The lamps prevent eye fatigue, which can lead to difficulty in concentration and headaches. Sufficient brightness, pleasant light color and, if necessary, proper alignment and focusing of the light are important.
Editors Favorites: Best Reading Lamps
Vekkia B076SVC7SN Clip Lights Bed
You can recharge this reading lamp with 6 LEDs with a USB connection. The three individually adjustable brightness levels are particularly pleasant, as the lamp can be switched on for working, reading or sleeping.
The clamp that attaches the reading lamp is of 0.8in and you clip it anywhere. With a weight of 2.1 oz, it is also particularly light and you can take it anywhere.
Led Clip Reading Light by Raniaco
If you are looking for a reliable reading lamp that is characterized by its lightweight and long battery life, you should take a closer look at this model.
This reading lamp by Raniaco is small and handy and weighs is of 24 hours. Raniaco reading light has 12 LEDs and three different brightness modes. So there is nothing standing in the way of a long reading adventure
GLORIOUS-LITE 10 LED Book Light
This reading lamp costs no more than 10 dollars and is easily adjustable thanks to the flexible neck.
It has a total of 10 LEDs with 5 in each arm. The clip on the bottom also allows you to attach the lamp either directly to the e-reader or a book. This reading lamp by GLORIOUS-LITE has 39.37 inches long USB cable.
With this lamp, you can have three different temperature colors and two different brightness.
Due to the flat underside of the clip, you can also place the reading lamp on a table.
Vekkia B076SVC7SN
Led Clip Reading light by Raniaco
GLORIOUS-LITE 10 LED Book Light
Energizer Clip on Book Light for Reading
Amber Light – Rechargeable Blue Light Blocking Reading Light
LEDGLE Rechargeable LED Reading Light
IMIGY Dimmable 9W Floor Reading Lamp
Brightech Litespan LED Bright Reading Lamp
Anmytek Adjustable Swing Wall Reading light
Plug in Wall Sconces Lamp
Reading Lamp Buyers Guide
Why do you need a reading lamp?
You don’t want to disturb your partner with bright light when reading at night?
You cannot install a larger light source at your favorite place?
Then a reading light is just right for you.
With some of the models, you can directly attach the reading light to the e-reader, book or shelf using a clip, there is hardly any scattered light in the room.
The clip lights, which are usually equipped with LED light, also prevent eye fatigue and are rechargeable thanks to the built-in battery.
Simply clamp the lamp directly onto the book or magazine and change the angle of light according to your needs. With them, you always have the light exactly where you need it.
How much does a reading lamp cost?
Since there are reading lamps in many different versions to buy, the prices also differ depending on the type. Your lamp can be small or large, operated by battery or electricity, or have special functions.
Below is the table of rough price ranges and the appropriate information:
| price range | Kind | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| Approximately 3-5 dollars | Clip-on reading lamps (button battery) | Perfect for travel / flexible / handy / cheap | Poor quality / Low lifespan / Must be charged |
| Approx. 10-15 dollars | LED reading lamp (battery operated) | Medium size / Handy / approx. 10 hours lifespan | Must be charged |
| Over 15 dollars | LED reading lamp (battery or power operated) | Long service life / good light / often equipped with additional functions (swiveling neck) | Expensive / inflexible due to power connection |
Types of reading lamps
There are three different types of reading lamps:
- Floor lamps
- Sconces
- Clamp-on lights
All types offer different advantages and disadvantages depending on the place of use. Depending on which places you prefer to read, one type of reading lamp is more suitable for you than another.
Before buying, you should be aware that you cannot change the LEDs of the lamp on most devices. Sometimes you can change them, but it means that you will loose warranty from the manufacturer.
It doesn’t matter whether you want to use the lamp in the living room, in bedroom, in the bathroom or outdoors when camping. The different reading lamps have different individual advantages.
Below we will tell you how the individual types differ and which one is best for you.
Floor reading lamp and its advantages and disadvantages
Floor lamps such as desk lamps are wonderful for reading at home. Desk lamps usually have a flexible swivel arm and can thus be brought into the optimal reading positions.
Floor lamps therefore also offer a certain degree of mobility and flexibility.
Ceiling wash lights are particularly suitable for reading in the living room and, due to their orientation, cause little shade, which improves reading comfort.
Pros
Flexible
Mobility in your own home
Cons
Require additional space
Not suitable for outside
Wall sconces and its advantages and disadvantages
The wall lamp hardly differs from the floor lamp, except that it is attached to the wall . This means that you don’t need additional storage space and the lamp offers optimal light, especially on the couch or in bed.
Therefore, the wall lamp is perfect for a fixed reading place.
The biggest disadvantage is the permanent attachment of the lamp, since moving the lamp is not an option.
Pros
Strong hold
No storage space
Cons
Not adjustable
Requires space on the wall
Clip lamp and its advantages and disadvantages
Clip lights are lamps with a clamp or locking screw. Due to their size, you can attach them to a wide variety of locations, be it on tables, shelves or even on the book itself.
The small clip lamps usually have rechargeable batteries are also suitable for outdoor use or as a reading lamp for on the go.
The disadvantage is that, due to their size, clamp lamps offer less light than, for example, ceiling lights or floor lamps, which can illuminate larger areas.
Pros
Mobility and flexibility
Takes up little space
Can be attached almost anywhere
Cons
Small light source
Things to consider in reading lamp
In the following paragraph we will show you which factors you can use to compare and evaluate reading lamps. This will make it easier for you to decide whether a particular reading lamp is suitable for you or not.
In summary, these are:
- Dimmer
- Weight
- Running time
- Light color
Dimmer
Many reading lights offer the option of setting different brightness levels.
Did you know that only 5% of the energy supplied illuminates the light bulb? The rest, a full 95%, is released to the environment as heat.
This allows you to adjust the brightness depending on the environment to protect your eyes. That means: If it is dark, you should choose a low brightness level.
Regardless of whether you are camping, in low light conditions or reading classically under the duvet: You can read anywhere comfortably and gently.
Weight
To ensure comfortable reading, you should pay attention to the weight of your reading lamp. A few grams can make a noticeable difference. Clamp lights therefore weigh less than 150 g.
Running time
How long you can use your reading lamp at a time depends on the battery life. The operating time varies depending on the selected brightness level. The running times are between 8 and 16 hours on average.
Did you know that the inventor of the light bulb is Edison?
This may seem trivial, as we often hear that it was not Edison but Goebel.
This assumption is based on a copyright dispute in which Goebel stated that he invented the lamp before Edison. This has now been finally refuted.
Light color
The color of the light is important in order not to strain your eyes unnecessarily. Cold light with a high proportion of blue, such as a smartphone or tablet, usually keeps you awake.
Therefore, when choosing the right illuminant, you should pay attention to a natural light, which mostly shines warm white or yellow / orange, and does not flicker.
How to choose the Best reading lamp
The good reading light is a matter of your subjective perception as well as your personal preference. Some like it brighter when reading, some darker, some like it aligned, others prefer to read with normal room lighting in the form of a ceiling lamp.
There are some advantages and disadvantages of lamps in terms of reading pleasure. In the following section, we would like to give you a brief overview of your options and introduce you to our favorite lamps!
Energy lamps reduce reading pleasure
Energy-saving lamps are a great invention because, as the name suggests, they can save a lot of energy. Unfortunately, they are less suitable for the living room or the reading corner due to their lighting properties and color rendering options.
With a good reading light it is always said that the more faithfully the colors are reproduced, the more pleasant it is for the eyes.
Also, the delayed switch-on ability of energy-saving lamps can hurt your reading pleasure. Unlike other illuminants, the full luminosity is only available after a few seconds. Of course, this can quickly get annoying in the long run if you just want to quickly leaf through your newspaper!
Halogen lamps heat the reading corner
Halogen lamps give off a lot of heat to their surroundings and consume high energy.
LED lamps durable and economical
We particularly recommend reading lamps with LEDs. They are very durable and at the same time very economical in energy consumption.
You will often find them permanently installed in the lights. At the same time, this is a small disadvantage, because they are only partially interchangeable.
LED reading lamps also have great color rendering. Depending on the desired color temperature, you can choose between LED lamps with different temperatures. These are given in Kelvin and range from warm white light to daylight white!
For daytime or at the desk, a reading light is more suitable from neutral to daylight white light. In the living room, the use of warm white light is particularly suitable for browsing through your favorite books or magazines.
How bright should it be?
In principle, any lamp can be used for your reading light. However, it must have an adequate basic brightness. We recommend an luminance of at least 300 but rather 500 lux for optimal reading pleasure.
For the reading corner in the children’s room or the living room, a different light is suitable for setting up your reading corner. The older you get, the stronger your reading light should be. If the reading corner in the living room is intended for multipurpose we recommend a lamp with a dimming function.
Reading lamps for bedroom
We don’t recommend simple ceiling lighting for reading pleasure, especially in the bedroom. There is a high possibility that your reading time will make your partner crazy. Not everyone likes to read it late and very few can sleep comfortably with light in a room.
The light from a ceiling lamp spreads wide and does not always illuminate your room exactly where you would like it. You can use small clip light that you can fix to the head of your bed and adjust flexibly.
Does reading in the dark harm our eyes?
In principle, reading in the dark does not directly give any harm to our eyes. However, it is nowhere near as comfortable as if you had the right lighting to help you.
If the brightness of your lamp is not sufficient or you even read without a lamp, your eyes will tire much faster.
The darkness makes your pupils larger and significantly deteriorates the depth of field in your eye. This is also one of the reasons why reading in poor or dim light is more strenuous. The more strained your eyes become when reading with poor light, the more you have to concentrate unconsciously.
Therefore, good light is essential for proper reading pleasure. Because that’s the only way your eyes feel good.
Setting up a reading corner
We have put together the best tips for setting a reading corner. There are a few things you should pay attention to:
Brightness: You should always plan enough brightness for your reading corner. Reading lamp should bring enough light to avoid unnecessarily obstruction of the view while reading.
Depending on the place of use, table lamps in combination with a ceiling or floor lamp are suitable for this. A table lamp is often too small and does not provide enough light.
The preferred brightness for your reading light depends on many factors. This depends a lot on your reading habits and your preferences.
Do you read more in bed? Or you like reading on the sofa in the living room? How much basic lighting is already available in the room?
You should ask yourself all these questions before buying a new lamp!
Settings: For selective lighting, if possible choose your lamp with an adjustable function. For example, a floor lamp with adjustable arms or at least make sure that it has an adjustable lamp head. So you can always position the light where you need it!
Glare control: As the name suggests, a reading lamp with a glare is not very helpful. Therefore, we recommend that when buying your lamp you should make sure that it offers total glare-free lighting.
You can achieve optimal glare control by using a lampshade or a matt cladding glass. These protect your eyes from unpleasant glare.
The more flexible you can align your glare-free reading lamp; the more ideal it is for reading.
Which is the best place to put my reading lamp?
You can place your perfect reading light creatively and almost anywhere in the room. Do you read a lot? Then it is worthwhile, for example, to set up a small reading corner in the living room or study.
If possible, this should have a separate light source, except for the ceiling light. ceiling lights can provide basic lighting for rooms, but a selectively illuminated light gives your eyes a more pleasant reading experience.
A floor lamp reading arm function is ideal, for a selective reading lamp. Here you can often rotate and swivel the reading light, thus ensuring better reading pleasure!
You can also simply place it behind or next to your reading armchair, or lean against the wall in a stylish way.
Checklist for buying your reading lamp
- The room light is not enough for reading. An additional table or floor lamp is ideal for this.
- A dimmable reading lamp or a flexible light arm always adapts to your reading needs.
- LED lamps are particularly durable and economical.
- Warm white light is completely sufficient for cozy reading fun. For concentrated reading and learning, you should at least use neutral white, if necessary also daylight white.
