The 9 Best Desk Lamps to Buy in 2017

As LED lamps continue to grow in popularity (thanks to their energy-saving benefits), the Lightblade 1500S is a superb combination of looks and performance with an omnidirectional pivoting head that enables complete control over the direction of light. The LED light bulbs mean just one watt of power is used at the lowest brightness and eight watts at maximum brightness, producing a total of 1100 lux of brightness overall.

In addition to a USB port for charging a smartphone, the lamp also has capacitive sensors that are directly incorporated into the base of the it, so it's touch-friendly. The total brightness of the lamp results in a color rendering index of 90 CRI (color rendering index), which is just below the 100 CRI product by natural sunlight. The CRI itself helps determine the lamp’s ability to accurately display any desk-based objects full color underneath the lamplight.

This TaoTronics lamp is your desk’s best friend. It has six levels of brightness and five different light temperatures (2700-3000K warm white, 3000-3500K soft white, 4000-4500K natural light, 5000-5500K daylight and 6000-6500K cool white light), plus it can reach up to 1200 lux, making it TaoTronics’ brightest lamp yet. And thanks to its Advanced Memory setting, you can save your favorite temperature and brightness setting, so you can quickly flip on the perfect lighting, whether you’re reading a book or typing a report.

The lamp has a classy yet modern look that’s both stylish and functional. The base, head and neck are all rotatable, so you can adjust to all angles depending on your activity. Conveniently, the base also has a USB port to let you charge up your mobile device while burning the midnight oil.

In a sea of attractive and design-friendly desk lamps, the TaoTronics fully touch-enabled LED desk lamp stands out. Completely dedicated to touch for on and off controls, there are no buttons present since touch sensitivity is all you need to choose the color and brightness level you desire. Additionally, two taps on the base or arm will turn the lamp on/off and holding your finger down will increase or decrease the brightness level.

The air-craft grade aluminum design is strong and durable, which pairs nicely with the LED bulbs, so there's little concern this lamp will need replacing anytime in the future. The specially designed LED panel helps to reflect the light sideways, which means minimal glare and a more natural light source.

The swinging desk arm of the BYB E430 LED desk lamp offers a functional lighting that’s uniquely and solidly designed. Featuring a highly adjustable clamp that can be attached to the edge of any desk, there’s a memory function for separate lighting modes and six different dimming modes to help suit any mood. The incorporated touch panel helps adjust each of the lighting and dimming modes, while the 144 included LED bulbs use 80 percent less energy than conventional bulbs, which allows for a lifespan of more than 50,000 hours.

Beyond energy-efficiency, BYB took great effort to help protect the user’s eyes with an innovative light guide panel that helps prevent light flickering and harmful glares. Ultimately, this design feature means a less fatiguing experience overall.

With an incredibly attractive price tag, the ZHOPPY LED desk lamp has an excellent clip-on clamp-ready design that’s both lightweight and ultra-portable. The gooseneck tube leads to the lamp that holds 14 LED bulbs for a total weight of just 4.3 ounces. The touch functionality allows complete control over the bulbs with easy on/off control and three different brightness levels overall. Beyond touch control, the budget-friendly pricing also allows for a wireless and portable design by using a built-in battery that is rechargeable via the included USB port.

BenQ’s dedicated e-reading and reading LED desk lamp is the perfect addition to the office of any engineer, architect or even for students with late-night study habits. The inclusion of BenQ’s lighting technology offers LED panels that are good for more than 50,000 hours or eight hours a day of lighting every day for the next 17 years.

Beyond lifespan, BenQ incorporated zero flicker technology for a flicker-free experience that won’t harm your eyes or induce fatigue. The built-in ambient sensor offers multiple different touches on the control ring to automatically detect the brightness level of a room and adjust brightness accordingly. When it comes to positioning, the ball-joint base helps you to find the angle you need for the best reading experience. 

Softech’s natural light LED smart lamp is a great choice for buyers that want varying degrees of customization to help find the right lighting for every type of mood. With four different lighting modes (reading, study, relaxation and bedtime) and five levels of dimming, the touch-sensitive control panel can help you shift through four unique levels of brightness in each mode to find the most comfortable lighting level. The incorporated LED bulbs are good for more than 50,000 hours of use or 25 years in normal use conditions. Additionally, the 90 color rending index offers light that’s directly equal to natural sunlight. There's also a one-hour auto off timer function and a USB charging port for a smartphone, tablet or music player.

Skip the cords once and for all with the Luxe wireless LED desk lamp that provides up to 40 hours of continuous light before requiring a charge. With a total of 18 unique settings, there are six different levels of brightness and three light modes incorporated into the 360-degree customizable design that's capable of rotating, twisting and bending.

Additionally, the LED panels feature 28 built-in LED lamps that will last for more than 50,000 hours of use. The lithium-polymer battery supports anywhere between 3 to 40 hours of continuous runtime with just three hours of charging via the included charging cable. Add in one meter of fall protection and you’re looking at a durable lamp that’s both attractive and long-lasting.

Featuring a color rendering index of 85 CRI, the Koncept is nearly as bright as natural sunlight and provides a well-lit environment for any type of home or office work (with up to 50,000 hours of use). The built-in touch strip means you can turn the lamp on and off with just one finger. Additionally, the slim rim of tiny LED bulbs eliminates bulk, so you're left with a minimalist look and feel. The bulbs can be positioned in any direction, thanks to the spinning head that and moves back and forth. The 10-foot cord allows easy placement away from an outlet and the multi-level touch dimming allows you to handily select your preferred level of intensity.