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While there are a variety of aftermarket grill lights designed to illuminate a grill’s cooking surface, few offer the versatility and ease of use of the LED Concepts grill light. In a side-by-side test with seven other grill lights, the LED Concepts light proved to be the best of the bunch thanks to its easy-to-install design and ability to work with just about any grill I threw it at.
I tested the LED Concepts light on a five-burner gas grill, smoker, kamado charcoal grill, and several portable grills. I performed each test in nearly pitch-dark conditions with no porch lights or light from nearby windows. During my tests, I considered how easy the LED Concepts light was to install and how well the light illuminated food on the grill surface. I also evaluated other characteristics, including if I could adjust the light on the fly and whether it presented an obstacle to the chef. I also tested the LED Concepts grill light’s durability by subjecting it to rain and freezing temperatures.
LED Concepts BBQ Grill Light: At a Glance
Rating: 9/10
PROS
- Magnet and gooseneck design allows it to work with virtually any grill or smoker
- Durable aluminum construction can withstand heat, weather, and drops
- Stays out of the way of the action so that it won’t interfere with cooking or the grill’s lid
CONS
- Lamp isn’t as bright as other grill lights
- Doesn’t cast as broad a swath of illumination as other lights
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What is the LED Concepts grill light?
The LED Concepts grill light illuminates a grill’s cooking surface, so users can see what they’re grilling even in very low lighting.
Its design consists of a gooseneck LED lamp that extends 2 feet from a large base. The base gives the user two options for mounting the light to the grill. Users can attach it to the grill’s lid handle, side table, or grill body via a clamp integrated into the base, or the base can stick to any metal surface with the two powerful magnets built into its feet. The latter mounting option proved the best option in almost all cases.
The lamp, which uses three AAA batteries, is equipped with 12 LED bulbs that pour 450 lumens of brightness onto the grill grates. The bulbs provide adequate light, even when the user is cooking in very dark lighting conditions. A button on the base turns the lamp on and off.
Is the LED Concepts grill light easy to install?
The large magnets on the base of the LED Concepts grill light, coupled with its long gooseneck, make it one of the easier grill lights to set up.
Many grill lights force the user to work with a clamping system, but with the LED Concepts grill light’s two powerful base magnets, I could simply place the light on any metal surface. There was no need to mess with screws and clamps.
It was easy to find a spot on the grill that would allow me to illuminate the food while keeping the light out of my way while cooking. I tested other lights that use this same magnet design, but most have goosenecks that are too short to use with a mounting spot that allowed me to direct the lamp onto the food. They simply weren’t long enough to reach.
The LED Concepts grill light has a long gooseneck that gave me many mounting options. I attached the light to several different areas of the grill, including the lid top, the lid side, a side table, and the grill body, and still had no problem extending the light over the cooking grates. And since there are no clamps or screws to deal with, I could easily relocate the base to a different location mid-grilling if needed.
This versatile design makes the LED Concepts grill light one of the most grilling-compatible lights I tested. I had no problem installing it on my gas, charcoal, or kamado grill. It also worked well on my portable charcoal grill and my smoker.
The LED Concepts grill light has a clamp-mounting option, but it wasn’t compatible with any of the grills in my arsenal. However, the clamp mount opened the LED Concepts light up to other applications. I used it to mount the light to my workbench to serve as a work light. With its magnets, I could even imagine using it under the hood of a car.
Is the LED Concepts grill light easy to use?
The design of the LED Concepts grill light makes it easy to set up and use during grilling.
Since the LED Concepts grill light has a long flexible gooseneck, I had no problem twisting the head to direct light onto the grill cooking surface. This isn’t the case with grill lights designed solely for clamping to the lid handle or other magnet-style grill lights with much shorter necks.
Moreover, the long gooseneck allowed me to position the lamp to illuminate the cooking surface while keeping it out of the action. It didn’t block my view of the food or prevent me from closing the lid—issues I encountered with other grill lights. The LED Concepts grill light integrated well with my cooking workflow whether I was using it on my smoker, kamado grill, or five-burner gas grill.
If there is a complaint, it’s that its 12 LED bulbs aren’t as bright, nor do they cast as broad a beam, as other grill lights I tested. That said, I found its brightness and coverage to be more than enough for cooking. Plus, with its gooseneck style, I found it easy to direct the lamp’s beam of light on the fly if needed.
How durable is the LED Concepts grill light?
Grill lights perform their jobs around extreme heat and in all kinds of weather. If a grill light can’t endure harsh conditions, it doesn’t matter how well it illuminates the cooking surface.
The LED Concepts grill light is one of the more ruggedly built of all the models I tested. This is good, since its magnet mounting system and long gooseneck design make it susceptible to being knocked off the grill, which happened a few times while I was experimenting with different mounting locations. Luckily, it’s built to handle that kind of abuse.
Unlike other grill lights that use plastic construction, the LED Concepts grill light features heavy- gauge metal construction. It didn’t suffer a scratch even after several falls onto a ceramic tile patio. And since it’s made of aluminum, users don’t have to worry about rusting or corrosion if it’s left out in the rain. It survived a night out in heavy rain as well as subfreezing temperatures during my testing.
Is the LED Concepts grill light worth the money?
With its $23 price tag, the LED Concepts grill light is on the lower end of the price scale for grill lights, which typically ranges between $16 and $40. Given its low price, ability to work with virtually any grill, easy-to-install design, and excellent construction quality, the LED Concepts grill light is well worth its price tag.
Its magnetic design makes it compatible with virtually any grill in one’s arsenal. Its large clamp mount even functions as a handy work light. Since it’s made entirely from aluminum construction, users don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving it out in the rain or breaking it if it’s knocked off the grill.
In short, for shoppers who want a grill light that will provide visibility for nighttime cooking plus functionality for other evening projects, the LED Concepts grill light is the one to choose.
Should you buy the LED Concepts grill light?
Whether the LED Concepts grill light is a good choice depends on a user’s grilling habits and the grills one already owns. For those who frequently grill in low-light conditions, it makes sense to invest in the LED Concepts grill light.
Since the LED Concepts grill light can work with almost any grill it’s attached to, it’s a perfect pick for those with multiple grills that require lighting.
Where to Buy the LED Concepts BBQ Grill Light
Get the LED Concepts grill light at:
Meet the Tester
Tony Carrick is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, landscaping, technology, home security, and design. His articles have been featured on such sites as Angi, Popular Science, Futurism, 360 Reviews by U.S. News & World Report, Domino, and more. Carrick has conducted rigorous product testing on everything from power tools to home security systems to backyard grills. With each review, his goal is to help readers determine whether a product meets their needs and if it is or isn’t worth its price tag.