There’s a rare but impressive group of people who can work from anywhere. If they’re sitting at a bus stop and only have their phone with them, they can still manage to get stuff done. The rest of us though, need to create the right conditions to avoid distractions and focus on the tasks at hand — that’s why a lamp is crucial. Of course, sitting at an office desk is one way to get in the work mindset, but not everyone works in an office.
Even if you don’t have a designated home office, clearing up your kitchen table or putting a desk in the corner of your bedroom can give you a nice spot where you can focus on whatever you’re doing. The best way to make your workspace feel like a real office desk is to get a good lamp.
Chances are that unless you have a home office, your desk is pretty small. That’s why it’s good to have a lamp that isn’t going to take up too much space. It should be bright but not blinding; bonus points if it’s got a few different brightness settings. Also, if it’s going to be a regular fixture in your apartment, it ought to be stylish. Fortunately, we’ve found several different options that fit the bill.
1. TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp
This ultra-thin desk lamp comes in black and white, or you can get one with a wood-grain finish. The frame has three rotating joints for customized lighting, and there’s a USB charging port near the base. The way lighting looks is largely dependent on the space it’s in and the colors of the walls. That’s why this lamp has 7 brightness settings and 5 color modes.
Pros: 7 brightness and 5 color settings, comes with a USB port.
Cons: Some reviewers found that the power button was finicky, and required effort to get to the preferred setting.
2. Lampat LED Desk Lamp
This lamp features a similar design to the first option, except it has a square base instead of a round one. Like the TaoTronics option, it has a USB charging port, rotating joints, and several color and brightness settings. Plus, this unit has a 1-hour auto-off feature; if you doze off while working at least you won’t be wasting energy.
Pros: Sleek design, includes a USB port and an auto-shutoff feature.
Cons: The lamp head doesn’t rotate, so it may be difficult to angle away from your eyes.
3. TECKIN Desk Lamps
If you like a little mood lighting while working, this table lamp from Teckin gives off a pleasant, warm white light, and you can cycle through different white shades. It has touch-sensitive controls, so it solves the problem of trying to fidget with a switch in the dark. It also has different colors to choose from on the RGB spectrum.
Pros: Sleek design. Multiple colors and shades of white.
Cons: If you like a specific color, there’s no way to save that color when you turn it on and off.