How to choose a table lamp: what to consider

A table lamp lights a place and furnishes the surface it stands on. These are the things worth settling before you choose one. The numbers are common rules of thumb, not fixed rules.

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Scale and height

For reading, the light should fall on the page without shining in your eyes. A common rule of thumb is that the lower edge of the shade sits around eye level when you are seated.
Beside a bed or sofa, check the lamp's height against the surface it stands on. A lamp that looks right on a tall console can loom over a low table.
Leave room on the surface for the things that live there: a book, a glass, a phone.

Light and shade

An opaque shade sends light up and down; a translucent one glows and spreads light more widely. A narrow shade gives a tighter pool for reading.
Check the fitting (for example E27, E14 or a built-in LED), the maximum wattage, whether it can be dimmed, and whether a bulb is included.
Warm white light (around 2700 K) is the usual choice for living rooms and bedrooms.

Switch and cable

Check where the switch is (on the cable, at the base or on the shade) and whether you can reach it from where you sit.
Check the cable length and the position of the nearest socket. A long cable can be a nuisance, a short one limits where the lamp can go.

Materials and care

Fabric and paper shades collect dust and can fade in strong sun. Glass and metal wipe clean. Ceramic and stone bases are heavy, which helps stability but makes them harder to move.
A lamp should be stable: check the base against the height, especially around children and pets.

Safety and longevity

Check that the lamp carries the safety marking required where you live (such as CE in the EU).
A lamp lasts longer if its parts can be replaced: the bulb or LED module, the switch, the cable.

Questions worth asking the maker

Exact height and shade size? Which bulb fits, and is one included? Where is the switch and how long is the cable? Which plug does it come with? Can the shade and cable be replaced? What are the delivery and return terms?

Sources and further reading

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