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The Best Reading Light

By Gabriella DePinho

Gabriella DePinho is a writer on the discovery team. She has found cheap(ish) things for medicine cabinets, movie nights, and a good night’s sleep.

If you share a bed with a light sleeper, a reading light can mean the difference between enjoying an old-fashioned paper book and succumbing to the distraction of your phone or other digital device.

We set out to find lights bright enough to read by and easy to use with a variety of books.

After testing 13 lights, we recommend the Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light and the Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light for sneaking in a few chapters before bed.

Everything we recommend

Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light

The best overall reading light.

This chic and compact device offers the most light settings of all our picks, and its power indicator makes it easy to know when to charge it.

Buying Options

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

The best wearable reading light.

This wearable device offers bright light, and its adjustable arms angled the light at the page just how we wanted.

Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book Light

The best reading light for hardcover books.

The lights are bright, and the clip is sturdy and grippy, but the bulky base makes it best for hardcover books. It may tear the cover of paperbacks.

Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp

The best headlamp for reading.

If you want a multitasking light for walks, reading, and even camping, we recommend this bright, comfortable kid’s headlamp, regardless of your age.

The Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light stood out for its array of lighting settings and its lightweight design. It’s easy to twist and adjust the small light so it covers the full page and to adjust the brightness and temperature of the lighting (although we found the buttons almost too sensitive). The light was easy to clip onto the back or front cover of a book without weighing the covers down.

The Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light never felt heavy or uncomfortable on our necks and was convenient to use when in bed or traveling. The neck light offers fewer brightness and temperature settings than the Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light , but we were still pleased with the variety the device offered. It’s a good option for readers who dislike adjusting a traditional clip-on reading light.

For readers who stick to hardcover books, the Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book Light stood out from the others in our tests. Two lights on bendable necks illuminate both pages of an open book, and you can adjust the brightness level. The clip was sturdy and grippy, which worked well on hardbacks, but it was too heavy for paperbacks—it could tear the cover.

If you want a reading light with a variety of use cases, we liked the Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp , our pick for kids in our headlamp guide . This headlamp surprised us: It fit adults while remaining comfortable and providing long-lasting light. This pick isn’t for everyone, but it’s a great option for those interested in having a reading light that’s meant to do more.

The research

Why you should trust us, best overall: glocusent bookmark style reading light, best wearable reading light: glocusent led neck reading light, best for hardcover books: vekkia dual heads rechargeable book light, a great headlamp for reading: black diamond wiz headlamp, how we picked and tested, the competition.

I’ve used many book lights over the years. For this review I spent multiple hours reading in the dark with the 13 models we tested. I also had Wirecutter staffers try out a few of our options while traveling or sharing a sleeping space.

I also spoke with an ophthalmologist to understand how much light people need to read for optimal eye health.

For about $15, the Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light offered all of the features we wanted, plus features we didn’t even know we should want. This light seems to be growing in popularity in online book-lover communities and on #BookTok —and it lives up to the hype.

It has customizable light settings. This reading light offers five brightness levels as well as three light temperatures to choose from, allowing you the greatest level of light customization of all our picks. When used on books of varying sizes, this device was able to cast enough light so we could read both pages clearly. We were also able to twist the light to adjust the angle as needed. Our testers found that the device never interfered with turning the pages, which was not true of all the lights we tested.

It has a compact design . This model is lightweight and has a slim clip, which made it a good option for both hardcover and paperback books, unlike bulkier options we tested. Unlike many of the lights we tried, you can clip the light to the front or back cover and still have a pleasant reading experience. Its slim design made it the easiest of all the lights we tested to store at home and pack away for travel.

It’s easy to charge and has a long-lasting battery . The USB-A connector makes for easy portable charging and is covered by a piece of plastic that was easy to take off and put back on. One of the other lights we tested had a similar charging mechanism, but the battery life of the Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light lasted significantly longer.

Unlike any of the other lights we tested, this reading light has a power indicator. All four of the lights shine green when fully charged. When we left it on full brightness for 12 hours, the power indicator dropped to two lights, which means we used about half the battery life. (This was the only light that we were able to approximate the remaining battery power of during our testing.)

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The buttons are relatively sensitive, so some testers said they accidentally changed their light settings when adjusting the clip’s placement on the book. None of our testers had any issues with it turning on in a backpack or handbag during our testing.

If you’re looking for a wearable option, the Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light is the best available.

It’s wearable and multifunctional. The device is designed to sit around your neck and illuminate whatever is in front of you. It never felt heavy or uncomfortable during our tests. Because this light is wearable, it works well regardless of whether you’re reading hardcovers or paperbacks. It can also easily be used as task lighting, such as for knitting or crocheting. Some of our testers even set the light on a shelf to illuminate a hotel bathroom when the overhead lights went out.

It’s customizable and has a long battery life . The light offers three brightness levels and three light temperatures, and both bulbs at the end of the device can be turned on together or one at a time. We particularly loved this light’s long battery life—it lasted on full brightness for 12 hours straight during our testing. Senior staff writer Elissa Sanci has been using her Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light since February and took it on six flights and hotel stays throughout the country before having to charge it again.

We’ve seen very similar neck lights under many other brand names on Amazon; a representative of Glocusent confirmed that it produces this light as a white-label model in addition to its own branded version. To ensure that you get our specific recommended model, however, buy it directly from Glocusent or its Amazon shop.

Testers with fuller chests found that the light could cast a shadow on their books, depending on how the arms were angled. Adjusting the way they were sitting or how they angled the lights got rid of the shadow.

The arms can be bent inwards to fold the light for packing purposes, but the light can still be a little bulky in a bag compared with others we tested. We’ve found that the buttons are sensitive and the light has accidentally turned on while toted in a backpack.

If you’re committed to hardcover books (or an e-reader that isn’t backlit), the Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book Light is the best light for you.

It has a bendable neck with two light settings . The device easily illuminates two pages, thanks to the two lights on bendable goosenecks. We bent each over both pages, and the lights never interfered with turning the page. You can turn each light on separately, and both offer two brightness levels, so you can adjust the lighting—but unlike our top picks, you cannot adjust the light temperature.

It has a sturdy clip . The clip grips a book cover well and stays in place throughout use. The clip is bulky, which does affect how the pages lay, but it was less disruptive than several other lights’ clips. We don’t recommend this light for paperback use, as the clip is too heavy and can tear the cover, but it works for hardcover books.

If the Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book Light is out of stock, try this similar Vekkia model , which also worked well for hardcover books. The light was bright enough to cover both pages, but we prefer the dual-headed option for more light customization if it’s available.

If you want a light to use beyond reading, we recommend the Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp from our headlamps guide .

The light is bright enough. In our testing, this headlamp provided bright enough light to read comfortably in the dark. It was brighter than the rest of the reading lights we tested, but it wasn’t too strong or harsh, like our other headlamp picks. The white-light setting works best for solo reading; if you’re reading a bedtime story to a kid you’re looking to impress, the multicolor lighting option can be a nice added touch.

It’s good for all ages. Although this is a kids headlamp, our adult testers were able to adjust the straps to comfortably fit their heads. The other headlamps we love were far too bright for indoor use.

After consulting with book lovers on staff, including Wirecutter’s staff book club of over 70 members, we chose which lights to test based on the following criteria:

• Adjustable brightness: Different situations call for different types of lighting. We looked for lights that offered at least two brightness levels and a variety of light temperatures for a more customizable experience.
• Convenient for travel: Reading lights are useful beyond just reading in bed, so we prioritized lights that fold or take up minimal space and can easily fit into a travel bag.
• Good for paperback or hardcover: We wanted to find options that work well for reading hardcover and paperback books of all shapes and sizes. The lights needed to allow for easily turning pages, illuminate the entire page, and not tear or damage book covers.
• Long-lasting light: We looked for lights that would last 12 hours straight without dying or noticeably dimming.
• Easy to use: We wanted to find models that felt intuitive to use and weren’t so complicated that we needed to read (and reread) the instructions.

We called in 13 models to test that were recommended by staffers, rated highly on Amazon and other bookstore sites, or recommended on Reddit, TikTok, and other social media sites. We used them over the course of a few weeks to get a feel for daily use and convenience.

In our latest round of testing, we got our hands on the Gritin 19 LED Rechargeable Reading Light , the Gritin 9 LED Rechargeable Reading Light , and EastPin Neck Reading Light . The Gritin lights were chosen because of the high number of positive reviews on Amazon, and the EastPin light was chosen because of its unique design. We’re dismissing all three.

The Gritin 9 LED Rechargeable Reading Light provides long lasting battery life, adjustable light temperature and LED light power indicators. Its bulky and heavy base put it in contention for our pick for hardcover books , but we favored the Vekkia’s dual head design and adjustable brightness options over the Gritin’s features.

Much like the Gritin 9 LED light, the Gritin 19 LED Rechargeable Reading Light has a long lasting battery life, LED light power indicators, and options for variable light temperatures, as well as a heavy, bulky clip-on base. The Gritin 19 allows users to toggle brightness, but the feature wasn’t intuitive to use. We still prefer the dual goosenecks of the Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book Light because it allowed for more targeted lighting angles and was more intuitive to use. We’ll continue to test this light against the Vekkia light to see which one performs better over time.

The EastPin Neck Reading Light offered a unique design and bright, long lasting light, but we found it far too bulky to be truly travel friendly. We didn’t like that only one of the device’s two lights offered adjustable lighting temperature.

The MightyBright Recharge Light is chic and aesthetically pleasing, but its dimming feature wasn’t intuitive to our testers, and the gooseneck got floppier with more use. At about $32, it was the most expensive light we tested, and the light quality wasn’t as good as cheaper lights we tried.

The Vekkia Bookmark Book Light’s unique design intrigued us, but the neck of the light was too short, so it got in the way of turning the page. You have to remove the bookmark part of the light from the clip base to charge it, and we found it challenging to get it back into place to use again.

The popularity of the Dewenwils USB Rechargeable Book Light on TikTok and its $10 price made us try it, but the light felt cheap and bulky, and it didn’t offer the same brightness and warmth options that the similarly designed Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light did. The light went out during the fourth hour of our 12-hour test; it lasted the shortest amount of time out of all the models we tested.

The Juesi Flat Book Light is also popular on TikTok (video) for being aesthetically pleasing, and we were surprisingly pleased with how bright it was and how long the light lasted. However, the light was not dimmable, it required batteries, it only worked on books of a certain size, and we had to move the light when turning each page.

The Vitchelo V800 , our former budget-pick headlamp , is far too bright for indoor use. It’s potentially good for outdoor, nighttime reading, but we did not test that particular use case.

This article was edited by Alexander Aciman, Catherine Kast, and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Meet your guide

Gabriella DePinho

Gabriella DePinho is an updates writer at Wirecutter. Previously, she worked at NBC News writing about deals and product launches. She loves working in product recommendation but personally hates shopping—and she knows that doesn’t make sense.

Further reading

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Whether you’re looking to illuminate a backyard or balcony, or a picnic table or tent, we have recommendations for 8 delightful and weather-safe options.

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'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best book lights you can buy

Book lights (or reading lights) are a portable and convenient solution for reading in low-light situations. Whether you are traveling, reading in bed, or sharing a space, book lights help you immerse yourself in the story, or in some cases your creative work, without bothering anyone around you. 

The small, lightweight, attachable lights can be worn around your neck, head, or in most cases attached to a book or e-reader. While all do the basic feature of providing illumination unto your page, book lights often vary in size, weight, and brightness levels, among other features.  

Also:   The best e-readers aren't all Kindle

Based on portability, brightness level, and design, ZDNET experts rounded up the best book lights you can buy with the  Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light  as our top pick. Read on for more details, the pros and cons, along with other great options worth considering. 

The best book lights of 2024

Glocusent led neck reading light, best book light overall.

• Different color temperature options
• Adjustable arms
• Long battery life
• Comfortable fit
• Narrow beam angle
• Very bright even on the lowest setting

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light features: Color options:  7 | Color temperatures: 3 | Lumens : 40 |  Brightness levels: 6 

The Glucusent LED Neck Reading Light is our best overall pick due to its adjustable ergonomic and hands-free design, along with its low price point. It also happens to be the #1 best-selling product in the "book lights" category on Amazon.

This reading light comes in three different colors (gray, blue, and pink), three color temperatures (yellow, warm white, and cool white), and six brightness levels. Its narrow beam angle design allows it to shine bright on the book you're reading while being dim enough that it won't disturb your partner in bed. In addition, it can work up to 80 hours on one charge and gives off 40 lumens of light.

Also: The best Kindles you can buy

Dewenwils USB Rechargeable Book Light

Best compact book light.

• Super portable design
• Charge it anywhere
• Warm lighting
• Built-in USB
• Click can be loud
• Only two brightness levels

Dewenwils USB Rechargeable Book Light features:   Color options: 6 | Lumens: 20 | Brightness levels: 2 

If you're just looking for a simple, portable reading light, the Dewenwils USB Rechargeable Book Light is a great option. With six different colors (blue, green, black, pink, white, and yellow), it gives off 20 lumens with 3000k of warm light temperature. Unfortunately, however, there are only two brightness levels.

Its 360-degree flexible holder lets you focus the light exactly where you want it. This light also has a built-in USB charger like the Ytuomzi LED Reading Lamp for easy charging anywhere.

Vekkia Amber Rechargeable Book Light

Best book light for reading before bed.

• Amber glow doesn't block melatonin production
• Blocks blue light
• Four different color options
• Clip is slightly too large
• Metal can tear pages

Vekkia Amber Rechargeable Book Light features: Color options: 4 | Lumens: 20 |  Brightness levels: 3 | Weight: 2.15 ounces

The Vekkia Amber Rechargeable Book Light gives off a soft, amber glow that blocks 99.95% of the blue light spectrum so that your melatonin production is not interrupted when you use a light to read.

It comes in black, blue, red, and white with a 360-degree gooseneck design. Its three different brightness levels give off a maximum of 60 lumens while ensuring the light's color temperature does not affect your eyes at night.

Ytuomzi LED Reading Lamp

Best book light for e-readers.

• Durable clip
• Easy charging
• Fast charging
• Flexible arm
• Not a long battery life
• Limited brightness

Ytuomzi LED Reading Lamp features:   Brightness levels: 4 | Lumens:  23 | Brightness Levels: 4 |  Battery: Up to 4 hours

If you use an older e-reader that does not have a backlight built-in, you'll need a reading light for nighttime reading. You can clip it to the back of your e-reader or a regular hardcover book.

Also: The best tablets for reading  

This reading light has four brightness levels, the highest being 23 lumens. It can last four hours on a full charge, and its charging port is built right in, so there's no need for a cord to charge your reading light.  

Flexilight Reading Light

Best versatile book light.

• Plenty of fun displays
• Doubles in use as a bookmark
• Cannot adjust brightness
• Light could be a warmer shade

Flexilight Reading Light features: Color options: 27 | Lumens: 8 | Weight: .8 ounces

This reading light also doubles as a placeholder for where you left off in your book. With 27 colors and designs to choose from, it's a stylish bookmark/book-light option. There are even styles geared towards kids.

It's lightweight and thin enough to use as a bookmark, so you can always have it with you and your book of choice. It gives off 8 lumens of light; however, there is only one brightness level, so it cannot be adjusted. Also, keep in mind you'll have to replace the batteries down the line since it is battery-powered.

What is the best book light?

The Glucusent LED Neck Reading Light is our top pick for the best book light because of its ergonomic design and six different brightness levels. However, if you're looking to shine a light on your e-reader, the Ytuomzi LED Reading Lamp is a great pick. And, if you're concerned about bright light interrupting your sleep cycle, the Vekki Amber Rechargeable Book Light's soft amber glow will be best for you.

Since, ultimately, the best book light depends on your needs, we've narrowed down other factors like price, lumens, and brightness levels below so you can choose the reading light that's best for you. 

 *Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that prices may vary based on retailer and available promotions, sales, or discounts.

Which book light is right for you?

While many of these book lights are great options, it ultimately comes down to how bright of a light you want, what size you prefer, and what price you're willing to spend.

How did we choose these book lights?

We selected these book lights and reading lights based on the number of positive reviews on each product and reading customers' experiences with the products. 

Ultimately we compared the following factors when selecting our top picks: 

• Construction: From metal to plastic, book lights are made of many different materials. Consider durability and whether each book light will work with the type of books you read. 
• Brightness levels: Some book lights allow you to control the brightness levels of your book light. This means that you can easily adjust lighting based on the time of day and your location. While some reading lights do not allow you to make adjustments at all, we found that our top pick for the best book light, the Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light, has the most brightness levels, with six total. 
• Price: Book lights are generally affordable, but the cost can vary based on things like features and construction. The best book lights range in cost from $9 to $22, making it easy to purchase your new book light for less than $25.

How do book lights work?

Book lights allow you to read in the dark. Many models come with a clip you slide onto your book. 

From there, you use the bendable arm to pool the light over the reading surface at an angle that works for you. 

What is the difference between a book light and a reading light?

In this guide, we chose both book lights and reading lights. The names are used interchangeably, for a device that's meant to illuminate a small area so that you can get a better, closer look. 

While a book light tends to be a type of light specifically used for reading a book or novel, a reading light can be used for not only reading but also writing, sketching, working on a computer, or crafting. But, again, both lights are considered the same thing. 

What batteries do book lights use?

It's common for book lights to draw their power from Lithium or AAA batteries. If your book light contains rechargeable batteries, you'll have 6 to 10 hours of use between charges. 

Are there alternative book lights to consider?

We chose a variety of book lights based on pricing, functionality, and more. If these options don't work, here are a few more reading lights to consider: 

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The best kindles you can buy: expert tested, these are the top 25 products zdnet readers bought in april 2024, the best rechargeable batteries you can buy.

The Best Book Lights for Getting Through Your To-Read List When It’s Dark Out

Among the many benefits of reading , curling up with a book is a great way to relax before you go to sleep. But, unfortunately, an e-book isn’t always the best choice at bedtime, because the blue light  from your phone or tablet can make it  harder to fall asleep . If you opt for the more sleep-friendly option of a physical book but want to keep your room dark to help you wind down at night, a book light is the perfect solution. Plus, if you share your bed with your partner, the narrow beam of light produced by a book light won’t disturb their sleep. (Look at you, so considerate!) Read on for a handful of the best book lights around.

• 01 Types of book lights
• 02 Shop the best book lights
• 03 How to choose

The best book lights, at a glance:

• Best overall: Vekkia, Amber Bookmark Book Light , $16
• Best travel: BIGMONAT, Rechargeable Book Light , $9
• Best multi-use : Gifts for Readers & Writers, Flexilight Book Light , $10
• Best adjustable: VAVOFO Rechargeable Reading Light , $10
• Best for blocking blue light: Amber Light +, Night Reading Light , $15
• Best for large books: Energizer, Clip On Book Light , $13
• Best budget: LIGHT IT!, MultiFlex LED Reading Light , $9
• Best small light: WITHit, Clip On Book Light , $13
• Best brightness modes: Vekkia, 14 LED Rechargeable Book Light , $28
• Best neck light for reading:   Glocusent, LED Neck Reading Light , $30
• Best neck light runner-up : Vekkia, Rechargeable Neck Reading Light , $27
• Best multi-purpose neck light: Betensh, LED Neck Reading Light , $20

Types of book lights

You have two main options for book lights: One type clips to your book, while the other hangs around your neck (comfortably!). Beyond using it for bedtime reading , you can rely a book light to provide a little extra light when you’re knitting or cross-stitching, crafting, working on your car, or using a laptop that doesn’t have a lighted keyboard. If you have kids, you’ll help them  ease into sleep  by reading to them with a book light instead of a bright lamp or ceiling light.

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Below, we’ve recommended the best book lights for curling up with a good read. And pssst:  a book light also makes a great gift for the book lover in your life!

Shop 12 of the best book lights

Blue light has been found to suppress melatonin, a hormone that your body releases at night and helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle. This clip-on book light eliminates 99.95 percent of blue light and offers three color temperatures: amber, natural, and white. It has a dimming function, too. It’s also thin enough to use as a bookmark when folded flat—a pretty handy feature—and you can charge it with a laptop USB port, USB outlet, phone power bank, or car charger. A full charge gives you 20 hours of reading time.

Battery type: USB rechargeable

Run time: 20 hours on full charge

• Three different color temperatures (amber, natural, white) and adjustable brightness
• Flexible neck
• Built-in USB
• Lowest setting is still rather bright

This compact, clip-on book light (I’d even call it cute) sort of looks like a USB flash drive—and in fact, sliding up the top reveals a USB connector that lets you charge the book light using a phone power bank, car charger, USB port on your laptop, or USB outlet (no cable necessary!). The light has three temperature modes (warm 3000K, natural 5000K, and cool 8000K) and allows you to adjust the brightness between 10 and 100 percent. Besides this pretty shade of purple, this book light is available in a variety of other options like bright blue, lime green, and white.

Runtime: 7 hours on full charge

• Built-in USB connector
• Three temperatures and adjustable brightness
• Body can be rotated 360 degrees
• Metal clip isn’t that strong

Looking for something a bit more fun than the average black or white book light? This one comes in over 15 colors and patterns (!), from solid designs to cute animal prints. Some of the patterns were probably designed for kids—an adorable penguin, the poop emoji, and so on—but hey, there’s nothing wrong with indulging your inner child. Best of all, this book light is very flexible and is thin enough to use as a bookmark. (Note: It only has one brightness setting.)

Battery type: CR2016 lithium batteries (two included)

• Flexible material helps angle the light
• Lightweight and thin to double as a bookmark
• Lots of fun color options
• Only one brightness setting
• Requires batteries

With seven LED lights, nine color temperatures, and three brightness settings, this light has plenty of options to make sure your nighttime reading is as comfortable as possible. It has up to a 32 hour battery life and a flexible neck, and comes in a variety of different colors. Plus, the battery indicator will help you keep tabs on your light’s life—that way you’re not left in the dark!

Runtime: 32 hours on full charge

• Nine color temperatures and three brightness settings
• Can be used as a clip-on or freestanding
• Has a battery display
• A little heavy to clip on thin paperbacks

You don’t have to worry about this clip-on book light disrupting your sleep cycle like your phone or tablet can, because it eliminates 99.5 percent of blue light. Four hours of charging with the included micro USB charging cable will give you 30 hours of reading time, and you can adjust the brightness to 25, 50, or 100 percent—equal to 20, 40, and 80 lumens. (A standard 60-watt bulb produces 800 lumens.) At 2.5 ounces, it’s very light and perfect for travel.

Runtime: 30 hours on 4-hour charge

• Removes 99.95 percent of blue light
• Three brightness settings
• Only one color light option (amber may not suit all readers)

So, Energizer makes book lights—who knew? This one can either clip onto your book or stand by itself, and gives off a wide beam of light to accommodate larger books. The three dimmable light modes go from 10 to 100 lumens, (That’s using the highest brightness setting; lower settings will give you more time.) The book light has a shatterproof lens and comes with a USB charging cable.

Battery type: USB rechargeable ( battery-powered option also available)

Runtime: 5.5 hours on a full charge

• Wide beam suits larger books
• Can be used as a clip-on or freestanding light
• Three color temperature modes and adjustable brightness
• Slightly heavier clip light (3.2 oz)

If you do a lot of nighttime reading, this budget-friendly pick is probably a great clip-on book light for you. It runs on three AAA batteries (not included), so the battery compartment is bulkier than that of most book lights, but there’s something to be said for the convenience of common battery types. Plus, the light only uses one LED, so a battery set will last you a long time, even with regular use. This bright book light can clip onto your book—or many other things—or stand by itself. It is heavier though (again, batteries!) so it’s probably a better fit for hardcover books.

Battery type: AAA batteries

• Budget-friendly price
• Requires three AAA batteries (not included)
• No brightness or temperature settings

These cute little book lights weigh in at 2.4 ounces and bend to be perfectly portable for travel. It doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as other lights on this list, as there’s only one brightness setting. But, with a variety of patterns to choose from, this is is a great compact option for paperback books. While this model is designed to run on non-rechargeable batteries (two are included with your purchase), the brand also sells a similar rechargeable model for just a couple dollars more.

Battery type: CR2032 lithium batteries (2 included)

• Compact and portable
• Available in several fun designs
• Small enough for lighter paperbacks

This lightweight lamp features nine brightness modes—in warm, white, bright, soft tones—to protect your eyes at night. It has a clip that fits on books of all sizes and the whale-tail design of the light heads means you can easily customize the beams. Best of all, while this light covers a lot of ground, it weighs only 2.3 ounces!

Runtime: 80 hours (on low light) with full charge

• Nine levels of brightness
• Adjustable beams
• Fits on books and Kindles
• Some people say the control switch is inconveniently placed

A neck reading light is a great choice if you want to keep your books clip-free and pristine. They’re less common than clip-on book lights (and they look a bit like medical devices, TBH), but they’re versatile and easily portable. This one is the #1 bestseller in the Book Lights category at Amazon—it has an ergonomic design with three light settings (yellow, warm white, and cool white) and three brightness levels. Plus, each side can be adjusted independently. When charged fully with the included USB-C cable, it can last from six to 80 hours (!), depending on the brightness level you choose. It’s also available a variety of colors, like purple, blue, and pink.

Runtime: Up to 80 hours on full charge

• Ergonomic design  
• Three temperature color modes and three brightness settings
• Battery up to 80 hours
• Some folks say the lowest setting is still bright

With four flicker-free LED lights and three brightness settings, this neck light can be used for reading, puzzling, and other activities that need just a little extra brightness. It has flexible arms, each with its own switch, to give you options to vary your light, an included micro-USB cable, and it has up to 40 hours of battery life.

Runtime: Up to 40 hours on full charge

• Ergonomic design
• Each light can be used independently
• Shorter battery life than the pick above

Neck lights can be used for much more than reading! This pick features spotlight and wide-beam modes that can be helpful for nighttime dog walks or camping trips. Plus, the design is flexible, so when you are reading in bed, you can easily direct the light away from your partner. This neck light has four brightness settings and lasts for 60 hours on a full charge from the included micro USB charging cable.

Runtime: 60 hours on full charge

• Spotlight and wide-beam mode for outdoor use
• Adjustable arms for targeted light
• Less dim options for reading indoors

Things to consider while shopping

Weight (and your preferred book type).

If you're a paperback-lover leaning toward a light that attaches to your book, you'll want to take stock of the device's weight. A light will typically attach to a hardcover just fine, but heavier lights can put strain on a precious paperback.

Charging vs. batteries

Would you prefer a book light that is USB rechargeable or battery operated? Our list contains both, and the answer is a matter of personal preference. Something to keep in mind: if you're going to be using your book light often, a rechargeable light will save you buying batteries in the long run.

Brightness and color settings

For some, one light setting works just fine. But if you have sensitive eyes (or just want more control over your brightness), you may want to opt for a book light with adjustable settings. Plenty of the lights on our list offer multiple brightness levels and color tones so you can find the right fit for your eyes, no matter where you are.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best color light for reading books.

Research suggests that lower temperatures of warm white light is easier on the eyes. Look for a book light that offers warmer temperature settings, ideally with adjustable brightness so you can find the amount of light that feels comfortable for you while you read.

How long do LED book lights last?

Many rechargeable LED book lights will last anywhere from 5-80 hours on a full charge, depending on the size of the light (larger book lights typically hold longer charges) and the brightness you're using.

Are reading lights worth it?

If you're an avid reader, a book light will help you keep the pages turning, even when things get dark. Plus, many reading lights are relatively affordable ($9-$30) and, thanks to USB charging, are relatively low maintenance. If you're hoping to avoid straining your eyes or bothering your partner in bed, a book light is a great solution.

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The 5 Best Reading Lights for Seeing the Page (or Kindle Screen) More Clearly

And for the bedtime readers out there, some even produce little to no blue light.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

There’s a wide array of reading lights, from gooseneck clip-ons to wearable models you wrap around your neck. Read on for aspects to keep in mind when shopping for your first or next reading light—with pointers from a registered ophthalmologist—then scroll down for our reviews of the best.

The Best Reading Lights

• Best Compact: Glocusent USB Rechargeable Book Light
• Most Flexible: Vekkia Amber Rechargeable 7 LED Eye-Care Book Light
• Best Neck-Mounted: Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light
• Best for Kids: Dewenwils USB-Rechargeable Book Reading Light
• Most Brightness Levels: Vafovo Amber Rechargeable Reading Light

What to Consider

Design and adjustability.

Connecticut-based, board-certified ophthalmologist and retinal specialist Jerry Tsong, M.D. at Greenwich Ophthalmology, says that your reading light should be bendable and directly point at the words you’re reading. This is why a dedicated light is better than a table lamp, which filters and diffuses light over a large area. The best kinds of reading lights for that direct beam are those that can clip on to the page or device you’re reading from and those that you can hang around your neck.

Tsong says that the best reading lights also have settings for adjusting brightness. Because many clip-on lights sit near whatever you’re reading from, they also don’t have to be as bright. Adjusting the proximity of a reading light to text is important, too, as every reader has their preference for how much light they need without straining their eyes or how much light they need on a particular section of a page. Many of the best reading lights also feature color temperature settings that provide warm and cool options.

Avoid reading lights that don’t adjust or have a variety of settings. An adjustable light offers (literal) flexibility in various situations, especially when swapping between an e-reader, book, and magazine. You won’t save much money by buying an inflexible model either; the cost doesn’t vary much from flexible options.

If you have issues with eye strain from screens and technology, find a reading light that doesn’t emit blue light. “Exposure to blue light, especially at night before bedtime, can disrupt our natural circadian rhythm, which regulates our sleep cycle,” explains Tsong. “So for many people, exposure to blue light makes it harder to fall asleep.”

Many brands indicate whether their lights are blue light “blocking” in the product details or on the packaging. If you’re trying to avoid blue light, look for reading lights with an amber light or an “amber” light setting, which, as we mentioned, absorbs blue light pigments .

Most reading lights recharge via USB or rely on a small 3V coin cell battery typically used in remote controls and quartz watches. 3Vs are inexpensive and generally last between 3 and 5 years before needing replacement.

Types of Light Bulbs

“ LED bulbs are the best suited for portable reading lights,” says Tsong. “They are lightweight, consume much less energy, and don’t emit any heat.” Tsong adds that many reading lights with LEDs don’t produce any blue light of their own.

Other bulb types include incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, and compact fluorescent, but LEDs are the most common. They’re the priciest, but also the most reliable, with a longer life span and less energy usage.

The number of lumens (indicating visible light or brightness) reading lights have varies, though they usually range from 16 to 60. The higher an indicated lumens, the brighter the light.

How We Selected

To find the best reading lights, we spoke with board-certified ophthalmologist Tsong about what to look for with regard to bulb types, directionality, and adjustability. We ruled out any lights that don’t offer various brightness settings, as they don’t have much versatility between reading mediums. Also, we only considered reading lights that are easily adjustable and have LEDs, per Tsong’s insight.

Furthermore, we conducted online research to see what other experts, guides, and consumer review publications—including Gear Lab , Wirecutter and ZDNET — recommend. Lastly, we considered what customers had to say in their reviews about each product before making our final selections.

Looking for more reading recommendations to make use of your new light? Check out our picks for the best gifts for books lovers , books about scientists , and survival books .

Glocusent USB-Rechargeable Book Light

This clip-on reading light is a sturdy mix of ample adjustability and small size. It has five brightness settings and three light temperature settings—a warm amber mode, a cooler breeze mode, and a bright precise mode—that you can toggle between. And, since it’s so tiny, weighing less than an egg, you can pack it for traveling. In fact, Tsong recommends and owns two of these.

This Glucosent is rechargeable via a standard USB-A port (another bonus for travel: no disposable batteries) and provides between 9 and 80 hours of light, depending on the setting. However, several online customers say the light has sometimes taken a long time to charge.

It has impressive adjustability given its solid design, too; both the main arm and the light housing at the end of that arm tilt up and down. Plus, the housing rotates so you can direct the light if it’s off-center of what you’re reading.

Vekkia Amber Rechargeable 7 LED Eye-Care Book Light

Tsong recommends Vekkia’s Rechargeable book light as a flexible option. Its gooseneck can rotate 360 degrees, and it’s pliable yet durable enough that you can fold it over if you want to stuff the light into a backpack while traveling.

Although this is on the bigger side, Tsong notes that it’s powerful enough to light up an entire page instead of only a portion of it. This Vekkia is available in three colors (black, blue, and white) and has three brightness levels (30, 50, and 100 percent) that can provide up to 70 hours of light.

Vavofo Amber Rechargeable Reading Light

This rechargeable reading light offers nine brightness levels and nine color temperatures, lending it the versatility to match the preferences of various readers. One of its most prominent features is its power indicator light located near its charging port—a quick glance can tell you whether or not you have to worry about it dying mid-read. This LED is an especially good choice if you’re trying to steer clear of blue light, as it blocks it with its amber light.

Whether you clip this reading light onto your Kindle, paperback, or hardcover book, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its strong grip. Some reviews say its lowest setting is too bright, however, so be mindful of others when you’re reading with this device.

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

This neck-mounted light provides two beams for a doubly bright reading experience if you need it. And since it sits around your neck like a necklace, you can adjust the arms independently according to your fit and lighting preferences. Say you’re reading in bed and don’t want to bother anyone sleeping next to you; the stalks bend up to 90 degrees to keep the light focused on the page and away from their eyes. The three color temperature modes—a cool white, a warm yellow, and a warm white—and blue light filter further boost the adjustability.

Unlike other rechargeable reading lights, this one uses USB Type-C, making it a modern choice. Glucosent claims it provides up to 80 hours of light on a single charge, too. One con: There isn’t a lock to prevent the light from powering on. So if you pack it away in a bag and something hits the power button, turning it on, you could pull it out to find the battery is dead.

Dewenwils USB-Rechargeable Book Reading Light

Dewenwils made this light easy to turn on by pressing its lone power button. And it even folds down to serve as a bookmark when not in use. Another feature that makes it great for kids: The body of the light detaches from the clip to reveal the USB-A port, which they can plug directly into an adapter in an outlet. That means there are no additional charging wires necessary. Some users say its runtime is less than the claimed 8 hours claimed, however.

This light has three brightness levels (30, 60, and 100 percent), keeping words illuminated and eyes relaxed. You also won’t have to worry about your children receiving additional blue light, as it claims to block out 99.95 percent of it, which can be especially beneficial when reading those bedtime stories.

Jenna Clark is a freelance writer who covers commerce, travel, beauty, and lifestyle. Her work has been featured in Insider , the Daily Beast , Well+Good , and Taste of Home . When she's not reviewing the latest products or traveling, you can likely find her at a theme park or watching the latest Broadway show. 

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The 10 Best Book Lights of 2024

Illumination for more than reading your favorite page-turner

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• What to Look For
• Why Trust The Spruce

The Spruce / Alli Waataja

Whether you love reading in bed, or hiding away in a cozy little reading nook to consume your latest novella, the best book lights will let you carry on reading your page-turner at any time of day or night. "Book lights do two things that are potentially helpful," says Sunir Garg , MD, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and professor of ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital.

"Firstly, brighter light on the page generally increases contrast and a lot of people find increasing contrast to be helpful. Secondly, bright light causes the pupils of the eye to constrict or get smaller." This constriction may "increase the clarity and the sharpness of objects" for some people, according to Dr. Garg.

To compile these top book lights, we considered models we’ve personally used before and supplemented these findings with additional research to select various clip-on, wearable, and bedside options. For each product, we assessed the range of temperature and brightness controls, how well it illuminates the pages of books, and the expected battery life.

We also considered the book lights' overall designs, including their size and weight, as well as any standout features that make them suitable for particular people or circumstances.

Best Overall

Glocusent led neck reading light.

Highly customizable settings

Comfortable, ergonomic design

Three-day battery life

Can only be charged by Glocusent's USB-C cables

Narrow light angle

The Glocusent Neck Reading Light could have topped a number of the categories in our hunt for the best book light because it’s versatile, customizable, and friendly on the eyes. As its name suggests, you wear this light around your neck and adjust its angle and curve using the flexible ergonomic design.

Each end of the curve contains an LED light with three color temperatures—​​yellow (3,000K), warm white (4,000K) and cool white (6,000K)—and three brightness settings. Each LED is controlled separately and there are multiple combinations of brightness and temperatures to choose from. You can angle each beam of light at 90-degrees and a single light covers both pages of a standard book. 

Instead of revealing the exact brightness of these settings, Glocusent describes them as being bright enough for “general reading,” “brighter reading,” and “precise working.” The brighter the setting, the shorter the battery life, and when we tested this light at home, it took more than three days for the battery to die when using a single light in yellow, general reading mode.

This dropped to seven hours when both lights were set to the cool white setting, or precise working mode. This battery is rechargeable but note that it will only charge with the cable that comes in the box. Our review model wouldn’t work with any other USB-C line.

Style/Design: Neck | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 3 days | Brightness Options: 3 | Color Temperatures:  3

Best Budget

Dewenwils book reading light.

Four-way adjustable angle

Doubles up as a bookmark

Soft, gentle light is ideal for reading in bed

Short battery life

Single-page view only

The Dewenwils clip-on reading light has two LEDs that offer two temperatures—amber at 1,800K, and white at 3,000K. There are then four brightness settings—50 percent amber, 50 percent warm white, 100 percent amber, or 100 percent warm white. The amber setting is particularly good for reading in bed (ideally propped on a good wedge pillow ) because it's gentle on the eyes and blocks 99.95 percent of blue light. 

The rechargeable battery’s life is lower than others we’ve tried and will last about eight hours. However, when we tested it out, we found that it charges back up to full battery, via any USB port, in an hour. Its narrow beam only illuminates one page at a time but the four-way, hinged design means this angle can be adjusted to suit the book’s size—90 degrees horizontally and 315 degrees vertically.

Style/Design: Clip | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 8 hours | Brightness Options: 4 | Color Temperatures:  2

Best Clip-On

Vekkia rechargeable book light.

Flexible arms provide more precise light coverage

Independent light switches

Great battery life

Only one color temperature

Flimsy design

Vekkia’s Dual Heads light is a book-mounted alternative to Glocusent’s neck-worn model. It has two lights attached to the end of flexible arms. This allows you to adjust the angle of each beam to guarantee it illuminates every corner of your book. These lights produce just a single 3,000K warm color temperature each but offer two brightness settings. 

This option’s rechargeable battery lasts more than two days on the highest brightness setting, and the overall design is lightweight—if a little flimsy. It doesn’t weigh your book down or make your hands ache. The clip has ribbed, soft pads that grip well to books, yet the clamp is not so tight that it damages the pages.

Style/Design: Clip | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 2 days | Brightness Options: 2 | Color Temperatures:  1

Best Neck Light

Hammacher schlemmer reading light.

Hammacher Schlemmer

Non-slip neck piece

Multiple brightness and color temperature settings

Lifetime guarantee

Light doesn't stay fixed

A more expensive alternative to Glocusent’s next-worn reading light is this wearable version from Hammacher Schlemmer. It has a high-quality, robust design with a non-slip neck piece that is both comfortable to wear for long periods, and practical should you want to wear it while walking the dog, jogging or other activities besides reading. While it’s pricier than many other options, Hammacher Schlemmer offers a lifetime guarantee on its products—so you can feel confident you’re getting a reliable product.

The two arms feature LEDs that provide either 2,700K of warm white light, which is suitable for reading, or 7,000K of cold white light, which is great for more precise working. There are then three brightness levels: spotlight, floodlight, and spot/floodlight combined. Its rechargeable battery lasts up to 16 hours on the spotlight setting, and you can charge it via standard USB.

Style/Design: Neck | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 16 hours | Brightness Options: 3 | Color Temperatures: 2

Best Wearable

Nachteule rechargeable book light for glasses.

Lightweight, hands-free design

Direct beam of light

Limited light options

Low battery life

If you want more precise illumination than that provided by neck-worn lights, opt for this rechargeable, and award-winning, Night Owl book light from Nachteule. It weighs under 0.5 ounce and measures just 1.7 inches in length, meaning you can easily and comfortably attach it to any glasses frame via a small, built-in clip. 

A single LED offers 2,700K of soft white light and there is only one brightness option. The on-board battery is poor in comparison to others in this list, and it lasted three hours when we tested it at home. This is understandable, given the light’s size and the battery is rechargeable via any micro USB port. However, we found that we had to charge it daily, which might be an annoyance for some bookworms.  

Style/Design: Clip | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 3 hours | Brightness Options: 1 | Color Temperatures: 1

Best Rechargeable

Easily illuminates two pages of a book

Lightweight

Single color temperature

Out of all of the rechargeable book lights in our list, this Vekkia version is designed to last the longest. The built-in battery can run for 70 hours (or even more—in our experience) on a single charge when used continuously on the lowest of its three brightness settings. It then charges from zero to full in around three hours via the included USB cord.

The Vekkia light clips gently to book pages, thanks to its soft grip pads, and its flexible arm lets you easily move it into the desired position. The light itself comes from seven small LEDs that emit 3,000K of soft white light and this setup easily illuminates two pages of a standard-size book. What’s more, it weighs just 2.15 ounces, making it a lightweight and comfortable task lighting solution.  

Style/Design: Clip-on | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 70 hours | Brightness Options: 3 | Color Temperatures:  1

Best Bedside Book Light

Block blue light sleep lamp.

Block Blue Light 

Amber LED lights

Flexible arm

Impressive battery life

Don't need to clip it to anything

While clip-on lights are highly portable and provide more direct illumination, having to move them between pages each time can be a pain. A less time-consuming option is a cordless lamp , such as the compact NoBlue Amber Sleep Lamp from Block Blue Light. It acts as a night light and its amber LEDs are free from blue wavelengths that might disrupt sleep, according to some studies.

This bedside book light plugs mimics the soft, warm light emitted from candlelight. It has three brightness settings—25, 50, and 100 percent—so you can make it as bright as you need for reading. It also has a flexible arm that lets you direct the beam of light at the best possible angle, which increases how much of a book you can see at one time. The lamp is rechargeable using the included USB cord, and it can last for up to 16 hours.

Style/Design: Bedside | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 16 hours | Brightness Options: 3 | Color Temperatures: 1

Best Overhead

Kagwon reading light stick.

Easy to mount and reposition

Angled design

Touch controls

Low battery life on the brightest mode

Only one light temperature option

The Kagwon Wall Reading Light Stick features 16 LEDs that offer 6,000K of white light. Unlike many other wall-mounted sconces or lights that need an electrician to install, this Kagwon model is magnetic. It automatically sticks to any metal surface, or you can use double-sided tape to stick its metal base to any wall or cupboard.  

Once attached to a metal surface or base, you can angle the Kagwon light from 45 degrees to 135 degrees. A built-in touch sensor then lets you toggle between three brightness modes—low, moderate and bright. On the lowest setting, this light’s rechargeable battery can last two days. This drops to around ten hours on moderate, and three hours on bright.

Style/Design: Wall-mounted | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: 3 to 48 hours | Brightness Options: Three | Color Temperatures: One

Best for Travel

Glovion solar clip on book light.

Solar-powered

Also includes micro USB

Good battery life

Limited illumination on lower brightness settings

Another clip-on book light—but this one has something unique. Attached to this Glovion light is a small solar panel that allows you to charge its built-in battery on the go. This makes it perfect for holidays, or when you’re looking to travel without having to manage multiple charging cables. That said, should you need to charge this light it comes with a micro USB cable. 

There are three soft white LEDs in the light itself and these can be set to either high or low brightness. The low option is bright enough for illuminating one page, and the battery life on this mode lasts 12 hours. If you want to illuminate both pages at once, we recommend using the higher mode, but the battery life will drop to around five hours.

Style/Design: Clip | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Battery Life: Up to 12 hours | Brightness Options: 2 | Color Temperatures: 1

Best for Children

Flexilight pal reading light.

Very long battery life

Large range of fun styles available

Light doubles up as a bookmark

Batteries are non-rechargeable

Limited illumination

Whether you’re trying to encourage your child to read more, or you’ve given birth to a bookworm, this battery-powered Flexilight is both fun and practical. It’s available in a range of 18 styles, from animals to robots and dinosaurs, and each one gently clips onto the pages of a book to double up as a book light and bookmark. 

There is a single, bright white LED in the head of each chosen design. This LED offers one level of brightness and you can reposition it easily, thanks to the light’s bendy design. We found this light to be adequate for illuminating a single page but not two. This light runs on two non-rechargeable CR2016 batteries which we found could run for more than four days of continuous use.

Style/Design: Clip | Power Source: Battery | Battery Life: Not listed | Brightness Options: 1 | Color Temperatures: 1

Final Verdict

The Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light is our best overall book light because it combines comfort, convenience, and precise control—all at a budget-friendly price. It brings a high-level of customization in terms of color temperatures and brightness settings for people who like to read anywhere and everywhere. If a clip-on book light better suits your needs, our best clip-on pick Vekkia Rechargeable Book Light is lightweight, bright, and needs to be charged less frequently than others in our list.

What to Look for in a Book Light

Clip-on book lights are the most common and cheapest option. They clip onto your book or Kindle to illuminate pages from above. The best clip-on book lights have soft pads on the clip to avoid damaging individual pages. They’re lightweight enough to avoid adding weight to your book and typically illuminate at least one full page of a book. 

An alternative to clip-on lights are wearable book lights. These come in two main designs—neck-worn book lights and lights you attach to your glasses. The best neck lights are flexible, allowing you to bend them to where they feel most comfortable. They have lights on each end of the curved design that illuminate both pages of your book at once. 

Glass-worn lights clip onto the frames of glasses or goggles. They come with limited color and temperature options, and their battery life can be lacking, due to their small size. Yet they illuminate whatever you’re looking at. This means you don’t have to adjust the angle. 

Finally, there are bedside reading lights. The best bedside lights for reading resemble regular lamps but feature more color and brightness controls. They usually have soft, amber lights that help your body relax and unwind.

Bedside book lights can come in cordless options, such as the Block Blue Light NoBlue Amber Sleep Lamp , our best bedside light pick . You can also find wired options—the primary perk of corded lamps is you don’t have to worry about battery life, but they aren’t as portable.

Color and Brightness Settings 

The best book lights offer multiple color and brightness settings. This is so you can customize your lighting to suit your eyesight preferences.

Color temperatures are measured in degrees of Kelvin (K) on a scale from 1,000 to 10,000. When it comes to book lights “there are two main ranges of temperatures,” explains Sunir Garg, MD, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

"One temperature is around 2,700K. This is similar to what a traditional incandescent bulb emits and is considered ‘warm.'  The other range is around 5,000K. This is a typical white light or ‘daylight .'"

Blue light, which some studies have shown can disrupt sleep patterns, has a temperature around 3,200K and higher. If you want to avoid blue light exposure, opt for book lights with lower Kelvin ratings and amber tones, or lights that specially list blue light filters in their product description. 

The brightness settings on book lights are usually listed as low to high, or by the type of activity they’re best suited to.

Battery Life

The majority of book lights run on rechargeable batteries. Each one’s battery life depends on a number of factors, from the battery’s size, to the brightness setting you choose and how long you read for. Smaller, basic lights will go from full to flat in a few hours, but more advanced lights can run for more than three days of continuous use. 

Realistically, you’re not going to be reading for three days straight, so even lights with battery life on the lower end of the scale should only need charging once a week. If you’re not reading regularly, they’ll last a lot longer. The main thing to consider when buying a rechargeable book light is what cable you need, and whether it’s compatible with all cables of that type, or just the one it ships with. 

You can buy book lights that run on standard, non-rechargeable batteries, such as the Flexilight Pal Reading Light , our best for children pick . These batteries usually last much longer, but you’ll need to pay to replace them. If battery life is a major concern, we recommend buying a corded bedside lamp to avoid any anxiety.

The brightness of a book light depends on a large number of factors, from the ambient lighting to the size of the text, your eyesight, the color temperature it's paired with and more. 

Dr. Garg adds that “there is no specific number” to look for in terms of book light brightness but the light generated by a 60- to 100-watt bulb (or equivalent) is “usually sufficient.”

He encourages his patients to try different brightness settings to find which one feels most comfortable and works best for them. “Obviously, if a light is too bright and causes discomfort, that should be avoided. Reading with a bright light will not be harmful to the eyes but can cause fatigue,” adds Dr. Garg. 

According to Peter Legg , där lighting’s lead designer, when reading on a digital device specifically, you might “try to ensure the area you’re reading in is brighter than the screen itself. This may require balancing the brightness of the device itself as well as controlling the environment.” 

“There have been some studies that suggest that light around 5000K may be ‘better’ for reading,” says Dr. Garg. This is because it is thought cool white lighting temperatures make us more alert, while warm lighting temperatures help us to relax. Yet, he believes in patients finding what works best for them.

“LEDs offer a focused light stream which makes them a great choice for any directional light you need, from a reading light to task lighting in the kitchen,” says Legg. “They also have a good longevity, consume less energy than traditional bulbs and are much cooler to the touch.”

Dr. Garg adds that when it comes to reading, however, “it matters less about the specific type of light, whether incandescent or LED.” He says that brightness, distance to the page, and color spectrum are factors readers should be considering instead.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Victoria Woollaston is a freelance science, technology, and lifestyle writer with more than a decade’s experience testing and reviewing consumer products. She’s had experience using dozens of books and reading lights in various designs, and she has personally tested the majority of entries in this list, as well as a number of others from different brands. She currently uses the Glocusent Neck Light for reading and jogging.

To learn more about the benefits of different book lights and their eyesight implications, Woollaston spoke with experts to learn more about the importance of color temperatures and brightness settings and what features to look for. She then tested book lights that combine convenience with cost and controls, and which meet the different needs and demands for readers and crafters.

Our Experts:

• Sunir Garg , M.D., clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and professor of ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital
• Peter Legg , lead designer at där lighting

Mathôt S, Ivanov Y. The effect of pupil size and peripheral brightness on detection and discrimination performance . PeerJ . 2019;7:e8220. doi:10.7717/peerj.8220

Shechter A, Kim EW, St-Onge MP, Westwood AJ. Blocking nocturnal blue light for insomnia: A randomized controlled trial .  J Psychiatr Res . 2018;96:196-202. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.10.015

Grant LK, Kent BA, Mayer MD, Stickgold R, Lockley SW, Rahman SA. Daytime exposure to short wavelength-enriched light improves cognitive performance in sleep-restricted college-aged adults . Front Neurol . 2021;12:624217. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.624217

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The Best Book Lights of 2024

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Glocusent Lightweight 10-LED Book Light

Multiple color options

18-month warranty

80 hours of charge

Rare reports of defective batteries

Glocusent Horizontal ET-Head Book Light

Wide light coverage

Four color options

Some users find it cumbersome

Vekkia Rechargeable LED Neck Reading Light

Comfortable silicone construction

Easy to redirect light

Not everyone will love the design

Dewenwils USB Rechargeable Book Light

Extremely lightweight

90-degree swivel

Folds totally flat

Doesn’t feel super sturdy

iZell Flexible Gooseneck Book Light

Highly adjustable gooseneck design

2-year warranty

Clip may seem too strong

Updated June 7, 2023

A good reading light is one of the most useful things that you can have in your home, and we want to help you get one if you don’t already have it.

While some book lights are standard single-brightness lights, others have different intensities and color temperature modes to make sure you’re not straining your eyes too much. Some book lights clamp onto the book, while others simply slide into the back pages. You can also choose between standard battery power and USB-rechargeable reading lights.

We’ve compiled the following list to share some of the best book lights that the internet has to offer. One of them just might light up your life.

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. Available in five fun colors, the Glocusent Willow clip on book light features a solid clamp for attaching it to any hardcover or paperback book with ease. And it’s got a rechargeable battery, so you won’t have to worry about constantly buying new ones. It should get 80 hours of battery life on a single charge.

What’s more, it also comes with three different warmth modes to prevent potential eye straining from bright white light. Each of those modes also has three different brightness settings, meaning that you have a total of nine different options. Finally, it includes an 18-month warranty, so you can feel secure when purchasing this handy little light that it’ll be on your nightstand for quite some time.

At just 1.4 ounces, this little book light really packs a punch. The playfully named “ET-Head” design mimics everyone’s favorite little alien. More importantly, this design offers maximum page coverage when reading in bed or in a dark room. Available in four colors, it’s also rechargeable with a standard Type-C USB port.

With three warm light settings and five different brightness levels, you’re sure to find the perfect tone for reading, no matter your environment. You’ll enjoy this compact yet powerful light so much, you’ll be phoning home to tell everyone you know about it.

This neck reading light takes a slightly different approach from the other lights on our list. Rather than being mounted onto the book itself, this light goes around your neck to shine directly on the page. The comfortable flexible design is great for not just books but also mechanic work or any other situation where you need light wherever you happen to be looking.

It includes four flicker-free and blue light-free LEDs, so you’ll be able to read without having your eyes overwhelmed. The rear neck cushion and flexible silicon design allow you to find the most comfortable position for the light while keeping your book illuminated. It’s rechargeable and durable, so you’ll be able to count on this light for as long as the adventures in your books remain in your memories.

Compact and portable are the name of the game for the Dewenwils USB Rechargeable Book Light. With six different colors to choose from and a solid plastic design, this light is a great option for kids just starting their journey with books. With a light that swivels 90 degrees, it also offers maximum mobility and a great way to shine light directly on the part of the page you’re reading.

At just 1.38 ounces, it’s also easy to throw in your bag or your pocket for reading on the go. It also folds completely flat and works great as a bookmark or small flashlight as well in a pinch. It’s designed to slide into the rear pages of your book, so you don’t have to worry about crimping or damaging your pages with any sort of clamp apparatus.

This little LED clip-on light is one of the loveliest reading lights available anywhere, and it’s just as useful as it is attractive. The LED lights consume far less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and the 77 LED beads include three different lighting modes and 10 adjustable brightness levels.

The USB adapter allows you to easily charge the light on your computer or an outlet if you’re on the go. It also includes a sturdy plastic clip, a 360-degree flexible gooseneck design, and a full two-year warranty, so there’s no risk here. Clip this one on your book, or even on your headboard or nightstand, and get to reading at any hour of the night.

If reading is all about fun for you, then you won’t find a more fun reading light than this adorable little caterpillar from Flexilight. As whimsical for adults as it is for kids, this flexible little reading buddy is a great gift idea, and a useful little lamp for the voracious reader in your life.

Designed to double as a bookmark, this single-bead LED light offers a soft light source for reading in a dark environment. It’s lightweight and easy to adjust, and it will keep your little one feeling safe and comforted when reading alone in their room. If your books are fun and full of character, who says your reading lamp can’t be as well?

Fun caterpillar design is great for kids

Doubles as a bookmark

Nice flexibility

Only one LED bulb

If you're looking for a functional book light to use after dusk, then this book clip lamp is worth a look. It easily attaches to a desk, or even your book, so you can see what you're reading at all times. Plus, it comes with a 360-degree adjustable neck so you can angle it however you'd like. Reviewers also love its level of brightness, which can be set in three different modes: warm light, white light, or a combination of both. The battery is built to last over 30 hours, making this an ideal book light to bring on the road.

3 lighting modes

Strong battery life

Adjustable neck

None that we could find

More Articles You Might Enjoy

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Meet the tester

Adam Reeder

Freelance writer

Adam Reeder is a freelance writer, consumer advocate, and unapologetic watch geek.

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The Best Reading Lights of 2024— Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

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A reading light is one that can be used for reading, writing, sketching, working on a computer, craftwork, and other detail-oriented activities. Reading lights illuminate a small area over a close distance so that you can get a better focus on your activity.

Picking the right light for reading can be tricky, as reading lights vary vastly in their designs, functions, and features.

Regency Hill Table Lamp

Our Top Recommendation for Reading Lights !

This charming pair of traditional style corded table lamps feature solid and sturdy carved leaf bases with bronze accents which are guaranteed to add a touch of elegance to any room.

*We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

You surely don’t have to be an expert or a lighting engineer to be able to buy a good reading light, but some basic knowledge wouldn’t hurt.

This article covers the most important criteria for a good reading light in the bedroom, the home office, and the reading nook .

It also includes a detailed review of the best reading lights on the market. 

Table of Contents

What to Know Before Buying a Reading Light?

The lumen figure and what it tells.

Whatever you do, you want a lamp that is bright enough so you can see with no difficulty. But it shouldn’t be too bright or your eyes will strain.

The brightness level of the light is decided by the lux figure, that is, how many lumens it can emit on a square meter.

As suggested by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory , we need the illumination of 250 to 500 lumens per square meter for easy, normal visual tasks, such as reading, writing, knitting, and working on the computer.

For more detailed work like drawing or embroidery, an illumination between 1000 to 2000 lumens per square meter is necessary.

It is also suggested that the darker the surrounding environment, the lower the lux you need for your light. This is to reduce the contrast between the lit area and the darker area so that your eyes do not have to adjust dramatically when they wander around.

You probably have known that you can use different bulbs of different wattages to produce the same light output. Therefore, for a desired lumen figure, you have choices over the bulb types.

For bedrooms, you’ll want to make sure there will be no light of extreme brightness levels. This is because light with high intensity can confuse your brain, tricking it into the false recognition that it is daylight. Before you realize it, your body will have already reacted by producing serotonin , causing you difficulty falling asleep.

Thus, a good lighting source for the bedroom should have luminous flux somewhere between 1,500 to 4,000 Lumens .

Be it reading, cuddling to watch a romantic movie, or playing chess before you sleep, a soft, warm shade is best for creating a relaxing and intimate environment in your bedroom. The maximum color temperature is 3000k , and as it is a light for reading, it should not be under 2700k so as not to create extreme emotions or anxiety.

Every of us is unique, and our visuals and preferences are different. But it is worth taking those factors into consideration when you buy a reading light, to make sure the lighting condition is adequate and supportive to your activities.

10 Best Reading Lights

To save your time searching around a plethora of products, we have made this review of the best reading lights for various rooms in your house.

Click on a product to see a more detailed description and review. You will surely find the right light for your bedroom, home office, and reading corner here.

1. Regency Hill Table Lamp – Best Bedside Table Reading Lamp

Bedside reading lamps, apart from providing light to read by, are items that help fine-tune the look and atmosphere of the room.

For a set of lamps that shine efficiently on your book, and convey a high taste of decors, we recommend these Regency Hills.

Each of the lamps comes in a curvy body with decorative carved leaves in wood finish, creating a bold, traditional feel. Its deep bronze color and a brownish, ivory shade match beautifully with other wooden furniture in your bedroom.

Each lamp has a shade to direct the light to more focused areas above and under it. The creme shade, meanwhile, creates a soft romantic glow. Lit together on both sides of the bed, you will feel like the entire room is full of moonlight.

As the lamp is high (30″ or 76cm), you can now enjoy your book in bed in the most comfortable position. The light is always sufficient regardless of you sitting upright or reclining, or lying straight down. No need to adjust your position all the time to catch a beam like when you’re with smaller lamps.

Despite being tall, the lamp stays sturdy on your table without taking much space. That is thanks to its considerate design with a thin profile on both the body and the shade.

Your small bedside tables or petite nightstands can easily accommodate the lamp, together with your books and a chocolate cup.

To enhance coziness and intimate feelings in your bedroom, choose 72-watt halogen bulbs  that produce a warm white or amber glow. The ones with a temperature of 2700 to 3500K will do the trick.

2. Rosslyn Swing Arm Lamps – Best Wall Mounted Reading Light

Nothing adds more style and coziness to a bedroom than a classic wall mounted reading light with a warm shade.

The thing with normal bedroom lamps is, however, that if they look good in the room, they are often the case too dim for a read.

This set of two Barnes and Ivy Rosslyn lamps stand out for both function and design.

Each lamp comes with a metal body engraved with nature patterns, nicely covered in a bronze finish. Its graceful arm is adjustable, reaching out and sliding back to where you please to ensure sufficient space and light focus for your bedtime activities.

Joining the lamp to finish the traditional French country look is a faux leather shade. The shade is slightly brownish in color, promising to deliver a warm, pleasant light. The shade pairs perfectly with the metal parts to create an intimate, but classic and luxurious feeling in the room.

Each of the lamp requires a 43-watt halogen bulb to produce efficient brightness to read your novels and papers. To ensure the light is warm and pleasant to your eyes, choose bulbs with a temperature somewhere between 2700 to 3500K.

When you prefer a softer, gentler glow for a movie or a cuddle in bed, turn the lamp to a dimmer mode, as its intensity is fully adjustable.

For a perfect neat look, the lamp can be hard-wired inside the wall. But if you opt for an easier option, simply plug it into a socket close to your bed.

3. Newhouse Lighting Clamp Light – Best Clip-on Headboard Reading Light

The best reading light on your headboard is one that is portable, produces warm gentle light, but at the same time has a focused area so you don’t have to widen your eyes to be able to read. This Newhouse is such one.

At 300 lm, the light is sufficient for reading in a dimmer lit environment. As it is very soft, your eyes do not have to adjust themselves between pauses of your read, when they drift off the lit pages into darker areas in the room.

Designed for “stress-free productivity and enjoyment”, the Newhouse produces an adequate glow at 3000K. It is pleasant to the eye, warm enough to not mess with your melatonin (the sleep hormone), but bright enough to not lure you to sleep 3 minutes into your book.

The light comes with a sturdy clamp that opens to approximately 2 inches. To protect the gripped surface from the strong grip, 6 suction cups are added inside it. If you have had clamp reading lights that scratch or peel off the paint on your reading table or headboard, you’re gonna appreciate this.

In terms of design, the cutie has a sleek, shiny appearance. It comes in 3 colors: black, purple, and bright blue. Personally, I can see it matching better with modern designs and decors.

The light would be perfect if it had a dimmable function for those who want a fast read to lure themselves to sleep.

4. Regency Hill Exeter Table Lamps – The Best His and Hers Reading Lights

These Regency Hill Exeter lamps look as classical and stylish as an expensive antique, yet they cost just a fraction of the price. If your bedroom décor airs towards elegance, then the crimson red shades and deep mahogany-tone bases will blend in seamlessly. Moreover, it will add a bold pop of color and warmth to your surroundings. 

Speaking of warmth, this pair of lamps emit a beautifully soft, warm glow that adds a romantic feel to the room, whether one of both is illuminated. And the rectangular crimson shades cast the light downwards in the perfect direction for reading in bed, whether you sat upright, lying down, or somewhere in between. 

At 30″ high, the lamps themselves are fairly tall for a nightstand light, but that doesn’t mean they take up too much space. The compact bases measure just 5 3/4″ wide x 4 3/8″ deep, so there’s plenty of room left for your books or your e-reader too. 

But, while the bases are fairly small, they are still super solid and sturdy. It means your lamps will stay put exactly where they should be, even if you accidentally brush past them.

The only downside to these Regency Hill lamps is that you have to buy the bulbs separately. That being said, some people would prefer to choose their own, and they can find the exact wattage and glow for them. You can use bulbs up to a maximum of 100 watts, so you have plenty of scopes to choose from. 

5. WaterDrake Headboard Light — Best Reading Light for Bed Headboard

As expected for a bed light, the lamp has a folded ivory shade, which creates a warm, gentle white light where it is placed, and prevents glare. The material and color come in a retro simple design, making it match easily with most bedroom styles and decors.

The lamp has a half-moon shape with one flat surface to stay intact on your bed headboard. This allows the light to shine evenly over your shoulders, without unintended swinging.

The lamp is hung by two bendable wire-coated hooks, which can fit with 1.5 inches thick boards.

As a side sleeper, I really appreciate this movability. When I change the side of the bed every now and then to make sure I’m sleeping on both sides for my body to retain a balance, I can just simply slide the lamp along.

No need to buy 2 lamps for each side, and no hassles of plugging/unplugging or worse, drilling new holes on the wall to place it.

As the hooks are covered in a smooth material, they won’t create any scratch or peeling on the headboard.

As it is made for the lazy bed readers, the lamp can be switched using a pull chain. Once you’re done with your book, reach over, pull down, and you’re good to sleep.

Overall, this is an item of great value and usefulness. One thing to check before you buy it, however, that your headboard is not too much thicker than 1.5 inches, and is tall enough so that the lamp won’t touch your head when you sit or lie in bed.

Recommended bulb: 40-watt equivalent, 2700K

6. BenQ Genie eReading — Best Table Reading Lamp

A table light, especially one in your bedroom, is not only for reading and studying. It also shines on your sketch board, on the pages of the family album you’re turning, on that scarf you’re knitting for your beloved niece.

Your mood and mind alter for different activities in the bedroom, and you need a light that can accommodate different atmospheres. With a knob that you can twist to change both the brightness and the color temperature, the BenQ Genie is the perfect table reading lamp thanks to its versatility.

Unlike most other LED lamps, the Genie has a crescent head, making it look “softer” and much more graceful than just a straight plate. More than aesthetic functions, the bend also increases the illuminated area, allowing the light to cover a wider part of your table.

At one end of the head is a beautiful ring, which you turn the lamp on and off with. It’s also where you activate the Smart Lighting mode, in which a sensor will detect the room ambient and adjust the light accordingly.

Designed for working with electronic devices, the light is distributed with more brightness to the sides and less in the center, thus minimizing glare on the screen.

To get the exact light angle for your work, you can twist the head around and bend it up and down. You can also adjust the illuminating distance by bending the arm where it meets with the base.

While the head is all artsy and beautiful, the arm and the base both have a rather plain shell. They are function-oriented: simple, sturdy, and incredibly heavy (the lamp weighs 5.3 lbs). The cord is nicely covered with braided fabric, making it even a safer item to put in your bedroom.

While these lamps aren’t the cheapest reading lights on this list, they add a luxurious touch to your bedroom for a very reasonable price.

Read more:  Top 7 Best LED Desk Lamps

Want your reading room to be a place of peace, coziness, and imagination? Find a special reading light.

It doesn’t always have to be a fancy chandelier with loads of sparkling crystals to bring you to the beautiful adventures. However, the light should have a design that promotes privacy and reflects your personality.

In addition, you will need a light with a soft color, such as blue, white, or light green to enhance tranquility in your reading corner. It should help you to release all the stress and lose yourself into the world of fiction books.

For the desired effect, a temperature of 2700 to 4000k (warm white) will be ideal.

1. Brightech Arc Lamp — Best Floor Lamp for Reading Nooks

Nothing in the world sounds more heavenly to book lovers than a snuggle in their comfy chaise lounge with a soft blanket, two fluffy pillows, and a good, good book.

A reading light for those moments is one you can only read by, but can also inspire your imagination and set a cozy, tranquil atmosphere.

The Brightech floor lamp comes in a unique crescent shape, which arches over to shine evenly over your shoulders to the open pages. At 2000 Lumens, it allows you to read even small printed lines and see the steam on your cup of hot tea. The glow is, however, soft, warm, and pleasant to the eye at 3000K in temperature.

As it has a slender arm and head, the lamp takes a humble space in your small cozy corner or reading nook. The simple design allows it to match easily with the surrounding furniture and decors wherever you place it.

The lamp’s simple on/off switch is conveniently placed in the middle of the cord, and is within your feet’s reach. There is no dimmable function, but this light is designed to set the mood for reading, and glare is the last thing you should worry about.

Read more:   Top 10 Best Floor Lamps of 2024

2. CLAXY® Pendant Light — Best Pendant Light for Reading Nooks

Do you know the fasted and easiest way to make your reading corner a balmy, cozy corner for retreat? Install this warm classic pendant light there. Boom!

This Claxy Ecopower barn pendant lamp comes with a black cord, a metal shade with an ivory finish inside, and black paint outside.

The top part, meanwhile, has a fine bronze finish. Around it is some cut-outs, which allow the light to go through and shine up to avoid dark shadowing.

The paint on the whole item is made very fine and shabby instead of sleek. That somehow gives off a feeling of calmness and humility.

Installed with a 60 – 100-watt bulb (or equivalent) at a warm temperature (2700 to 3500K), the lamp can create a homey and secure atmosphere.

It offers that gentle glow that makes you feel safe and relaxed, allows you to forget all of your daily stress, and lose your mind and heart in the beautiful world of books.

At a diameter of 13.1”, the lamp fits very well with the confined space of your reading corner. As it looks simple and classic in style and color, it matches easily with both modern and antique decors.

Your work in the home office requires energy and concentration, and you need to be sharp and alert for the challenging tasks. That is why a specifically designed item with bright, cool white light will be of great usefulness.

A reading light should be bright (with a brightness level of at least 3,000 and up to 6,000 Lumens) enough to stimulate your aspiration and creativity, without creating glare on your computer screen or fatigue on your eyes after a brief drift.

The temperature should be at least 4100, and up to 6000k , which represents the neat, bright feeling of direct sunlight or light on a cloudy day.

1. Brightech Reading Lamp — Best Floor Lamp for Home Office

If you’re working at home and want a setting that enhances your concentration and productivity, putting this Brightech floor lamp next to your desk would be a good move.

Created to boost up working efficiency, the light emitted has a temperature of 6,000K. This is the same as the cool crisp light you usually see on a sunny day that makes you feel energetic, and ready to get work done.

At 2,000 lumens in brightness, the lamp is more than sufficient to light up the smallest details of what you’re working on. You don’t have to bend down closer to see a table of figures or that delicate flower petal on your embroidery frame.

If you want a softer glow for a convo or to watch cat videos on Youtube, the lamp can always be adjusted to a dimmer mode. Simply touch the power button until it reaches your preferred level. The next time you turn the lamp on, it will still remember it!

As a task lamp, the lamp’s light focuses on an area as large as your desk. To make sure you don’t have to move the whole thing when your position changes, the neck is made flexible. You can always bend, twist, and customize to your favorite lighting angle.

Coming in a simplistic, space-efficient style and with 5 shell colors, the lamp can match easily with both traditional wood flooring and more modern spaces.

2. Taotronics Metal Desk Lamp – Best Desk Lamp for Home Office

Bright, sleek and having multiple brightness and colors, this TaoTronics item is the best choice for a table reading lamp in your office. Not every item gets such a near-perfect review score on Amazon.

What’s so special about this lamp? It offers 30 settings for warmth and brightness levels.

For a crisp, bright light to boost your energy and determination in the home office, choose the coolest color and the brightest intensity mode. The next time you turn the lamp on, it’s shining your favorite shade!

To minimize shadows when you read and write, and avoid that glare on your screen when the light is at 1200 lux, the lamp comes with a bendable and rotatable arm. You can easily adjust the arm to get the exact light angle you need.

The base is neat and sleek. As it is heavy (4.4 pounds or almost 2 kilos), it can stay firm when you accidentally push it.

Apart from the various lighting options, the light also has a one-hour timer. Set the light to turn off if you want to take a short break for a coffee or a walk to relax your eyes and back muscles.

As a table lamp, the item is designed to maximize your convenience. It has a USB charger port on the base, saving you that reach when your phone or tablet needs charging.

Finally, the light’s sleek black metal shell and modern design will bring about professional look to your desk.

10 thoughts on “The Best Reading Lights of 2024— Buyer’s Guide & Reviews”

Love the site. I get all my reading tips here. I think the two life changing things I did was to buy a Kindle and a Lumiy Lightblade Lamp. I read tons now through Kindle and the Lumiy lamp helps me read and work so much better (this lamp has just such good quality light I can’t get over it, I have NEVER found anything else like it).

That’s really great to hear Michelle, we love that!

• Pingback: 7 Must-Have Gifts for Mom's Book Nook - Hooked to Books

Also really like the Lumiy Lamps. They’re just so bright. #lumiylightblade

great post. i have the lumiy lightblade that one is super bright. thanks for the tips!

Really like the Lumiy Lightblade LED desk lamp. That lamp is so bright!

Great post! Thank you – With the way you did the post, it made it easy to figure out which might work best for our house. The WaterDrake headboard light is very cool and might work perfectly in our guest room!

Thank you for compiling all this! I’ve been in need of a good reading lamp for awhile and this article helped. I’ve ordered Taotronics’ Elune and look forward to trying it out.

Thank you, Anodysseyinbooks. I hope you’ll have a good experience with the lamp!

I think soft white is best for our reading room. Infect, reading room need such kind of lights which is not more brighter, not more darker. In this way, soft white is my first choice. Thanks for sharing.

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7 Best Book Lights in 2024 – Illuminate Your Reading Experience

Explore our detailed reviews and recommendations for the best book lights in 2024. Whether you're a student or a traveler reader, we've got you covered. Elevate your reading experience with the perfect book light.

Advertising Disclosure: Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; we may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. You can learn more about our review process here .

Table of contents.

• What is red light therapy
• The Best Book Lights of 2024
• How We Picked
• Best Book Lights for Reading

How Do Book Lights Work?

• Key Factors to Consider
• What Specific Benefits It Offer?

Frequently Asked Questions

Best book reading lights benefits have been scientifically researched and proven as the most beneficial that offer notable eye health benefits. Among the key advantages, that book lights offer, which we also elaborate on in the sections below include; eyesight protection, eyestrain, and fatigue prevention. They also make your reading experience enjoyable.

In this review, our experts have worked tirelessly to ensure that you have the information you need about the best book light for reading including the benefits, how they work, features to look out for, and much more. Keep reading to learn more about book-light lamps.

What are Book Lights?

Book Lights are reading lamps designed to help you read your book in the dark without straining your eyes or experiencing eye fatigue.

Book lights have also been found to improve the quality of sleep after hours of exposure to light during reading. They stimulate melatonin levels in the body which in turn promotes sleep. There are varieties of models customized for home use while others are for office use.

Bhavin Shah , a Behavioral Optometrist at Central Vision Opticians , an ophthalmic practice located in London England says that good lighting can help increase eye comfort and reduce eye fatigue when working. He adds that there is a wide range of lamps with long-lasting LED bulbs designed to offer light temperature and several brightness settings to fit your needs.

The Best Book Lights of 2024:

• At Official Website

• At Amazon.com

How we picked

Trusted Manufacturers

Getting your hand onto a counterfeit product in this industry is very common because people are out to make quick money. So, when selecting our top picks, we ensured that they were from a trusted manufacturer. This means by considering our top picks there are high chance that you will be buying an authentic product.

Good for Hardcover or Paperback

We wanted to ensure that you have access to a variety of options that will help you read hardcover and paperback books with much ease. We, therefore, selected the lights that will allow you to easily turn pages while illuminating the whole page without damaging or tearing the book cover.

Portability

Reading light portability is important as it increases flexibility. In our selection criteria, we considered reading lights that are easily portable for your convenience.

Convenient for Travel

Reading lights are not just convenient for reading in bed but for travel too. In our selection, we ranked lights that require minimal packing space or are easy to fold and fit in a travel bag.

Best Book Lights for Reading at Night

There are varieties of models and most of them are accompanied by a clip that enables you to slide onto the book. You can then make use of the bendable arm to help you pool the light over the page you are reading at an angle appropriate for you. These best rechargeable book lights enable you to work comfortably and continue to enjoy the thing you love doing without worrying about issues like eyestrain or eye fatigue

1. Hooga Health Clip-On Light

Best For: Eye Strain

Features: Blue light-blocking amber LEDs, Rechargeable battery that lasts up to 8 hours, 3 brightness levels, Flexible neck that can clip onto books, tablets, and laptops, and Lightweight at only 2 ounces.

Price: $29.99

Pros & Cons

• The blue light-blocking feature is perfect for reducing eye strain during late-night reading.
• With a rechargeable battery, you can enjoy hours of reading without worrying about replacing batteries.
• The adjustable light ensures you can customize your reading experience to the perfect brightness.
• This lightweight device is easy to carry, making it ideal for travel or on-the-go reading.
• Not only is it packed with features, but it’s also highly affordable, making it a great value for your money.
• The highest brightness setting could be brighter for some.
• Neck joints could be more durable according to a few reviews.

More to Know

There are positive reviews on the official site, users rate it 4.7 out of 5 stars. User S. Vernon explains:

My sister recommended this and I’m very pleased. It’s a nice warm, soft light and I can still read (with my glasses on) without any problem. Plus, it doesn’t bother my husband who is sensitive to ambient light. He falls asleep in minutes, yet I can stay up reading in bed until I’m tired! It’s a win-win! Also love how it’s rechargeable.

2. Glocusent Reading Light

Best For: Reading

Features: 5 Brightness Adjustable, 3 Color Modes & Eye Caring, USB Rechargeable & Long Lasting, Flexible & Portable Design, 18-month warranty.

Price: $15.99

• The convenient bookmark design allows you to pick up where you left off with ease.
• Enjoy dual-sided lighting for versatile reading options.
• The adjustable neck provides flexibility to position the light exactly where you need it.
• Choose from multiple brightness levels to create the perfect reading environment.
• Benefit from a long battery life, so you can read for hours without interruptions.
• Some reviews suggest that the clip could be stronger, so it’s something to consider.
• The website lacked detailed specifications regarding lumens and battery capacity.
• The auto-shutoff timer length was not specified, leaving it open to question.

There are positive reviews on the official site, users rate it 4.4 out of 5 stars. User Kat explains:

Everyone who’s been talking about this product is right! It’s packed with fantastic features, and they all work perfectly. It’s become one of my favorite Amazon purchases. If I could improve it, I’d add a case to prevent accidental power button presses in my purse and a leash for the USB charging cover. However, it’s a great product, perfect for a reading light, and its portability is a big plus for various lighting needs. Its swivel head adds to its versatility.

3. Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

Best For: Reading, Knitting, Camping, or Repairing Etc.

Features: 3 brightness levels, Bendable neck for adjusting the angle of light, Rechargeable battery with USB charging, Clamp design securely holds the light in place.

Price: $21.99

• This product offers an affordable price, making it budget-friendly.
• The adjustable neck and brightness settings enhance the reading experience.
• The clamp securely holds the light in place, preventing it from slipping.
• It comes with a rechargeable battery, eliminating the need for constant battery replacements.
• The clamp, while functional, may not be as strong as certain competitors.
• A small number of reviews have reported quality issues, so consider this when making your purchase decision.

There are positive reviews on the official site and Amazon, users rate it 4.2 out of 5 stars. User Publicname explains:

1 year later and still really pleased. I’ve had this lamp for about a year and am very pleasantly pleased with how well it’s held up between a rough toddler, a young child, and intercontinental travel. It’s still just as bright has has a fairly good battery. My husband loves it too and even wants one for himself. Very useful for all sorts of situations between crotchet and car work. While I have used all the light options I prefer the soft yellow unless I’m crocheting with black or dark colours. Lovely lamp.

4. Vekkia Book Light

Best For: Blue Light

Features: 3000K warm light that blocks blue light, 3 brightness settings, Up to 60 hours of run time, Super lightweight at 2.15 oz.

Price: $17.99

• Enjoy the benefits of blue light blocking and warm light, enhancing your reading comfort.
• With a 60-hour battery life, you can read for extended periods without worrying about recharging.
• The lightweight design makes this product easy to carry and use on the go.
• It offers an affordable price, providing great value for your money.
• There are limited customer reviews available, so it’s challenging to gauge its overall performance.
• The website lacks comprehensive information about the product, leaving potential customers with unanswered questions.

There are positive reviews on the official site and Amazon, users rate it 4.0 out of 5 stars. User Bradley Ermey explains:

Great light that can be used for more than reading. I bought this mainly for reading then realized I use this for many other things as well. 3 levels of brightness, battery life is decent. Have had it over a year and no issues.

5. Lumio Book Lamp | Lito Classic

Best For: Portable Lamp

Features: Adjustable 360-degree opening, Magnetic mount, 8-hour battery life, Folds up for portability.

Price: $119.00

• Enjoy the convenience of adjustable lighting and a magnetic mounting system for easy use.
• Its portable and compact design makes it a handy companion for on-the-go reading.
• The warm light adds a cozy ambiance to your reading environment.
• It comes at a higher price point compared to basic book lights, which is worth considering.
• There’s no mention of lumen or color temperature specifications, leaving some technical details uncertain.

There are positive reviews on the official site and Amazon, users rate it 4.1 out of 5 stars. User Ana B.T.C explains:

Beautiful, elegant and so bright This is a work of art. And it’s so well made and practical that I have used it since day one. It gives a warm but strong light, and the magnets allow for great combinations. Highly recommended!

6. Mighty Bright Book Light

Best For: All-Purpose Book Lights

Features: Rechargeable, no need for batteries, 2-10 lumens of light, 3000K warm light, 10 x 1 x 1 dimensions

Price: $32.99

• It’s rechargeable, eliminating the need to purchase batteries.
• The light is bright yet soft, ideal for comfortable reading.
• Its compact and portable size makes it easy to carry around.
• Enjoy a long battery life of up to 10 hours, ensuring extended use between charges.
• Shorter neck than some other Mighty Bright models so may not light the whole page evenly.

There are positive reviews on the official site and Amazon, users rate it 4.1 out of 5 stars. User Debbie J. explains:

I Love This Book Light! Okay, this is the 4th Mighty Bright I’ve purchased. Three for myself and one for my daughter. I love the slim and flexible design and the light quality is great. One for our travel trailer, one near my nightstand, and one by my recliner.

7. Black Diamond Headlamp

Best For: Headlamp

Features: 500 lumens max brightness, BD 1500 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, Micro USB recharging, Elastic headband with Repreve recycled textiles, Multiple lighting modes.

Price: $74.95

• Delivering an impressive 500 lumens of brightness, it ensures excellent visibility.
• With a rechargeable battery, you can save on frequent battery replacements.
• It offers multiple lighting modes for versatility in various situations.
• Its durable and waterproof construction enhances its longevity and usability.
• While feature-rich, it does come at a higher price point compared to some other headlamps.

There are positive reviews on the official site and Amazon, users rate it 4.1 out of 5 stars. User Albeyro M. explains:

I’ve had several headlamps but none with such a wide array of features that make it an essential tool on every hike. Without a doubt, it is one of my best purchases.

Your eyes by nature can work best using natural daylight and such light is healthy for your eyes. However, in the dark or when indoors, you are forced to utilize artificial lighting which isn’t healthy because it does not give the needed support offered by the natural daylight .

As noted in the Journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, by Anne-Marie Chang and other researchers, ordinary artificial light is unbalanced. Now, this forces your eye muscles to strain or work hard in order to adjust to the light, leading to eyestrain.

That’s where the best book lights for reading at night come in handy. They are designed to help read comfortably at night or in the dark.

Book light lamps have been designed following extensive research that led to the creation of lights that reduce or prevent eyestrain.

They are healthy natural lamps that mimic the sun’s natural light which offers a whole balanced spectral output .

Key Factors to Consider When Selecting Book Lights

• Customizable Light Settings: In our selection, we considered book lights with customizable light settings. This allows you to adjust to your desired level of brightness depending on your location and time of the day for a customized reading experience.
• Color: We considered color when selecting our top picks because color improves visibility making it easier to write, read, and or view intricate details in a print material.
• Compact Design: We considered book lights with a compact design model because compared to bulkier options you are able to clip the light to the back and front cover and still achieve the desired reading experience.
• Has a Study Click: Study click was another of our top considerations when selecting our top picks. We ensure that the book lights on our list have sturdy clips so that they can grip well a book cover and make it stay in place during the period it is in use.
• Lasting Battery: We also considered battery life when selecting our top book lights. We wanted to ensure that we bring you a book light with a lasting battery so that you can enjoy a long read before you can think of charging it again.
• Easy to Charge: Easy to charge was another thing we considered when selecting our top picks. We looked at a book light with a connector not just for easy portability but also easy to put back and take off.

What Specific Benefits Do Book Lights Offer?

Protects eyesight.

Book lights offer extra light that helps improve visual ability. They may, therefore, work great for older people especially those experiencing macular degeneration.

According to a study published in the Journal of the College of Optometrists by Safal Khanal, Timothy G. Gawne, and Thomas T. Norton shows that eye exposure to amber light can help slow down eye growth and also counteract myopia (poor sight in humans).

Prevent eyestrain

Book light lamps are designed to help you read comfortably without straining your eyes. There is scientific evidence that book lights or desk lamps can help reduce eyestrain by up to 51 percent. They are healthy lights designed to ensure that you see healthier.

A publication by Liang Cheng and Xiao-Wei Zhang in the International Journal of Ophthalmology notes that applying upright lighting technology that is optimum for eye health and vision can help prevent eyestrain.

Improves sleep

When reading, the book light lamp does not just emit light to provide you with the light brightness you need for reading at night. It has been found to offer an extra health benefit of enhancing melatonin synthesis that in turn works to promote healthy sleep.

A Johns Hopkins sleep expert Dr. Luis F. Buenaver notes in Johns Hopkins Medicine Journal that when melatonin levels increase in the evening, it makes the body get into a state of quiet wakefulness, hence promoting sleep.

Prevents stress and pressure

Humans typically thrive in sunlight and when the night light does not mimic the natural sunlight, they tend to struggle with mood and behavior changes. This usually has an impact on stress response and the nervous system which in turn affects stress hormones, muscle tension, and blood pressure. Book lights lamps are designed to mimic the natural light which helps to prevent pressure and stress.

A Neurobiology Research unit at Copenhagen University Hospital Denmark, PhD fellow Brenda Mc. Mahon MD notes in an article published in Science Nordic that light works by improving communication between the brain regions that are crucial to managing emotions like stress and anxiety. He says that if people get exposed to light that mimics the morning daylight wavelengths, they improve their anxiety coping mechanisms.

Are LED Lights Good for Reading?

How bright should a book light be.

A: According to experts, 450 lumens is sufficient light for writing, reading, or doing general work but a minimum of 500 lumens holds true. For complicated tasks, you may need about 800 – 1100 lumens. However, if you want to achieve office lighting of 300 lux, you need an LED lamp of at least 600 lumens. A 1000-lumen desk light can give you 500 lux for your workspace.

Is it Safe to Use a Book Light at Home?

A: Book lights are conducive for use at home. The rechargeable book reading light lamps and LED book lights are eye-catching because of the adjustable brightness. So, even if the person you share a bed with is a light sleeper, you can still read your book without disturbing him or her.

What is the Recommended Light Temperature for Reading?

A: There are specific types of light known to tire the eyes faster and also affect mood and concentration during reading. However, natural light of about 4,900 K to 6,500 K is said to be the perfect solution for the eyes as it ensures that you feel comfortable when reading or working. The cold light of 6,500 K is said to offer an excellent brightness level and can also improve overall attention. Warm light of about 2,500 K – 3,000 K is recommended as it helps you relax as you read and offer a better rest after you are done with reading. If you are reading at night, experts recommend using yellow color light of below 3,000 K.

It is crucial that you take care of your eyes so as to prevent eye conditions that may affect your daily activities. One of the things found to affect eyesight is light. However, with the ever-evolving technology, we now have in place devices like the best magnifying lights for book reading for vision challenges and the best book lights for reading in bed at Target that enable you to read comfortably without worrying about harmful wavelengths.

In our top picks above, we have selected for you the best book light lamps that are portable and easy to operate for your convenience. Whether you are looking for the best book lights for 4-year-old boys, the best book lights for seeing the whole page, the best book lights for reading in bed, or the best book lights to go over the headboard you will find them in the list of our best rated led book lights above. You can also check out the best booklight reviews available online to help improve your purchase decision.

If you like reading and you’ve been straining to read your book at night, it is time for your reading practice a fresh experience. We have a variety of models to suit people of all ages and regardless of your location or time, our top-rated book light lamps above will definitely improve your overall reading experience as you put your health check in place.

By Dr. Shari Sperling

Shari Sperling, DO, is a board certified dermatologist who specializes in medical, cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatology for adults and children.

**This is a subjective assessment based on the strength of the available information and our estimation of efficacy.

*Result may vary. The information contained in this website is provided for general informational purposes only. No medical claims are implied in this content, and the information herein is not intended be used for self diagnosis or self treatment of any condition.

Disclosure of Material connection: Some of the links in the post above are "associate sales links." This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we will receive commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services which we use personally and/or believe will add value to our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials."

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Night Lights: The Best Book Lamps for Reading Before Bed

By Natalli Amato

Natalli Amato

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

For many people, taking some time to read before falling asleep is exactly what’s needed to set you up for a good night’s sleep. However, having bright lights on before hitting the hay can keep you (and those around you) alert and awake when you finally close your book. Enter the best book lights for reading at night, which can help prevent eye strain, but still make it easy to see the text on the page. Here’s what you should know about picking out the right book lamp for your nighttime reading routine.

Book Light Buying Guide

When you’re choosing the best book light to support your nightly reading ritual, there are a few things that you want to look out for.

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Since blue light can interfere with your sleep cycle, the best book lights use warm, amber light instead of blue light to protect our eyes. If you read before bed, then amber light is a must-have feature to avoid strain. Many of the best book lights come with multiple light settings, including daytime light levels, that also make it easy to read during the day or in dark situations. Another feature to think about is how the light attaches. While many book lights attach to the book itself, you can also find portable book lamps that you can wear, say, around your neck, to keep your hands free.

The Best Book Lights to Buy Right Now

No matter your reading needs, we’ve found the best book lights that will keep your eyes from straining.

1. Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

It’s no secret that kids love to read before bed, too. This wearable book light helps your child see more clearly as they read, and, thanks to its warm light setting, it also helps them fall asleep without disruptions to their natural rhythms. This book light is especially handy when you’re traveling with your kids. Whether they’re in the back seat of the car or buckled in on a train or plane, they can read and do other activities without having to adjust the lamp.

Buy Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light $21.99

2. Hooga Book Light

Shopping for a bedtime reading light? Consider Hooga’s book light. It emits warm light similar to the gentle glow of a fire, completely free of blue light. Reading with this book light won’t interfere with your circadian rhythm. Still, it’s bright enough for you to read clearly and comfortably without ever straining your eyes. It offers up to three brightness levels, plus a 360-degree head that rotates. When operating on its lowest setting, this book light can last for days on end.

Buy Hooga Book Light $12.99

3. Vekkia Bookmark Book Light

Vekkia’s bookmark-style book light is easy to attach, saving your page in the process. Whether you’re reading a paperback or writing in a journal, this book light can securely attach to your reading surface thanks to its built-in clip. It’s an ideal pick for those of us who read day and night, too, thanks to its three dimmable brightness levels. It has soothing warm light to support your bedtime reading ritual, but it also has a bright white light setting that’s ideal for travel and commutes during the daytime. When operating on its lowest setting, this book light has 20-hour battery life.

Buy Vekkia Bookmark Book Light $14.99

4. GearLight Rechargeable Book Light

These highly rated clip-on book lights from GearLight make excellent stocking stuffers for the readers in your life. Sold in packs of two, these book lights feature an adjustable neck and have white, amber, and daylight modes. Bonus: They feature a 30-hour battery life for days of reading in the dark before needing recharged. Each book light weighs just a couple ounces, so they make excellent travel accessories, too.

Buy GearLight Rechargeable Book Light $19.99

5. Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book Light

Most book lights have one head that focuses the beam on your book without disturbing others around you. However, Vekkia makes an excellent dual-head book light that increases the light’s coverage on the page without losing the precision that personal book lights are known for. Giving off a warm hue that’s comfortable on your eyes, Vekkia’s book light uses highly efficient LED lights that have over 60 hours of battery life. Plus, you can control the brightness levels.

Buy Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable Book…

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10 Best Book Lights For All Types of Readers

For a little nighttime reading—and to throw those blue light glasses an assist.

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.

First, think about where you're doing (or trying) to get that reading done. Is it in bed, 20 minutes before shutting off the light? Is it on the couch or that comfy chair in the living room you bought specifically for reading? Or, do both of those things sound nice, but the reality of the situation is you are actually reading exclusively at your desk and could really just use a light there?

Here, we rounded up 10 of the best book lights you can get online right now. You can get teeny tiny one that clips right onto your book, one that attaches to the side of your desk or nightstand, or one that attaches to and comes off the wall. Some of them double as flashlights, too. And, hey, maybe you get one of each for making a seamless transition into the myriad of ways in which you can become a reader. Start your search here.

Fully Beam LED Desk Lamp

Fully makes some of the best standing desks around and with that comes a special knowledge of desk accessories. This LED desk lamp clamps onto the side or back of your desk and has four light temperatures and four levels of brightness.

Uncommon Goods Minimalist Portable Night Light

This minimalist night light can be mounted with adhesive, so there's no need to pull out the drill. You can leave the motion-sensor light on the wall or you can take it off to double as a cool-looking flashlight.

KDD Wall Mounted Reading Light

This spotlight style reading light is great for directing bright light into one specific space. You can use it mounted to the wall, on a desk mount, or as a flashlight.

French Bull Duo Light

This clip-on light is small but breaks its light into two directions, making sure each of your pages get some love.

Fatboy Transloetje Table Lamp

This little wireless lamp in a beautiful amber color gives you the perfect hue for relaxed nighttime reading. Or ... move it to a corner for some soft ambient light and turn on the TV.

Mighty Bright Recharge Light

This rechargeable light is great for clipping onto books and fitting comfortably into bags. It's great for traveling and also great if you need a little assist in reading restaurant menus in a charming but dark space.

Miady Clip-on Lamp

If your reading takes you around the house, this little light can come right along with you. It has three levels of brightness and uses a USB to charge.

Sgzshsld Book Light`

This battery-powered book light lays flat against whatever you're reading. This is great for making pages easier to read without lighting up a room or disrupting a sleep partner.

If USA Really Tiny Book Light

This tiny book light is great for bringing in a travel bag for reading on the go. It takes up as much space as a pen, but makes reading on a train or plane so much easier.

Hay Slant Lamp

This slanted Hay lamp is a great addition to a nightstand or side table. The sleek, modern aesthetic instantly elevates a reading space.

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Beam n Read: A Personal Reading Light for Travelers

Sarah Schlichter

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at [email protected] .

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Ever wanted to read in bed at a hotel without waking your spouse, or needed a little extra light while working on a crossword puzzle during a long flight? If so, you might like the Beam n Read.

I tested two versions of this personal reading light — the LED 6 Hands-Free Task Light and the LED 3 Hands-Free Travel & Reading Light. Both run on four AA batteries (not included) and are worn around your neck on an elastic cord that can be adjusted for length. The LED 3 is a less expensive travel version with only three small LED bulbs, while the LED 6 has six bulbs and casts a wider glow.

You can turn on each device by flipping the light into position for reading. The LED 6 has a switch that toggles between turning on all six bulbs and turning on just three, which is useful if you don’t always want quite as much light.

Both reading lights come with two filters — one red, one orange. These are designed to block out blue light, which can cause eyestrain. Using one of these filters makes for a dimmer light that some users find relaxing, especially before bed.

After testing each light in a dark room, I found them both adequate for reading or other handheld tasks (such as knitting or writing), but, unsurprisingly, the wider LED 6 was better for illuminating a whole open book or magazine. Because both lights use the same number of batteries, there’s very little difference in size or weight between them — so if you can spare the extra $10, I’d recommend getting the larger version. It won’t take up much extra space in your suitcase, and you’ll get more light.

The one advantage of the LED 3 model is that the batteries will last longer. That said, you can purchase a USB/AC power kit (sold separately) that enables you to plug the light into a wall socket when available, saving the batteries for when they’re necessary.

You can learn more about Beam n Read at ReadingLight.com . You can also purchase on Amazon: see the LED 6 ($29.95), the LED 3 ($19.95) and the USB/AC Power Kit ($14.95).

Would you try the Beam n Read?

Editorial Disclosure: Some products are sent to us free of charge to be considered for review. We choose products to review based on their relevance and usefulness to our readers. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not promise any editorial coverage, particularly positive reviews.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Best reading light 2024: Brighten up your pages with these reading lights

• Flora Baker

Create the perfect reading environment for your favourite book lover with our pick of the best reading lights

Is there anything better than curling up with a good book? Well, it’s a bit trickier if you can barely see the page. Thankfully, the days of reading under the covers with a torch are long gone – and now there are almost too many options for reading lights.

The main aim of a reading light is to illuminate a small area at a close distance so you’re able to focus on it easily. It should be bright enough to read by, but not so bright that it hurts your eyes. So, do you opt for a sturdy anglepoise lamp on the bedside table or a portable clip-on light that attaches to your current book? To help you choose, we’ve put together the best reading lights available right now, plus a short buying guide with additional information. Keep scrolling to find our pick of the best reading lights today.

READ NEXT: The best desk lamps to buy

Best reading light: At a glance

• Best clip-on reading light: Vekkia/Luminolite | £12
• Best floor lamp for reading: John Lewis Brandon | £36
• Best hands-free reading light: Ledgle | £15
• Best reading light for children: Flexilight LED Clip On | £8.33

How to choose the best reading light for you

How do reading lights differ from regular lights.

Where other lights illuminate large areas, a reading light aims to focus all its energy on one particular place. Whether you’re reading, typing, sketching or knitting, a steady stream of focused light is the best way to avoid eye strain and potential headaches. In spaces where you don’t want to distract others, like on transport or when sharing a bed, a reading light is a subtle option for providing light for yourself only.

What kind of light temperature should I be using?

The colour temperature of your light can have a big impact on how you feel: warmer light is cosy and sleep inducing, while white-blue light has the opposite effect.

Some reading lights take this into consideration and feature multiple settings for different temperature gradients and brightness intensities.

Colour temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale (K), a numerical scale where warm/yellow light is in the lower numbers and white/blue light is in the higher numbers.

Warm (2700K – 3000K): Bulbs at the lower end of the scale emit a soft white light that often looks yellow. Warm light isn’t the brightest option but is a good choice when you’re in bed, as it’s the most easy on the eyes.

Neutral (3100K – 4500K): The middle of the brightness spectrum offers a mix of warm and cool light, and is the most versatile temperature.

Cool (4600K – 6500K): At the top end of the scale is cool white light, which increases alertness and productivity. That blue light you’ve heard about in your phone/laptop/TV screen also falls into this category. It’s advised not to use cool light in the evening or when you’re anticipating sleep, as it hinders melatonin production and confuses your body into thinking it’s still light outside.

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The best reading lights you can buy in 2024

1. vekkia/luminolite rechargeable 7 led book light: best clip-on reading light.

If you’re looking for a clip-on reading light, the Vekkia/Luminolite ticks all the boxes. The padded clip opens to around 4.3cm (1.7in), so while it definitely fits onto book covers and/or pages, those with bulky headboards may have trouble attaching it there – although it can also stand up by itself, thanks to the heft in the base. That said, it’s still a lightweight piece of kit that’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

In terms of the light it puts out, the Vekkia/Luminolite has a warm setting, white setting and a mix of the two. All three settings can be adjusted for intensity. At just over six inches (16cm) long, the neck is extremely flexible but still retains whatever position you choose. It also has excellent battery life: over sixty hours on a single charge, which you can power up via the micro USB port (cable included).

Key specs – Dimensions: Base 7.11cm, arm 16cm, lamp 5.59cm; Wattage: 1.4W; Material: Plastic; Weight: 60.95g; Bulb required? No; Rechargeable: Yes, via USB

Vekkia/LuminoLite Rechargeable 7 LED Book Light, Easy Clip on Lights for Reading in Bed. 3 Brightness × 3 Color Temperature, 2.1 oz Lightweight, 70 Hrs Wireless Reading. Perfect for Bookworms & Kids

2. john lewis brandon: best floor lamp for reading.

The Brandon floor lamp is absurdly popular, and for good reason. Simple and sleek, it’s little more than a lightweight frame in matte black (the only colour available) with a tiltable, bell-shaped shade at the top. The narrow base means you can place it anywhere in the house without feeling like it overpowers the space, and it’s also surprisingly sturdy for a weight of just 3.8kg.

There’s no bulb included and there is some self-assembly required, but for £30 we think it’s more than worth a bit of DIY – plus, this way you can choose what level of bulb warmth you’d most like to read beneath. John Lewis also includes a five-year guarantee, for some peace of mind.

Key specs – Dimensions: 165 x 23cm; Wattage: 40W; Material: Metal; Weight: 3.8kg; Bulb required? Yes, a 5-7W ES LED Classic bulb is recommended; Batteries required? No, mains powered

Check price at John Lewis

3. LEDGLE: Best hands-free reading light for multiple uses

The LEDGLE reading light is a great all rounder, particularly for people who often find themselves using the torch function on their phone. Designed to sit around your neck, the soft, comfortable rubber frame has two LED bulbs at each end of the two flexible arms. There are three light settings to choose from: spotlight only, flood light only, and spot and flood combined.

While most of us might use this light to read on the sofa, in bed, or on public transport, you could think out of the box and take this on a dog walk, an evening jog, or to focus better on DIY and craft projects that need illuminating. The light comes in three colours and has a built-in lithium battery that’s recharged via a provided USB cable. It takes about 2.5 hours to reach full charge, and then should last for 16 hours at normal brightness or 6.8 hours at the highest brightness level.

Key specs – Dimensions:‎ 26 x 3.6 x 14cm; Wattage: 2.4W; Material: Rubber; Weight: 135g; Bulb required? No; Rechargeable: Yes, via USB

LEDGLE Hands Free Hug Light Neck Book Light Rechargeable LED Night Light Reading Lamp, 4 LED Beads, 3 Adjustable Brightness, USB Cable Included for Reading in Bed or Reading in Car?Black

4. groov-e apollo: best reading light with wireless phone charging.

We love a multipurpose product, and the Groov-e Apollo desk lamp checks a fair few boxes – being a reading light, wireless charger and 3W Bluetooth speaker all in one. Absurdly lightweight and made from a pleasingly smooth, flexible and slip-resistant rubber, the lamp comes with three LED light settings of warm, warm white and cool white. Holding down the single-touch control button for a few seconds adjusts the level of brightness.

While it doesn’t emit the most powerful of beams, and the integrated charging pad took a little longer to power up our phone, the Apollo is certainly bright enough for a spot of late-night reading – and it’s a steal at just £16. Its minimal weight makes the Groov-e Apollo a great travel companion, too.

Key specs – Dimensions: ‎ 12.8 x 12.8 x 16.5cm; Material: Rubber; Weight: 459g; Bulb required? No; Batteries required? No, powered via USB (included)

Groov-e Apollo Touch Control LED Desk Lamp with Built-in Wireless Charger & Bluetooth Speaker

5. flexilight led clip on bookmark: best reading light for children.

If your child’s keen on reading under the covers (let’s face it, we all remember what that’s like!), you can subtly prevent any eye strain by gifting them their own book light. We love this kid-friendly design of a bright blue owl with black and white detailing on the body and a lovely leaf pattern across the rest of the bookmark.

Simply clip the bookmark onto a few pages and bend it forward to illuminate the page. The LED light puts out eight Lumens, which is bright enough to help kids keep up with their reading and, when it’s not being used as a light source, the Flexilight doubles up as a bookmark.

Key specs – Dimensions: 1.6 x 3.6 x 18cm; Wattage: 1W; Material: Plastic; Weight: 22.6g; Bulb required? No; Batteries required? Included

Flexilight Reading Light | 2 in 1 Bookmark Book Light | LED Clip On Reading Lamp | Children Book Torch for Reading in Bed | Book Accessories | Gift Idea for Readers, Book Lovers (Owl)

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The Best Reading Lights

By Andreana Lefton

Updated on Feb 22, 2024 5:00 AM EST

7 minute read

Best Book Light

Vekkia Book Light Set with Charger

Bedside favorite.

acegoo Dimmable Reading Light

Also consider.

Hooga Book Light

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›

Your mom was right: Insufficient reading light can cause problems, from fatigue to headaches, and, over time, even eye damage. Fortunately, the solution has never been easier or more streamlined. Thanks to well-designed reading lights, from tiny book buddies to substantial floor lamps, your dark days are over. Continue on for all the details on our top favorites among some of the best reading lights available.

• BEST BOOK LIGHT: Vekkia Book Light Set with Charger
• BEDSIDE FAVORITE: acegoo Dimmable Reading Light
• ALSO CONSIDER: Hooga Book Light

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Reading Light

Stop squinting. Instead, get a sturdy, affordable reading light, which is useful for a host of other tasks too. If you travel a lot, go for a portable, lightweight model that easily slips into a bag or suitcase. For home use, choose a desk, bedside, or floor lamp designed for reading and boosting focus.

Purpose and Design

Whether you’re at home or on the go, reading lights and lamps can save your eyes from strain and illuminate both work and relaxation time. These are the four main types of reading lights:

• Book lights are small, lightweight, and portable. Ideal for travel and made of sturdy materials like plastic and metal, they fit into the palm of the hand and attach to a book or magazine via a sturdy clamp. The best book lights are also good for nighttime reading in bed if bedside lighting is insufficient.
• Bedside reading lamps can be either freestanding or wall-mounted. They come in a range of styles, from traditional shaded lamps to minimalist models with adjustable goosenecks (long, thin, flexible necks). The base and body of these lamps should be durable metal construction, and the head should produce a steady, focused beam of light.
• Desk lamps or task lamps are at least a foot high, with an adjustable neck or swivel arm to position the light in exactly the right spot. The body of a desk lamp may be plastic or metal, typically in neutral colors like black, brushed nickel, and white. The head should create a bright, focused light beam, which can be aimed at a book or workspace.
• Floor lamps designed for reading are different from those intended for ambient lighting. Like desk lamps, these standing lamps should create a brightly focused beam of light that can be adjusted to the desired height and angle. Some floor lamps are two-in-one models that can double as desk lamps thanks to their adjustable stands.

Corded vs. Cordless

Portable reading lights and full-sized lamps come in either corded or cordless styles. The former are highly useful in home settings, when a plug outlet is easily accessible. They don’t require recharging and can simply be plugged in and switched on or off any time (or programmed with a timer).

Cordless lamps, in contrast, contain rechargeable batteries, typically with a lithium ion core for long-lasting charges. All types of reading lamps, including travel-size book lights, come in cordless styles. Desk, bedside, and floor lamps usually have a cord, but many brands have begun to move into cordless territory, offering a sleeker look and allowing the lamp to be moved anywhere, even when no plugs are in sight. After 30 to 60 hours of use, fast-charging USB ports recharge them. Expect your reading lamp to be back to full power after one to two hours of charging.

In the past, incandescent bulbs, which conduct electricity across a metal filament, were commonly used for reading lights. However, they are not energy efficient and burn out relatively quickly. In contrast, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are swiftly becoming the reading bulbs of choice in lamps of all types and sizes. The recommendations here contain LED bulbs because they are affordable, safe, energy efficient, long-lasting, and user-friendly. CLFs (compact fluorescent lights) are another option for highly efficient and cost-reducing bulbs. But LEDs are even brighter, and they offer more versatile size options, including travel light bulbs.

Any good reading lamp or portable book light should come with certain key features. Look for lamps that allow you to adjust the brightness level at least three ways (low, medium, and high). Some LED reading lamps also can be adjusted to different color temperatures, from bright white to warmer, softer tones. The head or neck of the lamp also should be adjustable. For example, gooseneck lamps, which have long, thin necks attached to a solid base, can be positioned to almost any angle, allowing you to focus or diffuse the light as needed. Finally, for a good nighttime reading light, look for amber-colored bulbs that block blue wavelengths. Blue light, which are emitted by screens and artificial lights, is a growing health concern , as it suppresses the body’s production of melatonin, which disrupts circadian rhythms and generally leads to more restless, uneven sleep.

Our Top Picks

These lamps highlighted below provide user-friendly features and eye-friendly light. The recommendations in this list cover the many styles of reading light available: book, bedside, table, and floor. Affordable without sacrificing style or quality, they will save energy and money in the long run.

From Vekkia, this lightweight and adjustable book light offers three levels of brightness. Even at the brightest setting, the Vekkia provides soft—not glaring—light. That makes it great for the bedroom, or even an airplane—any situation where you don’t want your reading to disturb others.

The rechargeable battery provides up to 60 hours of continuous illumination. A charger is included. Also included is a handy travel case.

• Offers three brightness levels
• Includes rechargeable battery and charger
• Holds charge up to 60 hours
• Easy transportation for travel
• Clip must be adjusted when turning pages

Minimalist and finished in pretty matte black, acegoo’s reading light is designed to mount directly to the wall of your bedroom or to the headboard of your bed. Installation is easy, and the lamp provides a narrow, directed beam of soft, warm lighting. The flexible gooseneck is easily adjustable by hand, and a touch dimmer switch at the base of the lamp enables you to modulate the light’s intensity.

• Flexible gooseneck for direct lighting
• Provides soft light
• Offers a touch dimmer to adjust brightness
• Minimalist design
• Must be mounted
• Cannot be used on the go

From Hooga, this 2.5-ounce reading light boasts a fully adjustable, 7-inch gooseneck, with a lamp head that’s studded by four amber-colored LED bulbs. These bulbs output light at three different brightness levels and can provide up to 30 hours of continuous, gentle lighting. A charging cable is included.

• Includes batteries and charging cable
• Amber light is good for the eyes
• Doesn’t hold a charge as long as others

Our Verdict

Reading lights make convenient accessories for bookworms who want to read late into the night or in dark places without disturbing others with a bright light. The Vekkia Book Light Set is the best choice for readers who want an affordable reading light that offers various brightness levels and can be easily used on the go.

How We Chose the Best Reading Lights

Reading lights are great gift ideas and helpful tools for book lovers, allowing them to read late into the night, while traveling, or in darker rooms/environments. When we chose our best picks for reading lights, we considered features like price, soft light, brightness adjustability, flexible goosenecks versus mounting tools, battery life, and overall aesthetics.

Our top recommendations are easy to use, provide soft light of various brightness levels, and include all necessary accessories for assembly. Depending on the type of reading light preferred, as well as how it will be used (e.g., for travel versus at home), different reading lights may be used for different circumstances, like reading on a dark airplane without disturbing those around you or at home late at night without disturbing a partner or roommate. We narrowed down our choices to three models that are functional, affordable, and easy on the eyes.

FAQ About Your New Reading Light

All the essentials about these powerful little lamps are contained right here. From lumens to light color, make sure to choose the reading light that meets your needs and lifestyle.

Q. How many lumens does a good reading light need? 

Look for lamps that provide between 3,000 and 6,000 lumens. Lumens are a measurement of the total visible light emitted.

Q. Are LED lights good for reading? 

Yes! LEDs are very bright, and they can adjust to the brightness level and hue that work for each person.

Q. What’s the best light color for reading? 

It depends. Warmer, amber-coloured lights are best for reading at night. Cooler, whiter lights are good to use in the daytime and -stay focused.

Q. Which color light is easiest on the eyes at night?

Red- and yellow-spectrum lights are best for nighttime, not white or blue-tinted light.

Why Trust Bob Vila

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series, including This Old House and Bob Vila’s Home Again, he popularized and became synonymous with “do it yourself” home improvement.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.

​​Andréana Lefton is a writer and educator, focusing on human rights and creating spaces of refuge—in our homes and communities. As a documentary researcher, she has freelanced with The Guardian as well as NPR- and BBC-affiliates. She’s written for On Being, the United Nations, and many non-profit clients in the US, UK, Europe, and Middle East. All that she knows of garden care and interior design she learned from her artistic mother, Jacqueline. She now applies these skills to her life in Chattanooga, TN, where home is an urban art studio with books piled everywhere.

The 7 Best Book Lights Reviews and Buying Guide

• April 29, 2024

Book lights are the perfect option – to read to book or work on a laptop in bed, without disturbing your partner.

Some of these models are specially developed for reading experience at night. While others come with more versatile features.

In this article, we have provided a list of Best Book Lights after carefully analyzing almost all products available in the market.

The three main factors we considered while analyzing these products are…

• Book Light Type

They are available in two models – clip-on book lights can be hooked to the books while neck lights. If you want the light to directly fall on the book, the neck light is the best option.

• Battery Life

Book lights are either powered by rechargeable batteries or AAA batteries. Right option among these two options depends on user preference.

Book lights have a warranty period of 3 to 12 months. The rule of thumb is to choose a model with the maximum warranty period. For detailed information on how to choose book lights, we recommend reading our “Buying Guide” .

Haven’t got time? Then you can choose any option provided in the below list of Best Book Lights.

Best Book Lights List

Also check –

• Best black light bulbs
• Best black light fixtures
• Best disco ball lights
• Best edc flashlights

7 Best Book Lights Reviews

1. glocusent book light .

Next on our list is a very unique and innovatively designed booklight. The Glocusent LED reading light is more of a neck based reading light. It’s “around the neckwear” design places the light’s ends on either side with 2 LED beads that can shine on light forward. The light is available in two colours namely pink and blue variants.

Top Features:

• Unique design that lets you wear the light around your neck but without any irritation or hassle. Even the build of the light is very much light in weight that does not even let you know that there is something on your neck.
• Comes with a highly bright LED light on two sides of the opening and with 3 different colour intensities. One is the yellow warm white light with 3000 k luminosity and the other is a simple warm white with a 4000 k luminosity. The third one is a cool daylight white with 6000 k luminosity.
• Each of the colours can be switched and adjusted to 2 levels each from low and high. Thus you would be having a total of 6 brightness levels with you to switch from.
• USB based rechargeable battery. The USB comes with a modern Type C port and is much more compatible than the old Micro USB port.
• The light has an immensely large battery of 1,000 mAH. Once fully charged, you can use the light for a massive 80 hours whole on every single head.
• No flicker and the warm yellow light acts as a blue light filter to prevent any damage to your eyes due to the light.
• The neck design is ergonomic and does not weigh you down while reading/wearing.
• Partner friendly design lets you redirect the light’s beam angle to 90 degrees. This will give you a personal space with the light’s beam and not cause any disturbance to people around you.

Warranty: This light comes with an 18 month (or 1.5 years) long manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase and also great customer support too.

• None to mention specifically

Buy Now From Amazon

2. Hooga Book Light

Next on our list is a single-mode, multi brightness-adjustable LED clip on reading light. The Amber clip-on light by Hooga comes with a basic clip-on design like the Perfect Daylight but has a much low luminosity as this light has been designed primarily to be eye and reader-friendly.

• Simple clip-on design with a tight clip that can hold on to edged tables and thin papers as well with great strength.
• 4 bright LEDs studded onto the light head for higher capacity of brightness.
• Can be switched between 3 levels of brightness for high beam, medium beam and low beam lighting FROM 25%, 50% and 100% brightness settings (17.5, 35 and 70 lumens of change respectively)
• All levels adhere to amber hue luminosity lighting of 1600 kelvin warmth. This is about 99.94% free from the blue light spectrum and thus promotes healthy eyesight and prevents any eye trouble and promotes melatonin growth.
• Has a very long 7 inches large gooseneck. This can be adjusted in any flexible way to shed light in any direction you want it to.
• Comes with a very large battery of 1,200 mAH capacity that does not flicker a bit. USB compatible rechargeable, once fully charged, the light can give you a massive 30 hours of lighting capacity.
• Comes with a 36 inches large USB cable for charging and a full charge takes about 4 hours of time.
• Light in weight as it weighs just about 2.5 ounces and the light itself is made out of durable material for longevity.

Warranty: There is no warranty on the product but it does offer a 30 days return window from the date of purchase

• Lack of warranty
• Not so ideal for high beam time light reading

3. Vekkia Book Light 

Yet another neck light with a design that is much in the lines of the Glocusent neck reading light, the Vekkia is also a neck light with a 4 LED studded frontline. It too has its lights shining out of two barrels on two sides

• Handsfree operation design that lets you wear the light by the neck. The two LED outlets on either side of the light let you have a dual pointer to read efficiently.
• Both sides of the neckband are also flexible that lets you either hug it close to the neck or leave it freely for breathability (thanks to the soft and padded silicon surface)
• The light heads create a personal space with a 90-degree spread that does not disturb your partner if they are asleep or beside you.
• Comes with a decent 700 mAH lithium-ion battery that has a 1000 cycles life which gives you about 6 to 10 hours of reading time without a need to charge. While this may not be large, this is good enough for home-usage.
• Comes with a standard length Micro USB cable for charging too.
• Both the lights have 3 level brightness. One is a flashlight with wide-area daylight beam, one is a full bright and wide light and another is a warm read-only type light.

Warranty: The device comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty and it also has a 30 days money-back guarantee window.

• Could have had higher battery life suited for travelling too

4. Lepower Book Light

Though the Lepower reading light is of a clip-on model, its headlight’s conventional shape and its tighter and tougher clip make it stand out from the rest of the clip-based lights available. This tough clip lets it stand not just on the thinnest of paper but also on the thickest of desks too (of a considerable thickness of course)

• Simple clamp to fix a model that can clamp onto anything of the width 2.36 inches in size.
• The arm and the lamp holder both have a free angle adjustment that lets you place the light’s head in any angle of choice for better viewing.
• The 14.96 inches long chord can be moved about in 360 degrees and moulded into any shape you feel comfortable for viewing.
• The bulb of the lamp has a unique circular ring type shape that has the ability to illuminate on all sides.
• Has three lighting options. Warm light, mid white and daylight white light.
• Comes with 2 switches for the chord to switch between dim and full bright mode of beams.
• Rechargeable battery that comes with a dual prong USB AC adapter of 5 feet length. Can be plugged in and used on with the regular charging ports and points
• The light is available in three colours, namely black, silver and pure white.

Warranty : The device comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase.

• No proper mention about the battery capacity

5. Energizer Book Light

Top Features

• Simple clip-on design with a flexible neck and built-in over-sized spring clip allows you to fix it on Kindles, books, clipboards, and visors.
• Advanced LED technology that recreates natural reading conditions without causing any eye irritation.
• Delivers an ideal beam size of 4 meters that is broad enough to cover the book but also narrow enough for privacy.
• Adjustable neck allows you to direct the light at any angle and provide clear visibility while reading.
• Provides 14 lumens of light.
• Has a run time of up to 25 hours that is perfect for binge reading and travel reading.
• Compact and portable so that you are not just confined to your reading room.
• Sturdy yet lightweight.
• Powered by 2 Energizer CR2032 that is included in the package.

Warranty: No information is specified regarding the warranty or return window of the book light.

• Brightness level is too high
• Difficult to replace the batteries

6. Perfect Day Book Light

First on our list is the Perfect Day LED light, one of the highest-rated and reviewed Booklights. A visually appealing yet simplistic design, the Perfect Daylight is rechargeable and comes with standard LED lights.

• The head of the light comes studded with 12 Eye friendly LED lights with enough brightness
• Has 3 brightness modes for all time reading. One is the daylight white mode with 4000 K luminosity and the other is the soft white with a 3000 k luminosity. For the night time reading, you can switch to the soft white brightness mode of 2700 k luminosity.
• Built-in rechargeable battery and a USB support port. A USB cable is also provided for the charging
• On a full charge, the light can give out the brightness for about 60 whole hours making it a great tool for holidays, camping excursions etc.,
• The gooseneck of the light is adjustable in 360 degrees. You can fold and mould it in any direction so the head is tilted towards the illuminating surface.
• A sturdy and durable clip that can easily be hooked onto any edged surface, book or even the thinnest of the papers as well.
• Very light in weight and portable too with no flickering problems. Can be folded and placed in a pocket easily

Warranty: It does not have any warranty but it does have incredibly fast customer support and the company provides a 30 days money-back guarantee as well.

• No warranty only return window

7. Skymore Book Light

Finally on our list is the Skymore LED Booklight with a circular ring-shaped bulb/ beam outlet. It has a similar design schema as the Lepower booklight but this one only has 2 brightness settings. Interestingly enough, the light can also be turned to be used as a magnifying glass too.

• Clam fix onto any tables or books with great ease thanks to the 2.36 inches large clamping clip.
• Free angle adjustment to the 14.96 inches long chord. You can move it freely about 360 degrees for comfortable viewing
• A unique and circular ring-shaped 7 watts bulb that illuminates just about in all directions for a better spread of the light without disturbing any other spots.
• Can switch between 2 lighting colour options. Cool daylight white (normal) and Warm yellow-white (for night time and comfortable eyes).
• USB compatible and comes with a 5 feel long wire that can be plugged into an AC Adapter, Laptop, power bank etc.,
• Interesting magnifying glass function as well. All you need to do is turn off the light and use the convex lens on top of the lamp. Useful for observations, tattoo zoom-ins etc.,

Warranty: No warranty is available on the product and no return window as well

• Though highly rated, it has no warranty nor returns window

Quick Buying Guide To Pick The Best Book Light

While purchasing a book light, you need to consider several other parameters that can create a good reading experience. Below are the different parameters you need to look for in a book light.

1. Brightness

Most book lights have LED chips with adjustable brightness levels. So, you can adjust their brightness according to the ambient light. Apart from this, book lights have different light colors. The popular option is 1600k, also referred to as “Amber light”. With the adjustable feature, you can choose any color in the range of 1600k to 5000k.

Furthermore, the LED chips do not produce any blue light and the light does not flicker. Blue light is known to cause eye strain. Additionally, if the light flickers, it will cause a glaring effect while reading.

There are three different modes of brightness depending on their color temperature,

Daylight White

In this mode, you can get a maximum lumination of 6700 kelvin. It is ideal for night reading. But not so great for day-time reading. Sometimes, the daylight white also comes in low lumination for day-time reading purposes.

The cool white mode has a lower lumination within the range of 3000-4100 kelvin. It provides a balance between the daylight and warm white modes. You can use it in semi-dark places or indoors during day time.

Warm white mode produces lumination less than 2700 kelvin. The light has a yellowish shade and is safe for your eyes. Furthermore, it promotes melanin secretion when you use it during the evening time.

Note: If you want a book light for night reading before sleep, go with warm-colored bulbs. Cool-colored bulbs can be too bright.

2. Power Source

Most light bulbs either use rechargeable batteries or replaceable AAA batteries as their power source. Some models also work on solar power. But they are not efficient.

The latest light bulbs come with a USB charging cable which can be very handy. Almost everyone has a laptop. So, you do not have to search for a power outlet to charge your light bulb. You can just plug it into the USB port of your laptop .

3. Style and Design

The design of a light bulb is not only for its aesthetic value, but also increases your comfort level. The light bulbs come in different styles and designs.

The standard clip-on design allows you to hook it to your book. You do not have to remove it until you complete the book. On the other hand, the wearable neck design allows you to read different pieces of paper without any effort. Additionally, the light falls directly on the page creating a better reading experience.

The other popular styles include bending and free-standing. The bending style allows you to move it easily. Contrarily, the free-standing design is ideal if you have a fixed location in your house for reading purposes.

4. Sturdy Clip and Flexible Neck Clip

When opting for a clip-on design, ensure that the metal clip is strong enough to hook to the book or table. The clip should hold firmly without shaking. Additionally, the clip’s neck should be flexible so that you can easily adjust it. The gooseneck clips can bend at 3600. It can stand firmly at any angle and direct the light to the book.

5. Bulb Type

It is one of the most overlooked features while purchasing a light bulb. A majority of the light bulbs come with LED bulbs. But some models come with halogen bulbs. We recommend you go with LEDs as they are energy efficient.

6. Additional features

Apart from the standard features of light bulbs, you should also consider their extra features. Some models have an auto shut-down feature. When you set the timer, the light bulb will shut down automatically. The auto shut-down feature is great if you have a habit of sleeping while reading.

Some models also have scratch-resistant features. They can withstand wear and tear. So, look into the additional features that provide extra value for money.

7. Portability

Most book lights are lightweight and have a small compact size considering their use. If you have a reading table, then this feature is not important. But, if you are someone who sits and reads in different places, then you should give special consideration to this.

The book light should be foldable, lightweight, and small size so that you can easily move it. Anything above 500 grams will make it difficult for you to carry.

8. Ease of Use

The book light should be easy to operate. The power button and other controls should be easily visible. If the light bulb has any other features, it should also be easy to operate.

9. Warranty

When you purchase the light bulbs on Amazon or any other eCommerce platform, you generally have a 30-day return window period. Post that, you can not return the item for a refund or replacement.

So, you must purchase a light bulb that has a good warranty period. As stated above, most lightbulbs come with a warranty period of 3 to 12 months. When it comes to the warranty period, the more the better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ans: No, most book lights do not have blue lights. Blue lights are known to cause eye strain. Hence, book lights do not use them. Additionally, book lights also do not flicker that can cause a glaring effect while reading.

Ans: The best LED color light depends on your ambient light. If you are reading in the dark, we recommend you daylight white. On the other hand, for semi-dark and day-time reading purposes, you can go with the cool white and warm white colors.

Ans: Cool white is better for semi-dark ambient light. If you are sitting indoors and reading during the day time, the cool white will give you good visibility. On the other hand, if you are reading in bright light, you can use warm white. Additionally, warm white promotes the secretion of melanin in your eyes.

Ans: Your book light should have a lumen count within the range of 1600 to 5000 kelvin. Lights that have lumens less than 2700k are safe for the eyes. They are known as warm white. They have a yellowish color and promote melanin growth when you use them during the evenings.

Ans: The daylight bulbs can have lumens up to 5000k. They have a slight bluish color. If you use them excessively, they can cause eye strain. Additionally, they can cause eye problems such as cataracts and pterygium.

To sum it up, the Perfect Day Book Light should have enough battery life and provide good lighting. It should have at least 24 hours of battery capacity.

For good lighting, the daylight white color works well during night reading. The cool white will provide a good reading experience when you are reading in a semi-dark place. Lastly, the warm white color will serve well if you are reading in a decent ambient light environment.

Depending on whether you have a stationery reading table or move around while reading, you can opt for either a standard clip-on design or a wearable neck design.

If you have any queries or doubts, let us know using the comments section. Our team of experts will help you out. You can also share your thoughts and opinions in the comments box.

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Vekkia rechargeable neck reading light – product review

BY Lisa  

|   15 May 2022

If you like to read or write while on holidays, then you are going love Vekkia’s rechargeable neck reading light . I’ve done all the research and testing for you.  

You see I love to write in my travel diary in the evenings before bed. But I’m also mindful about not disturbing others in my room, especially when I’m staying in a backpackers. In the past, I’ve used  

• Maglites that you could stand up like a candle or hang inside the tent  
• F lashlights  
• H eadlamps that I would hang around my neck  
• and the  Mighty Bright book light  with a clip  

My previous lighting devices I brought with me on my travels.

B ut as my Mighty Bright book light finally came to the end of its life, it was time to try something new. I had heard about these neck book lights. Plus a reader asked if I could review a rechargeable book light. So I put forward my plan of utilising my researching and testing skills. And concluded with the following information for you.    

What to watch out for  

I did a thorough research on the internet, for a wide variety of neck reading lights. Mainly by reading about the spec’s and then the product reviews before I made my final decision.  

I noticed there was some common problems that kept arising. You may want to keep the following in mind if you do your own research.  

• 1 The  lights were so bright  it lit up the whole room. Probably not so suitable if travelling on a plane or bus. Lighting up the entire cabin may attract some abuse from other travellers! However, it would be quite useful for walking around dark places, like having your own flashlight.  
• 2 The rechargeable  batteries didn’t last  as long as they proclaimed.  
• 3 The battery compartment on the neckband  felt too bulky and heavy  when resting on the back of the neck.  
• 4 The flexible band  started to fray  at the connection to the battery compartment after a short period of use.  

So after taking all this into account, I chose the brand that had the least amount of negative reviews. Plus, the one that had the least brightness. It’s important to me that I don’t light up the whole plane or disturb sleeping companions.  

The winner was the Vekkia rechargeable neck reading light , with a 4.7/5 rating on Amazon.    

The spec’s  

Main spec's/features.

• Weighs 102gr (3.6oz)  
• Batteries and USB charging cable included.  
• LED light bulb on each arm – 2 watts.  
• Has a thin buckle rope, if you need to control how close the arms should sit.  
• 3 colour temperatures – Warm light, white light and mixed light   Adjusted by a long click on the push button.  
• 3 brightness levels – soft, bright and luminous.   Adjusted by a short click on the push buttons.   Has a thin buckle rope, if you need to control how close the arms should sit.   Has a thin buckle rope, if you need to control how close the arms should sit.  

My experience using the Vekkia Neck Light  

• Feels so light to wear around the neck. Don’t feel it all if its sitting on clothing or wrapped under the collar. Obviously, you can feel it when it’s sitting on your bare skin but there is no heaviness at all.  
• With its 3 levels of brightness and 3 types of light temperatures, you can ensure you don’t disturb others around you.  
• The brightness levels are more than adequate. I found most times I only had to turn on one arm only, especially when its on the brightest setting.  
• I was able to plug the USB cable into my Samsung phone plug and it took 90 minutes to fully charge.  
• The product feels sturdy and good quality. So far, the flexible arms still maintain shape and havent’ frayed.  
• On three occasions, I found the Vekkia in my bag with the lights turned on. The lights are activated by a push button rather than a slider. So it must have come in contact with other items in my bag and pressed against the button.  
• I didn’t need to bring the recharger with me on short holidays as the battery lasts a long time. Plus I didn’t do more than 20 hours of reading time. I do hope you take some time to experience the sights, food and culture too!  
• I noticed that on the initial charge the lights dimmed by 50% in the last hour of use, before it completely cut off. Every recharge thereafter, I no longer got a warning. The lights simply cut off immediately when the battery was dead.  

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How long does the charge last!  

When I received the product, it was already charged. Hard to determine if it was fully charged. But with that initial charge, it lasted for 21.6 hours of reading time.  

Below are the results of further testings I did. These tests are based on using one lamp only on the brightest setting.  

Therefore, you can see that the initial charge lasted the longest, even though the lights were frequently switched on/off. But if you revert back to longer use each time, you can almost get 20 hours usage again.   

Keep in mind though, as these results are based on using one lamp, the battery wont last as long if you used both lamps.  

The pro's and con's

• Versatile   – use for reading, working, crafting or simple night walks.
• Extremely  light  and comfortable to wear.  
• So  portable   that you can fold it to fit into a small or handbag.  
• Made of  good quality  material, therefore its sturdy to use.  
• Flexible soft rubber arms  – can position it to point directly where you want it to and it holds. You can even bend it to shape it like a desk lamp.  
• With up to  9 different lighting modes  (temperature and brightness), it adjusts easily to ensure you don’t disturb people around you.  
• Don’t have to clip  onto a book or pages.
• As the  battery lasts a long time  with one charge, its one less recharging cable to bring with you on the shorter holidays  
• They claim the neck light has a  life span of 1000 cycles . No more wasting money on batteries.  
• The on/off push button can be easily depressed by other items in your bag when resting against it. However, it can be avoided if packed well (with the buttons facing inwards) or placed in its own case.  

Curled up the Vekkia neck light and placed into my old Bose headphone case.

Watch the video review by tapping on the image below

Click to play

Is the Vekkia neck reading light worth buying?  

Product rating summary.

I was very happy with the quality of the product and lighting ability. Would have given battery life a 5 if there was consistency in length of charge from first to second use. 

light quality

battery life

So in conclusion, I highly recommend the Vekkia neck reading light .   

It makes the perfect gift idea for the traveller in your family or circle of friends. It is so useful in many situations. Home based activates such as crafting, writing or looking for dropped items in nooks and crannies. But also for  travel by plane, train or if you love to go camping   

It’s so light and robust which makes it perfect for travelling.  

How will you use your neck book light?  

Vekkia rechargeable neck reading light – product review

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Best Reviews | The best book light for readers

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Best Reviews

The Glocusent LED Neck-Mounted Reading Light provides an ingenious solution to your night-lighting woes at a very fair price. For more recommendations, check out the full reading light guide from BestReviews.

What to know before you buy a book light

Printed books vs. tablets

Light from tablets and screens can interfere with your sleep by altering your level of alertness and suppressing melatonin release. Sufficient melatonin levels are necessary for truly rejuvenating sleep, which allows your brain to process information from the day.

Reading a printed book with a blue-light filtered LED book light, on the other hand, has been shown to improve your quality of sleep. As part of your nightly routine, switching out a device for a good book has manifold benefits to your quality of sleep and your mental health.

Reading to prevent insomnia

If you experience bouts of insomnia or if you have anxiety, reading before bed as a routine can help relax your mind and signal your brain that it’s time to start winding down for sleep. The type of reading material doesn’t matter, it can be fiction or nonfiction, provided that it captivates you fully. The deeper you let yourself dive into the words on the page, the more you allow your mind to let go of daily struggles and relax. Reading at night is thought to be more beneficial in helping you release tension after a long day than soothing music or a cup of tea.

Reading improves concentration and increases vocabulary

Do you find yourself regularly scrolling through news feeds for that quick distraction before moving on to the next thing? You’re not alone. Most people spend their precious free time nowadays staring at screens, cell phones and TVs. To truly thrive and focus, however, the mind needs more engaging and thought-provoking information.

Reading, especially at night, achieves that and more. Nighttime reading allows you to concentrate on a single topic or plot for longer periods of time, improving your attention span. It also increases your vocabulary by a large margin and builds your creativity and problem-solving skills.

Book light features

Book light power source and run time

If you’re a voracious reader, the chances are you want a cordless, hands-free book light with a long-lasting battery. Once you’ve settled into bed or your favorite reading chair, you likely don’t want any inconvenient distractions like having to interrupt the story to charge your book light or replace a battery. For this reason, newer book lights feature rechargeable batteries that can run off of a single charge for anywhere from 60 to 80+ hours. If you are choosing a book light that runs on regular batteries, look for a model which guarantees about 25-plus hours of use before needing to be replaced.

Book light light types

Blue lights can impact melatonin levels and disturb your circadian rhythm. When purchasing a book light, ensure you select a light that filters out blue light and mimics natural light. Some book lights feature a dimmer and color temperature modes like yellow and warm or cool white. Soft light is easier on the eyes at night and provides a soothing hue to the space without disturbing your partner. Also, look into the beam angle of your new book light; it needs to be broad enough to read your book but narrow enough for privacy.

Flexible book lights

Flexibility is necessary in the neck or arms of a book light so that whichever position you are sitting, lying or reclining in, you’re able to focus the light accordingly. Look for models that are adjustable, with features like a rotating gooseneck or collapsible neck for added angle control.

Book light cost

Book lights are a very inexpensive accessory for voracious readers considering the value they provide. On the lower end, a book light will cost approximately $10. Mid-range LED book lights should run between $15-$20. Higher-end models can cost much more but don’t typically offer additional features to justify the cost.

Book light FAQ

Are there alternate uses for my new book light?

A. Yes, definitely! A book light can also be used when knitting, as a nightlight, as a personal light source when camping and so much more. Book lights are a lightweight and portable source of light that can be used for pretty much anything.

Is my cordless book light rechargeable?

A. Some book lights will feature a Micro-USB charging cord for recharging the battery and are typically very long-lasting on low-light settings. Other models may feature regular batteries, which need replacing. If choosing the latter, look for models which provide long life for your batteries.

Which book light should I get?

Best of the best book light

Glocusent LED Neck-Mounted Reading Light: available at Amazon

Our take: The Glocusent LED neck-mounted reading light is a remarkable book light that features a rechargeable battery with 80+ hours of light on a charge and sits comfortably around the neck, with adjustable arms for perfect beam positioning.

What we like: Featuring various color temperature modes, the Glocusent book light offers yellow, warm white and cool-white light options and a hands-free ergonomic design. Each head has a dimmable light with three brightness settings. With tens of thousands of five-star reviews, this book light speaks for itself.

What we dislike: Some reviewers noticed damage to the packaging on arrival.

Best bang for your buck book light

Energizer Clip-On Book Light: available at Amazon

Our take: This compact, fully-portable and battery-powered LED book light is a total bargain. For under $10, you’ll get 25 hours of uninterrupted nighttime reading.

What we like: The neck of this book light is adjustable for an angled, broad beam. It recreates natural light for ease on the eyes while reading and is useful to have on hand for power outages and camping trips.

What we dislike: The batteries aren’t rechargeable and need to be replaced when depleted.

Honorable mention book light

Vekkia Rechargeable LED Book Light: available at Amazon

Our take: The amber-hued light from Vekkia’s rechargeable LED book light is soft and calming while being 99.5% free of blue-spectrum light. It boasts 70 hours of wireless night reading on a charge and is ideal for peaceful, private reading that won’t disturb others.

What we like: Vekkia’s book light has a 360-degree gooseneck for complete adjustable flexibility in beam angle to suit your reading position. It is fully portable and possesses three brightness settings to soothe the eyes at a really great price.

What we dislike: If using this light at a medium brightness rather than a low setting, the batteries tend to run out considerably more quickly.

Ashley Britten is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The 6 Best Blue Light Glasses for Travel, Tested and Reviewed

We tested blue light glasses to find the best ones for business trips, movie marathons on long flights, e-readers, and excessive screen time.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Our Testing Process

• Tips for Buying
• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Sarah Felbin

Life in the digital age means we rarely get a break from screens, whether it’s a work computer, smartphone, TV, tablet , or e-reader. All that screen time means more exposure to blue light, which has a shorter wavelength believed to cause headaches, eyestrain, and even disrupted sleep. Speaking of which, if you were planning to get some sleep on your flight after watching a few episodes of your favorite show, you might consider packing a pair of blue light glasses. 

While research isn’t conclusive on their protection — though they cause no harm — we tested 21 pairs of blue light glasses over the course of a work week to see which ones reduced our eyestrain, headaches, and other symptoms of excessive screen time. These are our top choices for travel, whether you’re heading out on a business trip, a long-haul flight, or you just want to spend hours in front of your e-reader on the beach.

Best Overall

Benicci stylish blue light blocking glasses.

These affordable glasses are lightweight yet extremely durable.

Color options may vary depending on availability.

Don’t be fooled by these glasses' featherlight construction. During our tests, we tugged and toyed with them and concluded that they are fairly indestructible. The frame material feels slightly textured, which enables the glasses to hug your nose gently and stay put — so no fussing around when you’re spending time on your laptop at the airport or in your hotel room. The lenses are clear, so our eyes adjusted to wearing them right away (good news if you’ve been averse to tinted frames).

The glasses come with two protective carrying cases, one soft and one hard, making it even easier to stash them in a bag. We also like that these glasses come with a tool to test the blue light refraction. At this very reasonable price point, you might consider buying two so you can keep one at home and one in your carry-on . 

The Details: 5.29 ounces | Case included | Free returns with Amazon Prime

Travel + Leisure / Meredith Butcher

Best for Business Trips

Caddis blue light blockers.

They offer a comfortable, secure fit that won't slip off your face when you're switching between devices while working.

Your lens choice could add up to $100 to the final purchase price. 

The Hooper frame from Caddis provides a comfortable, secure fit, perfect for switching between multiple screens and digital devices without slipping. We wore these lightweight, wire-rim frames throughout our workday and experienced good clarity with no eyestrain. Considering that we have had eyestrain in the past after only about an hour of screen time, we’d recommend these for anyone spending long days at a computer screen like you would on a work trip. 

The Hooper frames are made from nickel-free metal alloy and come in two color options: polished gold and polished gunmetal. They are available as readers or progressives. You can further personalize your blue light protection with one of six different scratch-resistant lenses, including classic, light green or light yellow, anti-reflective, and two light-responsive lenses — one that transitions to gray and the other to bronze.  

The Details: Nickel-free metal alloy | Readers or progressives with various lens powers | Return or exchange within 60 days

Best Prescription

Warby parker thurston glasses.

Warby Parker

These stylish glasses are easy to customize with your prescription and preferred lens type, and they come in two sizes for a flattering fit.

There’s no cost savings if you buy these in the uncorrected version.

You don’t have to decide between protecting your eyes from blue light and actually being able to see, thanks to the Thurston frames from Warby Parker. If you’re shopping online, take advantage of the virtual frame try-ons so you can really get an idea of how these glasses will look on you.

The Thurston Glasses come in three different shades, but more importantly, they come in two different styles — medium and wide — for a more flattering fit. Aside from looks, these lightweight frames feel good to wear; in fact, we forgot we even had them on. After a few days of wearing them, we noticed that our eyes felt less tired and strained than they normally would be at that point without having worn the glasses. 

The Details: Lightweight stainless steel | Prescription option available | UV protection | Case included | Return or exchange within 30 days of purchase

Most Comfortable

Felix gray jemison blue light glasses.

They offer a comfortable fit with less glare — perfect for long workdays with many video calls.

They are pricier than others on our list.

If you wear any type of glasses, you know well that your nose, ears, and especially eyes need a break after a while. So it was quite refreshing to put on these Jemison frames from Felix Gray and wear them for several workdays in a row without a bit of discomfort. These frames offered a comfortable, no-slip fit that didn’t aggravate the bridge of our nose. Even better, we felt less eyestrain after wearing these glasses. Aside from wearing them during a long workday, we wouldn’t board a long flight without them. The included hard-shell case makes it easy to protect them while traveling, too.

These are pricier than others on the list, but we think they’re worth the splurge for passing the Zoom test; we found the lenses to emit less glare so you won’t see your lenses reflected on a video call. 

The Details: Hand-finished organic acetate | Prescription option available | UV protection | Case included | Free exchanges and 30-day money-back guarantee

Travel + Leisure / Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm

Most Stylish

Peepers by peeperspecs women's shine on blue light glasses.

These stylish glasses have a flattering frame shape and are available in magnified and non-corrected versions.

You will need to buy a case separately.

We’ve had frequent headaches and eyestrain from too much screen time in the past, so we were thrilled to notice that after one day of wearing the Peepers, we didn’t have a headache. Even better, after a few wears, we noticed significantly less eyestrain. These lenses are clear and have various levels of magnification. We tested a pair at 1.0 and found it was perfect for our needs. 

We loved the deeper nose bridge on these glasses, which allowed for a snug fit that won’t slip off during your travels while making you look stylish and put together. Thanks to the flexible arms — which didn’t hurt the back of our ears — they’re easy to take on and off. We found the shape of these glasses to be quite flattering, and we love the way they look in the two classic color options: black and tortoise. Although these frames are well-made, we do wish they came with a sunglasses case or a travel pouch to protect them when stowed away in a bag or pocket.

The Details: Magnification and non-corrected styles | UV protection | Free returns with Amazon Prime

Travel + Leisure / Sarah Felbin

Best Budget

Readerest blue light blocking reading glasses.

These lightweight frames come in tons of colors at a budget-friendly price that makes it easy to buy several pairs.

Not all colors are available at all magnification levels.

The Readerest blue light-blocking frames are lightweight and offer a snug and secure fit without feeling tight across the bridge of the nose or the ears. They were comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and we were able to see clearly with no issues. After a long day of looking at screens — both phone and laptop — our eyes felt less strained than before. 

Aside from eye relief from blue light, we liked that these were stylish enough to wear on video calls for work. Choose from 17 different colors, including classic colors like black and tortoise and fashion-forward colors like peach and clear. Need them to be readers? Choose from more than a dozen different magnification levels, though not all colors will be available at all levels. Best of all, these are the most affordable option on this list, so you can even buy several if you want a backup pair for traveling.

The Details: Magnification option available | UV protection | Free returns with Amazon Prime

We tested 21 pairs of blue light glasses, whittling them down to the six that made our list. For our tests, we started the first half of our work day without the glasses. After four hours of regular screen time without glasses, we did a self-check for Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), which includes symptoms like headaches, dry or itchy eyes, eyestrain, and sensitivity to light. We donned a pair of blue light glasses for the second half of our work day. At the end of the day, we did another self-check, noting if any of our symptoms had improved, gotten worse, or remained the same. 

We continued to wear the blue light glasses for an entire work week at our computers, conducting another self-assessment at the end to compare how our eyes felt now to how they felt when we first started wearing the glasses. We based our insight on this final assessment and selected the six best blue light glasses for our list.

Tips for Buying Blue Light Glasses

See if there's a virtual try-on option.

It’s one thing to see frames you like online, but they might not actually flatter your face or match your style in person. That’s why virtual try-ons come in clutch. Warby Parker and Felix Gray are two retailers who have added a virtual try-on to their online customer experience. So go ahead: turn on your phone or computer camera, position your face as directed, and see what your blue light glasses will look like on you.

While it’s always nice to have frames that flatter your face, the actual fit is more important, especially if you plan to wear them for long work days. If you can try before you buy — or at least take advantage of a free return/exchange — do it. You’ll want a fit that’s snug enough so the frames won’t slide around, but not too tight that they pinch your nose or irritate your ears. 

Pay attention to lens color

Lens color is important when it comes to blue light glasses. You might prefer clear lenses for screen time during work because it’ll be easy to forget you even have them on. Still, you might choose a tinted lens for style preference or, more importantly, the type of screen you’re looking at. 

For example, yellow is often touted as a good choice for gamers, while blue lenses work to reduce glare — a good choice if you’re on frequent video calls. If you need blue light lenses for outdoors, check for those that offer UV protection, as well as a transition to a darker shade to protect your eyes like sunglasses .

Check if it comes with a travel case

Protect your blue light glasses on the go by slipping them into a protective pouch or travel case . Some, like the Benicci Blue Light Blocking Glasses , come with one, and Warby Parker also sends a free case with every purchase. These cases will protect the lenses from being scratched or otherwise damaged while traveling, plus they’re usually compact enough to slide into the inner pocket of a bag or carry-on so you always have your blue light glasses with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

The colors in the visible light spectrum all have different energy levels and wavelengths. Blue light, which is emitted from the LEDs (light-emitting diode) in our computers, smartphones, tablets, and TVs, has a higher energy and shorter wavelength than other colors. Since there is some research that indicates a connection between this blue light and eye damage, it’s important to protect our eyes when we can’t limit our screen time. Although the research isn’t conclusive on whether blue light glasses completely save the day, some people believe that blue light glasses can help alleviate eyestrain and other symptoms of too much screentime.

You could always tote blue light glasses on any trip — especially if they come with a travel case — but they’re especially good on those long-haul flights where you’ll be binge-watching TV and movies or reading on a tablet for hours on end. If you’re traveling for business and plan to spend most of the flight working on a laptop, blue light glasses will also come in handy. 

No, they don’t, which is why it’s important to read the specs of the pair(s) you have your eye on. Aside from blocking blue light, some glasses offer UV protection , which means you’ll have eye protection outdoors in the sunlight, too. 

When you purchase a pair of blue light glasses, be sure to test them thoroughly during several workdays or gaming sessions. With each of the selections that made our best blue light glasses list, we noted fewer headaches and less eyestrain during testing after our daily screen time. If your glasses aren’t producing similar results, take advantage of the retailer’s exchange/return window and try out a new pair.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this story, Barbara Bellesi Zito put on her own pair of Warby Parkers — sadly, she opted out of the blue light blocking capability for her lenses — to pore over the testing insights from our Travel + Leisure team. An avid reader who won’t take a trip without her Kindle, Barbara is now trying to decide which color of Peepers to get.

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.

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9 Home Staging Tips You'll Want to Try (Even if You're Not Selling Anytime Soon)

Interior designer and professional home stager Meridith Baer reveals her best advice.

Here, home stager and interior designer Meridith Baer reveals the design secrets that are worth taking the time to try, even if a home sale isn't on the horizon. After furnishing more than 1,800 properties totaling over 7.6 million square feet in 2023, there's no better person to ask than Baer. Read on for her top tips.

Boost Curb Appeal

From lush greenery (Baer especially loves potted plants!) to a fresh, new mailbox , there's no denying the impact of a stylish front entrance. "I like to think of it as a room in a sense," she says. "It's another space to live with."

For her own country home, Meridith decided to hire an artist to give her front door a weathered look. "The rest of my house is smooth plaster, so I just wanted that door to have some character," says Baer.

RELATED: The Best Patio Plants for a Beautiful Outdoor Space

Reimagine Room Layouts

It comes down to two things: How do you use the room and how many people do you need to accommodate? "For example, my favorite thing in the world is to sit in front of my living room fireplace with a girlfriend," Baer says. "In this case, I go for the most comfortable chairs, so if you keep the use of the room in mind, the rest will fall into place."

Go for Statement Lighting

Lighting can make or break an interior. Baer recommends installing dimmers on overhead light fixtures, so they can be adjusted according to how the room is being used throughout the day. "It's a no-brainer and makes such a difference, because you can play with the mood," Baer says. Visually appealing table lamps are worth considering, too: "Interesting lamps at different heights are probably one of my favorite decorative objects."

RELATED: The Best Floor Lamps for Every Budget and Style

Embrace a Neutral Palette

Any realtor will confirm that refreshing your rooms with neutral paint colors is the best approach for luring potential buyers. But it's also a no-fail option for homeowners who enjoy rearranging furniture and decor from time to time.

The best neutral hue to try? Baer is partial to Sherwin-Williams's Emerald Interior Collection in High Reflective White . "I love a warm white, because I enjoy moving and trying things in different ways. I find that if the room is generally neutral — a very, very soft white — you can make anything work."

Clear the Clutter

Clutter can take away from a room's overall aesthetic, and it prevents you from using a space to its full potential. The solution? "Get rid of as much stuff as possible," Baer says. "Ask yourself: 'Is this something I really love? Does it have personal meaning to me?' And if it does, keep it."

RELATED: Try Our 14-Day Declutter Challenge

Display What You Love

At the same time, there's room to show off your personal style. "How do the things in the room relate to one another?" says Baer.

That's the trick for figuring out the pieces of art and decorative objects to showcase in any space. "My favorite look is eclectic — a mixture of things," she says. "If you love something, then it's going to work with other things you love, so be honest with yourself about what you like and don't like."

Create Additional Storage

Potential buyers are keen on finding a home with ample storage. If your space is lacking closets and cabinet space, consider a sideboard. "I put sideboards wherever I can for storage, and then make them more attractive with table lamps," she says. They're a great solution for storing things like extra dishes, napkins, flatware, you name it.

Add Style to the Kitchen and Bathroom

The kitchen and bathroom are key areas in a home. To make them shine, aim to keep decorative accessories to a minimum, Baer advises. "There's nothing like fresh white towels in the bathroom, and I personally love orchids in a kitchen." She also suggests treating a kitchen like any other room — try hanging art or even a mirror."

RELATED: The Kitchen Trends You're Going to See Everywhere in 2024

Bring in Natural Light

Sheer or linen window treatments that make it easy for natural light to fill a room are best, says Baer. In some cases, depending on the nature of your home, you can even do away with curtains or blinds. "I would rather just have windows be windows," she says. "It doesn't give you that claustrophobic feeling."

Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping , where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor . In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."

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Let It Be review – reissued Beatles film takes long and winding road to eventual acclaim

Reviled by the band when it came out and widely thought of as miserable, the film – restored to its original format – actually offers light and insightful moments

T he most surprising thing about the reissue of Let It Be is that it commences with footage shot not in 1969 but last year: an interview between Peter Jackson and the film’s director, Michael Lindsay-Hogg. If nothing else, this suggests that Lindsay-Hogg is a good sport, given that Jackson’s eight-hour 2021 docuseries The Beatles: Get Back substantially retold the version of events depicted in Lindsay-Hogg’s film about the Beatles’ 1969 recording sessions at Twickenham Studios and in the basement of their Apple HQ.

Furthermore, Get Back made Lindsay-Hogg himself look like a bit of a ninny, ceaselessly cajoling the Beatles to perform a filmed live performance in an amphitheatre in Tripoli – “Torchlit! In front of 2,000 Arabs!” – undaunted by various Beatles telling him to stick his idea, and indeed the Beatles apparently splitting up in front of him: his reaction to George Harrison quitting the band midway through filming was to recommence badgering a shattered and tearful-looking Paul McCartney about the amphitheatre gig. No wonder Jackson introduces him with the line: “I guess people might be asking themselves why you might be here talking to me.”

But he is, and delightfully, it’s not long before he’s returned to his favourite subject: 55 years later, he still seems to think the film’s biggest failing was its noticeable lack of torchlit Arabs. “2,000 people in an amphitheatre! People would have come across the desert!” he enthuses, then adds, sadly: “I almost had it, the amphitheatre.” He patently didn’t, but to his credit Peter Jackson nods sympathetically, which suggests he might be a good sport too.

You get the feeling that Lindsay-Hogg turned up in the hope of burnishing the reputation of Let It Be, a film that he says “didn’t get a fair shake” on release. None of the Beatles attended its premiere or the Oscars ceremony, where they won best original song score for the title track; all of them subsequently criticised the film in one way or another; the reviews largely stank; and it’s been legally unavailable for over 40 years.

But the restored version burnishes its reputation on its own. It’s certainly a flawed film, not least in the fact that it presents its footage entirely without context. It never explains what the Beatles were doing – rehearsing for a projected live special and being filmed for an accompanying behind-the-scenes documentary – which amps up the sense of aimlessness that haunts the Twickenham sessions. Nor does it explain why the action suddenly moves from Twickenham to Apple HQ and the mood distinctly lifts (partly because the idea of the TV special and the torchlit Arabs have been permanently nixed as a condition of Harrison returning; partly because of the presence of ancillary keyboard player Billy Preston , an old friend from their Hamburg days in whose company the Beatles felt obliged to play nice).

Yet it’s nowhere near as bad as its myth suggests. There are some fantastic moments – Lennon and McCartney giggling as they harmonise on Two Of Us ; Ringo’s slapstick expression of shock when McCartney’s young stepdaughter Heather hits one of his drums; the band clearly enjoying a rough-edged jam through the old rock’n’roll standards Rip It Up and Shake, Rattle and Roll; the footage of the concert on the roof of Apple HQ – and some strikingly insightful ones: there’s a distinctly frosty atmosphere when McCartney cheerleads a visibly unimpressed Lennon and Harrison through a version of Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, a song he mock-apologetically introduces as “corny”.

Nor is Let It Be anything like as depressing as it’s supposed to be. In truth, its overall tone doesn’t seem that different from the ostensibly happier or more rounded Get Back: a handful of arguments and moments of froideur interspersed with clowning for the camera. There’s certainly a bit less of the latter here than in Jackson’s version, but that has the effect of making said clowning seem less forced. If George Harrison’s general mood seems to be summed up by the baleful strains of his song I Me Mine (“I don’t give a fuck if you include it,” he shrugs to Lindsay-Hogg as he performs it for the first time), then said mood is punctured by Lennon and Yoko Ono waltzing around the studio as it plays, something they clearly did too spontaneously for Lindsay-Hogg’s cameras to catch it properly: the footage is largely out of focus.

Indeed, you could argue that Lindsay-Hogg rather pulled his punches, or had his punches pulled for him – by his account, Let It Be was an hour longer before the Beatles saw it and demanded cuts. You see the argument between McCartney and Harrison, but not the latter walking out, nor do you hear McCartney and Lennon’s covertly taped discussion about replacing him with Eric Clapton. Also missing is the moment from Get Back where producer Glyn Johns fruitlessly attempts to dissuade John Lennon from getting involved with Allen Klein, a crook whose takeover bid for the post of Beatles’ manager undoubtedly hastened the band’s split.

It doubtless all seemed a lot more miserable to viewers in 1970, with the news that the Beatles had split up – announced a month before the film premiered – still ringing in their ears, and the footage onscreen far more grainy, grim and grimy-looking than it is today: the original film was blown up from 16mm to 35mm for theatrical release, affecting the picture quality – a situation that’s been rectified in restoration. Perhaps an audience reeling from the Beatles’ breakup and a band in turmoil wasn’t the best judges of Let It Be’s quality – neither an overlooked masterpiece nor the disaster the Beatles and the critics thought, it’s finally getting a fair shake.

• The Beatles
• Pop and rock
• Peter Jackson
• Documentary films
• Music documentary

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Destiny 2's Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, And Witch Queen Expansions Are Free Until The Final Shape Launches

Destiny 2: The Final Shape is set to wrap up the decade-long War of Light and Darkness story arc when it launches on June 4 , but ahead of that, developer Bungie is giving players an easy way to catch up on previous expansions. Unveiled yesterday under the initiative name "Expansion Open Access," all Destiny 2 players can access and play through the game's Shadowkeep (2019), Beyond Light (2020), and The Witch Queen (2022) expansions. 

"Prepare for The Final Shape with three epic campaigns and earn an arsenal of exotic and legendary gear," the Expansion Open Access trailer's description reads. And speaking of trailer, check out the Destiny 2 Expansion Open Access trailer for yourself below : 

Now, of course, these three aren't the only Destiny 2 expansions but they're the only ones currently available to play through in the game. As such, it might be smart to watch a playthrough or read a narrative summary of all expansions released before The Final Shape next month. 

Here's every Destiny 2 expansion/DLC released since the game's launch : 

• Curse of Osiris (2017)
• Warmind (2018)
• Forsaken (2018)
• Shadowkeep (2019)
• Beyond Light (2020)
• The Witch Queen (2022)
• Lightfall (2023)

The Destiny 2 Expansion Open Access period lasts from now until June 3. If you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you also currently have access to Lightfall, making now a perfect time to catch up. 

For more, watch the Destiny 2: The Final Shape reveal trailer here , and then check out this breakdown of The Final Shape's new prismatic subclass, enemy faction, exotics, and more . 

Are you going to play through these expansions before The Final Shape next month? Let us know in the comments below!

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