What Is the Best Reading Light for Bed? (+2 Expert Recommendations)

For every voracious reader, the perfect reading light for bed is as critical as finding the next great book.

Whether you’re cozying up with a hardcover mystery or winding down with your e-reader, the right light can significantly enhance your nighttime reading experience.

But what makes a reading light stand out?

This post will guide you to finding the best lighting to use in bed.

We’ll consider light settings, battery life, and other factors to ensure comfort. You’ll be able to read late into the night without straining your eyes or disturbing your partner’s sleep. The best bed reading light will also support good reading posture.

Plus, we have two tried and tested recommendations from avid readers like you!

Let’s go!

Key Takeaways

All the bed lights recommended here are GOOD. But they serve different purposes. Here’s a summary to help you:

• Best design and most convenience: Glocusent led neck reading
• No blue light and you’ll sleep better: Hooga Health Clip
• Absolutely tiny, compact, and reliable: DEWENWILS USB Rechargeable Light
• Battery life is for months: Raniacho
• Affordable, reliable, and does the job: Energizer Clip-On, Naevlinge by Ikea, Vekkia Book Light by Ikea

Factors for Picking the Best Reading Light for Bed

For the picky reader, it’s not enough to get just any book light. Picking the right book light could mean the difference between having a satisfying read beside an oblivious sleeping partner or unhappily settling into bed to avoid disturbing your bedmate.

How should you choose a book light? Consider these key factors:

• Battery Life – A good reading light should provide enough battery power to last you through an entire book or at least a few chapters. Nobody wants their reading flow disrupted by the sudden dimming of their light.
• Light Quality – The type of light the book light emits is crucial. Some people prefer warm lights for a cozy feel, while others may want a cooler color for better visibility. The ideal reading light should have adjustable brightness levels to cater to different preferences.
• Light Settings – A versatile book light with multiple settings is always a top pick. This allows you to easily adjust the angle and intensity of the light to suit your needs, whether you’re reading in bed or on a camping trip.
• Hands-Free Design – Let’s face it: holding a book light while trying to turn pages can be quite cumbersome. A hands-free design, such as a clip base or neck light, makes for an effortless reading experience. You may also want your bed lights to have clasps and clamps so you can perch them on your headrest, nightstand, or some other place.
• Portability – You never know where your next reading spot may be. A lightweight and compact book light is ideal for carrying around in your bag or stowing it in a small drawer. And it should not add extra weight to your paperback.
• Steadiness: If you’re planning on using a book light for extended periods, consider its steadiness. A wobbly light can be distracting and make it difficult to focus on the page.

Being aware of these useful factors means you’ll pick the right device to support your nighttime reading habits. Now, let’s get into the best book lights for bed so you can read comfortably.

Book lights for Bed – Our Best Recommendations

Let’s start by looking at some recommendations from avid readers who also rely on books and reading for their careers.

Disclaimer: YSK that I may get a small commission that does not affect your final price. In this way, I will get some support to run this site.

1. Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

If you’re looking for hands-free and indoor use reading lights, then you want Glocusent’s unique design.

It has a flexible gooseneck shape or a curved shape that fits around your neck easily. This means that your light flows from your neck in the direction of what you’re reading.

No need to screw on the lamp anywhere or adjust it as it uses your body as a hinge.

A couple of things you should know:

• It has three different light types
• Three different light settings
• The light is not harsh and will not bounce off paperback books
• You can twist the adjustable gooseneck to direct more light in the right direction
• It comes in 8 different types of colors

It’s great for reading in bed but also for carrying on an airplane.

It’s worth noting that the product has over 115K reviews, and 80% of them are overwhelmingly positive.

You should definitely consider investing in this small flashlight alternative, which is so unique that an original patent has been applied.

2. Hooga Health Clip-On Light

Are you concerned about sleeping poorly from exposure to blue light?

You should be, as blue light blocks your body’s ability to generate melatonin. The last thing you want is for your late-night reading to make your sleep patterns worse.

The Hooga Health Clip-On Lamp is the only light in this list that offers a blue light-free light spectrum.

Hooga Health has two types of clip-on lights for general reading at night:

• The Amber Clip-On Book Light
• The Amber and White Clip-on Book Light

I recommend going for the amber and white option just so that you can have variety in your light choice.

The Hooga light is 99.95% free of blue light. Some tests found the 1600-K amber colour to be pleasant and soothing to the eyes after countless hours at home.

3. Raniaco Reading Book Light 16 LEDs Clip

Our final pick is Raniaco for a larger and solid pick. You can set it up like a bedside lamp or attach it to your book. The clip is solid and won’t slip when you attach it to your pages.

The light setting options are low, mid, and high.

This one is different because it has a broader light source compared to the other lights mentioned here.

It’s USB rechargeable and can stand up on the side or be clipped into one of the edges of tables or bed frames with a clip of 3 inches.

It comes with different charging options, such as USB and battery-powered. It lasts 80 hours, and you won’t have to recharge or change batteries for months!

The lighting isn’t harsh, and it has a touchpad feature that cycles through different light settings. One issue is that it could disturb your partner when switching settings.

4. Naevlinge by Ikea (Best for ‘Me Time’)

Here’s what the award-winning screenwriter Neil Chase and the author of Iron Dogs has to say.

As a writer and novelist, I know the value of a good book! If I’m going to read late at night, you can be sure I need a good reading light! As a busy dad to two daughters, my days are busy with writing, filming, and driving my girls to their activities. I love to either read or watch TV late at night, as that is the time where I’m not concerned with the needs of others. It’s my “me-time”.

My favorite reading light is the basic Naevlinge from Ikea. It has a spotlight and a clamp and is lightweight. It also has a nice, bright LED light, and the clip makes it super easy to move around and use. It’s also cheap and easy to get at any Ikea store!

5. Vekkia Book Light by Ikea (Peaceful Bedtime Reading)

Juliet Dreamhunter is a productivity and AI consultant and the founder of Juliety.

Her favorite bed reading light source has been the same for ten years!

Again, an Ikea item – you know you’re getting value, affordability, and longevity with your lighting device. This is what she says:

I love reading in bed before sleeping because it’s the only time I get some peace and quiet to dive into my books. It’s also way better for my sleep to read good fiction on paper than to scroll through my phone.

I got a book light more than ten years ago so I wouldn’t wake up my husband while I’m reading. I’ve used it so much, especially when I travel, that I had to get a new one. I don’t just read in my bed—I also use it on planes and trains and in hotel beds.

The Vekkia book light is my favorite. It’s really flexible, which is great because I don’t usually just sit up to read. I’m often lying down in some pretty weird positions, so I can just clip it on the back of the book and not worry about moving it around. It also lets you choose the light color, although I personally always use the warm light in warm white.

6. Energizer Clip-On

Energizer is a reliable brand that has been around for ages. And the Energizer Clip-On Light is worth a look.

It offers a simple, efficient, and affordable light at a low price.

You should buy this if you:

• Have a tendency to drop things and want a bed reading light that will stay in one piece should you drop it.
• Need a long beam distance – this one illuminates up to 4 meters ahead.
• The light output is 11 lumens.
• It has a convenient clip-on to attach to your book while reading in beda.

It’s a great choice for a low-cost and easy-to-use book lamp, and you can adjust the head to point the light wherever needed.

There isn’t much to praise or much to complain about, either. It’s a good and reliable light for reading in the dark.

7. DEWENWILS USB Rechargeable Light

This thing is TINY!

It’s perfect if you want something compact and foldable – it’s smaller than your palm. All you have to

The Dewen is portable, compact, and lightweight. No charging cord is necessary.

It makes a slight clicking sound when adjusted, and the light may be a little dim for two pages but okay for one. It has low power consumption.

The compact light slides through thin steel clips into books. It also has a swiveling effect – to move its head left or right and up and down to illuminate in your chosen direction.

It has two brightness levels – a soft and brighter level. It’s uncomplicated.

The clip has a lean and light base, and you can set it up so that it is clipped to the side or front of your book. It doesn’t have batteries – you can detach the head and plug it into a USB connector to charge. The clip base is fairly thin, which means it will spare your pages and keep them from getting crinkled. It’s smaller than all the devices mentioned so far.

Lasts 8 hours and needs 1.5 hours to charge.

And these are your options. Hopefully, you’re ready to pick one that works for you.

Choose the best light to read comfortably in bed (without disturbing others)

Selecting the right reading light for your bedtime routine goes beyond mere illumination.

It’s about crafting a personal sanctuary that provides comfort without disrupting others. Each option presented caters to diverse needs and tastes, yet they all share the common aim of enhancing your reading.

Here’s to finding the perfect light that enables you to delve into stories that captivate and soothe you. Happy reading!

What height should bedside reading lights be?

The ideal height for a bedside table lamp for reading is typically considered to be between 24 and 30 inches from the tabletop to the top of the lampshade. This range is suitable for average-height beds, nightstands, and lampshades.

How many lumens do I need for bedtime reading?

When it comes to bedtime reading, it is recommended to have about 25 to 50 lumens of light focused directly on your reading area to prevent eye strain and ensure comfortable reading. However, it’s important to note that individual preferences may vary.