Adapts to a tripod and folds from 16-5/8 in. tall to 11-5/8 in. for transport.
- 12.5 lbs with a battery, second heaviest here and not a tool you hold.
- No ingress protection rating published, so how it handles rain is not stated.
- Peak output is 1,400 lumens below the DeWalt DCL074.
DeWalt DCL043 20V MAX LED Pivoting Work Light
Buy itA 1,500 lumen handheld spotlight with a pivoting head at 1.75 lbs, built to throw a beam rather than fill a room.
- 1,500 lumens on high and 500 on low, giving a genuine choice between output and runtime.
- 1.75 lbs with a pistol grip, light enough to hold and aim for long stretches.
- 90 degree pivoting head aims the beam without moving your hand.
- Four LEDs set in reflectors, which is what produces the throw DeWalt quotes at 508 yards.
- DeWalt publishes no runtime for either brightness setting.
- No ingress protection rating stated, unlike the larger DCL074.
- A focused beam is the wrong tool for lighting a work area evenly, where it produces a hot spot and dark edges.
Side by side
| Makita ML005G 40V max XGT LED Work Light | DeWalt DCL043 20V MAX LED Pivoting Work Light | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Lighting a work area for a full day, where knowing you get 7.5 hours at 1,800 lumens is worth more than a higher peak number. | Seeing a long way into a crawl space, a roof void, a duct or a dark yard, where reaching the far end matters more than lighting everything between. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Makita ML005G 40V max XGT LED Work Light - The only light here that tells you how long each brightness setting lasts, and it runs on AC as well as battery. Choose the DeWalt DCL043 20V MAX LED Pivoting Work Light instead if seeing a long way into a crawl space, a roof void, a duct or a dark yard, where reaching the far end matters more than lighting everything between.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Work Lights: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).