Other reading lights we test and like
Photo: Simon Hill
Philips Hue Go Smart Portable Desk Lamp, $101: My previous bedside lamp offers many of the same features as the ones selected, but can also be picked up and carried with you, making it perfect for parents who have nights to wake up. It is located on a charging base and allows comprehensive adjustments and automation of color, temperature and brightness. Twilight offers more customizable controls and can be tilted for easier reading, but the light is much cheaper.
$33: With the slim editing and design that works with most books, I love using this flexible reading light and admire the soft touching surface. You can dim the dual LED head from 10 lumens to 2 lumens by pressing the power button. Battery life ranges from 10 to 60 hours and there is a microUSB port for charging (including cables). Very good, but I don’t understand why it’s so expensive.
Gritin 16 LED Reading Light, priced at $15: I like using Gritin’s reading light. It’s similar to our top pick, with a fixture design, gooseneck, three light colors and a range of brightness levels. It’s not that universal because it only has one head that contains all the LEDs. It has a minimum brightness of 80 hours, although my brightness doesn’t last that long. If you prefer to put it on your bedside table, this is more stable than the Vekkia, thanks to the anti-slip coating on the bottom. But it took me a while to figure out how to press the power button to change the brightness. This light is still a reliable option and worth a try.
We do not recommend reading lights
These are reading lights that we don’t really like.
Energy reading light: This little reading light from Energizer is as simple as them. The power switch is only on or off (no color or brightness controls). I like to read paperbacks with smaller fixtures, the adjustable neck works well, but the lights are bright. It also requires two disposable Energizer CR2032 batteries that can be used for 25 hours of use, and I prefer a rechargeable reading light.
withit Quad edit books: Since the four LEDs are arranged on the square head and adjustable gooseneck, this reading light provides a lot of bright light, I like that you can hold the power button to dim it. The problem is that the fixture has a huge heavy battery compartment that holds three AAA batteries for this lamp. It should last a long time, but when it runs out, you need a screwdriver to get in.
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