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A good book light lets you read in bed without waking anyone up. Clip-ons, a neck light and two amber lights are below, and only the Energizer takes batteries.
The Short Answer
The Gritin 9 LED is the one I would start with. It clips onto a book or e-reader, dims from 100% down to 10%, has three color modes, and the listing says it runs up to 80 hours on the lowest brightness. If you share a room and want a warmer light, take the hooga amber light below.
Clip-On Book Lights
Clip-on lights go onto the book or the e-reader, so your hands stay free to turn pages.
Back to the Gritin 9 LED: it weighs 63 g and charges in about 2.5 hours. It can also stand on its own with the anti-slip pad on the bottom. Keep in mind that the 80 hours is at the lowest brightness, so you get less when you turn it up. At bedtime, with the light turned down, that is still plenty, and the four indicator lights show how much charge is left.
Eighteen LEDs and five color temperatures: that is the EastPin, if you want to switch between warm and cool light.
A long-running favorite, the Mighty Bright Recharge gives a 60-hour run time and 2 to 10 lumens from two warm-tone LEDs. Good for both paperbacks and hardcovers.
Two CR2032 batteries (included) power the Energizer for up to 25 hours, so there is no charging. Swapping the batteries takes more effort than plugging in a USB cable.
LEPOWER makes a clip-on with changeable colors that also works as a bedside or desk light.
Amber Lights for Night Reading
Amber lights give a warm, low glow that is easier to share a room with than a white one. Both of these are rechargeable clip-ons.
The hooga amber light is 1600K, and the listing says it is 99.94% free of blue spectrum light. At about 2.5 oz with a 360 degree gooseneck and three brightness levels, it is easy to aim. Amber only, though, so no cool white for daytime reading.
Vekkia does the same idea at about 2.1 oz, with seven LEDs. Up to 70 hours at low brightness, and the lowest setting doubles as a night light.
Neck and Hands-Free Lights
Nothing clips to the book with a neck light, and you never move it when you turn the page. The Glocusent bends to where you need it and has a rechargeable battery that the listing puts at up to 80 hours.
Some readers will not like the feel of a light around their neck.
How to Choose a Book Light
Start with how you read. A clip-on is simplest for paperbacks and hardcovers in bed. Share a room or read very late? Go amber. With an e-reader, check that the clip is gentle on the edge.
Then check the battery. Rechargeable lights save money over time, and the long run times only apply on the lowest brightness setting. Our book light buying guide goes through brightness, color temperature and battery life in more detail, and the kids’ book lights page covers lights made for children.
What’s Next
About These Recommendations
I’m George, a dad of two. My wife did most of the reading to our kids when they were little, and I did my share. She’s a therapist, and she helps pick the books that actually matter for their development. Some of what’s on this site we’ve read, watched or played as a family. Some I tried on my own first. The rest comes from research: reviews, episode guides, other parents online, and whatever the kids bring home from school.
FAQ
A rechargeable clip-on with adjustable brightness. The Gritin 9 LED dims from 100% to 10% and has three color modes, and the hooga amber light gives a warmer glow if you share a room.
An amber light is warm, around 1600K for the hooga, and is gentler to share a room with. A white light is brighter and better for reading in a lit room. Some lights, like the Gritin and EastPin, let you switch between colors.
For regular reading, yes. You avoid buying batteries, and lights like the Gritin and the Mighty Bright charge over USB. The long run times quoted in listings are at low brightness.
Clip-on lights work on an e-reader. The Gritin, hooga and Vekkia lights are light enough to clip on, but most Kindles have a built-in front light, so a book light matters most for paper books.
Yes. Our kids’ book lights page covers lights made for children.