The advent of the LED light has drastically changed the power of desk lamps. Due to their flexibility, LED-powered desk lights can have their colour palette and brightness manipulated. This is great for you, as the light can be altered to suit the time of day, working location, task and personal preference. If you're more of the gamer type, you can brighten your set-up with the best gaming lights.
The ability to change light colour can make a marked difference when working for extended periods on any given project. Warming the colour can significantly reduce eye strain and feelings of fatigue, and changing the brightness can help reduce glare on a computer screen. Furthermore, this is even more effective when waking up in the morning to a sunrise alarm clock.
The best desk lamps at a glance:
• Best overall: STEALTH LED Light-Up Desktop Tower Lights - View on Amazon
• Best reliable lamp to work by: Lepro Eye Caring LED Desk Lamp - View on Amazon
• Best lamp for artists: Miady LED Desk Lamp 6W - View on Amazon
• Best classic lamp with modern bulbs: ANYDAY John Lewis Tony Desk Lamp - View on John Lewis
LEDs are extremely power efficient, reducing bills, your carbon footprint and the amount of heat produced. They can make office spaces much more comfortable. If you want to make your existing lamps in your home more exciting, you should try a smart light bulb and stay up to date with the latest tech.
We’ve brought the best desk lamps together for you to help you out on your search for your next desktop companion. While LED options are very good, we’ve also included an elegant traditional brass desk lamp, which will set off your office’s aesthetic for all you old-school and style-conscious types.
The best desk lamps in detail:
Best overall
Kyle Purves, What's The BestAlthough it may seem like an unusual choice at first, the STEALTH LED Tower Lights are absolutely worth considering. Coming as a pair, they do take up a fair bit of space, but the effects and settings and fun, varied, and surprisingly practical. The most unique setting is the noise-activated light, which responds to sound from a connected device.
One of our tech writers, Kyle Purves, has tested the STEALTH LED Tower Lights and had this to say – "With its varied modes and lighting settings, the STEALTH ends up as a surprisingly versatile set of tower lights. The gaming angle may not be for everyone, but I think being able to adjust the lighting as the day gets darker is always worth appreciating. They can be as subtle or as bold as you want them to be."
Pros
- Plenty of settings and modes
- Potential to be very bright
- Unique sound-activated effects
Cons
- Cables can get messy
| Type | LED |
| Modes | 4 speed modes, 4 brightness modes, 5 animated light effects, 7 static colours |
| Tilt/Swivel | N/A |
| Dimensions | 152 x 112 x 45 mm |
| Weight | 0.760kg |
Best reliable lamp to work by
The Lepro Eye Caring LED Desk Lamp is a great product for anyone who spends prolonged periods at their desk. The lamp is designed at every juncture to reduce eyestrain - the LEDs are dimmable, and there are three colour and five brightness settings to allow you to fine-tune your working conditions.
Pros
- Touch controls make it easy to use
- Great adjustment options
- Folds away to make it portable
Cons
- Can be a bit wobbly
| Type | 9W LED |
| Modes | 5 colours, 7 brightness |
| Tilt/Swivel | 180/90 degrees |
| Dimensions | 390 x 100 x 160 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 0.7kg |
- Customer review: "I am partially sighted and need a bright light for reading and also for preparing food. The lamp is very bright which suits my needs, but can be adjusted very easily by touch. The fact that it folds means I can take it away on holiday because bedside lamps are often very dim. I was so pleased with it that I ordered another straight away. I like the modern sleek style."
Best classically styled lamp with modern bulbs
www.johnlewis.com
This lamp is compact, neat and functional. The head and neck are adjustable, and it comes in several colours. The lamp takes both LED and Eco Halogen candle bulbs. A simple and effective product with a refined, classic look.
Pros
- Classic look
- Brilliant size
- Lots of colourful designs
Cons
- No modes
| Type | 6W |
| Modes | N/A |
| Tilt/Swivel | Multiple points on the neck |
| Dimensions | 380 x 135 x 250 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 1.35kg |
- Customer review: "Amazing and well-made desk lamp use it for putting my make-up on in the dark mornings. Great design and not too big looks great on my side table."
Best lamp with additional features
www.currys.co.uk
The GROOV-E Ares makes a case for not just settling for a simple lamp and instead opting for one with additional functions. This lamp has the usual set of adjustable modes you want to see, but it also sports additions such as a clock, an alarm, and even a wireless charger, so you can keep all your key tools in one place. It's all controlled through touch, so you don't need to worry about fiddling around with too many buttons. If you often get distracted by your phone but still want to stick to a schedule, this is the best lamp for you.
Pros
- Clock, alarm, and charging functions
- Easy-to-use touch controls
Cons
- The base is somewhat big for this size of lamp
| Type | LED |
| Modes | 3 colours, 5 brightness |
| Tilt/Swivel | Adjustable at neck |
| Dimensions | 385 x 172 x 58 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 1.1kg |
- Customer review: "Great light options. Live the folding option and the clock is also a great feature."
Best lamp for small desks
www.johnlewis.com
It's important to choose a lamp that doesn't eat up too much desk space, which is why we suggest this ANYDAY Oliver lamp. Despite its small size, it's actually very powerful and bright, and the focused shape ensures you can direct it to illuminate exactly what you want. Combine that with the 25,000-hour lifetime and you've got a reliable desk buddy.
It doesn't feature any advanced modes or fancy customisation, but it does a great job at what it does. In fact, in some cases, it does that too well. The focused shape means the area it covers is fairly small, even for a lamp this size.
Pros
- Powerful brightness
- Impressive lifetime
Cons
- Focused direction means it covers less area
| Type | 5W LED |
| Modes | N/A |
| Tilt/Swivel | N/A |
| Dimensions | 470 x 150 x 250 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 1.1kg |
- Customer review: "Lovely stylish lamp for a small room. Easy to put together and the tiny screws don't spoil the look. Great value too. Love it."
Best budget-friendly lamp
Simple, effective, and affordable, this is a lamp you can't go wrong with. It might be on the small side, but that keeps it lightweight and ensures you still have plenty of desk space. You can actually charge this up and go wireless with it, so you can bring it with you on your travels if you want to write some stuff down or wrap up a bit of work.
Pros
- Fantastic value
- Able to go wireless
Cons
- May be too small for some
| Type | 5W LED |
| Modes | Dimmable |
| Tilt/Swivel | Flexible arm/neck |
| Dimensions | 360 x 50 x 180 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 0.25kg |
- Customer review: "Philips is a well-respected brand for lots of appliances in our home. This light is one of them. Unlike similar lights, it has LOTS of small LEDs in the panel, making the light wider in terms of angles."
Best lamp for artists
The Miady LED Desk Lamp features four colours and three brightness modes. The flexible gooseneck allows the head to be posed in multiple positions. The 48 flicker-free LEDs are set around an open ring, which offers two benefits: first is that the ring layout casts a wide illumination area, and second is that the open top will be of great help to any craftsperson, nail technician or hobbyist who needs a focused and accurate light to look through.
Pros
- Flexible neck
- Ring shape
- Flicker-free
Cons
- No setting memory – reverts to full brightness
| Type | 6W LED |
| Modes | 3 colours, 4 brightness |
| Tilt/Swivel | 360 degrees |
| Dimensions | 180 x 180 x 295 mm (H x W x D) (Package size) |
| Weight | 0.88kg (Package weight) |
- "The spare room I'm now working in gets pretty dark during the winter, so I wanted a light to keep me company in the evenings. I love how this one has a flexible neck and many different settings. My favourite must be the warmer yellow light on low, as it doesn't strain my eyes when working late. It also doubles up as a great light for taking product photos, which is a bonus." Tried and tested by Jade Moscrop, Deputy Editor
Best lamp for large desks
Like many options, this LED light provides several colour hues, brightness levels, and a flicker-free performance. The light head is almost 16 inches long and provides great coverage. The real strength of this light is its long, poseable swing arm. Its length makes it suitable for those with a large desk and working area, those who end up moving from one area of a desk to another, or those wanting to pull the light in close to their work. The arm is held in place by a clamp.
Pros
- Posable arm
- Lots of modes
- Design helps save desk space
Cons
- Clamp rather than stand
| Type | 12W LED |
| Modes | 5 colour dimmable, 5 temperature |
| Tilt/Swivel | Three points of axis articulation |
| Dimensions | 1200 x 38 x 55 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 0.99kg |
- Customer review: "The look is modern, simple and good quality. You can change light warmth and brightness. controls are intuitive and within reach on the lamp arm. Arms move all directions, so you can place them anywhere. Already have 4 of them and the first i bought works for more than a year now with no problem. The only thing I would wish is that the power cable would go a little lower so that it would be completely invisible form he desk."
Best SAD lamp for replacing natural light
Not so much a lamp as a panel, the Lumie Vitamin L is a slim light therapy solution that you can take with you to improve mood, energy, and focus at home, work, or university. The light provided is dispersed in such a way as to mimic natural light, providing a pleasant, bright glow to work by. It produces 10,000 lux at 16cm, with a generous surface area. For more information on SAD lamps, read our guide here.
Pros
- Comforting glow
- Compact and portable
- Very bright
Cons
- No tilt/swivel like a traditional lamp design
| Type | 10,000 lux LED |
| Modes | N/A |
| Tilt/Swivel | Portrait or landscape |
| Dimensions | 280 x 1200 x 30 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 0.83kg |
- Customer review: "It easily fits into any corner of my living space and can also be packed conveniently for travel. The compact size doesn't compromise its efficiency at all; in fact, I find the light to be incredibly powerful, despite the slim dimensions."
The best lamp for style
www.johnlewis.com
This product boasts a classic design in a sophisticated colour with detailed brass components. The lamp's long neck means that you can extend it for a more general light spread or lower for more localised accurate lighting. The cable is wound with fabric for that authentic retro look. The base allows for 360-degree positioning, and the well-crafted components ensure smooth operation.
Pros
- 360-degree design
- Stylish brass details
Cons
- Heavier than other options
| Type | 5.5W LED (recommended bulb) |
| Modes | N/A |
| Tilt/Swivel | Full-swivel base |
| Dimensions | 600 x 150 x 410 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 4kg |
- Customer review: "Absolutely iconic design and the recipient of this gift is delighted with it. Beautiful colour and extremely well made. You cannot hide quality."
Best antique-style lamp
www.johnlewis.com
This is another classic lamp design that might take your fancy. It's stylish without being too bold, making it a great pick for a bedroom or spare room. The only aesthetic issue we have with it is that the dome is a bit on the large side, but that's ultimately down to preference.
We do want to note that this lamp has a two-metre cable, so you'll have no issue plugging it in and bringing it over to its designated spot.
Pros
- Classy design
- Two-metre cable is a convenient length
Cons
- Dome shade is on the large side
| Type | 6W LED (recommended) |
| Modes | Dimmable |
| Tilt/Swivel | N/A |
| Dimensions | 480 x 160 x 360 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 1.65kg |
- Customer review: "Bought this for my bedroom and couldn't be more pleased, especially on finding it can be dimmed. Good quality, probs buying another one soon."
What to look for in a desk lamp
Before you purchase your new desk lamp, consider a few things. Firstly, the size of your workspace. If you’re working from home in your shared house on a small desk, then a product with a small footprint will be for you. If you’re operating from a dedicated home office or large workspace, an option with a long-reaching arm or large light head will be important. Such a lamp could also help lights reach up over computer screens and dual-monitor setups.
Secondly, you'll want to consider the type of light you would like. The vast majority of the best desk lamps are LED models. This is because LED bulbs are efficient, bright and long-lasting. However, some will find simple, bright white LED options uncomfortable after long use. So, picking a lamp with varying degrees of brightness and colour hue will help. Likewise, if you like to use halogen bulbs or smart LED bulbs, you’re going to want to look for an option that allows you to change the lamp’s bulb, as some products have sealed heads, meaning that you can’t get at the LEDs to swap them out.
It's also worth noting other features that may be attractive to you, like the ability to pose the lamp’s head, clamp the light to the desk surface or even gain an extra charging port through a sneaky USB output port.
How long do LED desk lamps last?
According to Chicago-based light specialists Lightology, LED lights will take 50,000 hours before they need replacing. So, if you use the LED light for five and a half hours per day, the bulb will last you over 25 years. On the other hand, by comparison, you’d get through about 50 incandescent bulbs in the same period.
Can you change the bulb in an LED lamp?
Whether or not you can change the bulb in a LED lamp depends on the lamp’s design. For example, John Lewis’ Tony Desk lamp has a traditional fitting that allows LED bulbs to easily change. However, TaoTronics lamps are sealed units with hard-wired LEDs that cannot be replaced once they fail.
However, due to the long life of LED bulbs, not many people will ever need to switch out LED bulbs.
Are LED desk lamps safe for the eyes?
LED lights are marvellous for many reasons, including their power efficiency, brightness and long life. However, in recent years, there have been concerns over the detrimental effects of LED lighting on the eyes, particularly regarding retina damage. There are also concerns that blue light, a wavelength found in bright white LEDs, can interfere with your body’s circadian rhythm, resulting in disturbed sleep patterns.
These concerns are well-founded, and research is ongoing in this field. Thankfully, there are ways to combat these negative effects. According to medicalxpress.com, these include limiting exposure to very bright white LED light and opting for off-white colour hues. Also, limiting the amount of time you use an LED lightbulb for can be a great help. Thankfully, many desk lamp options and LED bulbs have varying brightness and colour settings.
To sum up, many LED smart bulbs are available that provide hundreds of colour and brightness options that can be controlled with Alexa and similar voice assistants, smartphone apps or set up on schedules. In particular, the Phillips Hue range is leading the market with its innovative and highly successful tech implementation.
Can you grow plants from an LED desk lamp?
Light from a full-spectrum LED will provide a houseplant with the light it needs for photosynthesis and creating its food. However, it’s no substitute for the sun - even dedicated grow lights fall short of the big yellow in the sky. Like humans, plants are far healthier if they can access regular sunlight. To clarify, it’s best to think that artificial lights will help plants out on grey days rather than operating as a full natural-light replacement.
William Lobley is the Deputy Tech & Fitness Editor for What's The Best. Here, he oversees, curates and researches listicles and reviews as many products as his home office can handle.
He has spent nearly five years writing about tech, audio, outdoors and fitness and has reviewed everything from smartphones to ice baths. In addition, he's well-versed in sniffing out the best deals and savings the internet offers.
When not at his desk writing, reviewing or deal-hunting, he'll be relaxing with Japanese crime novels, bingeing some classic anime, strolling the countryside or at the gym listening to the heaviest metal Spotify has to offer.
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