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Desk lamps brighten your workspace, reduce eye strain, and keep you productive no matter the time of day. In addition to lighting your workspace, desk lamps often have additional features, such as phone mounts and charging ports. To help you select the right lamp for you, the This Old House Team researched the best desk lamps on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations.
Top 5 Desk Lamps
- Best Metallic Finishes: LEPOWER Metal Desk Lamp
- Best Lampshade Colors: Limelights Stick Charging Outlet Table Lamp
- Most Mobile: iVict Clip-On Desk Lamp
- Best Value: Simple Designs Basic Flexible-Hose Desk Lamp
- Best Charging Lamp: AFROG LED Desk Lamp
Best Metallic Finishes
LEPOWER Metal Desk Lamp
- $22.99
- $32.99
- 30% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Adjustable gooseneck
- Power switch
- Metal lampshade and base
- Available in multiple colors
What Customers Are Saying
Customers said that this lamp was lightweight, bright, and made from sturdy materials. However, those who were unhappy with the product claimed that it was smaller than expected. Others had issues with the gooseneck breaking.
Best Lampshade Colors
Limelights Stick Charging Outlet Table Lamp
- $16.68
- $29.99
- 44% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Power chain
- Charging port
- Fabric lampshade
- Metal base
- Available in multiple colors
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who liked this lamp said that it offered easy assembly, was durable, and had a stylish, contemporary design. However, those who didn’t like the lamp claimed that it was made from cheap materials. Several customers specifically mentioned the weak chain that broke after minimal use.
Most Mobile
iVict Clip-On Desk Lamp
- $11.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Adjustable gooseneck
- Power buttons
- Metal body
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who left positive reviews for this product liked its various brightness settings, lightweight nature, and versatility. However, those who left negative reviews claimed that the body was flimsy and that the gooseneck was difficult to adjust.
Best Value
Simple Designs Basic Flexible-Hose Desk Lamp
- $14.19
- $17.99
- 21% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Adjustable gooseneck
- Power switch
- Metal lampshade
- Plastic base
- Available in multiple colors
What Customers Are Saying
Happy customers liked this lamp’s high brightness level and convenient on/off switch. However, those who were unhappy with the product claimed that it was top-heavy, causing it to tip over. They also said that it wasn’t made from the most durable materials.
Best Charging Lamp
AFROG LED Desk Lamp
- $27.97
- $39.97
- 30% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Adjustable head
- Power buttons
- Charging port
- Wireless charging pad
- Metal body
What Customers Are Saying
Reviewers liked this lamp’s energy-saving sleep mode, sleek design, and convenient wireless charging feature. However, some who left negative feedback said that the light wasn’t as bright as expected and that the touch buttons were overly sensitive.
Buyer’s Guide
From brightness to power source, there are several features and factors that influence how a desk lamp functions. Here are five of them.
Lumens
Lumens measure the brightness of an LED light. A light bulb with more lumens is brighter. Many desk lamps come with pre-installed bulbs that emit a certain number of lumens. Others don’t include bulbs, making them compatible with a range of options.
Controls
Some desk lamps come with various brightness levels, temperature options, and lighting modes. These settings are usually controlled with buttons or a touchscreens on the base of the lamp. If your lamp only offers one lighting setting, it will likely have a switch or pull chain to turn it on and off.
Charging Capabilities
Most desk lamps are equipped with USB or AC ports or wireless pads to charge your computer, phone, or other electronic devices. If you want to limit the number of plugs around your workspace, consider a lamp with a charging capability.
Power Source
Most desk lamps are AC-powered, meaning they plug into a wall outlet. However, some mobile models are USB-powered. AC power is convenient, as all homes are equipped with outlets. USB-powered lamps typically have a less bulky cord, but they require an AC adapter or USB output.
Size
Choose a lamp that fits comfortably on your desk. If you have a small desk, purchase a smaller desk lamp. A larger computer desk, on the other hand, may require a bigger, brighter lamp to cover its entire surface in light.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are desk lamps bad for your eyes?
Desk lamps usually aren’t bright enough to damage your eyes, though we still wouldn’t recommend looking directly into their light.
What is task lighting?
As opposed to ambient lighting that brightens a large area, task lighting illuminates a small area. It gives you enough light to read a book, use a tool, or complete other tasks. Desk lamps provide task lighting.
Why do I need a desk lamp?
A desk lamp allows you to see your workspace at all times of the day. Additionally, it can be positioned on a bedside table for an easily accessible nightlight or reading light.
Why Trust The This Old House Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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