Olight PLX-GL Review: A Drill Light With a Built-In Green Laser

Introduction

Drills ship with tiny built-in lights that barely light the screw, let alone the workspace around it. Olight’s answer is the PLX-GL, a compact light that mounts to most drills and combines a powerful spot and flood beam with an integrated green laser. The idea is simple: point your drill at the work, see exactly where you are aiming, and keep both hands free for the tool. At around $150 and sold through Amazon, it is a purpose-built accessory for anyone who works with power tools in low light.

Who This Product Is For

The PLX-GL is designed to help you operate power equipment safely in the dark. If you have ever searched for a screw hole in a darkened space, fumbled with a handheld light in one hand while balancing a drill in the other, or dropped both at once, this addresses that exact problem. Mounting the light on the drill itself means your free hand stays available for doors, balance, or moving obstacles out of the way, and if you drop the drill, the light is still with it.

It suits contractors on night shifts, DIYers working in unlit garages and crawlspaces, and anyone doing overhead or awkward-angle work where a separate light is impractical. It also works as a general-purpose compact flashlight for walking around dark job sites or properties.

Main Strengths

The core hardware is impressive for the price. The light offers two beam modes: a spot with roughly 900 lumens on maximum that steps down to about 200, and a wide flood that peaks at 1,200 lumens and steps down to around 300. The spot reaches out to approximately 260 meters with nearly 17,000 candela, which means it works on longer tools and bigger drills too, not just compact drivers.

The green laser is the headline feature. It can run intermittently or continuously, and with the laser left on you get approximately 9 hours of runtime, enough to cover a full shift. It lets you quickly target a screw, and once sighted in, it gives you a precise aiming reference before you pull the trigger. You can also run the light and laser together.

Build quality is solid. The body is made from 6061-T6 anodized aluminum and feels bomb-proof, with interchangeable tips to adapt the fit to different drills. Charging is via USB-C. Operation is thoughtful: two rear wings handle momentary lighting, a double click locks it on, and a triple click activates strobe. A side switch selects spot or flood, and a separate selector chooses light only, laser only, or both combined. Everything the trigger finger needs is kept away from the trigger area, so there is nothing to accidentally bump while drilling under stress.

There is genuine durability evidence here too. The platform has been tested by driving 10,000 screws with a single light, and Olight has partnered with at least 16 other companies on carry solutions, so holsters and mounting options should keep expanding.

Things to Consider Before Buying

A few practical points are worth weighing. The laser needs to be sighted in before it becomes truly accurate, so expect a short setup session in the shop first. Runtime on the spot or flood is roughly 35 minutes at full output before stepping down, which is fine for screw-driving tasks but not for prolonged continuous illumination.

The spot beam is narrow, so most users will want two hands on the drill when using it to keep aim steady. Also check that your drill has enough clearance or a mounting platform for the light to attach; it fits most drills, but not all. Finally, remember that your eyes need time to adapt in the dark, so frequent on-off switching can be disorienting when you are moving around an unlit space.

Buying Advice

If your work regularly takes you into dark attics, baselines, mills, or job sites, the PLX-GL earns its place quickly. The combination of a long-throw spot, a useful flood, and a laser that doubles as an aiming and training tool makes it more versatile than the weak onboard lights most drills carry. Use the laser while walking around too: pointing it at trees or walls is a good way to learn your natural drill aim, which is a genuine safety benefit since you always know where the bit is heading.

At around $150 it is not the cheapest drill accessory, but it replaces the separate handheld light you were probably juggling anyway, and the green laser version is the natural evolution of a platform that was already built around flexibility. For right-handed users, the layout puts the main switches under the supporting hand, which keeps operation clean and intuitive.

Conclusion

The Olight PLX-GL is a compact, well-built drill light that solves a real problem: seeing and hitting your target when working in the dark. With roughly 9 hours of laser runtime, USB-C charging, an aluminum body, and controls designed around how you actually hold a drill, it is an easy recommendation for night-shift tradespeople and serious DIYers alike. Just plan on sighting in the laser and confirming your drill has room for it before you buy.