This Ring RIL6200 MAGflex MAX500 inspection lamp changed my life

In the interests of transparency, I should point out that I didn't pay for the inspection lamp. It was sent to me by the marketing director of Ring Automotive. Nearly three years later, the Ring RIL6200 MAGflex MAX500 inspection lamp has proved its worth, time and time again, and I'd have no hesitation in recommending it to home mechanics and anyone who needs a robust and reliable torch.

Don't worry, that's the last time I'll use the entire product name in this review (hello search engine robots). I shall call it ‘the torch’, because that's its name at Petrolblog HQ.

Here are the specs of the rechargeable torch:

• 7.5 hours operating time at 250 lumens
• 4.5 hours operating time at 500 lumens
• 5.5 hours for a full recharge
• IP65 weatherproof rating
• IK08 impact rating
• 6000K colour temperature
• Integrated UV torch for detecting leaks
• Magnetic base
• Magnetic back
• Rotating hanging hook
• Battery charge indicator
• Type C USB connection with cable

It has been dropped many times, so I can vouch for its robustness. The tough outer shell has no problem dealing with concrete surfaces, but equally impressive is the way it copes with being dropped in mud and puddles. If a torch can survive an outdoor life on the edge of Dartmoor, it should be able to cope with anything.

We use the top hook to provide light in the goat shelter at feeding time. The magnetic back is used as a makeshift ‘headlight’ for the wheelbarrow when carrying hay or straw across the paddock. And it hangs upside down like a bat from the steel beam in the barn when I'm searching for something in the dead of night.

The torch unit rotates 360º, while the base can be angled up to 180º, which delivers incredible flexibility. 

It has come in handy during power cuts, has been used when DIY jobs have run into the early hours of the morning, and has even been deployed as a floodlight for a game of Subbuteo. Yes, really.

The torch has its own home in the boot room, where the charging cable is permanently in the USB socket. The magnetic base means the torch sits proudly atop a metal-clad light switch box by the back door, so everyone knows where to find it in an emergency (or if you can't see the opposition penalty area during a game of table football).

I wouldn't rank it alongside the dogs (or goats) as part of the family, but we couldn't live without it. It's the little things, like the position of the on/off switch, which ticks the ‘ergonomics’ box, and the fact that it's chunky enough to be used when wearing gloves. There's just a general sense that the torch can cope with all weathers, so you're never worried about using it when the conditions turn ‘Dartmoor’.

I received the torch for use on the fleet, so it's only fitting that I end with a few words on that. It's been brilliant. Whether it's attached to the underside of the bonnet during a routine service, fixed to a body panel when changing a wheel, or being peppered with rust when preparing the underbody for a coat of Lanoguard, the torch has been superb.

I've even been known to use the magnetic base to recover screws, bolts and 10mm sockets from the bowels of the engine bay. If the Ring RIL6200 MAGflex MAX500 inspection lamp had a LinkedIn profile, I'd be happy to endorse it. 10/10 – would recommend to friends and colleagues.

As you can see from the photos, the torch has lived a life. The Ring branding has long gone. There's paint on the outer shell. It's covered in oil and scratches. Yet, like a Toyota Camry, it keeps on delivering without fuss or glamour. At £49.99, it's not the cheapest torch on the market, but it comes with a two-year guarantee and Petrolblog's endorsement as a great product.

Did the torch really change my life? Well, it's used daily, either for household duties, animal care or working on the cars, it's charged overnight like an electric car, and unlike other torches I've owned in the past, it's never let me down. It's the best fifty quid I didn't spend.

For more info, visit the Ring Automotive website.