A pile of clothes on a chair might look totally innocuous in the day, but come nighttime, it can transform into a vicious monster in the eyes of a scared child. Our brains are constantly trying to recognize patterns and make sense of shapes and light. That’s why you can sometimes see shapes in clouds, but it’s also why you can sometimes see monsters or intruders in the dark. Even though sleep experts will tell you that darkness is key for more restful sleep, some people may have trouble nodding off if it’s too dark. That’s especially true for young children, who can feel comforted by a soft light in the bedroom, hallway or bathroom. Even plenty of adults opt to sleep with a night light, if only to avoid trips and falls during midnight bathroom runs.
Even if you’re not afraid of the dark or prone to flashbacks about Bloody Mary stories from elementary school, there are practical benefits to investing in the best night lights. They can be placed in the hallway or bathroom to illuminate your way if you have to use the restroom in the middle of the night. These lights can prevent you from stubbing your toes or stepping on toys, and they ensure you don’t need to turn on the lights and practically blind yourself.
While traditional lights emit a constant, unchanging glow throughout the night, you can now find clever options that have variable colors to provide a soothing, non-distracting glow. Plus, you can also find night lights with motion and light sensors that turn on in the dark or when you enter the room. Because can leave these plugged in all night with minimal energy waste, these are usually the best night lights for adults. The best night lights for kids may stay illuminated all night long, and they can provide the sense of comfort kids need to drift off to sleep.
Besides traditional night lights, you can also find wake-up lights that have a sunset-like glow at night and provide a bright beam of sunrise-like light when it’s time to wake up. Some of these options even have FM radios so you can wake up with the sound of your favorite jazz station or the dulcet tones of a public radio host.
No matter what you’re looking for, we’ve rounded up some great night light options, including picks for children, wake-up lights and darkness-sensor lights for hallways and bathrooms. Keep reading to find the best night lights for sale right now.
1. GE Color-Changing LED Night Light
For an affordable and reliable option, these lights from GE are a good option. They come in a pack of two, and you can choose from 8 different soothing colors. Or, you can set the light to automatically toggle through all of the colors throughout the night. It has a light sensor that turns the light on at night and off in the morning or when lights are turned on and off. The light plugs directly into the wall, and it’s small enough to leave access to the lower outlet.
Pros: Pack of two. Variable colors. Light sensitive to automatically turn on and off.
Cons: You can change colors, but you can’t change brightness.
2. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine
This machine from Hatch is designed as a light and sound machine for babies and young children. You can change the brightness, color, volume level and adjust the sounds using the app on your phone. You can also set programs so the light turns on and off at set times. You can also set a morning alarm for your child. We found this child’s night light to be easy to program, as long as you’re used to using apps.
Pros: Soothing color and sound option for a better night’s rest. Can be customized from the app.
Cons: App is required, so it may not be ideal for parents who want to keep it simple.
3. LOHAS LED Night Lights
Today, a lot of children’s night lights come shaped like clouds or dinosaurs, or with hundreds of colors to choose from. However, sometimes the best night lights for kids keep it simple. If you want the kind of plug-in night light that you had in your own childhood bedroom, then go with this 2-pack of LED night lights. The dimmer switch lets you set exactly the level of light you or your child prefers, and the LED bulbs last for a long, long time.
Pros: Dusk and dawn sensors. Adjustable dimmer switch. Each order comes with two lights.
Cons: Lacks colorful features of some modern night lights. No motion sensor.
4. Droiee Cloud Night Light
This cute cloud lamp is a great option for a child’s room. It can be powered using either a USB cable or AAA batteries, making it easy to place anywhere in the room. The night light also has two lighting settings. The light is an energy-efficient LED, so you won’t be kept up at night worrying about an electricity bill.
Pros: Cute design. Versatile option works plugged in or with batteries. Two brightness settings.
Cons: Doesn’t have different color options. Larger than traditional night lights that plug into the wall.
5. Emotionlite Plug-in Night Lights
If you’re someone who wakes up in the middle of the night for a midnight snack or to go to the bathroom, you might need multiple lights. That’s why this option from Emotionlite is a great pick. It’s an affordable buy that comes in a pack of six. They plug into the wall, but the small size leaves space for other devices. There’s also a light sensor that dims the light in the daytime to save energy. The light can be rotated to provide the perfect angle.
Pros: Comes in a pack of six. Doesn’t block the upper or lower outlet. Dims in the light and turns on in the dark.
Cons: Some may prefer a brighter light.
6. GE LED Night Light
Because this night light from GE has a sleek silver-colored body and rounded shape, it’s the best night light for adults who want a tasteful source of light. There’s a motion-sensing panel on the light that flicks on when you walk into the room, making it a great option for late-night snack or bathroom runs. The frame of the light is also available in brushed nickel or bronze to suit your design tastes. The light is UL listed for safety.
Pros: Motion activated. Stylish design. Leaves the bottom outlet open if plugged into the top.
Cons: No variable brightness or color settings.
7. Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light
This option from Philips is designed to be there for you before you go to bed as well as when you wake up. It has a dim, sunset-like glow in the evening, and when morning comes it features a bright but not abrasive sunlike shine. There’s a clock right on the face of the unit, making it a great alarm clock, and you can wake up with one of the alarm settings or FM. Going back to bed? Simply tap it to snooze.
Pros: Soothing evening and morning lights for easier sleeping and waking up. Features an FM radio and various wake-up alarm noises.
Cons: Controls are tedious to use.
8. WamGra Bluetooth Speaker Night Lights
This night light from WamGra has multiple features that make it a great nightstand companion. It has an alarm clock and Bluetooth speaker, and you can add your own alarm by connecting a microSD, USB or AUX cable. The lamp automatically toggles through a variety of soothing colors, and you can also pick a certain color if you prefer.
Pros: Features Bluetooth speaker, alarm clock, and variable color night light.
Cons: Interface is not very intuitive and can take time to figure out.