The Best Desk Lamps (2024) get one for yourself

When it comes to picking a best desk lamps, remember that its main job is to light up your workspace well. But the way the lamp looks is also important to think about, since it comes down to personal taste in the end. Some people like classic industrial-style task lamps that have stood the test of time, while others prefer slim, portable, and dimmable 3D-printed lights.

When looking for the right desk lamp, it’s important to think about things like how it can be adjusted, how it looks, and where the light comes from. I talked to 26 experts, including builders, interior designers, and people who care about both form and function, to make this guide as complete as possible. Their suggestions cover a wide range of prices, so everyone can find a desk lamp that works for them.

I looked at each lamp’s style, performance, ease of use, and extra features by giving them a lot of tests over several days. At the end of our detailed guide, you’ll find more information about how we tested the desk lamps and what to think about when picking one. Rest assured that Insider Reviews puts home products through rigorous testing and study to give you useful information.

Best Desk Lamps Comparison Table

Anglepoise Type 75 Desk Lamp

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Since the 1930s, the British company Anglepoise has been making task lamps. The builders and interior designers we talked to all liked the different styles Anglepoise makes. Mei Lun Xue, an engineer, says that “anglepoise lamps are super-classic and look good everywhere.” The Original 1227 Task light, which was made in 1935, and the more modern Type 75, which is a bit more streamlined and got a little more support from our panelists, are the two most popular types.

Ming Thompson, co-founder of the architecture and interior design firm Atelier Cho Thompson, likes the Anglepoise Type 75 lamp because it has “a balance between simple, modern forms and exposed mechanical elements” and would look good on “an architect’s drafting table or a work-from-home desk.” It has a spring-loaded arm that moves and a shade that can be moved. It comes with a CFL bulb and comes in several fun colors, like yellow ochre and Saxon blue.

Artemide Tolomeo Classic Table Lamp (In-Set Pivot)

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Another choice among architects is the Tolomeo table lamp, which was made in Italy by Artemide and designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina in 1989. Jane Greenwood, a partner at Kostow Greenwood Architects, says that its design is “at the edge of the technology boom” because of details like its aluminum material, fully adjustable articulated arm with polished die-cast aluminum joints, and tension-control knobs.

Lane Rick and Can Bui, who started the architecture and design company Office of Things and are now its principals, also use the Tolomeo in their office. They especially like that it can be adjusted “very precisely,” according to Bui, and that “the aluminum is nice to touch and the weight feels good, which is a nice surprise in a desk lamp.” Also, Bui says, “The series has been around since the 1980s, and we think it’s almost reached the level of a classic design.”

BenQ e-Reading LED Swing Arm Desk Lamp

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The BenQ e-Reading LED Swing-Arm Desk Lamp is much bigger than the other desk lamps we tried. It can reach up to 30 inches in height. The head of the lamp is on a ball joint, so it can be turned in any direction. The arm can also turn 360 degrees on the base, making this light very flexible. Even though the lamp was made in a somewhat complicated way, it was very easy to set up. This is one of the best desk lamps.

The head of the light is just over 15 inches long, and it gives off more light than the other work lamps I tried. It gave plenty of light to my whole 56-inch-wide desk. I didn’t need my normal light over my head very often. It makes an amazing 1,800 lux, and the lights don’t flicker, so your eyes don’t have to work as hard. Even though it was the heaviest lamp we tried, I never worried that it would fall over when I moved the arms.

AmazonBasics Dual Head LED Desk Lamp

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The lamp is easy to carry and is ready to use right out of the box. It has a useful head that can be split in two. When the two halves of the head are put together, they give off bright, focused light. If you separate them, the light spreads out and covers a bigger area. The two heads are attached to a flexible gooseneck that can be turned almost 360 degrees or moved closer to your work area.

The AmazonBasics Lamp has 48 LED lights that use less energy. The base has a button that lets you switch between natural, white, and yellow light modes. If you keep your finger on the power button, you can also change the lighting level. The sensor isn’t quite sensitive enough for me to get the light exactly where I wanted it. This is one of the best desk lamps.

17 Stories Lakiva Adjustable Desk Lamp

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It’s likely that this best-selling desk lamp is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a desk lamp. This type of lamp, also known as an architect or drafting lamp, has a neck and arm that can be adjusted in a wide range of positions, making it possible to direct the light precisely where it is needed.

It has received a large number of positive reviews, many of which laud how simple it is to put together and how classic its design is. This is one of the best desk lamps.

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