11 Best Book Lights for Reading

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By Angela Ledgerwood

A good reading light can make all the difference when it comes to finishing an engrossing novel in bed (next to a happily sleeping partner) or summoning the focus to finish editing that work proposal. Whether you prefer to read while traveling on trains, planes or automobiles, or from your home office, bedroom or couch, we’ve gathered lighting options recommended by authors, publishing professionals and all-around bibliophiles, designed to enhance your reading experience.

$10 at Amazon

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Brooklyn-based author of the novel "The Shimmering State," Meredith Westgate, was gifted this nifty reading light by her husband; or as she puts it: "This gift was a hint to stop constantly falling asleep with the lights on." Since she started using it, the pocket-size accessory with a rechargeable battery and warm LED light has become a constant in her reading life. "The light itself swivels so you can direct it and not disrupt others in bed, on the plane or wherever you bring this tiny friend," she adds.

$770+ at Lumens

Lighting can liven up a room with an optimistic glow and it can help bring clarity and focus to the mind. Kingston, N.Y.-based lighting company, RBW, a certified B Corporation with a stated sustainability commitment, makes these cast-aluminum sconces. "If I could splurge on bedside sconces that are ideal for reading, these would be it," says Westgate. "I love that the design lets you tap to dim so there's no fiddling with cords, and that they can be tilted to exactly the right angle to suit your posture and light your page."

$175 at Amazon

Two years ago, the Paris-based culture and travel journalist Lindsey Tramuta was given a lamp that has (literally) lit her up ever since. The Lito Mini by Lumio resembles a hardcover book with LED modules in the pages. It's "perfect for bedside tables, bookshelves, dimly lit living rooms and even outdoor spaces where one might want to get some reading and writing done without the burden of a corded lamp or more aggressive overhead lighting," says Tramuta, who recently took her Lito on her book tour for "The New Parisienne." She adds, "I also like that I can control how much light it emits by opening the book fully or closing it, fold by fold." Another plus: She says it doesn't keep her partner awake when she uses it to read in bed at night. The lamp offers eight hours of battery life and doubles as a portable power bank, making it excellent for travel.

$344 at Finish Design Shop

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While this gorgeous piece from the Danish company &Tradition wasn't conceived as a reading lamp, its portability and warm enveloping light create the cozy atmosphere Tramuta says she aims for while reading. It can run for up to 11 hours at its brightest setting on a single charge, and it also comes with a three-step dimmer that allows readers to find just the right mood lighting. The large ceramic base is made by hand and features a crackled pattern inspired by Japanese pottery, while a sleek metal shade adds to the warm effect of the lamp. "It has really added something special to my living room, where I tend to read the most," notes Tramuta.

$9 at Amazon

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For many of us, time alone on a plane means blissful uninterrupted hours to get lost in a novel (like "You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty") or a juicy memoir (queue Prince Harry's "Spare"). But you shouldn't have to rely on the cabin's dim overhead lighting. Los Angeles-based writer, Laura Warrell, author of "Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm," discovered this handy travel book light by chance. "I found this light in the goodie bag from a conference and I loved reading with it on the flight home," she says, adding that it "fits in any of my travel bags." Warrell also loves the warm tint of the light that feels gentle on her eyes, as well as the bendable neck that "works well on planes because I can move it around, so it doesn't bother other passengers."

$27 at Amazon

$27 at Walmart

If accessorizing with a pop of color brings a little lift to your world, Warrell recommends another beautifully designed bendable book light that comes in six shades, ranging from bright green to soft lavender. "I love it because I can adjust the brightness and the light's quite natural," she says of the accessory she discovered at her local bookstore, Skylight Books in Los Angeles. With a sturdy, grippy clip and up to 60 hours of battery life on the lowest brightness setting, it's a solid pick for use both at home and while traveling.

$450 at 2Modern

$435 at Design Within Reach

The Tolomeo Lamp has a sleek silhouette and high-quality light output. It's dimmable and adjustable, though those functions don't operate as smoothly as on some other task lights.

A writer needs tools just like any other artist—these days, this may imply a fully-charged laptop and a strong cup of coffee in lieu of a typewriter and whiskey, neat. For Spokane, Wash.-based Jess Walter, the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of "Beautiful Ruins," as well as "The Cold Millions," and most recently the story collection, "The Angel of Rome," this means an old-school architect's lamp to anchor his writing desk—the silver kind with a bendable arm, variable light, and a heavy base. This Italian-made one from Tolomeo offers a similar look to Walter's go-to.

$20 at Rei

"As any mountaineer—or imaginative writer—will attest, you never know when a high-altitude avalanche might drive you into a pitch-black ice cave and you’ll need a reliable hands-free headlamp to dig your way out of a snowy tomb," says Walter, who heartily embraces time outdoors near his hometown of Spokane when he's not writing. "Or maybe, you just need a good headlamp so you can keep one hand free to drink, and the other to turn the page of the book about mountaineering you’re reading in your tent in the backyard." Jokes aside, this headlamp is versatile and durable (it has an IPX4 stormproof rating and is designed to withstand rain and sleet), so it’ll work well for reading by the campfire or just about anywhere.

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"Experimenting with different colored lights at home has been a fun way to inspire my creativity," says Sara Ortiz, senior agent at the Lyceum Agency, who says she's drawn to "the bold color palettes of Mexican architect Luis Barragán and the way artist James Turrell uses light to shape space." Ortiz has five color-changing light bulbs in her bungalow in San Antonio, Texas. "For everyday reading there are two light temperatures (a soft white and daylight hue) but our small hallway is customarily a soft blue, which feels good for transitions." Bonus: the bulbs are remote controlled but don't need to connect to Wi-Fi or your phone to work, which is nice for self-identifying luddites like Ortiz.

$250 at Amazon

This lamp may look familiar, and that's because the utilitarian style served as the inspiration for the 1986 animated short film, "Luxo Jr." by Pixar Studios. Ortiz takes pride in her own beloved chrome Luxo lamp that sits atop her mid-century desk. "The swivel neck is excellent for laser-focused note-taking and helps to spotlight reading material—something most helpful in 2022 when I judged multiple literary prizes," she says.

$195 at Hay

Elegant and functional, this lamp can almost pass as a sculpture, making it one of our own favorite picks for reading. The artful curvaceous tubing of the base and stem is inspired by European street signs and will add charm to any home office or living room. With three brightness settings, it can also shift the mood from "library hours" to "happy hour" in moments. The adjustable head makes it great for focused desk work too.

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