The 9 Best Desk Lamps of 2025

If you have the space for a desk lamp that does it all: We recommend the Pure Forms Desk Lamp. Equipped with a pair of independently dimmable LED arrays spanning two sides of the same lamp arm — one facing downward and the other toward the front — the lamp can independently or simultaneously shine a beam onto your workspace and deliver a forward-facing light to soften shadows during video calls.

Both arrays ride on a double-hinged swing arm that stretches up to 33.5 inches tall and pivots a full 360 degrees at the steel base — tall enough to perch well above an external monitor. They also feature dimming and color-temperature adjustment of 2,700 K to 6,500 K.

The Pure Forms lamp also moonlights as a charging dock for phones, tablets, wireless earbuds, and other compatible devices; the lamp has two USB-C ports (one 65 W), one USB-A port, one HDMI port, and twin 10 W wireless charging pads found along the base. Like the Dyson Solarcycle Morph, the muscular and tech-forward styling weighs heavily, both aesthetically and physically (at 14 pounds).

If you want a timeless design for working, reading, or creating a cozy ambiance: The Anglepoise Type 75 Desk Lamp’s triple-spring articulating movement is the definition of set-it-and-forget-it adjustability, stretching up to 26 inches high from the base without any unattended travel. It also swivels 360 degrees from the base and includes a replaceable E26 base bulb instead of an integrated LED.

The Type 75’s classic design and its oh-so-nice-to-touch anodized-aluminum matte finish make it aesthetically at home in spaces that are modern, traditional, and every style in between. It’s also backed by a lifetime warranty. The lamp lacks only in its inability to fully rotate at its head, stopping about 10 degrees short of a complete turn.

If you want a modernist lamp you can operate with one hand: The Flos Kelvin is an elegantly designed architect’s lamp that I’ve owned for nearly a decade and that I’ve come to appreciate for its simple-to-operate tap-touch controls, smooth adjustability, and stable build.

It’s available with a base, clamp, wall arm, or as a drop-in desk support attachment. Its minimalist silhouette, flat rotating LED array, and one-handed operation design are all pluses.

But the Kelvin lamp didn’t make the cut as a pick after we observed flickering during video calls (previously invisible to the naked eye). Also, it has a propensity to kick backward like a catapult when positioned too far back and upward.

If you need a small desk lamp that can double as a bedside lamp: Check out the Louis Poulsen NJP Mini. It arrives fully assembled, it features a tip-proof heavy steel base and an angled aluminum arm, and it has a 342-degree turning radius you can nudge away or near with one finger.

The integrated 10 W LED is bright (without being distracting) and also dimmable. The LEDs are tucked almost halfway back into the lamp shade, so the design eliminates distracting glare.

The NJP Mini is a design object with a design pedigree price to match. It’s probably even better suited as a bedside lamp. But its small size, quality build, and one-button control simplicity may appeal to those who prioritize aesthetics as much as functionality.

We also tested the full-size Louis Poulsen NJP Table Lamp and recommend it for many of the same reasons as its smaller sibling. Where it may prove to be more appealing to some is the greater height and reach; the full-size ditches the fixed height single arm design for an articulating dual-arm design capable of stretching 25 inches outward and a little over 26 inches in height at full extension. The larger edition also shares the four- or eight-hour timer option and comes with a brighter version of the integrated 10 W LED found within the NJP Mini, bumping up lumens from 418 to 529.

If you prefer a wood look and prize cordless portability: The Octagon Portable Desk Light has the most unusual design of the lamps we considered, especially if you get it in the natural walnut wood finish. It’s also one of the few cordless (and therefore portable) lamps we encountered in our research that also had positive reviews.

It’s slim (only 3.4 inches wide) and has four touch-controlled brightness levels. But it didn’t get as bright as the other lamps we tested.

We didn’t include it as a pick because it toppled often during testing, and several panelists disliked the design. But if you want a cordless LED lamp that you can take anywhere — we moved it from room to room a couple of times — it’s an interesting lamp.

If you want classic looks and don’t mind reduced adjustability: The IKEA Hektar Work Lamp could be a good choice. This tall, architect-style lamp with a chic brushed-metal finish is one of the retailer’s most popular desk lamps, and it features modern conveniences like wireless charging and a USB port.

It’s more top-heavy than other lamps, which made it less likely to hold its position at certain angles in our tests. But if you like the style and don’t plan on using the lamp angled at 90 degrees, it could be an excellent fit for your home office. Note that it’s also a tall lamp (27 inches at its tallest), with a large, 7-inch base.

If you want a dimmable desk lamp with a small footprint that blends into the background: The Gantri Gallery Task Light shares a similar offset and short-necked adjustable shade design as the Schoolhouse Joe Task Lamp and Gantri Analog Task Light, making it another space-efficient option for illuminating smaller desks with a focused, intimate glow. The lamp’s plant-based plastic polymer build isn’t as brawny as the all-metal Joe Task Lamp, but it’s also half the price, includes a dimmer, and swivels 180 degrees vertically and 360 degrees horizontally for easy one-handed repositioning. The Gallery Task Light is also anchored with a heavy base that’s fortified with a rubber-lined skid pad to keep the lamp from tipping over.

Gantri includes a replaceable E12 LED bulb that glows on the warmer end of the spectrum (2,700 K), but at 6 W at max brightness, it’s noticeably dimmer than most of our picks.