Best Book Lights For Reading In Bed [Review] in 2021

Best Book Reading Lights– A Buyer’s Guide:

For eager readers, a good book light is a necessity. These small little gadgets come in handy as it gives you the ability to read; plus, if you love a good binge-read at night without disturbing your partner, then getting a book light is a must! You can read whenever, wherever. 

The good thing about book lights is that you don’t need to break your bank to get one; most of them are super portable and easy to buy, so whether you are traveling late at night and need a good book to read or just need a little hit before you go to bed then a book light will be your new best friend. 

When considering buying the best reading light for delving into a good book in bed, then there are a few factors you’ll want to think about before you click to buy. But don’t worry, you’re not alone; I’m here to help guide you through to find the best reading light for your needs. 

Whether you want to delve into a good book while your partner is asleep or struggling to fall asleep, reading a few pages of a book has some serious benefits on relaxing the mind, so you can rest easy and cycle through those stages of sleep easily.

But enough of me rambling on, let’s jump into the good bits– how to find the best reading light and some tips for reading at night!  

Important Features To Consider When Buying A Reading Light:

If you’re looking for book lights, then it’s probably because you love reading and don’t want to be limited to when you can read by how dark it is or when your partner sleeps. Getting a book light gives you the freedom to read without disturbing your partner!

A book light is relatively simple in design, and many achieve the same purpose; however, there are some factors you should take into consideration, especially if you aren’t really sure what to look for.

So here’s a list of the key features, what they do, and how important they are.

Type of Book Light:

The first thing you’ll want to think about before purchasing a book light is the type of book light you’re looking to go for; there are four main types of book lights for reading in bed on the market. No type is superior to the next, but it is all down to preferences.

So while they all have their pros and cons, finding the right fit is important, so it is handy to know all the types. 

Neck Lights: Neck book lights hang around your neck with flexible arms that have lights on each end so you can point it at the ideal spot on your book. They are a popular choice because of their hands-free properties, they also offer a wide range of positioning options. 

Arguably neck book lights are one of the best as they offer the best light coverage on the page, and they sit comfortably without weighing down your book. They are an ideal option for paperback books as these kinds of books might be too flimsy for a clip-on. 

The only drawback for neck lights is that since it wraps around your neck, it may not be ideal for you if you like to read laying down. 

Bookmark Reading Light: The next book light type is the bookmark light. Bookmark lights are very lightweight reading lights that clip onto the top of your book; the great thing about these book lights is that they’re thin enough to be used as a bookmark. 

Bookmark lights are an ideal option if you’re looking for a small portable reading light that takes up next to no space; they are brilliant for on the go as you can slide into the page of your book that you’re up to and use it when needed. 

Thanks to their lightweight nature, they are ideal for paperbacks as they don’t weigh down the pages, so if you want a clip-on version but don’t want it to weigh your book down, then the bookmark light is an ideal choice. However, the only downside is less flexibility. 

Clip-On Book Light: So the clip-on book light is like the bookmark light in the method of attaching to the book, but clip-on lights tend to be a little bit bigger and more bulky over the bookmark ones, making them ideal for hardback books. 

Clip-on reading lights tend to have longer arm space so you can have more flexibility as to where you can position the light over your book, it is an ideal choice for those that like to read hardbacks, but they may be too heavy and bulky for a paperback version. 

Some people find it quite heavy and awkward on paperbacks, but if you want more flexibility and tend to read hardbacks, then it is an ideal choice as it offers more light coverage and flexibility. 

Clip-On Lights For Headboards: The last type is similar to the clip-on light, but it clips onto your headboard, shelf, or nightstand. These are the largest book lights and tend to be very similar to bedside lamps, but these lights tend to have a more focused light beam.

These are an ideal choice if you want to read at night without disturbing your partner as rather than having them spread out light caused by the lamp, these lights are far more directed, so they are less likely to disturb your sleeping partner.

That being said, these lights tend to be the brightest reading lights on the market and cast more light than the other options. 

Power Source

This is going to depend on what you plan on doing with your book light. If you’re away often, then maybe you’ll want a rechargeable battery as this is going to better suit your lifestyle. The drawback of many rechargeable batteries, though is that you can’t use your light while it’s charging.

However, the drawback about batteries is most book lights chew through batteries before you can blink an eye, so it will feel like you’re constantly changing your batteries. The obvious drawback of this is that batteries need replacing.

However, if you plan on keeping your reading to the comfort of your own home then a battery-powered light may work just as well. So consider your situation and when or where you like to read as the power source does have the potential to accommodate or interfere with your lifestyle,

Storage & Portability:

Different book lights are designed for different purposes, some are targeted at those who travel, and so these lights have LED lights with a rechargeable battery; they also tend to be more lightweight and durable, perfect for carrying in a case where they may take a bit of a beating on your journey.

Other book lights, however, are much better suited to being used for the home. These lights tend to have a more sturdy design so they stay firmly in place when you’re working or reading.

Obviously, depending on your lifestyle, you’ll want to consider these differences and buy the best book light according to the environment you most often read in.

Style and Features

There are hundreds of different designs for book lights; the features and designs vary drastically and also to the most minute of differences. Each light will have its own adjustable brightness setting or light features.

While others wrap around your neck, and some are designed to clip onto an e-reader, as well as some that are perfect for a good book with physical pages. 

Some lights also come with extra helpful features, like a shut-off timer that prevents you from sleeping with the light on, but such features are usually behind a higher price wall, although, as with anything, there are always bargains and hidden gems to be found.

Some of which are above. Finding out which features you value most is the best place to start so you can narrow down your options until you eventually settle on the one light that has everything you want.

Brightness Settings:

When it comes to your book light, it’s no surprise that brightness is the number one factor you should consider. You’ll want a light that’s bright enough to prevent eye strain but not so bright that it’s painful to read.

If you’re purchasing a book light to use before bed, then definitely go for one with warm-colored bulbs as these are much more delicate on the eye as cold light such as white and blue is brighter and much harsher on your vision.

It can even lead to permanent damage if it’s too bright, and you do this over a long period of time. Most book lights come with two brightness settings while others may even come with three brightness settings!

You may also want to look for a light with multiple brightness settings, so you can choose the one that’s most favorable to your task or the time of day. Most of the book lights on the market today use LED bulbs, which are the most energy-efficient option and all of the options above have settings that cater to a variety of needs.

While reading is fun and we all want to finish that extra chapter before bed, your eyesight is more important, so make sure above all else you pay attention to the quality of the light and its brightness.

Colour Temperature:

Another important factor to consider when buying a book light for reading in bed is the Kelvin Color Temperature of the light you’re looking to buy. There are many different types of lights, such as white light, white-warm light, blue light, and many more. 

These terms can be quite subjective, so using the Kelvin Color Temperature is more precise.

But why does color temperature matter? Well, choosing the right temperature can actually reduce eyestrain and stress when reading at night. Blue light wavelengths are the worst as they can disrupt the production of melatonin which induces sleep. 

This is also why you should avoid using your electronic devices and watching TV before bed, as it can disrupt your circadian rhythms. 

The color temperature recommended for reading at night is a light that is quite yellow in color around the 3000K range; this range is also recommended for finding bedside table lights for reading at night. 

However, yellow light is not an ideal match for everyone– and that’s fine. But in that instance, then a yellow and white book light combination is recommended, so while it is not as dim as the yellow light, it is not as bright as the white light. 

If you’re looking for the very best book light, I would recommend going for one that has different brightness settings and color settings so you can work out which light color works for you, it gives you a little extra flexibility between color temperature, and you can switch based on your surroundings easily. 

How To Read In Bed Without Disturbing Partner:

For some of us, we love reading before bed to read before bed while our partner may just want to go straight to sleep, so knowing how to read in bed at night without disturbing your partner comes in handy, so you can delve into a good book, and your partner can rest easy!

Get A Reading Light: Another reason to get a reading light is so you can read without disturbing your partner. Reading lights are brilliant as they keep the light on the book without shining into your partner’s eyes. It helps you see the book easier in the dark too!

Reading lights are popular for this very reason as it keeps the illumination only on your book and leaves everything else in shadows or darkness. You can adjust a reading light in any direction so you can highlight the book easily. 

Unlike reading with a bedside light on, using a book light is a better option as it doesn’t light up the whole room, only the pages you are reading so you can read with confidence that you are not disturbing your snoozing partner next to you. 

Getting Your Partner To Wear A Sleep Mask: Getting your partner to use a sleep mask or earplugs is another great option if they need total silence when sleeping in bed. You can also use earplugs if you sleep with a snorer to prevent disruptions.

However, there are some drawbacks of sleeping with a sleep mask on circadian rhythms, telling your body to stop your body from producing melatonin and start producing melatonin in the morning when your eyes are exposed to daylight.

I have created a full guide on how to read without disturbing your partner, so be sure to check it out!