Makita has released the ML014G, a telescopic tower light that runs on either an 18V LXT pack or a 40V max XGT pack, and claims a maximum output of 15,000 lumens. It is the brightest light Makita currently lists, and the dual battery arrangement is the more interesting part of it.
What this is. Every figure below comes from Makita’s published specifications, not from our bench. We have not had an ML014G in the workshop, and nothing here is a measured result. When we test one, this piece will be replaced with a scored review.
The specifications
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Model | ML014G |
| Output range | 1,100 to 15,000 lumens |
| Mast height | 1.04 m folded, 2.44 m extended |
| Heads | Three panels, each rotating up to 180 degrees |
| Runtime, lowest setting | Up to 28 hours |
| Runtime, maximum output | Up to 2 hours |
| Battery used for those figures | 40V max XGT 8.0Ah |
| Battery compatibility | 18V LXT or 40V max XGT, dual slot |
| Weight with battery | 12.8 kg |
| Ingress protection | IP56 |
| Supplied as | Bare tool, no battery |
Makita quotes the mast and weight in imperial. Converted, that is 3.4 ft to 8 ft and 28.2 lb. Pricing has not been announced.
What 15,000 lumens is actually worth
Lumens measure total light leaving the fixture, in every direction. They tell you nothing about how much of it lands where you are working, which is lux, and lux is what determines whether you can see a pencil line.
Spread matters as much as the headline number. A tower with three heads at 2.44 m throws its output across a wide area at a shallow angle, which suppresses the hard shadows you get from a single floodlight on a stand. That is the argument for a tower over two site floods of similar combined output, and it does not show up in a lumen figure at all.
For rough orientation, 15,000 lumens is in the range normally used to light a whole floor plate or a small yard rather than a single work station. The figure to hold in mind is the low end: 1,100 lumens is roughly a bright domestic bulb, and that is the setting that produces the 28 hour runtime.
The dual battery slot is the real story
The ML014G takes either an 18V LXT pack or a 40V max XGT pack, and the compartment holds both at once with automatic switchover. For anyone already carrying LXT batteries, that removes the usual objection to XGT tools, which is that buying into a second platform means buying a second set of packs and chargers.
It also matters for a light specifically. Site lighting is the tool most likely to be left running while everything else is being charged, so being able to feed it whichever pack is spare, rather than the one pack it insists on, is worth more than it sounds. This is the same platform argument covered in our power tool buying guide.
What we would want to measure
Manufacturer lighting figures are usually honest about the number and quiet about the conditions. If we get one on the bench, these are the questions that decide whether it is worth the money:
- Lux at working height, measured at two and four metres from the mast, rather than total lumens.
- Whether maximum output is sustained for the full two hours or steps down as the LEDs heat up. Thermal throttling is common and rarely disclosed.
- Runtime on 18V LXT, which Makita does not quote. Given the figures are stated for a 40V 8.0Ah pack, the LXT numbers will be materially lower.
- Stability. At 12.8 kg with a 2.44 m mast, how it behaves on an uneven slab or in wind is a practical question, not a spec.
- Colour temperature and rendering, which decide whether you can tell a scorch mark from a shadow.
Common questions
Is IP56 enough to leave outside?
IP56 means protected against dust ingress sufficient to cause harm, and against water jets from any direction. It will survive rain and a hosing down. It is not rated for immersion, so it should not be stood in standing water.
Can it run on an 18V pack at full brightness?
Makita lists 18V LXT compatibility but publishes runtime only for the 40V 8.0Ah pack. Until 18V figures are published or measured, assume meaningfully shorter runtime at the top of the range.
How does it compare to a petrol tower light?
Different jobs. A petrol tower runs all night and lights a compound. A battery tower is silent, produces no fumes, and can be used indoors and in occupied buildings, which is where it earns its place.
Where to go next
If you are weighing up XGT against LXT more generally, the platform question is covered in our combo kit guide and the Makita brand profile. To get the most out of whichever packs you end up feeding it, read battery care that actually doubles pack life, and how we test explains the difference between a piece like this one and a scored review.
Specifications sourced from Makita’s published product information and from Pro Tool Reviews‘ coverage of the launch.
