Review: The Best LED Reading Lamps
Nighttime can be prime reading time, and a small reading light is invaluable in a darkened room, or to avoid disturbing a roommate or spouse. The small size and directional light output of LEDs make them ideal for personal reading lights. Here are four of the best LED reading lamps, perfect for the bedroom, dorm rooms, or your favorite reading chair. All can be mounted on a table or bedframe – no more unclipping a book light at the turn of every page.
Fulcrum MultiFlex LED Light
Fulcrum MultiFlex LED Light
Note from Editor: I’ve been testing this light for a few months now, and I’m pleased with it. It is lightweight, so it clips to a book easily, and the flexible neck stays in place quite well. The reviewers on Amazon agree: 4.5 / 5 stars from 143 buyers.
The Fulcrum MultiFlex provides a clear, even beam of light for reading or illuminating close up tasks. It features an attachment clip, and the base can also support the 11” adjustable neck when sitting on a flat surface. Power comes from three AAA batteries, making the Fulcrum MultiFlex a good choice for travel as well as household use. The lamp is available in either silver or red.
The Fulcrum MultiFlex LED Light is available at Amazon for $10.99.
LightWedge USB Flex Neck Reading Light
LightWedge USB Flex Neck Reading Light
This lamp features dual LEDs powered by a pair of CR2032 batteries in the base of the lamp. And it does double duty too: the clip-on base is removable, revealing a USB plug that can be inserted into your laptop to power the lamp as a workstation light. The adjustable neck is 10” long, and the lamp provides approximately 30 hours of light under battery power. The head of the lamp can also be inserted into the clip for travel.
You can find the LightWedge USB Reading Light at Amazon for $19.99.
Luckytown LED Clip Lamp
Luckytown LED Clip Lamp
The adjustable 18” neck on this LED clip lamp allows the user to position the light beam exactly where it’s needed. The modern-style, rounded metal shade prevents light spillage throughout the room, and the shade stays cool unlike with an incandescent or halogen bulb. A metal spring clamp attaches the plug-in lamp securely to a bed or table.
The Luckytown LED Clip Lamp is available for $24.99 at Amazon.
Alliance Optotek Night Reader LED Lamp
Alliance Optotek Night Reader LED Lamp
The Night Reader is the Ferrari of LED reading lamps. Three single-watt Nichia LEDs produce 100 lumens of light, making the Night Reader perfect for task lighting as well as reading, and the lamp is available in both bright “daylight white” and softer “warm white” versions. A 16” flexible neck offers a bit of extra length for adjustability, and the lamp can be wall-mounted or attached with its rubber-lined metal spring clamp. A rocker on/off switch is mounted on the 6’ cord, and a built-in voltage adapter gives the Night Reader an operating range of 90-240vac.
The Alliance Optotek Night Reader LED Lamp is available at TheLEDLight.com for $56.55.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Can any of these lamps illuminate a whole page of a book or better yet, a whole open book? The photo of the Alliance lamp illustrates my problem with this type of lamp. Focusing on a small circle seems a bit useless to me under most circumstances.
Great to see you’re reviewing LED book lamps. I’ve never used a clip-on book light like this because they’re somewhat fussy. That is, you have to mind that you don’t jostle or knock them out of alignment when turning pages or damage them when you put the book down. That makes reading at night just too cumbersome for me.
What I’ve taken to is using my LED headlamp for reading at night. If you don’t mind having one strapped to your head, it can be the perfect solution. I like the Petzl Tikka XP, which gives very even light when the diffusion filter is engaged. Once it’s adjusted on your head, you don’t have to worry about coverage (the light follows where ever you look) or having to deal with something hanging off your book. I use the low setting and a red filter on mine, which make the light even less intrusive for my girlfriend when she falls asleep before I do (the clear filter is more natural, though).
I would like to put a plug for Ikea’s new solar desk lamp. It is about the same size as the above and is LED. It has a detachable battery/solar panel. In the US it is about $20. I use it regularly and recharge it biweekly by leaving the solar panel/battery outside in the backyard.
Though slightly different, probably the best in this category is this (which I use myself for music, 180 lumens, easily covers a large open book:
http://cli.gs/ULnATa
To be fair, this is way TOO bright for reading in bed with other lights off, so the regular version of the giglight from the same company would be better, or probably one of the things listed in the review here. But anyway, I’m thrilled with my Super Giglight for music reading.
I’ve never used a clip-on book light like this because they’re somewhat fussy.
I just used my small, AA battery powered hiking light. Reuse the things I already have. I don’t camp as much as I like but quite a bit of my hiking and camping gear gets used on a weekly basis. Water skins for the stroller, hiking clothes make great yard work outfits, etc.
Of course, I use NiMH hybrid rechargables.
Have you considered the Beam N Read Hands Free Lights from ASF Lightware Solutions? The Beam N Read LED 3 light covers 2 pages and batteries last 120 hours at full brightness which is much more efficient than many other lights. The Beam N Read LED 6 provides an extra wide light for crafts and batteries last 48 hours at full brightness, still longer than many others. They are worn around the neck and can also work with newspapers and magnazines which many clip-on can’t. No need for an object to clip them to. This form factors also enables them to be used for many other situations making them more versatile (camping, travel, emergencies, etc). The LED 6 comes with a magnifier and an attachable filter to warm the light for those who don’t like the cold-blue light of LEDs. The LED 3 comes with an attachable red filter to help avoid night blindness.
I can recommend two awesome LED desk lights that are only $8 and $9 apiece. One attaches to your computer’s USB port and the other sits on your desk. You can’t beat the price, but as cheap as they are – they’re really great lights too. I gave them to everyone for stocking stuffers this year and they were a big hit!
http://cli.gs/77JhTX
Wooden Tale Lighting
It looks like that it is made from wood,but it is more excellent than wood.
With a wooden decoration and a lighting price, the WTL makes your product an affinity one.
Christ is the lard of WTL
http://www.woodentale.com.cn.
The lard spread his mercy down to the earth, the god scatter his kindness to world of mortals
Value is to be reflected in the market, while the benchmark value is in the hands of customers like you forever.
we need a task lamp ewith a 12vdc and 1watt led
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