What Is The Best Position For A Desk Lamp? What Height Is Best

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Getting the perfect lighting for your workspace can be tricky—you don’t want it too bright, you need to make sure that it’s at the right height, and so on. But when it comes to desk lamps, figuring out the best position can be particularly challenging.

Whether you are looking for a lamp to provide ambient lighting or one that will help you see better while working, understanding “What Is The Best Position For A Desk Lamp” is key.

This article takes a look at different types of desk lamps, factors to consider when choosing the best position for your lamp, pros, and cons of various placements, how other objects in your room may affect positioning, different positions for different tasks, and more. With this information, you can find the ideal spot for your lamp and get the most out of its use.

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What Is The Best Position For A Desk Lamp?

Desk lamps are a great addition to any workstation, providing extra illumination and creating a more pleasant and productive environment. But what is the best position for a desk lamp? The answer depends on your individual needs and preferences, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind when selecting the right spot for your lamp.

Best Height for a Desk Lamp: 

The desk lamp is a great human invention and has been innovated into several types, shapes, and purposes. But from the look of things, it seems like users of this technology are yet to adopt the best way to get the best out of it. The implication of not knowing the best way to position your desk lamp might lead to some health issues, the commonest being an eye problem – depending on what you use it for. On a more practical note, it will interest you to know that fewer than 2.2 billion people suffer from distance vision impairment. In contrast, at least 1 billion of these cases suffer from avoidable vision impairment issues.

Again, it has been recorded that most people who have vision impairment are within the 50 years age range. All these and more still resonate with the question: All these and more still resonate with the question of the best position for a desk lamp. That being said, in this article, we will be detailing the most critical information about the desk lamp for better user etiquette.

What Is The Best Position For A Desk Lamp

What are Desk Lamps?

Desk Lamps are those portable task lights that often sit on our tables, illuminating the user to accomplish tasks.

Desk Lamps are peculiar to those who engage in sewing, reading, writing, knitting, painting, etc. Some of these lamps come in a flexible format, while others come in single-pole (non-adjustable) formats.

But in all, they serve the same purpose. Before now, the desk lamp is known as the “Gooseneck lamp.” It was the only available design after it was invented 100 years back by British engineer George Carwardine. The design is not the only thing that has changed over the years; the illuminating pattern has also changed due to the evolution of light bulbs. Unfortunately, not too much emphasis has been placed on the standard height to position the desk lamp all these years.

This development has been responsible for the increased cases of eye problems around the 1950s but reduced around the 1980s (more than a decade) after Nick Holonyak, Jr. invented the Light Emitting Diode (LED) in 1962. This signified the first evolution of the desk lamp as we know it, as it has never remained the same ever since then.

There are tens of desk lamps in the market today one can barely mention one without the other. Instead of randomly listing them, it will be rational to list and explain the major ones. This list is stated thus:

1. Incandescent Desk Lamps

This is one of the first desk lamps that made its way into the market. Because of the presence of filament whose glow is triggered by the current that passes through the bulb, it is considered harsh to the eyes, especially when it is used for reading or other close-range table activities. Though not necessarily in use anymore, but still very much available. It is recommended that users adjust it at 20.6 inches high for convenience, thus, not recommended for reading.

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2. The Tungsten Halogen Desk Lamps

The type of bulb used in this lamp was developed in early 1958 by E.H. Wiley and E.G. Fridrich. The bulb used in this lamp is made with halogen gas, hence, the name: halogen desk lamps. Without the halogen gas, the filament slowly loses its light, and evaporates at a very high temperature. This is still harsh for close-range activities like reading and writing, but it is safer than the Incandescent desk lamps. But if there is a need to use it for such a purpose, a distance height of 18 inches is recommended.

3. Mercury Vapour Lamp

This lamp works with the least amount of energy from colliding electrons. It can work effectively with 60% less energy than either the tungsten-halogen or the incandescent desk lamps. Unlike those mentioned above, you can make closer contact with this type of lamp. It is recommended you place it 15-18 inches high.

Different Lamps for Different Folks

Each desk lamp is built according to its purpose. While desk lamps are peculiar to students, welders, technicians, medical practitioners, lab scientists, etc., they have a specified desk lamp recommended for them. Below, they are listed thus:

Industrial Desk Lamp

This is used mainly in construction industries like welding factories, furniture-making factories, etc. This lamp comes with strong brightness and is not recommended to be looked at directly. Because of the strong illuminating capacity, it is advised that you stay 23 inches high on the table.

Domestic Desk Lamp

This is the most modern desk lamp; it comes with LED bulbs that number 200-500 depending on the size of the lamp. It has a very mild illuminating capacity yet is very friendly to the eyes and doesn’t have a stipulated range of closeness. You can have direct close contact with it, and it is very recommendable for students.

Old and Modern Lamps

Many things have changed since the invention of desk lamps. Everything, ranging from the bulb used, amount of electricity, and energy consumed, has witnessed some modern innovation. Today, unlike the traditional incandescent bulbs, modern lamps now come with LED bulbs that have been considered healthy to humans and environmentally safe. Its ability to maintain a cleaner environment through its non-greenhouse emissions has been scientifically proven very safe.

The good thing about modern LED desk lamps is that they can easily be used domestically and for industrial purposes. This means that it can substitute for industrial lamps, and the adjustable height doesn’t really matter anymore. For more brightness, all the manufacturers need is to add more LED bulbs and increase the cell capacity. It is also important to add that most moderate desk lamps now come with rechargeable cell batteries that retain power for hours when fully charged; this is unlike the conversational AC-powered desk lamp as we know it.

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Ksunun Double Head LED Desk Lamp, Architect Desk Lamps for Home Office, 24W Brightest Workbench Office Lighting-5 Color Modes and 5 Dimmable Eye Protection Modern Desk Lamp for Monitor Studio Reading

Ksunun Double Head LED Desk Lamp, Architect Desk Lamps for Home Office, 24W Brightest Workbench Office Lighting-5 Color Modes and 5 Dimmable Eye Protection Modern Desk Lamp for Monitor Studio Reading

  • 【Super Wide, Large and Bright】 This 24W LED desk lamp has a double head design that allows you to adjust the angle of the light bar. It can extend to 31.5 inches and fully illuminates the table. Suitable for multi-monitor workstation, home office, large desk, study, architect, computer, drawing, sewing, crafts, painting, reading, gaming, piano. Height up to 32.7 inches. The best LED desk lamp for working from home
  • 【Press button Control】 With sensitive press buttons, the black table light can easy to control color temperature and brightness individually. It includes 5 dimming levels and adjustable 5 color temperatures modes (3,200 K-6,500 K). And the memory function remembers your last Settings. No flickering, no ghostly freezing, no screen glare
  • 【Sturdy & Energy saving】The workbench light is made of aluminum alloy and ABS material. The work bench light is very durable and can last up to 50,000 hours.
  • 【Modern looking & Saving Space】 Double head design + gooseneck design, the gooseneck desk lamp can be flexibly adjusted to 360° according to your needs. And swing arm desk lamps for home office adopts clamp design, so this small desk lamp is suitable for small space
  • 【24/7 Customer Service】12 months of Warranty. Service team is 7/24 online. Any questions please feel free to contact us, we will give you a perfect solution
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Dott Arts LED Desk Lamp, Touch Control Desk Lamp with 3 Levels Brightness, Dimmable Office Lamp with Adjustable Arm, Foldable Table Desk Lamp for Table Bedroom Bedside Office Study, 5000K, 8W, Black

Dott Arts LED Desk Lamp, Touch Control Desk Lamp with 3 Levels Brightness, Dimmable Office Lamp with Adjustable Arm, Foldable Table Desk Lamp for Table Bedroom Bedside Office Study, 5000K, 8W, Black

  • TOUCH CONTROL DIMMABLE DESK LAMP --- 5000K cool white desk lamp with 3 Brightness Levels, easily adjust the brightness by touch. Cool white lighting great suit for working, studying, reading.
  • FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE DESIGN --- This foldable LED desk lamp with 230° flexible arm and 90° base axis, good help to save desk space. Easy to place in shelves, bags, suitcases, and box.
  • USB POWER (AC ADAPTER INCLUDED) --- You can power the desk lamp by USB Port, easy to plug into any available USB port to power the lamp, such laptop, computer, power bank. Also, you can power by the AC Adapter which includes the package.
  • EYE CARING TABLE LAMP --- This touch table lamps are designed to be soft, stable, and non-flickering light. The office desk lamp adopts surface led light source design which could perfectly eliminate glare, visual fatigue, and improve visual effects.
  • PREMIUM SERVICE&LONG LIFESPAN--Our led light designed to last for more than 50000 hours, you won't replace the LED in the next 25 years,The desk lamp led comes with 365 days worry-free service and lifetime nice customer service.Just order this touch lamp without any risk.
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ACNCTOP Desk Lamp for Office Home - Eye-Caring Architect Task Lamp 25 Lighting Modes Adjustable LED Desk Lamp Flexible Gooseneck Clamp Light for Workbench Drafting Reading Study (Black)

ACNCTOP Desk Lamp for Office Home - Eye-Caring Architect Task Lamp 25 Lighting Modes Adjustable LED Desk Lamp Flexible Gooseneck Clamp Light for Workbench Drafting Reading Study (Black)

  • 25 Light Modes: The LED desk lamp can easily switch between 5 brightness and 5 color tempers (3200K-6500K) with buttons, providing you with healthy and comfortable office lighting. Different lights meet the needs of different scenes, suitable for you and your children to read, work, study, relax, etc.
  • 360° Adjustable & Safe: The gooseneck tube is 360° flexible and adjustable. The clamp lamp is equipped with a silicone pad to avoid scratching the table. office lamp is made of aluminum and ABS material for better heat dissipation and can be used for up to 50,000 hours.
  • Size & Fit Models: desk light has 17 inches of extra wide desk lamp bar and the maximum work height is about 30 inches which is suitable for 32 inches monitor (backward compatible with 29 inches, 27 inches, 24 inches and other monitors). Sturdy metal clips can support a maximum of 2.36 inches of desktop.
  • Energy Saving & Eye Care: Our clip lamp is composed of 48 high quality lamp beads, energy consumption is 80% lower than incandescent lamps. Uniform brightness, wide lighting range, no obvious strobe, no blue light hazard, no glare, soft light, protect your eyesight and reduce eye fatigue.
  • USB Power Supply & Customer Service: You can power the led table lamp via adapter (5V/2A), mobile power, computer, etc. The USB cable is 78 inches long for daily use. We focus on eco-friendly without adapters. 12 months warranty and online help service solve any problems for
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AKRRYR LED Desk Lamp for Home Office, Double Head 24W Desk Lamp with USB Charging Port & Wireless Charger, Architect Desk Light 5 Lighting 5 Brightness Flexible Gooseneck Table Light for Reading Study

AKRRYR LED Desk Lamp for Home Office, Double Head 24W Desk Lamp with USB Charging Port & Wireless Charger, Architect Desk Light 5 Lighting 5 Brightness Flexible Gooseneck Table Light for Reading Study

  • 【Super Large Double-head Design】:The LED desk lamp adopts a double-light design. Compared to some desk light on the market, our office lamp is larger and wider, with a lamp head that is as wide as 31 inches. The output size of the adapter is 24V2A, the brightness of the light is brighter, and the light can cover a wider range.
  • 【USB Charging & Wireless Charging】: The work lamp base is equipped with a 5V2A USB charging interface and a 15W fast wireless charging function. You can charge two devices at the same time while using the desk lamp. The table light cord is 6 feet long and comes with an adapter. You don't need to buy adapters separately
  • 【Multiple Brightness Modes】: The desk lamp for office home has 5 brightness modes (20%-100%) and 5 color temperatures (3200K-6500K). Moreover, the computer desktop desk lamps has a memory function, and it will maintain the previous mode when it is lit again. It is very convenient to use.
  • 【Eye-Caring】: The gooseneck of the overhead desk light can be adjusted 360°. The 360° adjustable function of the gooseneck can avoid direct light from the eyes. The light of the table lamp is very uniform, there is no strobe, and the blue light emitted is relatively small, which reduces eye fatigue.
  • 【Wide Application】: The modern smart desk lamp has a wide range of applications. Suitable for office, study, design, architectural drawing, reading, and artwork. We provide online service and1-year warranty, if you have any questions, you can contact us.
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TROND Desk Lamp, Dimmable Eye-Caring Task Lamp, 3 Color Modes 7 Brightness Levels Table Lamp, Flexible Gooseneck Lamp, Desk Light for Home Office Bedroom Kitchen Nightstand Reading, 6000K, 10W, Black

TROND Desk Lamp, Dimmable Eye-Caring Task Lamp, 3 Color Modes 7 Brightness Levels Table Lamp, Flexible Gooseneck Lamp, Desk Light for Home Office Bedroom Kitchen Nightstand Reading, 6000K, 10W, Black

  • 【Eye-care LED Desk Lamp】: A unique surface lighting source & innovative light guide panel create a flicker-free, anti-glare light without ghosting, ideal for children, students, or people with vision problems such as macular degeneration. No more eye fatigue. This soft, non-glare desk light is perfect for when you're working, reading, or crafting.
  • 【3 Color Modes Task Lamp】: Long press the LED power indicator to activate 3 distinctive lighting modes. Choose the right color temperature with this desk lamp to meet your various lighting moods – Working 6000K, Reading 4500K, Relaxing 3000K.
  • 【7 Brightness Levels Table Lamp】: By swiping at the dimmer groove, you can adjust the brightness up to 7 levels, fun & easy to use. This adjustable dimmer led desk lamp is perfect for home, office, bedroom, nightstand, or kitchen. Even smarter, the integrated memory function can remember the light setting from your last use.
  • 【Flexible Gooseneck Lamp】: This table lamp features an ultra-slim base (0.63” thick) and a low-profile design, fitting perfectly with your home or office decors. The flexible gooseneck (16.1”, fully extended) allows you to bend the lamp towards wherever you want.
  • 【Long Lifespan & Environmentally Friendly】: Up to 40000hrs lifespan (22 years if used 5 hours per day), 40 times longer than a typical incandescent light. This desk lamp consumes 70%-80% less power than traditional incandescent lamps and does not contain mercury or other environmentally harmful substances.
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LED Bulbs, Halogen, and CFL Desk Lamps: What You Need to Know

The compact fluorescent (CFL)-enabled desk lamp is a product of one of the many evolutions that have taken place in desk lamps. In fact, this bulb is one of the reasons why the adjusted heights in modern desk lamps are not relevant because whichever height it attains is useful to the user. The bulb you find in this lamp is specifically designed to substitute the incandescent light bulb. And unlike the incandescent bulb, CFL bulbs radiate a spectral power distribution. 

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The Halogen bulbs come with a tungsten filament just like you have in incandescent bulbs. Unlike the incandescent bulbs, it contains halogen gas that carries evaporated tungsten particles and re-deposits it back to the filament. LED is the most used, most environmentally friendly, and the most healthy for human eyes. The LEDs are illuminated by the movement of the electrons, which travels via a semiconductor material. But whether it is LED Bulbs, Halogen, or CFL Desk Lamps, their energy consumption is deficient.

Advantages of LED Bulbs Desk Lamps

The advantages of LED bulbs desk lamps over their counterparts are numerous. But there are few major ones which include:

• Ability to use up to 75% less energy, unlike incandescent.

• It is 25 times stronger and lasts longer than halogen and incandescent.

• It lasts three times more than compact fluorescent (CFL) lamps.

• It is very calm no matter how long it works. This is why it always serves no matter the adjusted height. 

• No breakage in filament: it is robust.

Advantages of Halogen Bulbs Desk Lamps

Halogen bulbs desk lamps also have similar characteristics with LED Bulbs desk lamps. Some of its advantages include:

• It is 10-20% more energy-saving than incandescent bulbs.

• Comes with an “instant start” function, unlike the CFLs.

• Totally dimmable.

• Illuminates crisp light, so users don’t even need to heighten it for better performance.

Conclusion: A Little Remark

Ideally, experts have set the recommended height of desk lamps at 26 -34 inches (for a living room desk lamp). But we believe that this assertion depends on the type of bulb the lamp uses. As in, the harsher the illumination, the higher it should be adjusted.

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A bit of DIY: sit on the sofa next to the desk lamp to determine if you have the correct height. Should the bottom of the lampshade be at the same level (not higher) as your eye, then you have the perfect height. Again, make sure you go for lamps with a stable base.

Also Read: How to Solve the Office Chair Swollen Feet Issue?

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Also worth reading: The Best Standing Desk Converters for Your Home Office

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