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Tool Reviews, News

The Panel Decides: Headlamps Tool Review

June 18, 2023
The Panel Decides: Headlamps Tool Review

Before you splash out on a new headlamp, let our panel of expert tradies test them out for you.

  • Headlamps for electricians, put to the test
  • Our panel use them and rate them
  • Read this before you buy!

The Tools

ENERGETIC LIGHTING – Focalspot Rechargeable Headlamp (453007)KLEIN TOOLS – Rechargeable Headlamp with fabric strap (A-56048)SAL NATIONAL – LED Rechargeable Headlamp (SHL008)
RRP $76.25RRP $90.79RRP $63.80
THE LOWDOWN: This rechargeable LED headlamp delivers high lumen output. It features three modes – high, medium and flashing – and the beam width is adjustable via the telescopic lens, the position of which can be adjusted up to 90 degrees. Designed to be worn for long periods, this headlamp incorporates an elastic head strap with rubber cushioning pads. THE LOWDOWN: This rechargeable headlamp can be used in three modes – a bright, 22-hour floodlight, a brighter 12-hour focused spotlight, and a 400-lumen boost mode. The adjustable fabric strap provides comfort, and the lamp can also be detached and used with a Klein hard hat. THE LOWDOWN: This is a super bright (300lm) rechargeable headlamp with a multi-focus optical system, adjustable elastic head strap and a reliable four-hour battery life. It is designed with a five-watt, dual switching power system, providing full and half power or flashing functions and includes a detachable long USB lead for fast charging. 

The Panel

   
Brett Balaam from Balaam Electrical
Experience: 21 years		JJ Foley from Initech Solutions
Experience: 16 years		Craig Morris from 4M Electrical
Experience: 23 years
   

The Verdict

ENERGETIC LIGHTING – Focalspot Rechargeable Headlamp

“This was my favourite light because of how bright it is.” – Brett
Brett:Lit!I like how bright the light is, and the strap and battery compartment are good quality. I thought the focus slide in and out was a bit tight, and it needs a battery gauge. This was my favourite light because of how bright it is.JJ:Great valueThis was a very comfortable fit. It’s competitively priced and performed well. The only thing to improve it would be better battery life. It does everything required, and while it wasn’t the best of the three, it’s my favourite because of the value!Craig: Focussed choiceThis was comfortable on the head and had a high light output. I liked the focusable spotlight to see both distance and close-up, but it could have been improved with some extra LEDs to the side as peripheral lighting was limited.
VERDICT: Bright starRATING: 9/10 *TOP PICK* VERDICT: My pickRATING: 9/10 *TOP PICK* VERDICT: Great comfortRATING: 8/10 

KLEIN TOOLS – Rechargeable Headlamp with fabric strap

“This was a good all-round lamp.” – Craig
Brett:Lightweight lightThis one wasn’t very heavy, and it had a battery gauge. I didn’t like the up-and-down light adjustment or the colour of the light. It could use a focus setting. I didn’t like this light too much, mostly because of the beam of light it produces.JJ:Pricey optionI liked the battery life and the brightness but thought it needed an additional head strap at the top for areas requiring helmets. Overall, it was the best product, but the pricing was high in comparison to the other two.Craig: Top choiceThis lamp was lightweight with no extra battery pack, and I liked the ability to turn on the spot and wide lighting at the same time. This was a good all-round lamp, and the auto-off sensor was a good feature also.
VERDICT: Not my favouriteRATING: 6/10 VERDICT: Good but expensiveRATING: 8/10  VERDICT: Best there wasRATING: 9/10 *TOP PICK* 

SAL NATIONAL – LED Rechargeable Headlamp

“I liked the easily adjustable head strap.” – JJ
Brett:Does the jobThe light was quite bright and had a good beam. The focus slide was nice and easy to adjust. The battery compartment wasn’t as good, but it still does the job. It’s a great light, and only came second because the other light was brighter.JJ:A lot to likeI liked the easily adjustable head strap, but the rubber cover to the battery pack felt to be poorer quality than the other two products. I felt the build quality could be improved, with a better battery cover, and it had shorter battery life.Craig: Not for meThe zoom feature was easy to use with one hand, but there was limited peripheral light. I’d have liked some more padding covering the battery case – the batteries felt like they were pushing on the back of my head.
VERDICT: Smart choiceRATING: 8/10 VERDICT: DecentRATING: 7/10 VERDICT: I’ll passRATING: 6/10

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