Ryobi is coming out with a new 18V cordless LED tripod worklight, and there’s so much going on with it that I don’t know where to start.
At first glance, the new Ryobi cordless worklight, PCL691, looks fairly ordinary, and even boring. You can probably understand where I’m coming from; tripod lights have been around for a while, and besides, how innovative or pioneering can a new worklight be?
This is also Ryobi that we’re talking about, a brand that mainly caters towards budget-conscious DIYers and homeowners. I wasn’t expecting them to be so groundbreaking.
After skimming through the main features, I checked out Ryobi’s press kit media gallery for image selection, and that’s when it hit me – this is not an ordinary worklight.
At a glance, it’s a standard tripod workight, and not Ryobi’s first 18V cordless model.
The light panels can pivot, allowing users to aim light where they need it.
The Ryobi cordless tripod worklight be extended to a 7-foot height, and delivers up to 3,800 lumens of max brightness.
And you can also attach a Ryobi cordless fan on top.
Wait – what?
How did this image of a tripod-mounted fan get into Ryobi’s media gallery?
Oh. WOW.
So, the tripod base has a Ryobi 18V interface built into the top. You can remove the worklight head and attach different Ryobi “lifestyle and recreation” products.
Ryobi has a very long list of compatible LED lighting, radio and speaker, and fan options that can be used with the tripod base. If you forget, a QR code on the product itself will take you to the appropriate support page.
Some of the compatible products go back to Ryobi’s blue days, before they switched to a hi-viz yellow-green color for their tools.
If you have a different worklight you prefer for specific tasks, go for it!
The connection head can pivot 135°, adding versatility to any of Ryobi’s compatible cordless flashlights and worklights.
Or attach a Bluetooth speaker or jobsite radio. That seems convenient for placing your tunes or podcasts at ear-level.
The tripod looks a bit chunky when folded down, but still very portable.
It also features 3-way hybrid power options. The Ryobi TriPower tripod LED light can be powered by an 18V cordless power tool battery, 40V cordless outdoor power tool battery, or AC power via a standard extension cord.
What can you do with the light head once removed from the tripod base? Pop in a battery and use it as a separate worklight.
There are 4 brightness modes: low, medium, high, and single panel.
Grab the light and bring it with you when working in tight spaces, such as under a car.
There’s also a flip-up hook built into the side handle.
This lets you hang the light for added convenience and versatility, such as inside a camping tent.
The handle is also sized just right to clamp onto wood studs and standard construction lumber.
That’s a LOT of versatility and flexibility in what initially looked like an ordinary cordless tripod worklight.
Ryobi is packaging the tripod light with the base and worklight, and the worklight will also be available separately as model PCL632.
Key Specs
- 7′ max height
- TriPower compatibility
- Ryobi 18V battery
- Ryobi 40V battery
- AC power via extension cord
- 135° pivoting head
- 3,800 lumens max illumination
- 4 brightness modes
- low: 1,300 lumens
- medium: 2,300 lumens
- high: 3,800 lumens
- single panel: 800 lumens
Price: $199 for the tripod base and worklight bundle (PCL690)
ETA: August 2024
The new tripod worklight will be sold exclusively at Home Depot.
Discussion
I wonder if some of my awe is due to my surprise. The tripod light came off as a solid but otherwise ordinary-looking worklight, and then it quickly demolished my expectations.
As a tripod worklight, I’m not very impressed, but I also don’t see any major compromises or “gotchas.”
The TriPower feature seems useful, and essentially means you can power the light – or any compatible Ryobi 18V cordless lighting, fan, or sound options – with any Ryobi 18V or 40V Max battery, or AC power if accessible.
The tripod base lets users aim lights or fans to better aim exactly where they’re needed.
Just these two features – being able to swap different power sources or different head attachments – provides enormous convenience and an abundance of possibilities. I think that Ryobi raised the bar with this one.
I think this is a great example of a brand that perfectly understands the needs and wants of their core audience and target users.
Ryobi says the new light provides “unmatched versatility,” and I think they could be right.
Is the worklight package lacking in any way? Can you think of features that should have been added? I can’t.
