Black & Decker Snakelight 2-in-1 Rechargeable Light with Flexible Gooseneck

I’ve wrapped, hooked, and propped this little light in just about every corner of my house, car, and shed, and the verdict is simple: the Snakelight earns its keep by going where boxier lights can’t. Black & Decker’s flexible, two-headed design isn’t just a gimmick—it changes how you aim and hold light in tight spaces, and it does so with very little fuss.

Design and build

The Snakelight is a compact, one‑pound, USB‑rechargeable light with a fully flexible gooseneck. Both ends are capped with LEDs: a larger “space” light for broad illumination and a smaller directional light for task work. The gooseneck is the star here. It bends, twists, and holds its shape reliably—around a pipe, over a hood latch, or curled into a freestanding loop on a bench. I found it stable when formed into a wide base or hung, and less so when I tried to cantilever it far out horizontally. As with any gooseneck tool, a touch of counterbalance or a second bend for a “foot” makes a big difference.

Fit and finish are what I expect from Black & Decker in this category—sturdy enough for daily use without feeling precious. At 9 inches long (the body) and roughly a pound, it’s easy to drop in a bag. There’s no magnetic base or clamp, so the gooseneck does all the positioning work. It excels at that, but a magnet or integrated hook would have been a nice addition.

Two lights, two jobs

I’ve come to rely on the two‑in‑one layout more than I expected:

• Space light: This is a broad, soft panel that behaves like a tiny lantern. It’s stepless dimmable—press and hold to ramp brightness—and it remembers the last setting. That memory is genuinely useful; I kept mine at a comfortable mid‑low setting for desk work and it always came back right where I left it.
• Directional light: The smaller end throws a tighter beam for spot tasks. It’s not a long‑throw flashlight, but under a sink, inside a fuse box, or in an engine bay, it cuts through shadows better than the panel side. There’s no dimming here; it’s a straightforward on/off.

The ability to flip the light around mid‑task matters. For example, while wiring a dimmer switch, I used the space light to flood the area while setting up, then switched to the directional end to target the junction box without glare. The body rotating with the neck makes that swap instantaneous.

One limitation deserves a mention: there’s no lumen spec provided. In use, the space light is comfortably bright for close‑quarters work and general area lighting in a small room; the directional light is strong enough to focus on a task at arm’s length. If you need a high‑output work light to flood a garage bay, this isn’t that. The Snakelight trades raw output for placement flexibility and runtime.

Battery and charging

The Snakelight charges via USB, includes a cable, and can run while plugged in. That last bit is important: during a late‑night project, I kept it powered from a battery pack and never stopped working. The internal battery is non‑replaceable, which is typical for lights in this size and price range.

Runtime is solid for the intent. The space light can stretch to a long evening on its lowest setting (Black & Decker cites up to 15 hours), and the directional end is rated up to about 4.5 hours. In real use at mixed brightness, I was getting several hours of task time before reaching for the cable. If you run the directional beam nonstop on a long job, plan to top up or plug in. There’s no included wall adapter, which is common these days, but worth noting.

Because the battery is internal, you can’t swap cells mid‑shift. If uninterrupted all‑day lighting is your reality, you’ll either want to run it tethered to USB power or look at a platform light with removable packs.

Controls and usability

Controls are simple and predictable. A single power button brings each end to life; holding adjusts brightness on the space light and the last‑used memory works as advertised. The tactile feel is positive enough to use with light gloves. I also appreciate that the LED panel doesn’t default to “blinding bright”—the remembered brightness helps prevent that nightclub strobe effect when you’re working in a dark closet.

Positioning is where the Snakelight shines. A few configurations that worked consistently well:

• Loop it around a closet rod or ladder rung for broad, hands‑free lighting.
• Hook it under a vehicle hood and aim the directional beam at the work area.
• Coil a base on the floor and arch the panel light upward as a small room light during an outage.
• Wrap it around a PVC pipe under a sink to keep the beam locked on the trap without juggling a flashlight.

It’s also a handy travel companion. In a dorm or hotel, it’s a zero‑footprint desk or bedside light, with the dimming making it easy on the eyes.

Durability and warranty

I didn’t baby it, and it shrugged off everyday knocks just fine. The gooseneck didn’t loosen or sag over a few weeks of frequent bending. There’s a 2‑year limited warranty, which is reassuring for a rechargeable light that may see regular use and countless flex cycles.

Worth calling out: while the product application nods to automotive use, it’s not a weatherproof shop light. I’d keep it out of heavy rain or oil baths. For typical DIY, household fixes, and vehicle interiors, it’s right at home.

What could be better

No tool is perfect, and a couple of omissions stood out in daily use:

• No magnet or clamp. The neck covers most scenarios, but a small magnet in the base would expand mounting options significantly on steel surfaces.
• Dimming only on the space light. I’d love at least a low/high toggle on the directional end for delicate work or to stretch runtime.
• No lumen specs published. Transparency here helps shoppers compare lights. Anecdotally, output is ample for near‑field tasks, but numbers would remove the guesswork.
• Internal battery is non‑replaceable. Standard for the class, but still a trade‑off.

None of these are dealbreakers, but they’re good to factor in depending on your use.

Who it’s for

• DIYers who want a versatile, hands‑free light that adapts to awkward spaces.
• Apartment, dorm, and office users who appreciate a compact, rechargeable desk/utility light with gentle dimming.
• Car owners for glovebox or trunk work—especially when you need light that can hang or wrap, not just sit.
• Anyone building a small emergency kit; it doubles as a mini‑lantern and can run while charging from a power bank.

If your primary need is high‑output, wide‑area lighting for a large jobsite, you’ll want a bigger, brighter work light. If you need a pocket penlight, this is overkill. The Snakelight sits comfortably between those extremes.

Practical tips

• Use two bends for stability: create a “foot” and a “spine” rather than one long cantilever to keep it from tipping.
• Set a default brightness: pick your preferred space‑light level and let the memory feature save it. It’s kinder on eyes at night.
• Keep a power bank nearby: running while charging makes the battery limitation a non‑issue on long tasks.

The bottom line

The Snakelight prioritizes placement, control, and convenience over brute-force brightness, and that’s exactly why it keeps ending up in my hand. The flexible neck does what clamps and magnets sometimes can’t, the two‑ended light scheme covers both ambient and focused tasks, and the rechargeable, USB‑friendly design fits the way most of us actually work—around the house, in a car, or at a desk.

Recommendation: I recommend the Snakelight. It’s a thoughtfully executed, highly adaptable light that solves common “how do I aim this?” problems without adding complexity. If you need a compact, hands‑free utility light with reliable positioning, stepless dimming on the panel side, and the option to run off USB power for longer sessions, it’s a smart addition to a tool bag or junk drawer. The lack of a magnet and published lumen figures are misses, and the non‑replaceable battery won’t suit every pro, but for everyday DIY, automotive tinkering, and small‑space illumination, it’s an easy choice.