Being able to see what you are working on is essential to getting a job done safely, quickly and correctly. Because of this, job site lighting options are really starting to expand into unique designs. Ridgid has been hard at work designing new options giving people the flexibility to light up their job site in a way that works best for them. The Ridgid 18V Hybrid Upright Area Light is just another one of their unique job site lighting solutions. So let’s jump into the Ridgid 18V Hybrid Upright Area Light Review and see what we think.
Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light Review Overview
When we think of job site lighting, we don’t often consider the different types of lighting and how they are used. I think lighting fits primarily in 3 categories. The first type of lighting would be a spotlight. This type of lighting is best for focusing a large amount of light in a single area. An example of a spotlight could be a flashlight.
The second category of light is a task light or even a flood light. These will light up an area, usually in one direction to help you see what you are working on. It’s less focused than a spotlight making it easier on your eyes. These can usually be hung or placed in your work zone. They also spread more light around than a spotlight. A good example of a flood light is the Bosch flood light.
The last type of light would be an area light. This design won’t necessarily give off a lot of task-specific lighting but will be able to spread light over a large area. They spread light in 360 degrees and if designed properly, won’t temporarily blind someone when they glance in the direction of the light. A couple places that these type of lights would be perfect for are crawlspaces and attics. The Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light fits into this third category very nicely.
Prior to the Ridgid Gen5X line of tools, the lighting offerings from Ridgid were pretty sparse and they didn’t have lights to cover all three categories. Since then, Ridgid has really stepped up their game with offerings like their 18 V Hybrid Panel Light, 18 V Dual-Power Light Cannon, 18 V Hybrid Flood Light and this Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light. With these lights, they are now fully covered in each category of lights.
Ridgid tools are made for a large range of people. They perform at a high level making them good for professionals and they are affordable enough for the advanced DIY’er and trophy for the homeowners. We are going to take a look at this area light in some detail to see if it lives up to what we would expect from Ridgid.
Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light Review Features
When you first look at the Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light, you can’t help but notice its shape. Anyone who lives around water will instantly think of a buoy. If you have this same thought, I urge you to not try and see if this light will float. I assure you, it will not.
This shape is essential to keeping the light upright at all times. Inside of the base are 4 individual steel weights that make the bottom of the light heavy. That weight, if the light is bumped or gets knocked around, will always return to the upright position.
Note: Do not open your unit up. It could void any warranties you have. I have done this work for you, so you don’t have to.
The Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light is activated by a single push button which also acts as a variable brightness control. At full power, this light gives off 1000 Lumens and spreads it over a full 360 degrees.
Note: Do not open your unit up. It could void any warranties you have. I have done this work for you, so you don’t have to.
I was a little bit curious about what the light source looked like so, I took the light cover off and checked what was there. Under the cover are 6 LED lights all connected to a hexagonal aluminum rod. The rod fits into the opaque cover that is designed to allow any heat produced by the lights to escape out of the top. This opaque cover is key to allowing you to look at the light without getting temporarily blinded. It softens the light just enough to let you look in the direction of the light at any given time without impairing your vision.
Just as the name of this light implies, this is another hybrid option from Ridgid. In case you don’t already know about the Ridgid Hybrid tools, they are a tool that you run on the Ridgid 18 Volt batteries, or if you prefer, you can power it through an extension cord. I think this Hybrid concept is going to catch on with the other tool companies in the near future.
Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light Review Performance
The Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Area Light’s three primary functions are
1. Light up a large area.
2. Be able to take a job site beating and get back up.
3. Provide light for a long period of time.
Let’s discuss the Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light’s performance by looking at each of the three functions individually.
First, does it light up a large area? Yes, but I wish it put out more than 1,000 lumens. It does a good job at giving you serviceable light, but I would like to see the lumens over 2,000. Other area lights that I have seen (much higher in price) are around 7,000 lumens.
Second, is it able to take a job site beating and get back up? You bet. The shape of this unit, with nearly all of its weight in the base, allows you to work around this light without fear of knocking it over. If you hit it and knock it over, give it a second and it will be upright again. I wouldn’t throw this light off of a roof, I know it will survive a fall from a tailgate.
Lastly, does the Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light provide light for a long period of time? Absolutely. If you keep the dimmer at the lowest setting, you can get up to 75 hours of light. This is due in large part to the unit only putting out 1,000 lumens. It might not give off as much light as the more expensive units, but it will last a really long time.
Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light Review Value
Usually, when you look at value for cordless tool options, you need to look at if you are already in or plan to be in that battery platform. Because let’s face it, batteries can be expensive and it’s tough to buy a tool when you have to invest in a second or third battery platform. Now, in this case, as with all of the hybrid tools, you don’t have to worry about the batteries. The light can be used with batteries or a cord.
The Home Depot sells the Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light for $99 which is less than half the cost of some other area light models.
Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light Review Final Thoughts
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that Ridgid tools are a good option for a large variety of people. They perform well for the professionals, and advanced DIY’ers and are affordable enough for the occasional user like homeowners. The question I wanted to ask was if the Ridgid 18 V Hybrid Upright Area Light would live up to the expectations of the Ridgid Brand. I think with the features this light has to offer, its performance, and reasonable cost, the answer to the question is yes.
