When it comes to doing even the most basic of maintenance on your car, light is your friend. It can show up hidden blemishes in paintwork, help illuminate engine bays and even expose what the underside of your car really looks like.
Sure you can use your phone’s light or a regular pen torch for some tasks, but quite often you’ll find yourself limited in what you can do with one hand stuck holding the light source. This is where an inspection lamp makes so much sense. Not only are they more powerful and tougher than a regular torch but they can also be used hands-free too.
They can also be used beyond the garage too. Power gone out at night? An inspection lamp will allow you to get it back on easier. The same can be said for boiler work. We’ve gathered a selection of different inspection lamps together and tested them to see which one is the best.
How we tested the inspection lamps?
A good inspection lamp should provide excellent lighting and be easy to use hands-free. With this in mind, we first tested the inspection lamps in a low-light environment to see how bright they could be. We also took this chance to see if the light was adjustable.
We then looked for features that would come in handy when working hands-free. Features like magnets, hooks and auxiliary lights were all examined to see how versatile these lamps could be. Finally, we looked at any extra features and how ergonomic they were to hold.
The best inspection lamps
Editor's pick
Despite being so small this option features a powerful main light and a secondary light that allows the inspection lamp to be used as a regular torch. It also features a dimmer so you can easily choose the intensity of the main light.
There are three magnets and an integrated hook for hands-free operation. While these magnets offer limited adjustability in themselves, the main light can be rotated and tilted 180-degrees.
The build quality is also top-notch, with a grippy coating and premium feel. The only real drawback is the lack of a battery level indicator. While the eight-hour battery life is impressive, there is no way of knowing when the battery is low until the battery dies.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Powerful light
Cons
- No battery level indicator
| Lumens: | 400 |
| Magnets: | One in the base, two on the back |
| Hook: | Yes |
| Rechargeable: | USB |
| Weight: | 272g |
| Other features: | Works as a torch, dimmable |
Best large inspection lamp
Like the Sealey unit, it has a robust, quality feeling. It also features a hook and magnetic base for hands-free working. While it is more powerful than the Sealey, it is a little bulkier and not as versatile. It lacks magnets in the back of the unit which does prevent it from clinching the top spot in this test.
It’s still an excellent model however and one we’d heartily recommend. The reason it doesn’t quite clinch the top spot is that it’s bulkier than the Draper option and isn’t as versatile, with magnets only present in the base. If there had been a magnet on another side it would be our number one choice.
Pros
- Top quality
- Powerful light
- Excellent features
Cons
- No rear magnets
- Bulky
| Lumens: | 700 |
| Magnets: | One in the base |
| Hook: | Yes |
| Rechargeable: | USB-C |
| Weight: | 640g |
| Other features: | Works as a torch, dimmable, battery indicator |
Best for versatility
It does feature 270-egress of tilt thanks to a double-jointed set of pivots, but the lamp doesn’t have any form of swivelling. It also lacks an adjustable dimmer but does have different levels of intensity. The EcoPro can also be used as a regular torch too.
The overall finish is fantastic but compared to the Draper and Sealey options, the lack of swivelling is a real issue.
Pros
- Robust
- Clever design
Cons
- Light doesn't swivel
| Lumens: | 500 |
| Magnets: | One in the base |
| Hook: | Yes |
| Rechargeable: | micro-USB |
| Weight: | 230g |
| Other features: | Works as a torch, programmable light, battery indicator |
Best rugged inspection lamp
While it only features a magnet in the rear of the lamp, the light can tilt away from the body up to 90-degrees, a handy feature for hands-free working. It also features a single hook. The light decently powerful too, even if has limited adjustability (just two settings). A very clever feature is a red standby light which ensures you don’t lose it when you put it down.
The best part is the exceptional build quality of the lamp. Philips has designed this lamp to be resistant to the worst fluids and solvents you find in a typical garage so you know you know this unit will survive these conditions.
The only irritant is that it ships with a European plug adapter meaning you’ll need to source a UK adapter yourself. But chances are you've already got one.
Pros
- Waterproof
- Clever design
Cons
- Flimsy hook
- Supplied with EU plug
| Lumens: | 300 |
| Magnets: | One in the base |
| Hook: | Yes |
| Rechargeable: | Docking station (supplied) |
| Weight: | 250g |
| Other features: | IP65 waterproof, standby light |
Ring Automotive RIL4200 Fast Charge LED Inspection Lamp
Best simple inspection lamp
The rubberised sides and ergonomic grips give it a real feeling of quality and the fact it can be fully charged from dead in just an hour are commendable, as is the powerful lighting offered by the lamp, both as an inspection lamp and a regular torch.
The best thing about the Ring is how many features for handsfree working it comes with. It features a hook at both ends as well as three magnets. The two on the back are fairly standard but a welcome addition while the magnet in the base allows for the rest of the lamp to pivot.
In fact the only issue with this lamp is that it’s a bit too large for use in tight spaces. This chunky lamp from Ring Automotive is a very tough and quick charging lamp that would be perfect for use in a professional garage.
Pros
- Sturdy build
- Versatile design
Cons
- A bit bulky
| Lumens: | 500 |
| Magnets: | One in the base, two on the back |
| Hook: | Yes - at both ends |
| Rechargeable: | USB-C |
| Weight: | 400g |
| Other features: | Works as torch, battery level indicator |
Best head torch inspection lamp
It’s next to useless as a handheld inspection lamp because it’s designed for your head. It’s for this reason it also lacks any hooks or magnets for hands-free working.
It does offer good adjustability with both a button and wheel for choosing the intensity of the light. It also features a very handy SOS flashing feature which would be perfect for night-time breakdowns.
The best feature we found however was that the light can be operated using a motion sensor. This allows for you to switch the light off by waving your hand in front of the torch, a great feature if your hands are mucky in the garage.
If you want to step away from the traditional inspection lamp then this clever head torch is a good buy. While a traditional inspection lamp is arguably more versatile this head torch is still excellent.
Pros
- Great head torch
- Welcome safety features
Cons
- Lacks some features of inspection lamps
| Lumens: | 300 |
| Magnets: | No |
| Hook: | No |
| Rechargeable: | micro-USB |
| Weight: | 115g |
| Other features: | SOS mode, motion sensor |
Best value large inspection lamp
The size combined with the telescopic ends makes using this as a handheld inspection lamp a real challenge. Not only is it too large to be comfortable to hold, but the ends also slide around and conceal the light which is really annoying.
This lamp is much more suited to being used as a stationary work lamp using the magnetic legs to keep it still. It’s next to useless as an inspection lamp but a decent budget work lamp.
Pros
- Affordable
- Powerful
Cons
- Rubbish for handheld use
| Lumens: | 600 |
| Magnets: | One at each end |
| Hook: | No |
| Rechargeable: | micro-USB |
| Weight: | 500g |
| Other features: | Telescopic |
Best inspection lamp on a really tight budget
The plastic may make the product extremely light, but it also makes it feel incredibly cheap and brittle. The Handy Brite is also rubbish for hands-free use, with one non-adjustable magnet in the base. At least it comes with a metal hook.
There is no lighting adjustability aside from on or off and the worst thing is that there is no option to recharge it. While the batteries (happily included) did last long, you’ll need three AA batteries when they eventually die.
If your only concern for an inspection lamp is spending as little as possible, the JML makes sense. It provides acceptable lighting and ok-hands free use but it’s severely lacking compared to the other options here.
Pros
- Cheap
- Looks cool
Cons
- Not rechargeable
- Feels very cheap
- Mediocre performance
| Lumens: | Not given |
| Magnets: | One in the base |
| Hook: | No |
| Rechargeable: | No |
| Weight: | 140g |
| Other features: | None |
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