We Tested the Best Table Lamps and These Made the Cut

Nothing feels more luxurious than a shiny metallic finish, and this Joon Loloi table lamp is the perfect example of why. Just ask Senior Commerce Editor Marina Liao, who bought this light for her very serene bedroom. "My window doesn’t let in much natural light, so I knew I would need a table lamp on my dresser. It took a few weeks to find the perfect one, and when I saw the Jeanette from Joon Loloi, I knew it was the one," she notes. "I love the aged brass column base with a little patina on it because it looks like something I could have found at a thrift store. Plus, it goes well with my limewash pink-ish, grapefruit colored walls."

Meanwhile, the ivory shade is big, commanding attention on the corner of her dresser, so this table lamp didn’t get lost in the room. If you’re looking to make your space a smart home, this table lamp is compatible with Hue light bulbs, allowing you to control the degree of brightness or darkness via the Hue app or Alexa.

Of course, any table lamp that will sit on a smaller surface, like a nightstand or desk, must be big enough to provide plenty of light but not so big that it looks ridiculous. Enter this adorable table lamp that's just over nine inches tall. "I bought this for my boyfriend's desk because it leans more masculine, but not in a cheesy way, it fits in the palette of the room, and it's small enough not to overtake the desk," Cherner notes. "The most important reason I picked this particular lamp, though, is the brightness. Almost every review I read mentioned that this thing is bright, and it is. For such a small lamp that works only with a tiny bulb, it can light up the entire room better than an overhead light. My only qualm is that the glow leans more daylight than soft white, but I guess that probably helps keep him focused while he works."

While some prefer a table lamp that simply blends into the space's aesthetic, others want their lamp to pop a bit more. Assistant Editor Meghan Shouse is in the latter camp. "I'm a sucker for a good table lamp but hadn't found the right one for my new apartment that fit my midcentury modern leaning vibe until this Kohl's one popped up in my search results," she admits. "Since I'm in my stripe era and I love a pop of red, this super cute, simple lamp was just perfect for the top of my bar cabinet. It's very simple—no dimmer or anything like that—but the ceramic body of the lamp feels sturdy."

Serena & Lily isn't one to completely decommission a beloved product, but it does update its repertoire every now and then. Take, for instance, the Springview table lamp, which Associate Shopping Editor Jessica Cherner bought for her first apartment in 2016. "I am happy that all these years later, this lamp is still available. Although it is slightly different than the one I got almost a decade ago, it is pretty much the same design. I wanted something simple and neutral that I could bring from home to home without having to worry about whether or not it will match the new space, and this has made it to three apartments." While Cherner's is painted white, the new version is a cerused pale wood, but still in the bobbin style. Full disclosure: There is a white one that's more similar to the exact one Cherner had, but it's $349 more expensive, six inches taller, and comes with a rattan shade.

For anyone who doesn't want to lean too far in either direction of the stereotypical gendered design aesthetic, you can't go wrong with a soft blue-ish green. It doesn't feel overly masculine or feminine. Plus, this particular lamp is such a pale shade that we'd consider it a neutral that can pair well with any pre-existing palette. "When I moved into my new apartment with my boyfriend, I was a little worried it would look like a mish-mash of the things we accumulated separately for our own apartments over the years. (We did get rid of a lot of furniture, though).

So when I bought new things to complement the pieces we brought with us, I wanted to make sure those things were sophisticated and gender-neutral," Cherner explains. "These lamps were my first purchase for the new place. I love them so much. The muted aqua color perfectly complements the gray and cream palette, the size works on the nightstands, and, come on, they're just so cute." These lamps are available to buy individually or as a set, and they also come in white if you want something more neutral for your space.

The annoying element for most table lamps is the often unattractive cord, which is one of the myriad reasons we love Pooky Lighting's Walter lamp: it's completely cordless. It's not battery-operated, so there's no need to stock up on triple As. "It comes with a charging cord, so when the lamp dies, simply plug it into the closest electrical outlet, let it charge for a while (about eight hours), and enjoy 10 hours of light," Cherner says. "I know, I know. Eight hours is a long time to charge, but if you plug it in while you sleep, you're good to go for the whole day." Did we mention there are three brightness settings for their little lamps?

Anyone looking for a table lamp to live beside a screen, like a television or monitor, needs one with a metal shade because it doesn't allow any light to permeate. Yes, the whole point of a lamp is to allow as much light as possible to shine through, but any light casting off a screen will create a glare. That's where metal shades come in; they cast all the light downward, so you can still enjoy some light without the annoying glare on your TV during movie night. It's a win-win.

"I know this price seems insane for a table lamp that doesn't do anything other than cast light downward (the metal shade makes it impossible for light to shine upward), but I have been obsessed with this lamp for years. When I finally found it on sale in this crazy-cool color, I shamelessly impulse purchased it, and all these months later, I have no regrets," Cherner says. "I have a soft spot for vintage lighting from the 1970s, which probably explains my love of this lamp. We use it when we're watching TV because it keeps the room somewhat lit without casting a glare on the TV screen above it." Sadly, it's sold out in this minty shade, but it does come in both black and white (pictured).

Nothing is cooler than a lamp with a hidden light built right into the base—especially when that base is a cool-to-the touch alabaster that feels utterly European. After all, most of the world's alabaster is naturally located in Italy and Spain. "When I moved, I enlisted RH's in-house design services to help me outfit my apartment. I was going for an approachable but elevated Italian pied-à-terre vibe, and these heavy alabaster lamps on my nightstands definitely fit the bill," tester Rachel Cherner says. "You can't really tell from far away, but up close, the lamps have really subtle veining that makes them a bit more interesting than a plain, boring white ceramic lamp with a matching shade. Plus, the light glows in the base, which is such a fun and unexpected detail I love. At night, it's such a soft, warm light that makes me feel relaxed enough to sleep." Not to mention, because these lamps are from RH's teen line, they're not nearly as expensive as the table lamps from the regular RH collections.