Small Desk Lamp Ideas: Which is Right for Your Needs?

Did you know that almost 85% of the information you receive daily comes from the sense of sight? This is why lighting ergonomics is one of the most important parts of your daily work, especially if you are at home and don’t have as much illumination as in a regular office. An article written by the UC Davis Safety Services indicates that to reduce eye strain caused by switching your sight from the computer screen to other spots (like your documents) it is imperative to increase the amount of light delivered to your desk surface.

That is when small desk lamps come to the rescue. The UC Davis Safety Services article also mentioned that when looking for a desk lamp that suits your needs, it is important to get one —or as many as you like — with flexible design, adjustable light intensity, and easily adjustable positioning.

Selection Criteria

Before moving on to the list of our picks for small desk lamp ideas, let us tell you in advance what elements we’ve taken into consideration to recommend you nothing but the best. Just like we did with our Best Storage Ideas article, we’ll assign a number to each element so you know exactly which lamps have what you are looking for. Either way, we still encourage you to go through all of them in case you feel they can fit a friend or family member’s needs.

So, here is our criteria:

1. Flexibility:  Depending on the type of work you are going to be producing on your desk, you might need a lamp that has a flexible arm or a similar feature that will let you point the light in the desired direction. Look for the lamps with a number 1 on them so you know this one could work for you.
2. Low-to-mid price:  Desk lamps do not need to be pricey to work the way we need them to. Most of the lamps we will be listing have a low-to-mid price, but we’ve also added some that could seem expensive, but this cost will translate into high quality and durability.
3. Built-in light: Nowadays, most lamp manufacturers put light bulbs aside to create versatile designs. They also manage to add different colors and brightnesses so you do not feel robbed of the sensation of handling a smart light bulb. If you are into lamps with built-in lamps, we have added a few for you.
4. Exchangeable light bulb: To avoid setting limitations for the end-users, manufacturers also like to give them the option to use whichever light bulb they prefer. This is a great characteristic if you like having alternatives in terms of the type of light and the design you want for your work spot.
5. Extras: Lamps are not just lamps anymore. With technology and functionality being at the center of our lives, it is imperative to have more than just the conventional stuff. This is why desk lamps are also evolving and they now come with extras that could make your work life easier. Do you like the sound of that? Read along.
6. Blends in with decoration: While you think all desk lamps could be potential decorative elements, it is not always like that. If this is a deal-breaker for you, we have added some options that could meet this expectation.
7.  Reviews: Reviews matter! They are almost living proof of what we could expect when we buy a product. Spoiler alert: all the desk lamps we chose for you not only have great reviews but hundreds and even thousands of them.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the content you came here for, which is the best small desk lamp ideas for your home office — or regular office, or bedroom, or living room, or anywhere you feel it will make you happy.

JolyJoy Modern Architect Table Lamp – Versatile and minimal (1,2,3,7)

A perfect mix of functionality and flexibility that takes a minimum space from your desk. If you have ever envied architects for the potent lights they use while working on their drawings, then this is your chance to get one.

We guarantee it will make you feel like your favorite deity enlightened you. The JolyJoy Modern Architect Table Lamp is a very complete desk lamp with great features.

Pros

• Long swingarm with clamp: This desk lamp’s 40″ arm is adjustable in 3 different points and allows you to place the light wherever you need. Its clamp saves tons of space and lets you place it anywhere on your desk.
• Easy and comfortable settings: The JolyJoy desk lamp has a memory function to retain your settings, a timer so you can turn it on or off at a certain point, step-less dimming, and adjustable color temperatures that go from 3000-5500K.
• Easy on the eyes: Its versatility in terms of illumination and mobility causes less eye strain and gives a sense of comfort and productivity.
• Versatility: You can place this lamp in any other place you would like to have extra light, like on your bed, kitchen cabinet, or photo studio.
• No flicker.

Cons

This lamp has very few cons that could heavily impact your buying decision. We will mention them just in case they seem like terrible faults to you,

• Hard-to-find buttons: If you are completely in the dark, it can be difficult to find the buttons on this lamp.
• Can scratch your desk: Since the clamp does not come with a protective pad, it can scratch your desk, but you can put one yourself to avoid that.
• Built-in light: The fact that this desk lamp comes with a built-in light can be a limitation if you are a light bulb person and you want to use smart ones to have more options. This is a limitation in all LED lamps.

Afrog’s Multifunctional LED Desk Lamp – Tech-friendly (1,2,3,5,7)

If you are looking for more than just a small desk lamp and feel like some extra technological features are what you need, then the Afrog’s multifunctional LED desk lamp would be the right pick for you.

Let’s take a look at some of the pros that put this desk lamp on our exclusive list.

Pros

• Multiple light modes and brightnesses.
• No flicker.
• Wireless charger and USB charger for your smartphone or tablet.
• Smart memory.
• Foldable and easy to move around.
• Touch control.
• Auto timer — awesome for when you know you are going to fall asleep on top of your work in a matter of minutes.

Cons

• The only disadvantage we could find on this lamp is that the wireless charger pad can be a bit tricky. You will need to put the phone in a very specific place for it to work correctly.

AXX Desk Light for Computer/Desktop – For limited budget and space (1,2,3,5,7)

If you are a person who constantly moves from one workspace to another and is looking for a portable, cheap and flexible desk lamp, the AXX desk light could be the right option for you.

Here is a list of the features we think make this one a great desk lamp.

Pros

• Rechargeable and portable, which means it doesn’t need to be plugged in all the time.
• 3 color modes and 3 types of brightness can be controlled with touch control.
• Multi-angle adjustability.
• Phone and utensils holder — great to save space.
• It has a non-slip mat that will stop the lamp from moving or falling when you put your phone and pens on it.

Cons

• If there is one flaw that some users have complained about is that the battery does not seem to last too long after being charged, but hey! it’s a $12 lamp, you can’t spect it to last the same amount of time as a more expensive ultra-high quality desk lamp.
• Also, this lamp’s reach is not that long either. If you are looking for a larger one, make sure to go back to our first pick.

LEPOWER Metal Desk Lamp (1,2,4,6,7) – Stylish and sturdy design

Even though the LEPOWER desk lamp does not have a lot of extra techy characteristics, it does check a lot of boxes when it comes to material quality, sturdiness, great design, and flexibility.

Now, it’s the moment to tell you some pros you’ll probably like on this lamp.

Pros

• It’s a stand and clip-on lamp! That surely makes up for any other missing feature. These characteristics create more working options for you.
• This lamp uses light bulbs, and if you buy a smart light bulb, you’ll have plenty of flexibility when it comes to using different colors and brightnesses.
• It has two long arms that can extend vastly across your table.
• The LEPOWER desk lamp has a very stylish look to it and it comes in 5 different colors (black, brass, sandy black, silver, and white).

Cons

• The disadvantage we found on this lamp is an indication from the manufacturer: If you use a halogen bulb or energy-saving bulb the lampshade will get heated because it’s made of metal, so do not touch it!

BenQ eReading LED Desk Lamp – Smart and high quality (1,3,6,7)

Okay, it’s time to step up the game here. The BenQ desk lamp is a great option if you are looking to get a product from a high-quality and renowned brand like BenQ.

So, what makes this desk lamp one of our picks in the list of small desk lamp ideas? Let’s find out.

Pros

• This BenQ desk lamp has an awesome smart technology that detects ambient light in the room and it adjusts its light to minimize glare. This technology also allows you to customize the color and brightness of the lamp for whichever task you are developing.
• Do you use two monitors for your work? The BenQ lamp has you covered, literally.
• If you use a standing desk and would like to save some space on it, you can extend this lamp and turn it into a floor lamp.
• Its metallic body provides you with a durable product, and its curved design represents a modern and stylish design.

Cons

• If there is a downside to this lamp is the price. For a $229 lamp, you would expect a few extras like wireless charging or USB ports.

Eppiebasic Architect Clamp Desk Lamp (1,2,3,7)

Okay, this one might not be considered a small desk lamp, but we are still committed to present to you, our loyal reader, options that could be crucial for your daily work routine, and this one is one of our favorite picks.

The versatile and space-saving attributes of the Eppiebasic architect clamp desk lamp create a great home office ambiance and work experience. While this lamp is advertized mainly as a monitor lamp, it sure helps you have an awesome illumination for your laptop, tablet, books, and documents.

Want to read more about it? Have a look at the following characteristics.

Pros

• Intelligent light sensor
• 4 color temperature and 5 brightness levels
• Auto-dimming mode
• Flexible silicone neck
• No glare

Cons

• If you want this lamp to blend in with your home decoration, then this could be a problem. The Eppiebasic desk lamp could look weird if all of a sudden you move your computer or the rest of your work to another part of the house.

FAQs

Final Words

A good lighting set is one of the most important elements when it comes to creating your home office. It is not only about being able to see well all your work, it is also about health and comfort. And desk lamps are essential to balance all these characteristics.

We’ve given you 6 different small desk lamp ideas so it is easier for you to create or improve your work environment. After going through all these lamps’ characteristics, we would like to recommend 2 options.

The JolyJoy Modern Architect Table Lamp and the BenQ eReading LED Desk Lamp.

Their pros are very similar; they are both versatile in terms of types of illumination, functionality, flexibility, and design. Their long arms are great for reaching all the areas.

And if it is about the cons, the budget could be a problem if you decide to buy the BenQ lamp. When it comes to the JolyJoy lamp, the only significant con is that the clamp could scratch your desk, but using a pad will solve this instantly.