Bedside & Reading Lights

Bedside and reading lights need to do two things well: give enough light to read by and stay soft enough to wind down. This collection includes table lamps, cordless rechargeable lamps, compact wall lights, a clip-on reading lamp and a plug-in night light.

For reading

Choose a lamp you can position so the light falls on the page rather than in your eyes. A shade at roughly chin height when you're sitting up in bed works well, as do adjustable desk lamps and clip-on reading lights with a flexible neck.

For winding down

Warm white light (around 2700–3000K) and dimming help a bedroom feel calm in the evening. Many of the lamps here are dimmable or have a warm light mode.

Corded, cordless or wall-mounted?

Plug-in and rechargeable lamps need no installation. Wall lights free up space on a small bedside table but are hardwired and must be installed by a licensed electrician; each product page notes the power type.