Doing house tasks can be a challenge. There is so much to get done in what seems like so little time, and trying to handle all of it yourself can be overwhelming. I’m not talking about the basic chores that you have to do each day. Those are a given, and you have to make time for them.
I’m talking about the extra projects you bring upon yourself or are brought upon you. This can range from anything, like trying to fix a heater that broke, to hanging wallpaper. Tasks usually sneak up on you and can take the shape of something happening at the wrong time. If you’re stuck trying to take care of all of your projects at once, you may be at it all the time. That means that the sun goes down, and you potentially don’t get a chance to see more. There’s one tool that I’ve relied on so much that I can’t believe I haven’t always had one.
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A penlight is invaluable for many jobs
It’s so much better than holding up your phone
I recently went to The Home Depot and bought a Defiant Penlight for $13. The reason I did this was that I’d found myself in need of a light for many of the recent home projects I’d completed. This included opening the heating unit and checking for water ingress and for rust forming. I also used it to look into my clogged sink to see if I could see where the clog was originating from.
Having a penlight makes such a difference, especially if you’re doing work in a basement or attic. You’ve probably tried to turn on your cellphone’s flashlight when you were stopping to look at something in the dark. However, cellphones can be hard to hold for an extended period of time at an angle where your flashlight is shining perfectly on where you’re trying to work.
A penlight is lightweight and easy to hold. The one I bought weighs almost nothing and has a thin cylindrical body that makes gripping it and holding it easy. You can hold this with your hand or even a few fingers. I have also used it while holding it between my teeth for a hands-free approach.
The specs are just what I need
Credit: Chris Hachey / MakeUseOf
I keep the penlight in my toolbox, so it’s always readily available whenever I start a new task around the house. I recently used it to help me string lights in a closet. I also used it to help me look through my electrical panel and search for a specific breaker.
The Defiant penlight offers 120 lumens of light and runs for two hours. It is powered by two AA batteries, which came with the light when I purchased it. It can extend its cast 35 meters, giving it a solid throw for a flashlight of its size.
When using a penlight, you’re likely going to need to see things illuminated close up, rather than bringing it outside to look for something in the dark.
The penlight has a two-in-one white and UV light that turns on when you click the button on the bottom of it. It is made from aluminum, so it’s built to last as well. This can make it through some tough storms and dark rooms.
If you need to pick up and put down your penlight many times during a job, it has a clip that helps it either be stored in your shirt pocket or your pants. The clip is strong, so I can’t imagine it’s going anywhere anytime soon. I can’t help but just toss it in my pocket any time I’m starting a job, like changing a light bulb in the dark or going up into the attic to look at something.
Is a penlight like this going to illuminate an entire room? No, and you shouldn’t expect it to. But it can give you the right amount of light for finishing a variety of household tasks.
The penlight has proven itself already
I’ve been using it so much
Credit: Chris Hachey / MakeUseOf
The number of times I’ve been looking at something and held the penlight in my mouth so I could use two hands is laughable. But working through electrical work means you need to have two hands available for you when you’re looking into your home’s air duct system, like I was.
I’ve looked into things like insulation kits, changing out the entire heating unit, shutting off the humidifier, and more to make sure my heater was up and running this year. All through it, my penlight was there, helping me see intricate parts of the equipment.
The sides of the penlight are grippy, making them easier to hold any way I need. I had to check something in my car’s engine recently, and performed a maintenance check on my snowblower to make sure it was ready for a snowstorm we had. The penlight was there with me during both tasks, shining light on the parts I needed to see close up.
I’ve been nerding out over this penlight
The Defiant penlight has been a great purchase for me recently. It’s modest in price, only selling for $13. The aluminum design is sturdy, and the button is easy to turn on. There’s a helpful clip on the casing, making it easier to put it in your pockets for quick retrieval. I wish I’d had a penlight sooner, as I’ve used it so much since picking it up.
