Makita DML813 vs DML814: Real Job Test

Makita DML813 vs DML814 is a big choice. I use both of these tall lights at work. They look the same from the base on up. The top light head is the real big change. I put them to the test on my jobs. I want to show you what I found.

Makita DML813 Review

I took this light to a dark basement job last week. The top has one big main light head. It is very bright and aims right at your work. It blasts a strong beam in just one spot. It beats my old hot work lights by a mile. I can see my cut marks much better now. The bright beam cuts right through the dark dust.

Setting up the tall base is fast and easy. The leg lock slide opens smooth every single time. The pole goes up over seven feet tall. The high light takes away bad shadows on the wall. I see my pipe work much better this way. I do not have to bend down to see things.

I checked the light over a long hard shift. The chips stayed bright as the pack went down. The light did not blink or fade out at all. The white color is crisp and clear on the wall. This helps me see wire colors the right way. I can tell the red wires from the brown ones.

The hard case is safe from dust and wet spots. I left it in a room with thick dry wall dust. The white dust wiped off the clear lens fast. No dirt got deep inside the main tool case. The whole thing feels tough for hard daily work. I do not treat my tools nice on the site.

A big five amp pack gives three hours on high. I turned it to low mode late in the day. The light ran all shift and did not die early. The heat stays very low to the bare touch. It is safe to move with bare hands at once. I toss it right in my truck when I leave.

Makita DML814 Review

Next, I brought this tool to a large house job. This tool has three small heads on the top part. You can aim them all in three ways at once. I love that I can light up a whole room. It is a great tool for big empty dark spaces. I set it right in the middle of the floor.

I aimed one head down at my cut saw. I aimed the next head back at the brick wall. The last head points right up to the wood roof. This gave the big room a bright and even glow. It felt like real sun light in the dark space. I could see all my tools on the floor.

I checked the strong hinges during hard daily work. The three heads stayed tight in their set spots. The floor shook hard from my loud air pump. The heads did not drop or lose their straight aim. The clean white light looks just like the first tool. My eyes do not get tired at the end of the day.

The base and pole are the same as the first tool. It holds up well when bumped on the job site. I walked past it and hit the leg hard. The tall base did not tip or fall over at all. The wide legs keep it flat on the hard ground. It takes up a good amount of floor space.

It uses the exact same power as the first tool. I got three hours of run time on high mode. This tool wins if you need a wide light spread. The three heads give me the best options for big rooms. It folds down well to fit in my tight work truck.

Details Comparison for Makita DML813 vs DML814

Both tall lights look the same from the base up. Let us see how they do in real daily work. I test tools on the job to find the truth. I look past the brand claims to see real worth. I want tools that make my hard work much easier.

Core Capability Comparison

The one head of the first tool acts like a big beam. It points right at a deep hole or long wall. You get a huge wall of light in one spot. This is great when you just look straight ahead. I use it to light up deep work spots.

The next tool gives you a wide spread of light. I use it when I stand in a big room. I can see my hand tools on the floor. I can see the roof at the exact same time. The wide spread makes all the difference for large jobs.

Design and Practical Use

Both tall lights fold down to a short small size. They are very easy to pack and move around. I use the strap to put it on my arm. I carry my tool bag in my free hand. They feel light for how tall they get when open.

The strong legs click into place with a loud snap. One hand can slide the top part up or down. The locks hold tight and do not slip down. They stay in place day after day on the job. They feel like high end parts on a pro tool.

Display Interface and Usability

The keys sit right on the main wide tool base. There is a power switch and a mode key. You do not need a smart screen to use this. The soft keys give a firm click straight down. They are very easy to push all the time.

You can press them with thick leather gloves on. The tool saves your last light mode when left off. This saves me time early the next dark day. I turn it on and get right to work fast. Small things like this help a lot on the job.

Build Quality

These tall lights take hard hits on my rough jobs. The hard shell over the bulbs is very thick. I hit the heads with raw hard wood boards. They did not crack or break at all this week. The firm joints stay tight week after long week.

The long legs use strong thick steel tubes. Wet hose streams and dust will not break the parts. They feel like real pro tools meant to last long. I know they will run hard for many long years. The power cord stays safe deep inside the metal pole.

Battery Life and Power

Both tools run on the main brand battery pack. I test them side by side with full big packs. You get three hours of top bright light. A small red flash tells you power is getting low. This helps me swap packs just in time for work.

They run for ten hours on the low light mode. The pack door shuts tight with a strong lock hook. It keeps wet dirt off the live power pins. I run them on low to save my charge longer. They run all day when I do this right.

Final Practical Table

Here is the final break down of both cord free lights. This chart comes right from my true job site tests. I want to show you how they act in real work. This will help you pick the right tool for you.

The choice comes down to your true light needs. I grab the first tool for a hard stare at one wall. I use the next tool to see a whole big room at once. Both are strong tools that run well all shift. They will light up your dark jobs just fine.