What Are Deformable Garage Lights? Pros, Cons, Copies & the Original

Traditionally, lights and bulbs that were fixed on walls were usually stationary and could not be adjusted to suit individual needs and requirements. But with light technology advancing by leaps and bounds each year, new devices are continuously being invented to make man’s life easier.

Deformable garage lights (also known as deformable lights) use a design where you can adjust the light’s direction to suit your needs. The bulbs are adjustable to different angles, allowing the room to be lit according to convenience. They are usually used in warehouses, garages, workshops, etc.

There are many types and versatile designs in the market, so it is important to know all your options before you invest in a set of deformable lights. This article will elaborate on its types, uses, unique features, and the pros and cons, to help you get a clear understanding of this light type. Let’s dive in!

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What Are Deformable Lights and Who Invented Them?

A deformable light gets its name from its ability to be adjusted/modified to suit the user’s needs. These lights generally have three aluminum wings full of LED bulbs attached to a single light fixture and can be rotated to point in different directions. This gives the light a custom coverage area, making it far more efficient than regular lights and bulbs that are static. 

Deformable lights somewhat resemble a three-petaled flower. The stem of the flower is the base of the light that screws into the light socket on your garage ceiling and the flower petals are the 3 aluminum heads full of LED lights. The petals or “heads” can rotate up and down off the base giving you the ability to give more or less light to certain areas of the room.

First invented and designed by STKR Concepts, the first deformable light was the TRiLIGHT.  It started as a simple idea to quickly and easily improve the lighting in a typical garage without the use of tools or rewiring.  The STKR TRiLIGHT created an entirely new market of garage lights, that are now known as deformable lights.  Due to the success of the STKR TRiLIGHT, it has been massively copied be cheap Chinese copy factories and less than reputable copy brands who prey on innovative designs, dumb them down and devalue the market with cheap and unreliable copies.

If you are interested in this style of lighting, the original TRiLIGHT by STKR Concepts is highly recommended.  Beyond being an innovative, design driven company that is the inventory and originator of this style of lighting, they are the premium option.  They offer the best quality.  Their product is certified to UL safety standards.  The factory and production is inspected and certified for the same safety standards annually, and they are based in the USA and take pride in their customer service.  They will stand behind their product and put the customer first.  Learn more about this style of light and the history of the STKR TRiLIGHT introduction below.  

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Why are Deformable Lights Used in the Garage?

Previously, garages were lit with a single incandescent bulb, because contractors don’t usually put a lot of money into garage lighting. Though an incandescent bulb has its perks, being bright enough to work with after dark is not one of them. But with the advent of deformable LED lights, garage and workshop owners can dramatically upgrade with ease and without breaking the bank. 

Most garages have only one bulb outlet, so installing more bulb outlets or light ballasts to make the room brighter would be an expensive project requiring specialized electrical skills. But a deformable light comes with three heads full of LED bulbs attached together, which simply needs to be screwed in like a regular bulb. A single deformable light gives you the brightness of three panels full of LED bulbs that shed light all around the room!

In addition to making the entire room bright, people who do mechanical work generally prefer the object they're working on to be well-lit, making it easier for them to see what they're working with without having to force someone to hold a torch over their workspace. 

Having an overhead light that can be directed at the exact area they want the most amount of light on is definitely every mechanic’s dream, so it isn’t surprising that the name soon became deformable ‘garage’ lights, based on how efficient it was in a garage. 

To get a clear idea of what these lights exactly look like and why people love using them in their garage, I recommend watching this video below that reviews a deformable garage light with LED bulbs:

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How Is It Different From Regular Lights?

You may be wondering what the big difference is between regular LED lights and deformable garage lights. There are mainly two big differences that make deformable lights stand apart from the rest. Let’s look at this in detail below.

Multiple LED Panels

One of the reasons this light is far more powerful than a single LED light bulb is because it comes with three aluminum blades full of LED bulbs attached together. Using one of these lights in place of a single LED light bulb drastically changes the brightness level in the room and allows light to reach all the corners of a room.

Ability to Be Adjusted

This is an added bonus, as it allows you to customize the direction of the light according to your activity and need. Most deformable lights come with rotating light heads that can pivot from 90° to 180°, making it a highly functional addition to your workspace. 

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What to Look for When Buying Deformable Lights

If you want to buy a deformable light that will be worth the cost, it's important to make sure it’s made of high-quality materials that will have durability and long life. Let’s look at a few of the key aspects you need to keep in mind if you decide to buy a deformable light for your home!

A Reputable Company

This one makes the top of the list because of the crazy amount of knock-off’s and copy products that flooded the market after STKR introduced the first deformable light back in 2016 called the TRiLIGHT. It was a Kickstarter success that birthed the first deformable light but after that initial release of a great product the market was flooded with knock off’s that weren’t trying to compete, purely just trying to copy the success with the cheapest product possible.  This comes at the expense of quality, longevity, and most importantly when screwing this into your family home, safety!

I’ve heard that China can recreate a brand new pair of Air Jordan’s in a week’s time and have a competing product at a fraction of the cost. But do they actually feel like ‘Air Jordan’s’?... of course not. We’ve all either seen copies or even bought copies (maybe even unknowingly) of something that we maybe didn’t really want to invest any money in so the idea of a crazy good deal seemed appealing in the moment. 

After weeks of waiting you finally get your package because it came from overseas. And just like most of these stories play out, the product reveal generally leaves you feeling let down. At that moment you realize just how much better at photoshop and Facebook ads these people were than actual product development. 

Thousands of new websites go up every day by people that want to make it big in dropshipping. A guy finds some cheap product like a deformable light on Alibaba for pennies on the dollar and creates a website around it almost overnight. Then he spends a hefty amount of money on Facebook advertising to put that product in our faces while we entertain ourselves on our devices. 

The copy product website looks real and has all of the trust factors we’ve come to know. You click purchase and that gets forwarded on to his ‘supplier’ overseas. Being the middle man he’s driving up the price and probably not offering any added value to the product. If anything, this person’s mentality on customer service doesn’t exist, and the brand won’t be around as long as their warranty claims.

So, with all of this knock-off product talk in mind and really thinking through the idea of a loss in quality and safety, do you really want to take a risk with your house? I’ve seen a house that burnt down to the ground because of a small staple installed incorrectly in the attic.

If the cheap knock offs aren’t putting in the development time, creating patents, and conforming to the recommended safety standards we all just assume companies have to follow then they are taking huge risks. When I buy something that I’m going to keep plugged into 110 volts all day every day, I want to know that it was designed, tested, and approved to be the best and safest product for my family.

Type of Bulb

It goes without saying that the deformable light must have LED bulbs. They are far more efficient and brighter than fluorescent or incandescent bulbs and have a longer life. Here are some of the pros of investing in LED lights in terms of efficiency:

• Long life
• Energy efficiency
• High brightness and intensity
• Vast color range
• Low radiated heat
• Instant full illumination
• Directional lighting

The Lumen of the Light

The lumen or light output is the measurement of the total amount of light that comes out of the bulb. Simply put, the higher the lumen output of the bulb, the brighter it will be. One of the obvious benefits of deformable lights is that with their high LED count most of them have a very high lumen output.

For instance, the original deformable light, the TRiLIGHT, packs a whopping 4000 lumens! To put that into perspective, your old school incandescent 60-watt light bulb puts out 800 lumens.  Also, beware of copies claiming unrealistic lumen levels.  STKR verifies their lumen claims with specialized equipment to ensure their claims are true.  A 4000 lumen TRiLIGHT will produce more light than an 8000-12000 lumen copy light! 

Size of the Light

In addition to the lumen, the size of the light also plays a role in how much brightness it will provide. By size, we’re talking about the number of adjustable heads or lamps the deformable light has. 

As a rule, a deformable light has three or more heads, as that will allow you to position the lights in various angles to suit the room. This ability to adjust the direction or focus of the lighting is one of the main perks of having a deformable light!

If you want something bigger than a base with three light panels then you could always upgrade to something like the MPI that comes with 5 lights. One main hub light that screws into a typical light bulb socket and four others that extend off the base using retractable wiring. This easy to install setup gives you 7500 actual lumens.

Temperature of the Light

Temperature refers to the color of the light. When checking the garage light's temperature, there are three general terms you may come across: warm white, neutral white, and cool white.

• Warm white light is on the lower end of the color spectrum and gives off a yellowish tinge, similar to an incandescent light bulb.

• Neutral white light lies somewhere in the middle, where neither warm nor cool tones (yellow or blue) dominate. Sometimes it is said that this mimics sunlight.  Usually around 5400k (kelvin) on the light temperature scale.  

• Cool white is on the higher end of the spectrum and is a strong white light with a bluish tinge. This is also known as “daylight” white.

Most deformable light buyers prefer the Neutral white option (daylight) as it tends to be the brightest. Additionally, neutral colors are generally preferred for clarity and project based lighting, while warm colors are used in rooms you would generally relax and rest in, unlike a garage where you want to productivity inducing white light. 

Types of Beams

When it comes to the "flooding" or "throwing" of the light, the lens reflector surrounding the bulb influences how the light is dispersed. You have three options to choose from in this category:

• Flood beams: A flood beam creates a wide pattern of light that floods an area both horizontally and vertically. Due to the presence of adjustable bulbs, you can allow the light to have a 360° coverage, creating a massive floodlight in the room. 

• Spot beams: Also known as focused beams, this beam penetrates a long distance in terms of length. This is good for targeting objects while working on them.

• Adjustable beams: The beam can be adjusted to be wide or focused, or something in between. This is a great option as you wouldn’t have to narrow down the utility value of the deformable light based on the type of beam and reflector it has. 

The best garage ceiling light will be a flood beam.  The goal is to light the entire space with the least amount of shadows.  Although the deformable lights have three adjustable panels, these individual panels are flood lights.  They can be positioned to light the garage to the users taste, but they will flood the entire garage or room.  

If you’re looking for a garage light with an adjustable lens, I recommend checking out the Mobile Task Light, a 1200 Lumen Flood Light by STKR. STKR Concepts are the same people that brought us the “O.G.” deformable light and this one is essentially one of the aluminum blades from a TRiLIGHT broken off into its own rechargeable portable light. This floodlight comes with a dual-beam adjustable lens system, allowing you to have a flood beam or a focused spotlight beam. 

Motion Sensors

Motion detection is the newest and most popular feature among deformable lights right now. This also increases the utility of your garage lights, as it can also be used as security lights with this additional feature. 

The TRiLIGHT - Motion Activated Garage Ceiling Light has an extra sensitive microwave motion-sensing technology that allows detection even in the darkest environments. In addition to this, it also has an adjustable motion-sensing dial, which will enable you to choose what level of motion your light’s sensor must sense. As a bonus, it has a timer that turns the motion sensor off after 90 seconds!  The STKR TRiLIGHT is the only Deformable garage light with an adjustable motion sensor.  The copies use a lesser quality sensor that is not adjustable, or no sensor at all.  

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Types of Deformable Garage Lights

With more people preferring deformable lights for their garage, manufacturers are coming up with new and improvised designs that make these lights useful for several different activities. Let’s have a look at some of the most popular types below.

Deformable Drop Light

A drop light (also known as a trouble light) is a special light generally used to illuminate a vehicle or project being worked on. Like the incandescent bulb itself, the drop light has looked one way for a very long time. 

A metal cage surrounds a bare bulb with a power cord coming out the bottom of the handle and a hook on top for hanging. This design is tried and true but can’t always handle moderate abuse like dropping, which is why it is popularly known as a drop light. 

Well, the guys and gals over at STKR did it again with a deformable droplight that is basically a modified version of the original TRiLIGHT but instead of light socket threads on the base, it has a handle and a power cord coming out the bottom. 

Back to the flower analogy, you are basically holding the stem of the flower.

The TRiLIGHT ShopLight - A Modern Day LED Drop Light is a multi-purpose deformable light with three adjustable aluminum light heads that puts out 3000 lumens of light. The aluminum makes the light strong enough to withstand impact damage.

The TRiLIGHT ShopLight can be used not only as an omnidirectional handheld shop light but can also be used as a garage ceiling light as it features a robust hook that can be used to hang the light from anywhere, including the hood of a car!

MPI - Multi-Point Illumination

The multi-point illumination garage light creates five points of light from a single fixture. It comes with four separate pods attached to a single light fixture in the center of the room, which helps light up all the four corners of the room. This works great for large rooms where a single light fixture simply won’t do!

MPI - Motion Garage Ceiling Light comes with five LED fixtures, which creates 5 points of light all around the room. It has 7500 lumens and needs only one light socket to power all five fixtures. In addition to this, it also has a motion sensor and a USB port from which you can connect a security camera.

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Pros of Using Deformable Garage Lights

• Easy to Install: You needn’t worry about the cost of installation with deformable lights, as most of them have an easily installable system. Most deformable lights simply need to be screwed in like a regular light bulb, removing any hassle of installation and set-up.

• Single Outlet: A deformable garage light is a smart person’s first choice, as you needn’t worry about creating new light outlets to brighten up your dingy garage. Simply installing one deformable light in an existing outlet is enough to brighten up the entire room due to the adjustable wings of the light and high lumen count. 

If your garage happens to be exceptionally big, you can invest in multiple TRiLIGHTs or in a multi-point illumination light, which allows you to connect four separate light pods to a single light hub that only uses one outlet in the middle of the room. 

• Brightness and Efficiency: LEDs provide a high amount of light output, which serves the main reason for a deformable light. Additionally, they are energy efficient and won’t let your electricity bill skyrocket. 

• Beam Types and Colors: The lights provide both flood and focused beams, which is very important and convenient when working with mechanical devices. They also come in daylight shades of white, which is an added bonus for productivity.

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Cons of Using Deformable Garage Lights

The major drawback of using these lights is their high cost in comparison to what is usually screwed into your garage light socket. For instance, a TRiLIGHT costs right around $130 and that can seem like a huge jump from the $2 bulb that doesn’t fully light the garage.

If you were to go a more traditional direction of adding lighting then you would most likely have to hire an electrician to come out and pull a few new electrical lines in your garage. Hiring an electrician can start at $50 to $100 for the 1st hour! And that’s just labor costs.  Toss in the cost of wiring and light fixtures and you better have deep pockets! 

So when you compare a deformable garage light like the TRiLIGHT to a full blown garage lighting system that requires an electrician then the TRiLIGHT is actually a budget friendlier option when it comes to professional lighting setups. 

Although you might be able to find cheaper knock-offs for a ridiculous price, you will be reinvesting in these cheap knock offs over and over.  Based on their return rates due to product failure, you will likely be buying replacements on a regular basis.  Especially because these knock-off companies are not available to honor their falsely claimed warranties. 

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Summary

This article provides a detailed explanation of what deformable garage lights are, their types, features, and various uses. The most important takeaways from this article is summarized below:

• Modifiable light.
• Has two or more lamp heads attached together.
• Provides directional and omnidirectional light.
• Has a high lumen output.
• Flood and spot beams.
• Is easy to install.
• Uses energy-efficient LED bulbs.
• Different shades of white colored LEDs.
• Motion sensors, strobe feature, and security camera port.

Hopefully, this article answers all your questions and helps you figure out if this light will suit your needs or not!

Finally, use coupon code: STKR15 to save some money on the original STKR TRiLIGHT.