The last 12 months have significantly impacted the way we work. Zoom meetings and Teams conferences are now a daily occurrence for most of us – and unfortunately so is the poor quality and lighting that comes with them. Ever glanced at your own feed and been shocked at how shadowy and blurry you look? If so, it’s time to get a ring light.
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Simply put, ring lights are a cheap, effective way of throwing soft light on something – and they’re a great way to step up your appearance and professionalism on camera. They’re able to illuminate your face and make it much clearer on video calls, and most produce out several shades of light – from warm to cold – depending on the look you prefer.
Our increased use of video calls – and social media – hasn’t gone unnoticed by brands, and that means you’ll find countless ring lights on Amazon alone. To make things easier, we’ve sifted through all the specs and reviews and tested some, to find the best ring lights you can buy in 2021.
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Of course, ring lights come with aesthetic benefits too, and that’s why you’ll find them marketed towards everyone from beauty bloggers to TikTok enthusiasts. The lights on the list we’ve compiled below will be suitable for meetings and make-up tutorials alike.
If youu2019re looking for a versatile ring light thatu2019s also relatively compact, then the Panmax is the ring light for you. Featuring a 6.3-inch array, itu2019s not the biggest device on the list, but itu2019s able to throw out a good amount of light.
The Panmax offers a choice of three colours; cold white, warm white and warm yellow – and it also has a Bluetooth remote shutter – ideal if you’re using a phone and want to take selfies. It can be charged via USB and will work alone for 2.5 hours, and although the Panmax is suited to desk-use, its extendable tripod means it can stand on the floor too. A steal for £26.
Neewer is a popular camera accessory brand, and this ring light goes some way as to explain why. At 8-inches, the ring light itself is on the compact side, but itu2019s packed with 72 bulbs and comes with a wireless remote.
There are ten brightness levels, three light temperature settings, and a range of attachments for the tripod and clamp this kit comes with. Unlike some other kits, the Neewer lets you use attach two phones if you like, and its ball and socket construction means it’s easy to adjust.
At £36 it’s not cheap, but it gives you a lot for the money.
If youu2019re after a larger, more robust ring light, itu2019s worth looking at the GerTing. At 10-inches, itu2019s one of the larger kits here, and it can be mounted on a desk or the floor. A tripod means it can stand from 14.6cm to 73.5cm, making it very versatile.
The GerTing can be powered via USB from a laptop or USB hub, and it also offers three colour temperatures and 10 brightness levels, like many other ring lights on this list. There’s a phone holder too – all for under £30.
If youu2019re looking for a quick, inexpensive way to get involved in the ring light game, you could do much worse than this Aixpi kit. It boasts similar specs to the better lights on this list; there are three light modes and ten brightness levels u2013 and at 10-inches in diameter, the light itself doesnu2019t scrimp on size.
The Aixpi sits on a small desk tripod and even includes a phone holder, and although it appears more fragile than more expensive light, we’re willing to forgive it: at £20 it’s great value.
The Lomoo selfie ring light is an ingenious way to illuminate your calls - or anything else for that matter. Incredibly compact, itu2019s designed to clip onto your smartphone, laptop screen or monitor u2013 and it doesnu2019t require a bracket or clamp u2013 it is the bracket and clamp.
The Lomoo is small enough to fit in a purse but still packs in 36 LEDs for a good amount of light. It’s chargeable via USB, and it’ll work for anything between an hour to 30 minutes depending on which of the three brightness levels you use.
The main catch? This ring light doesn’t offer any adjustments to light temperature, and only three dimming levels are available. Still, it’s just £10.
Whatu2019s better than one, 8-inch ring light? Well, two 4-inch ones obviously, which is exactly what this Zhuolang kit has. It clamps to the table and features two small lights on flexible stalks, both with three colour temperature options and ten levels of brightness.
There’s a third flexible column for your phone, too, and the whole thing is easily clamped to the side of a desk or monitor.
The Zhuolang’s dual-wielding setup means it can easily light up your face and desk, and this kit also comes with a Bluetooth remote for Android and iOS smartphones.
One of our favourite ring lights on sale right now, the Neewer delivers on performance, but also gives you options later down the line.
At 10-inches, the Neweer’s USB-powered ring light packs in 120 LEDs, and lets you choose between three colour temperatures and ten levels of brightness. At full blast, it’s more than enough to light up your face and desk simultaneously, though it’s easy to dial down for more subtle illumination.
It’s designed to sit on your desk, and a tall-ish robust stand means it’ll peek well above a 15-inch monitor. There’s a sturdy phone holder, but the Neewer’s most impressive feature is its forward-thinking approach; although it comes with a nice table-top stand, the light is also compatible with a generic tripod – ideal if you decide to change your setup in the future.
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