Top 6 Reading Lights for Late-Night Studies

April 09, 2024
Updated:
April 09, 2024
Top 6 Reading Lights for Late-Night Studies
Lepower Reading Light (Illustration by The Epoch Times, Amazon)
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Are you in search of the perfect reading light to enhance your paper book reading experience? Look no further! Dive into this guide to explore the diverse options available in the market.
Whether you need a versatile light for multitasking or a discreet one to avoid disturbing your partner’s sleep, this review is tailored to address your unique requirements.
We aim to assist you in discovering lights that provide ample brightness for reading while being compatible with a range of book sizes.
The Breakdown:

Why Do People Use Reading Lamps?

A quality reading light should be both gentle on the eyes and conducive to good eyesight. Its primary function is to alleviate eye strain by providing concentrated illumination in the reading area, surpassing the ambient light of the room.
For optimal reading conditions, a brightness level of at least 450 lumens is recommended. Additionally, the flexibility of the light is crucial. It should be adjustable and capable of being positioned to illuminate your book effectively, whether you’re working at a desk or lounging in a chair or bed.
Investing in a top-notch reading lamp goes beyond mere aesthetics; it’s about safeguarding your vision and enhancing reading comfort.
Inadequate lighting can result in eye strain, headaches, and a subpar reading experience, underscoring the importance of selecting the right lamp for avid readers.

Vekkia Reading Light

Vekkia Reading Light Vekkia Reading Light
Vekkia advocates for the nurturing both body and soul by establishing a personalized, comfortable space for rest, relaxation, and reading.
Since 2014, Vekkia has served over 4 million readers in the US with its patented eye-care book lights, designed to enhance the reading experience.
Powered by advanced SMD LED technology, the Vekkia book light offers a lighting area three times larger than standard LED lights.
Its user-friendly design allows for easy adjustment of color temperature with a long press and brightness with a quick click, making it ideal for nighttime reading, studying, and other activities.
With a rechargeable 1000mAh Li-ion battery, this reading light provides up to 70 hours of wireless reading time on a single charge, offering three power modes for versatility. It also features Type C compatibility for convenient charging.
Weighing only 2.15 ounces, the Vekkia book light is exceptionally lightweight, making it perfect for clipping onto books or Kindles to create a private reading space, especially when sharing a bed with a sleeping partner.
Equipped with a secure padded clamp and a flexible neck, it allows you to precisely position and focus the light wherever you need it, enhancing your reading experience both at home and while traveling.
Pros
  • The design: Its small size makes it effortless to carry around.
  • The eye-caring soft and diffused light: You can easily light up 2 full pages of any size book, and there is no need to adjust the light all the time.
Cons
  • Charging: Some people had issues with the product’s battery longevity.
$18.99 on Amazon (Price at Time of Publishing)

Glocusent Reading Light

Glocusent Reading Light Glocusent Reading Light
The USB Type-C rechargeable device boasts a convenient reversible design, making it effortlessly plug-and-play compared to traditional Micro-USB connectors. This feature simplifies the charging process, ensuring seamless usage for users of all levels of tech-savviness.
With the premium rechargeable 1000mAh battery included, users can revel in up to an impressive 80 hours of continuous reading, benefitting from powerful and consistent brightness that doesn’t diminish over time.
Not only does this device excel in functionality, but it also prioritizes user comfort and well-being. Its design is meticulously crafted to be both eye-caring and ergonomic, with advanced LED beads that eliminate flickering and incorporate blue light filters.
By mitigating harmful blue light emissions, this device helps reduce eye strain, making reading sessions more comfortable and enjoyable for both kids and adults alike.
The device’s flexible and adjustable arms offer unparalleled versatility, allowing users to customize the angle and positioning of the light to suit their individual preferences.
Whether you prefer to read in bed, at a desk, or in your favorite armchair, this device ensures optimal lighting conditions tailored to your needs.
Furthermore, the device strikes the perfect balance between illumination and discretion. While it provides ample brightness to effectively illuminate your reading area, it also maintains a subtle dimness that prevents it from disturbing your soundly sleeping partner.
This thoughtful feature ensures that you can enjoy your reading experience without any disruptions, fostering a harmonious nighttime environment for everyone involved.
Pros
  • The battery capacity: After one full charge, you can use this rechargeable book light for up to 80 hours.
  • The flexible gooseneck: Feel free to adjust the neck light into any shape you want. It can always fit your neck ergonomically.
  • Separate switch for each arm: Adjust your preferred light setting easily with two independent buttons on each arm.
  • Easy to carry: This book reading light can be completely folded for little space. It is highly portable for reading on a plane, train, or in the backseat of your car when traveling.
  • 24-month warranty: The company is so confident you'll love this LED book light that offers a 24-month warranty.
Cons
  • The battery: Some customers were unhappy with the battery’s performance and durability.
$29.99 on Amazon (Price at Time of Publishing)

Dewenwils Reading Light

Dewenwils Reading Light Dewenwils Reading Light
The Dewenwils reading light comes with CE, RoHS, and UKCA certifications, ensuring its quality and safety standards. It serves multiple functions, doubling as a bookmark or mini flashlight during power outages, adding to its versatility and practicality.
Designed to enhance reading experiences, this LED reading light is compatible with paperback books, magazines, bedtime stories, and more, making it an excellent gift choice for kids, friends, and family members.
Featuring a swiveling LED lens that can rotate 90° in both counter-clockwise and clockwise directions, as well as 45° downward, and a flexible holder that bends up to 315°, this reading light offers unparalleled adjustability.
You can easily find the perfect viewing angle without the need for constant repositioning, ensuring maximum comfort during reading sessions.
Convenience is key with this reading light, as it eliminates the need for additional cables or batteries. Simply plug it into a computer, power bank, adapter, car charger, or USB outlet for quick and easy recharging.
With a full charge taking approximately 1.5 hours, the light can last up to 8 hours at the brightest setting, providing long-lasting illumination when you need it most.
Choose between two brightness levels - 100% and 50% - with the touch of a button. The soft glow of the 3000K Warm White LED light creates a soothing and private reading space without disturbing others nearby, promoting a comfortable reading environment for everyone.
Compact and lightweight at only 1.38 ounces, this reading light is highly portable and perfect for clipping onto a book for nighttime reading.
Its slim and foldable design allows for easy storage and transport, making it ideal for reading on planes, trains, or in the backseat of a car during trips and travels.
Pros
  • USB chargeable: Rechargeable via the equipped USB port, no extra cable and battery is needed.
  • The transparent holder: The transparent material of the clip on one side won’t disturb your reading and will double as a bookmark.
  • The sturdy metal clip: A tough clip with a strong arm can tightly grasp the book of varying thicknesses.
  • The flexibility: With an adjustable angle of rotating head and clamp, place your book light however you want for the best viewing experience.
Cons
  • The clip: Some people said the poorly designed clip renders it a risk to your books.
$11.99 on Amazon (Price at Time of Publishing)

Amber Light + Reading Light

Amber Light + Reading Light Amber Light + Reading Light
This Amber Light + reading light effectively filters out 99.95% of blue light, emitting a warm Amber candle-like hue that’s ideal for enhancing your reading experience with a good book, Kindle, or e-reader.
By reducing blue light exposure, this minimal reading light helps maintain your body’s natural melanin production, promoting better sleep quality and overall well-being.
Equipped with a rechargeable lithium battery (1000 mAh), this book light ensures uninterrupted reading or working sessions. With just 4 hours of charging time, you can enjoy over 30 hours of continuous reading, providing long-lasting illumination whenever you need it.
Experience uninterrupted reading sessions with this lamp, offering three adjustable brightness settings of 25%, 50%, and 100%, corresponding to 20, 40, and 80 lumens respectively. Easily tailor the brightness to suit your reading environment, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable reading experience every time.
Weighing only 2.5 ounces, this lightweight book light is barely noticeable when clipped onto your e-reader, book, or laptop, making it the perfect reading companion for any occasion. Additionally, its dimmable feature makes it suitable for children, serving as a soft nightlight to create a warm and cozy atmosphere that can help soothe them into a restful sleep.
Pros
  • Lightweight and portable: This light can easily be stowed away for your travels and can fit in any bag.
  • Excellent as a gift: This Amber reading light is the perfect gift for the book lovers around you.
Cons
  • The quality: Some buyers were dissatisfied with the product’s overall built quality and said that after several days of use, it just stopped working and would not charge any longer.
$14.99 on Amazon (Price at Time of Publishing)

Lepower Reading Light

Lepower Reading Light Lepower Reading Light
Lepower stands as a leading brand in the realm of LED lighting, committed to delivering highly efficient, convenient, and top-quality products to its customers. Their goal is to provide a genuine and superior lighting experience that enhances both ambiance and aesthetics.
As part of Lepower’s ongoing dedication to innovation, this LED Clip Light exemplifies their pursuit of efficiency and convenience for their target audience.
With a simple click of the switch on the cord, you can instantly brighten up your surroundings, making it ideal for use on tables, desks, bed headboards, and computers.
Featuring a free-angle adjustable arm and lamp holder, this clip light allows for optimal positioning to ensure the best viewing experience.
Equipped with two switches on the cord, one offering three lighting options—warm light, off, and white light—and the other providing two brightness settings—dim and bright—this lamp offers customizable illumination to suit your preferences. Included with the clip-on light is a 2-prong USB AC adapter and a 5-foot cord for added convenience and versatility.
With its sturdy construction, this reading lamp provides a comfortable lighting environment for the eyes, offering stable and soft lighting that minimizes glare and flicker interference, ensuring an enjoyable and strain-free reading experience.
Pros
  • The anti-slip pad and steady clamp: The anti-slip pad prevents sliding and holds more firmly. The max width is 2.4 inches, so you can firmly clip it onto any book you want.
  • Space saving: Compared to table lamps that need to be placed on the desktop, this LED book reading light will not take up extra on your desk or desk, maximizing your available space.
Cons
  • Low build quality: Some people reported that after a couple of months, the light would start flickering.
$29.99 on Amazon (Price at Time of Publishing)

Facts About Industry

In 2021, the U.S. reading light market was valued at $112.5 million and is anticipated to reach $288.1 million by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2022 to 2031.
The projected growth of the U.S. reading light market is driven by several factors including an uptick in book reading demand, expanded reach of online retail platforms, a large base of book enthusiasts, and heightened awareness of the benefits of using reading lights. The proliferation of online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and eBay has notably bolstered market expansion.
Moreover, manufacturers of reading lights are intensifying their digital presence in the U.S., notably impacting market growth. Amazon stands out as a dominant seller of reading lights in the U.S., leveraging its widespread popularity among consumers.
The market’s vast array of brands and product options, ranging from neck lights to clip lights, bookmark lights, rechargeable book lights, and battery-operated book lights, is expected to fuel sales growth.
Furthermore, intense competition among market players has led to competitive pricing, benefiting customers. Manufacturers are also innovating their product offerings through research and development efforts to attract more consumers. Thus, the availability of a diverse range of reading light products with unique features contributes to market expansion.
However, the increasing popularity of audiobooks poses a significant threat to the U.S. reading light market. The rapid adoption of audiobooks among American readers, facilitated by digital technology and the convenience of mobile listening, poses a challenge to the growth of the reading light industry.
This trend reflects a shift in consumer preferences towards multitasking and audio-based content consumption, potentially limiting the market demand for reading lights in the forecast period.

Reading Light Reviews

The reviews in this section were compiled from verified customer reviews on Amazon.

Vekkia Reading Light

Customers appreciated the brightness, performance, battery life, and portability of the Vekkia reading light.
They mentioned that it works well, the battery lasts long, and it’s very lightweight. 
That said, opinions were mixed on charging. People weren’t really satisfied with the device’s charging rate or outcome throughout their days.

Glocusent Reading Light

Users liked the brightness, ease of assembly, readability, battery life, and quality of the Glocusent reading light. They said that it has various light settings, it’s easy to direct, and it'll transform your ability to read in bed.
No negative reviews were reported from the buyers.

Dewenwils Reading Light

People were happy with the brightness, charging, quality, and portability of the Dewenwils reading light.
They mentioned it’s bright enough to read at night, it can be recharged by plugging into a charging outlet and it'll last a long time. Some were happy with battery life, size, and ease of use. That said, opinions were mixed on performance.

Amber Light + Reading Light

Customers appreciated the brightness, performance, battery life, and comfort of the Amber light + reading light.
They liked that the warm amber light is easy on the eyes, works great for both of them, and the USB charge lasts a long time. That said, opinions were mixed on quality.

Lepower Reading Light

People liked the brightness, performance, quality, and value of the Lepower reading light. They mentioned that it’s a great product for the price, it has perfect brightness for reading in a pitch-dark room and two brightness settings for warm or white light.
They appreciate the sturdy clip and the solid switches. Some users though were unhappy with the light after a couple months of use. They said that the light would start flickering and the battery function would decline.

What Are Reading Lights?

Booklights, also known as reading lights, are handy little gadgets designed for people who like to read in places where the lighting isn’t great.
They’re small and easy to carry around, making them perfect for reading in bed, on the couch, or while traveling. These lights shine directly onto your book, making it easier to see the words without straining your eyes or bothering anyone else with bright overhead lights.
They usually have adjustable parts, so you can move them around to find the best angle and brightness for your reading comfort. Book lights make reading easier and more enjoyable, especially when the lighting isn’t ideal.

How Many Watts Do Reading Lights Use?

Reading in inadequate lighting isn’t the only factor that can potentially harm your eyesight; excessive brightness can also have negative effects. It’s important to find a balance between too little and too much light when reading.
According to experts, the optimal power for a traditional light bulb is estimated to be around 40 watts. This level of brightness provides sufficient illumination for reading without being overly harsh on the eyes.
Finding the right lighting conditions can contribute to a comfortable and enjoyable reading experience while minimizing the risk of eye strain or discomfort.

What Color Is Best for Reading?

When it comes to selecting the right lighting for various activities, such as reading, studying, or working, it’s essential to consider not only the type of light but also its brightness level.
For instance, using amber lights before bedtime can help promote relaxation and signal to the body that it’s time to wind down for sleep.
On the other hand, cool white lights are suitable for general reading tasks, providing adequate illumination without causing strain on the eyes.
For tasks that require increased concentration and focus, such as studying or working, brighter white lights are recommended.
These lights can help enhance alertness and productivity by providing a clearer and more vibrant visual environment.
Additionally, adjusting the brightness levels according to individual preferences or specific purposes is crucial. This can range from softer, dimmer settings for bedtime reading to stronger, higher-lumen options for tasks that require greater visual acuity and attention to detail.

Conclusion

Based on our thorough review, we highly recommend the Glocusent reading lights for your reading needs. Specifically, the Bookmark Style Reading Light and the LED Neck Reading Light models stand out as excellent choices for indulging in a few chapters before bedtime.
What sets Glocusent apart is its chic design and compact build, coupled with the most comprehensive range of light settings among the options we evaluated.
Additionally, the inclusion of a power indicator ensures you'll always know when it’s time to recharge, adding to its convenience and user-friendliness.
One of the standout features of the Glocusent reading lights is their versatility. Unlike some of their competitors, these lights aren’t limited to just reading. They can be seamlessly integrated into various hobbies and tasks, such as knitting or engaging in technical repair work.
In summary, the Glocusent reading lights offer a winning combination of style, functionality, and versatility, making them the top choice for anyone seeking a reliable reading companion that can effortlessly adapt to a range of activities and situations.

FAQ

What is the ideal brightness for a reading light?
When choosing a reading lamp, aim for one that emits between 500 and 1000 lumens. This level of brightness provides sufficient illumination for clear text visibility without risking eye strain. Additionally, ensure that the light is directed in a manner that reduces glare for a comfortable reading experience.
How can you recharge a book light?
To recharge the reading light, simply insert the end of the middle section (where the USB symbol is located) into the USB port of a computer using a USB cable.
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