The best desk lamps for 2024

Desk lamps help you hone in on your work—even as the day wears on and you’re on that third cup of coffee. Proper lighting can reduce eye strain and keep you focused on the task at hand. With so many options to pick from, we selected desk lamps that will go easier on your eyes, optimize valuable desk space, and are designed with adjustable settings to accommodate any task. These desk lamps provide plenty of wattage to brighten your day. From high-tech picks like auto-adjusting lamps from Dyson to simplistic styles from Lite Source, there’s a lamp to suit any desktop. So whether you’re looking to complete a modern office, cut down on glare, or reduce tech-borne bacteria—here are some of the best desk lamps to upgrade your workspace.

• Best overall: Eppiebasic Architect Clamp LED Desk Lamp
• Best value: OttLite Thrive LED Sanitizing Desk Lamp
• Best for e-reading: BenQ eReading LED Desk Lamp
• Best for small spaces: LumiCharge LED Smart Adjustable Desk Lamp
• Best for aesthetics: Lite Source LS-306BLK LED Desk Lamp
• Best for crafting: Cricut Bright 360
• Best splurge: Dyson Lightcycle Morph Desk Lamp

How we chose the best desk lamps 

To select a range of the best desk lamps, we considered design, features, and cost. The desk lamps you see in this roundup are optimal for work environments—we avoided any bulky picks that would take up valuable desk space. We also looked for products that would reduce common workplace issues like eye strain and poor lighting. These picks are all LED-equipped for efficiency and color consistency. 

Work setups can change by the hour, so we also only recommended desk lamps that could adapt to any task. These desk lamps are all designed with adjustable brightness features, so you won’t be blinded by a too-harsh bulb or have to squint as you finish up late-night tasks. 

While some picks are more design-focused for those with an eye for aesthetics, others are equipped with phone chargers and clocks that provide added functionality. Rather than balancing office tech, you can combine the necessities in one multifunctional product. It’s worth remembering, though: extra bells and whistles don’t make up for a sub-par lighting experience. These are desk lamps, first and foremost.

The best desk lamps: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether you work from home or from an office, the right desk lamp is essential to getting the job done, right up there with a good desk organizer. They’re also an important part of your office decor. These sleek designs incorporate smart features to help you save space. here are some of our modern favorites.

Best overall: Eppiebasic Architect Clamp LED Desk Lamp

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Why it made the cut: The Eppiebasic Lamp clamps onto the edge of your desk to save valuable space and cuts down on-screen glare.

Specs 

• 24 watts of light
• 31.5 inches wide
• 45-degree angle

Pros

• Easy to install
• No flickering
• Flexible neck
• Variable brightness

Cons

• Dim function stays on when powered off
• Limited adjustability

If you stare at a screen all day, you’re probably familiar with the struggle of illuminating your monitor and keyboard without creating a distracting glare on the display. Whether you’re an architect, designer, or IT wiz, EppieBasic specializes in desk lamps that give your entire desk setup a light that makes work brighter and better. That’s why we selected this 45-degree angled LED desk lamp as our top pick overall. This 31-inch long light bar covers the width of your workspace without spilling onto your monitors. 

It’s designed with 24-watt LED lights that are bright enough to light a multi-monitor workstation. This lamp also automatically adjusts to your workplace environment, with five dimming levels and four color temperature modes to suit your surroundings.

If you want to create a clutter-free workspace, this pick also fits the bill. Unlike other designs, this lamp clamps onto your desk behind your monitor or laptop to reduce clutter and give you more space. The sensitive touch buttons allow you to easily control the light intensity, while the flexible silicone neck can easily adjust to any angle.

Best value: OttLite Thrive LED Sanitizing Desk Lamp

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Why it made the cut: OttLite’s sanitizing technology can help eradicate bacteria in your workspace and provide wireless charging.

Specs

• 14-26 inches tall
• 5 x 4 inch base
• 5V USB port

Pros

• Adjustable brightness
• Vivid LEDs
• Flexible neck design

Cons

• Phone charge function is slow
• Smaller light, less surface area
• Base is small, less stable

It’s no secret that our tech and workspaces can breed bacteria, but just how dirty are they? Studies have shown that they’re extremely gross. If you want to keep your workplace as germ-free as possible without the hassle of daily cleaning, this desk lamp from OttLite will zap bacteria on the spot—no Clorox needed. OttLite has its own patented technology to make your desktop cleaner, simply by flipping the switch. 

The SpectraClean technology in this desk lamp works to continuously break down bacteria, fungus, and mold while still providing you the bright light you need to avoid eye strain. SpectraClean uses light outside of the UV spectrum to effectively disinfect antimicrobials that are suspended in the air or on surfaces. This pick is also designed to mimic natural daylight with LED, so you can feel more energized and comfortable while working indoors. This modern design also has integrated wireless charging, so you can power up your phone or tablet right from the desktop. 

If you like to move around throughout the day to keep comfortable, this lamp also features a flexible neck with a 14- to 26-inch height adjustment, so you can go from nighttime reading lamp to lighting up your desk monitor. 

Best for e-reading: BenQ eReading LED Desk Lamp

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Why it made the cut: The BenQ lamp comes with adjustable settings and can easily travel from your office space to bedside.

Specs 

• 90 cm lighting width
• 1,800 lux illumination

Pros

• Sturdy build
• Ample adjustability
• Clever illumination pattern

Cons

• Sensitive touch controls
• No built-in charge ports
• High price

Your desk setup can change by the day—or even by the hour. From midday Zoom meetings to nighttime Kindle reading, your desk lamp should have adjustable settings and shape to accommodate whatever task is next. This swing-arm desk lamp has three points of articulation, which lets you adjust the height and angle to create the ideal lighting, no matter the task. It’s easy to move but stays put when you get it just where you want. With options in gold, silver, and blue, this pick can suit any interior. 

The curved head on this lamp provides less light in the center and brighter light at the edges to keep glare off of your computer display. Because of its sweeping design, it can cover a wide area with illumination without a huge light source. With the touch of a button, you can also adjust the color temperature and brightness of the light for versatility throughout the workday. The auto-dimming mode can detect your surroundings and adjust its settings accordingly, giving you the best light to avoid eye strain.

Best for small spaces: LumiCharge LED Smart Adjustable Desk Lamp

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Why it made the cut: The universal charging dock on the LumiCharge LED lamp ensures that you can charge any kind of device, with no plug-in needed.

Specs 

• Comes with 10-watt wireless charger
• 14 inches tall

Pros

• Adjustable light positioning
• ON/OFF for LED clock display
• Motion sensor

Cons

• No battery backup to save clock functions
• Rotating charger port can be too flexible

It’s easy to get distracted and feel cluttered when your smartphone is sitting on your desk all day, especially if you also have a charger for it. That’s why multifunctional office tech, like this LED lamp from LumiCharge, can maximize your space while giving you all the innovative features you need to keep on top of work. LumiCharge’s name describes the brand perfectly — both illuminating your space and giving your devices the battery power to get through the day. 

The LED system has three hues and 10 levels of brightness to choose from to suit any setting. For those that hate stumbling into a pitch-black room, you can opt to use this lamp’s built-in motion sensor. When the sensor detects movement in a dark room, it will light up so you don’t stub your toe in the middle of the night. If the motion-sensor function isn’t for you, the lamp comes with a sensor block so you can easily disable this feature. 

If you’re tired of picking up your phone to check the time, this desk lamp also gives you the time, date, and temperature on its LED display. This pick also offers a convenient universal charging dock and 10W wireless charger, which saves valuable space that would otherwise be taken up by tangled cords. 

Best for aesthetics: Lite Source LS-306BLK LED Desk Lamp

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Why it made the cut: If you prefer to keep tech hidden for a sleek interior, Halotech’s matte black finish gives a sophisticated look while still offering modern features.

Specs 

• 19 inches high by 29 inches high
• 8 watt LED bulb
• Lightbulb included

Pros

• Pure white light
• Stays cool
• Adjustable brightness
• Sturdy construction

Cons

• Finicky dimmer button
• Not as long-lasting as the halogen version of the lamp

Lite Source was founded in 1983, which has given the company plenty of time to fine-tune its tech with elegant design and sleek features. If you prefer a contemporary, artistic design over more utilitarian models, this matte-black metal pick can fulfill both form and function. Though the lamp is tall, it’s designed with a sturdy counterbalance and weighted base to keep it stable as you adjust it. The slim design also frees up valuable desk space, so you can have a well-lit workstation that still has plenty of room for all your other necessities, like work materials, printers, and laptops. 

This LED desk lamp also offers a convenient touch dimmer switch so that you can tailor the lighting to your preference. The metal shade surrounding the 8W bulb also tilts to direct the light, so you can illuminate your keyboard, documents, or laptop without straining your eyes.

Best splurge: Dyson Lightcycle Morph Desk Lamp

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Why it made the cut: Dyson’s innovative algorithm uses data to pinpoint what kind of lighting best suits your environment.

Specs 

• 20.5 inches tall
• LED lifespan is 181,000 hours
• 11.2 watts

Pros

• Range of light colors and levels
• Automatic adjustments
• Minimalistic design

Cons

• High price point
• Power button is too close to other controls
• No option to turn off the auto-adjust feature

This morph desk lamp tracks your local daylight to create optimal brightness that suits your space. The innovative algorithm uses your local time, date, and GPS location to create the perfect color temperature and brightness level to create a natural amount of ambient light. 

The light can also reduce blue-light exposure in the evenings to help with eye strain and fatigue brought on by staring at your screen. You can also select the Relax or Ambient position, which instantly reduces the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to. All these high-tech features come at a higher price point than your average desk lamp, but if you’re looking for a luxury product to accentuate your workplace, this pick fits the bill. 

Things to consider when buying the best desk lamps

Surface area

Workspace is precious, so when you’re picking a desk lamp, consider how much space you have. Most modern desk lamps are designed with a smaller base to optimize your desk space while still providing proper lighting—other designs even have clamps that attach to the edge of your desk and take up no space at all. 

Angle and adjustability

When lighting a work area, look for a lamp that brightens your materials without shining directly in your eyes. Monitor lamps that hover above your laptop or monitor are a great way to reduce eye strain, or you can opt for a lamp that has an adjustable head to accommodate your unique work environment. 

Added features

Like most modern tech, desk lamps have gone through some serious upgrades to offer updated features that improve your workflow. From LED clocks to adjustable light warmth to wireless phone chargers, there’s no shortage of added features that can clear up valuable workspace and optimize your workday. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best desk lamps

• Best overall: Eppiebasic Architect Clamp LED Desk Lamp
• Best value: OttLite Thrive LED Sanitizing Desk Lamp
• Best for e-reading: BenQ eReading LED Desk Lamp
• Best for small spaces: LumiCharge LED Smart Adjustable Desk Lamp
• Best for aesthetics: Lite Source LS-306BLK LED Desk Lamp
• Best for crafting: Cricut Bright 360
• Best splurge: Dyson Lightcycle Morph Desk Lamp

The right light is an essential part of your work experience, and the best desk lamps can help make your experience healthier and more enjoyable. Whether you’re looking to make the most of a small space or create a smart workspace, our picks will help you create a space that energizes and inspires you daily.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.