Reading Lamps

[Ben]

I have to dump my current reading lamp. It's a fancy brass Veralux that was NOT cheap when I bought it. The bulb (an expensive old tech one) is great with just the right and bright color temp (I forget what it is). Besides an expensive bulb replacement, the housing is crap, which irritates me a lot more. I've fixed the swivel head three times over the years, and it's now hanging down again, so into the garbage it all goes.

I'm looking at Amazon and seeing a lot of really reasonably priced lamps with color temp adjustable LED bulbs like this one:

Reading lamp

I'm wondering if anyone here is using one of these and what you think of it. For ~$40, they look way better than what I have now. I'm getting the floor lamp to go next to my reading chair, but if you have one of these bulbs in a table or desk lamp or whatever, I'm more interested in opinions on the bulb and how easy it is (or not) to read by. They seem to all have the "cheap Chinese" brand names, so quality is a concern. Cheap Chinese may be all that's made nowadays though.

[Brad Johnson]

Nice looking lamp, but I'm still not sold on full-integration fixtures. If the drivers crap out, it's done. Also, color-agile lighting often doesn't have the greatest color quality until you get into more expensive stuff. The cheap Chinese junk is really bad about it.

Given the option, I'd pick something with an old-school socket you can screw your choice of LED lamp into. That way, if the lamp craps out or you don't care for the color temp or output, you can just screw in a different lamp. Something in 3000-3100k at around a 45w equivalency seems a nice reading light, at least for me.

Floor lamps sorted to Amazon-sold only.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=floor+lamp&i=tools&rh=n%3A3736561%2Cn%3A1063294%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER&dc&ds=v1%3A3q8gjauz01in620O6tDB6ztwPHzTK00lrFKmTMrpCw0&crid=2PLKOLGTDO3ZZ&qid=1667337062&rnid=339807011&sprefix=floor+lamp%2Caps%2C106&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

Could always go with some kind of cool vintage lamp and just put an LED bulb in it.

Heck, you have a shop and a welder. Get a prefab socket & shade and get creative. Maybe a backwoods vibe or some kind of retro-industrial affair.

Brad

[Ben]

^^^
Thanks for the head's up. I had just posted that lamp of an example of the design I'm looking for - floor lamp with downward facing head on a gooseneck for angle adjustment. I didn't catch the non-replaceable bulb part. Not a fan - I'm still mad that I can't swap my phone battery. 

I was mostly looking at how good these newer LED bulbs are, or moreso, how easy they are on the eyes for reading. I'll spend up to around $200 on a new lamp, if it's better for my eyes. $50 is fine too, if these cheaper lamps have good bulbs. I also like the idea of color temp adjustment, but it would also depend on how well it works. Otherwise I'll just stick to a daylight color temp.

[Brad Johnson]

Daylight temp (5000-5500k) in a nighttime reading light can be an issue. Nice contrast and great for a work light, but the stark bluish-white light can be jarring in more intimate settings. If you're used to an incandescent lamp, something in the 3000-3100k range will be a more crisp light without trending towards stark white. More relaxing, too. That being said, Edison-base lamps are cheap. You can experiment without breaking the bank.

Brad

[Perd Hapley]

Edison-base lamps are cheap. You can experiment without breaking the bank.

That.

One way you could look at light temps is that "cooler," "whiter" colors mimic mid-day light, while "warmer," more yellow light is what we're accustomed to in early morning or evening.

[Ben]

I guess I called it daylight, but it's whatever color the veralux type bulbs put out as they were designed for reading. I just couldn't remember the temp.

[Bogie]

"Alexa, you sexy bitch, I'm awake."
 
the alarm shuts off
 
the overhead light comes on at about 20% brighting, shaded warm white
 
I stagger by my coffee setup on the way to the john, and hit the magic button.
 
I come out of the john, walk the cup to the fridge, pour in some half'n'half - the splenda and stirrer was already in the cup
 
"Alexa, you sexy bitch, play the news."
 
Then comes the problem. I tend to throw the cup of coffee at the sound of the speaker...

[Bogie]

I like these. Got a set of cheaper ones, and they tend to want to blink, just a little, at max brightness.

[K Frame]

Here you go.

Replaceable bulb, standard base size, no complex bullshit that kills the entire unit if something goes wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/LEPOWER-Adjustable-Standing-Torchiere-Bedroom/dp/B078YP29Q1/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2UZ9Y17414JW0&keywords=gooseneck+reading+lamp&qid=1667392097&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1LjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiNC45MyIsInFzcCI6IjQuMDkifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=gooseneck+reading+lamp%2Caps%2C477&sr=8-8


On sale and if you click the box you get an additional 10% off.

You have to supply the bulb, though.

The same company also has a bunch of other gooseneck light designs that use standard bulbs.

Put a Hue bulb in it and you can control the color and temperature to your liking.

[MillCreek]

My wife and I have put a number of WIZ LED bulbs throughout the house.  We are able to control on/off, color and brightness through either the WIZ app or voice control via Alexa.  The bulb screws into a standard socket and no additional hardware or hubs are required.

[Bogie]

Oops - forgot to include the link.
 
These work nicely with Alexa.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Sengled-Changing-Assistant-Required-Equivalent/dp/B091FQRBTL/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=sengled+smart+bulb&qid=1667393345&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjMwIiwicXNhIjoiMy45MyIsInFzcCI6IjMuODYifQ%3D%3D&s=home-garden&sprefix=seng%2Cgarden%2C135&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

[K Frame]

I do virtually all of my reading in bed, and virtually all of it on my Kindle anymore.

I don't have a dedicated reading light for bed for when I am reading an actual book or magazine, but I should probably rectify that as my bedside lamp really isn't that good for reading.

[Brad Johnson]

I guess I called it daylight, but it's whatever color the veralux type bulbs put out as they were designed for reading. I just couldn't remember the temp.

Found a photo which does a good job illustrating color temp relationships.





So you have a real-life reference, begin with candlelight is far left. Hard noon sun from a cloudless sky on the far right.

Old school incandescent is 2700k. High efficiency incandescent (quartz halogen) is 3000-3100k. Shop lights commonly run around 3500-45000k. "Daylight Equivalent" bulbs usually sit about 5000k.

SWMBO and I have 3100k bulbs in our bedside lamps. Very nice to read by.

Brad

[Ben]

I do virtually all of my reading in bed, and virtually all of it on my Kindle anymore.

I don't have a dedicated reading light for bed for when I am reading an actual book or magazine, but I should probably rectify that as my bedside lamp really isn't that good for reading.

Thanks for the link. I actually ended up ordering an antiquey looking light last night that matches my decor in the den/reading room, but uses interchangeable bulbs so I can play with color temp.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0869M9M3R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also do most of my reading on the Kindle, so can read wherever, but I still like to read dead tree books as well, and do all that in my reading chair next to the wood stove, and really need a good light for reading real books anymore to preserve my eyes. Without good lighting, I have really been getting eyestrain in my old age doing any reading or close focus work.

[K Frame]

Oh damn, that's a nice looking lamp!

When I finally get my armchair recovered and put in my office I very likely will get a reading lamp. That chair has always been one of my favorites. It was in my Grandparent's house, then my parent's, and their one dog took a great liking to it and really crushed the padding. The fabric was in sad shape anyway, so I wasn't really upset.


I have two bedside lamps and 2 cheapie Walmart pillar lamps. The bulbs I have in them are LED antique Edison styles, 60 watt eqiv, 2700 K color temperature but the bulbs are amber colored. It gives my bedroom an extremely warm and comforting glow.

I liked the light so much that I put the same kind of bulbs in the lamps in my living room.

[Ben]

Oh damn, that's a nice looking lamp!

Thanks. It's kinda sorta similar to what I have now, except with a slightly different shade and it doesn't use the expensive and probably not made anymore bulb. I'm hoping it's not all looks and that it doesn't fall apart like the last piece of crap.