Makita DML818 vs ML012G: The Folding Lantern Light That Doubles as a Work Bar

Introduction

Makita’s folding lantern lights are an odd-looking pair, and that is exactly what makes them interesting. The 18V LXT version is the DML818, and the 40V XGT version is the ML012G. Beyond the battery platform, they are essentially the same unit: a long LED bar that folds over into a lantern shape, dims from 1,700 lumens down to 400, and hangs from hooks, a strap, or an optional telescopic stand. If you are already running 18V batteries, you buy the DML818; if you are on the XGT platform, the ML012G is the one for you. This guide covers what they share, what to watch for, and who each version suits.

One Light, Two Battery Platforms

The DML818 runs on Makita’s 18V LXT batteries and weighs about 1.1 kg without a battery, coming in at roughly 3.2 kg with one fitted. The ML012G is the XGT version and the same body, with total weight varying from about 3.2 kg up to around 4.4 kg depending on the battery fitted. Each light measures 972 mm long without a battery, so with a battery installed you are handling something just over a metre long.

The folding design is the core of the whole thing. In the folded position it clips into a lantern form; unfolded, it becomes a long strip light. There are 42 LEDs in total: 24 along the long bottom side and 18 on the top side, all at 5,000K daylight white.

Controls are simple. A button on the main handle cycles full, medium, low, then off, while a mode button on the bottom switches between lighting one section or both. It always switches on at full brightness, but it remembers which mode you were in, which is a small touch that makes daily use less fiddly.

Brightness, Modes and Everyday Handling

At full output you get 1,700 lumens, with 800 in the middle and a comfortable 400-lumen low setting. The low setting is the one most people will actually enjoy using up close, since the full output is genuinely bright and can be a lot when you are working under a house or inside a vehicle. Because the two halves can be lit independently, you can run only one side for close-up work and avoid blinding yourself, or point one half at the ceiling for soft indirect light.

There are a few extra tricks. The top section rotates through 270 degrees across seven detents, which makes it easier to keep a comfortable grip while aiming the light at a wall. Standing it upright on its battery end works, though stability depends on the battery and the angle. The folded position is the safest bet for free-standing use, particularly on the lighter 18V version, which is easier to topple when upright.

Runtime depends on your battery. On the XGT side with a 2.0Ah pack, expect around 3.5 hours on high and 16 hours on low. A 2.5Ah battery gives roughly 4.5 hours and 20 hours, a 4.0Ah pack about 7 and 32 hours, a 5.0Ah pack around 8.5 and 40 hours, and an 8.0Ah battery stretches to roughly 14 hours on high and 65 hours on low. On the 18V side with a 6.0Ah pack, figures land near 5 hours on high, 11 on medium, and 23 on low.

The Telescopic Hook Stand

Depending on where you live, the light may come bundled with an anodized aluminium telescopic hook stand, and it is worth taking seriously. It extends from about 1,100 mm to 1,900 mm, weighs around 1.2 kg, and feels light but rugged. The clamp ends are rubbery overmolded rather than bare metal, so they will not damage paintwork or timber, and both ends are spring loaded.

The clamps grip well on joists, rafters, and under car bonnets, and the arms swivel to whatever angle you need. The bars are roughly 125 mm wide at the contact area, so they sit happily on chunky timber. Hooked between a couple of rafters while working overhead, the light behaves like a proper strip light rather than a torch. Note the bundled accessories can vary by region, and in some markets the stand may be an optional extra rather than standard, so check what ships in your area before buying.

Everyday Verdict

These are brighter than you might expect from Makita’s light lineup, and the folding form factor is genuinely useful: lantern mode for close work, full extension for lighting a bench or a vehicle, and the strap plus folding hook for hanging wherever there is something to hang from. The build feels well made, and Makita’s XPT technology adds dust and water resistance, enough to shrug off a bit of rain in normal site use, though you obviously should not submerge it or leave it out in a downpour.

The strap position can be awkward in folded mode, but it unhooks easily and relocates to another anchor point, so it is a minor niggle rather than a design flaw. As a light you can carry, hang, stand, and fold, it covers a lot of jobs with one tool.

What Could Be Better

Two complaints come up in regular use. First, standing the light upright while unfolded is tippy; the XGT version manages in dead-vertical position depending on the battery, but the 18V version wants to topple easily. If you want it standing, use the folded position. Second, when the light is unfolded and pointing upward, that is the only direction it will aim. LEDs on the reverse side, so it could stand and point downward, would make it even more versatile.

Those are small issues against a strong overall package. Hooked over the back of a van door for loading at night, clamped under a bonnet for engine bay work, or hung from floor joists, it does the job with very little shadow being thrown. For anyone already invested in Makita batteries, it is a natural addition to the kit.

Conclusion

The Makita DML818 and ML012G are the same clever folding light on two battery platforms, and both deliver bright 1,700-lumen output, flexible lantern and strip modes, and excellent hanging options. Pick the DML818 if you are on 18V LXT, the ML012G if you run 40V XGT, and factor in whether the telescopic stand is bundled in your region before comparing prices.