DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Tripod Light

A cordless tower light that actually replaces cords

A lot of cordless “area lights” promise to replace the tangle of extension cords and hot halogen stands. The DeWalt tripod light is one of the few that’s made me stop grabbing cords by reflex. After months of jobsites, backyard projects, and a few emergency callouts, it’s become the light I keep closest to the truck door.

Setup and build

DeWalt nailed the deployment. From a standing carry, I pop the handle latch, spread the legs, and I’m lit in seconds. The legs lock with a positive feel and have a wide enough stance to stay planted on gravel and uneven subfloors. It’s not dainty—about 20 pounds—but that mass translates to stability once the mast is up at full height.

The telescoping pole extends the head to roughly 7 feet. That extra height matters: getting the emitter above eye level reduces harsh shadows and glare on vertical work. The head both pivots and rotates, and the shroud around it is beefy enough that I don’t cringe when it bumps a door frame.

Collapsed, it’s a long but manageable package. The carry handle is well placed, and I can slide the light into a van bay or tuck it behind a rear seat without gymnastics. It’s mostly polymer with a metal mast; while nothing has failed on me, there are a lot of moving plastic bits around the leg mechanism. I treat those parts with some care rather than slamming it open and shut, and that seems to be the right approach.

The light is rated IP55, so it shrugs off dust and rain. I’ve used it in a steady drizzle and in a sanding cloud without issue. Just don’t mistake it for a submersible—this is weather-resistant, not weatherproof.

Light quality and output

On the job, brightness isn’t the only metric. The beam needs to be usable and the color needs to be honest. This LED is a natural white, which makes paint, drywall seam compound, and wiring colors appear “true.” I prefer this to the cool-blue LEDs that can hide texture or skew color.

Output tops out at a claimed 4,000 lumens across three settings. On high, it’s legitimately bright—enough to cover a two-car garage or a 20–30 foot radius outdoors. The beam pattern is a wide flood with a soft edge, so it fills a space rather than spotlighting a small circle. On medium, it’s still plenty for most indoor work without fatiguing eyes, and low is a good “background” light for finish work or safety lighting.

One quirk: while the head pivots, it doesn’t aim steeply downward. If you’re forced to put the tripod right next to your feet, you can end up lighting the far wall more than the ground in front of you. The workaround is simple—back it up 10–15 feet or drop the mast height—but in tight quarters I’ve wanted a few more degrees of down-tilt.

Runtime and batteries

This light runs on DeWalt’s 20V MAX platform (battery and charger are sold separately), which is great if you’re already invested in the ecosystem. Runtime tracks with capacity and temperature, as you’d expect:

• With a 5.0Ah pack, I typically get around 2–3 hours on high, 4–5 hours on medium, and a long evening on low.
• With a higher-capacity pack, the “over 11 hours” claim makes sense at lower brightness. On medium to low, I’ve covered a multi-hour outage without swapping.

Cold weather will shave runtime, but I’ve had solid performance in sub-freezing conditions. The three-level brightness control is meaningful here: stepping down one notch frequently doubles the usable time without hurting productivity.

If you’re planning to use this as primary light on remote jobs, bring at least two batteries or one large pack and a charger. For punch-list or service calls, a single mid-size battery is often enough.

Ergonomics in use

• Height: At full extension, shadows on work surfaces are reduced and you’re less likely to blind yourself while moving around. That’s the single biggest advantage of a true tripod light over a squat area light.
• Portability: Carrying a 20-pound, 40-ish-inch-long tube isn’t featherweight, but the balance is good. The handle is comfortable even with gloves.
• Controls: The power and mode buttons are glove-friendly and responsive. No fiddling through hidden menus.
• Versatility: I often use it with the legs partially closed to squeeze into narrow spaces or hallways. The base is still stable as long as you don’t extend the mast fully.
• Safety: No hot surfaces, no cords to trip over. That alone has prevented more than one near-miss on busy sites.

Durability

The head’s shroud and mast feel tough. The leg deployment mechanism, while smooth, relies on plastic latches and channels. Mine is intact after plenty of cycles, but I operate it deliberately rather than aggressively. As with many collapsible tools, sand and jobsite debris can collect in the moving parts; a quick blow-off with compressed air keeps it snapping cleanly.

The finish on the legs will scuff, and the branding can wear—cosmetic issues that don’t affect performance. The IP55 rating has been earned in my use: light rain, washdown splatter, and drywall dust haven’t caused hiccups.

DeWalt backs the light with a three-year limited warranty, one year of free service, and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. That’s standard for the brand and appropriate for a pro-grade accessory.

Where it shines and where it doesn’t

Pros:
- Bright, natural-white light with a useful, wide flood pattern
- Fast, one-person setup; stable at full height
- Real runtime flexibility across three modes; shares batteries with 20V MAX tools
- Weather and dust resistant, with a protective shroud around the head
- Truly reduces shadows when raised to 7 feet

Trade-offs:
- Head doesn’t tilt far enough down for very close work
- Weight is noticeable on long carries
- Leg/latch components are plastic; treat them with care
- Battery and charger are separate purchases, which adds to the total cost

Use cases I keep coming back to

• Interior work: Painting, drywall sanding, and trim benefit from the honest color and elevated beam. Placing the light 10–15 feet away and above eye line gives excellent coverage without harsh shadows.
• Exterior and farm/yard tasks: Storm cleanup, gate repairs, and driveway work after dark are exactly what this was made for. The IP rating and tripod stability inspire confidence outdoors.
• Events and outages: As a temporary area light for gatherings or during power cuts, it’s brilliant. Low or medium mode creates comfortable ambient light without glare.

The bottom line

The DeWalt tripod light feels purpose-built for people who don’t want to babysit their lighting. It sets up quickly, throws a clean, wide beam, and gets the light up high where it belongs. Its limitations—the modest down-tilt and the reliance on plastic in the leg mechanism—are worth noting but haven’t kept me from using it constantly.

Recommendation: I recommend it. If you already own 20V MAX batteries, the value is strong: you get a stable, weather-resistant tower light with honest color and enough output to replace corded stands in most scenarios. Buy it if you prioritize fast setup, elevated light, and cordless convenience. Skip it only if you need a head that points sharply down at close range or if you’re hard on plastic latches and want something bombproof; in that case, look for a design with more metal in the deployment hardware. For everyone else—from remodelers to property managers—this light earns its keep quickly.