Choosing a reading lamp

A good reading lamp puts light on the page and keeps it out of your eyes. This guide covers how to read a bulb box, where to put the lamp, and what to check when you buy one online.

Brightness is measured in lumens

Bulb boxes show brightness in lumens. Watts tell you how much power a bulb uses, not how much light it gives.

The law in Great Britain sets what a bulb may claim to replace. A bulb sold as equal to an old 40 W bulb must give about 470 lumens. A bulb sold as equal to an old 60 W bulb must give about 806 lumens.

The lumen figure must be printed on the box in type at least twice the size of the watts.

Warm or cool light

The colour of light is measured in kelvin, written K. The Energy Saving Trust calls 2700 to 3000K warm white. It calls 4000 to 4500K cool white, and says cool white can be a bit harsh for many rooms.

The colour rendering index, or CRI, shows how true colours look under a bulb. The same law sets a minimum CRI of 80 for most household bulbs.

Where to put the lamp

The Macular Society and RNIB give the same advice. Put the lamp below eye level, so it lights the page and does not shine into your eyes.

Keep a room light on as well. The Macular Society says this reduces glare and tiredness.

Moving the lamp closer makes a big difference. The Macular Society says halving the distance gives four times the light on the page.

The Macular Society and the Thomas Pocklington Trust both say a good reading lamp stands firm, is easy to adjust and stays cool.

Older eyes need more light

RNIB says that by 60, most people need about three times the light they needed at 20. The Macular Society says a sight loss condition can double that again.

RNIB runs a helpline on 0303 123 9999, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.

Bulb rules since 2021

Since October 2021, makers and importers can no longer supply most halogen bulbs in Great Britain. The government said fluorescent lights would follow from September 2023.

Bulb boxes now carry an energy label rated from A to G. The old A+, A++ and A+++ grades have gone.

Buying a lamp online

Electrical Safety First suggests buying electrical goods from a seller you trust. It warns that CE and UKCA marks are easily copied onto fake products.

GOV.UK says these marks show that the maker believes the product meets the rules. Electrical Safety First lists some warning signs. They include a plug with no fuse, a plug that is not a UK plug, and no instructions in the box.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards publishes safety reports and recalls, and lamps appear among them.

Sending a lamp back

When you buy from a business online, you can usually cancel within 14 days of delivery. You do not have to give a reason.

You normally pay the cost of sending it back, unless the seller has agreed to pay.

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