Desk lamps

Desk lamps: Functional light sources for the office, home office and home

A high-quality desk lamp ensures optimal lighting at your workplace – whether in the office, home office or at the desk in the children's room. When buying and choosing a desk lamp, the following criteria are important:

• Features
• Design
• Light bulb

Modern desk lights impress with their well-thought-out functionality and flexible adjustment options, which are ideal for different needs in the workplace:

• Dimmable LED desk lamps allow you to adjust the brightness continuously or in individual steps, depending on the type of dimmer.
• LED table lights with colour change are ideal for selecting the right light colour depending on the time of day or activity, from warm white light for a cosy work routine to neutral white light for concentrated work.
• Battery-powered desk lamps without cables are ideal if there is no socket nearby or if the work area needs to remain flexible.
• Swivel and adjustable desk lamps also offer a great deal of flexibility, for example when aligning the light for even illumination.
• Clamp lights and wall-mounted desk lamps are space-saving options and particularly suitable for small tables or work surfaces with limited space.

Choosing a desk lamp for the children's room

When choosing a desk light for children, safety, ergonomic lighting and ease of use are key considerations, but colourful colours and decorative designs are also important. A dimmable lamp with a neutral white to warm white light colour meets all needs: both for concentrated work when doing homework and for a cosy atmosphere for reading. Models with a flexible arm or swivelling lamp shade allow the light cone to be optimally aligned on the table – this is easy on the eyes and ensures even lighting without glare.

The selection of shapes, colours and materials for desk lights offers the right model for every taste and interior style – from classic library lamps in green to other design classics.

Once you have chosen a desk lamp, you will of course need the right light bulb. And this is what matters:

• LED light bulbs are now standard: they are energy-efficient, long-lasting, generate little heat and provide bright, flicker-free light.
• Socket and base: Commonly used bases are E27, E14 or GU10, and these are designed to fit the corresponding socket on the desk lamp. Since not every light bulb fits into every lamp, you should check the socket of the lamp before purchasing to avoid buying the wrong one.
• Light colour: The light colour of a light bulb is specified in Kelvin (K) and is usually clearly visible on the packaging or in the product description. The higher the Kelvin value, the ‘cooler’ the light appears. For guidance:
  
  • Warm white (approx. 2,700–3,300 K): Soft, pleasant light – ideal for a cosy atmosphere or creative environments.
  • Neutral white (approx. 3,300–5,300 K): Functional light that supports concentrated work – perfect for desks or offices.
  • Daylight white (from approx. 5,300 K): Very bright, rather bluish light – good as a desk lamp with daylight and therefore for detailed activities or workplaces without natural light sources.

A suitably equipped desk lamp can effectively replace daylight – especially in poor lighting conditions or in winter.

How many lumens should a desk lamp have?

Lumen (lm) is the unit of measurement for light output and indicates how much visible light a lamp actually emits – regardless of its power consumption in watts. The higher the lumen value, the brighter the lamp appears. The following rule applies for effective and pleasant workplace lighting:

• At least 400–600 lumens for normal tasks such as writing or reading
• 800 lumens or more for precise work, e.g. in the home office or when drawing

Depending on the lighting conditions in the room and personal preferences, an adjustable, dimmable desk light offers maximum flexibility for the required setting.