6 Best Reading Book Lights That Will Help You Sleep​


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When turning on your bedside reading light, is it bright enough that sometimes people confuse your home with the location of the Batman distress signal? Or, maybe you’re like me and continuing to balance your phone’s light on your chest or pillow to light up the pages of your book just isn’t that much fun anymore. Especially after the 6th time your phone falls under the bed. 

Reading book lights with specific amber globes helps minimize blue light exposure, allowing sleep hormones such as melatonin to perform their job. Complimenting these specific lights with blue light block glasses further reduces your exposure and potential eye strain allowing for a deeper sleep.

We’ve taken the time to focus our review on book lights that are only amber in globe color. This limits the strain on your eyes and the blue light exposure is significantly less. Amazon has a wide selection and was chosen as our review platform. You’ll be given both what we liked and didn’t, so you can make an informed choice. Squinting is no longer an option!

We Compared the Following Criteria When Investigating the Clip-On Reading Book Lights:

Clip stability, quality, and light head capabilities:

Your clip should be strong enough to connect onto your book, e-reader, night or music stand but soft enough not to rip any pages. Plus, the head/s should be flexible enough to shine the light exactly where you want it. 

Brightness settings:

A great booklight should illuminate evenly and offer a variety of different brightness settings, catering to different environments. These lights should not light up the entire room nor cast distracting shadows.

For people in the know, they call this the lux figure or simply the number of lumens it can emit on a square meter. For reading, writing, knitting, and working on the computer, this should be between 250 to 500 lumens per square meter.

Freestanding ability (not using the clip):

Some people (like me!) want a multi-purpose light. Therefore, having the capability to sit independently on a table unsupported is a must.  

Battery life and charging options:

Don’t you hate it when your battery light dies mid-page? If this is you, pay attention to how long a book light will last on a single charge, the type of adapter connection and power indicator (if available). 

What does it come with?

Everyone loves a bonus! Double adapter, extra long changer cord or travel bag? Yes, please!

Warranty:

Nothing is perfect and unexpected issues can arise from time to time. A longer warranty period will give you peace of mind in obtaining a refund or a free-of-charge replacement in the future if necessary.  

Positive/negatives:

We will give honest feedback about what we personally loved and didn’t like so much.

Best of the Best Reading Book Light

1. Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

Clip stability, quality and light head capabilitiesYes, this is not your traditional clip book light – it’s better. You don’t have to worry about ripping the pages anymore! Simply pop it around your neck, select the setting which floats your boat and you’re good to go!

The actual product is quite long with the dimensions being 7.36″D x 10″W x 1.1″H which is great because you can see it/adjust the settings when looking down, plus, it sits nicely over your collar if wearing a shirt. It feels super lightweight too I almost forget I’m “wearing” it.

The light has been constructed in a way it lights up the area you want, but dim enough not to light up the entire room. Very handy for the sleeping partner or baby sleeping meters away next to you.

Brightness setting – You can choose between 3 color modes: yellow(3000K), warm white(4000K) and cool white(6000K). You can easily switch between these by clicking the button on the neck of the light. As you can see in the image, there is another button where you adjust the brightness to suit your needs and environment.

From an eye protection perspective, the globes have a blue light filter design with advanced LED beads. I love this feature as it doesn’t disturb my wind-down for-bed routine.

Freestanding ability (not using the clip) – Yes. There are two adjustable sections that you can maneuver to “sit” on a surface. It’s not exactly compact but can be folded in on itself (see image).

Battery life and charging options – USB Type-C rechargeable (cord included) 1000mAh battery. The light lasts up to a whopping 80 hours.

What does it come with? Product Box Contains; Glocusent LED Neck Light, USB Type-C Cable (24″), User Manual, Bookmark. AC adapter not included.

Warranty – 18-month warranty

What we don’t like so much: On the model I have, the power button controls both arms. However, in the newer model, each arm works independently of the other which is a great feature. As mentioned it’s not overly compact but other than that, it’s perfect. Lightweight, affordable and high quality.

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light

A bonus recommendation from Glucusent is their clip light. It has the same settings as the neck light mentioned above, but in a different format. I love this little light too! Simple to use, lightweight, can stand on its own and is USB rechargeable. Click here to see it via their Amazon store. You won’t be disappointed.


2. Amber Clip-on Reading Light by Hooga

Amber Clip-on Reading Light by Hooga – See on Amazon

Clip stability, quality and light head capabilitiesWeighs only 2.5oz but holds a strong grip without ripping the pages. It has a flexible 7-inch gooseneck so you can move the light around to suit your needs. 

Brightness setting – It comes with two brightness settings of 50% and 100% The levels are 35 and 70 lumens respectively.

Freestanding ability (not using the clip) – Yes

Battery life and charging options – Up to a HUGE 30 hours of reading on low setting before needing to be recharged! It comes with 1 rechargeable 1200mAh Lithium-ion battery that powers 4 bright LED amber lights that don’t flicker. The charging cable is a USB 2.0 A to Micro B. 

What does it come with? 36 inch USB charging cable 

Warranty – Not clear. It states to “please contact the seller directly for warranty information for this product” via the Amazon website.  

What we don’t like so much: Due to the entire head of the light being a push-button switch, it is easy to accidentally turn it on in your bag. Plus, it doesn’t fold down to a convenient size to avoid this from happening.   

Amber Clip-on Reading Light by Hooga​


3. TopElek Reading Light

Emma Book Light

Clip stability, quality and light head capabilities – Sturdy clip with a flexible, metal head (unlike most other models which are silicone). The power button is the common push, convex style.

Brightness setting – Each low, medium and high setting has 3 different color/brightness adjustments making a huge 9 modes in total! 7 LED lights are included with this clip light and has 70LM lumens. TopElek also states it has eye-protection and energy-saving qualities and reduces eye fatigue.

Freestanding ability (not using the clip) – Yes, this light can stand on its own without support due to anti-skid material which won’t scratch your precious surfaces.

Battery life and charging options – Up to 60 hours of lighting time plus, it comes with a built-in USB rechargeable battery and a handy power indicator. This light takes a quick 1.5 hours to fully recharge.

What does it come with? 1 × book lamp, x1 USB charging cable, user manual, lamp bag 

Warranty – TopElek provides a 45-day money-back and 18-month worry-free warranty.

What we don’t like so much: The only two issues we could find was the bulbs cannot be replaced and there is no ability to record previous desired light settings, as there are 9 different options and may be hard to remember which option you like best.

TopElek Reading Light

Book light | shift work tools

4. Raniaco Reading Light

See Raniaco Reading Light on Amazon

Clip stability, quality and light head capabilities – The sturdy clamp, which resembles a mac book computer mouse, can be opened to approximately 2.36 inches. The light head has 12 LED Bulbs and can be rotated 360 degrees due to its flexible silicone tubing. This Raniaco light also has a fancy, popular touchpad design, unlike the others which are all push button.

Brightness setting – 3 levels of adjustable brightness

Freestanding ability (not using the clip) Yes, the anti-slip silicone pad coupled on the base allows this light to stand on its own. 

Battery life and charging options – Battery life of 24 hours (24 hours in dim mode, 12 hours in medium light and 6 hours in the brightest light). Has a built-in rechargeable battery with USB interface design with a charging time of 4 hours.

What does it come with? x1 LED clip reading lamp, x1 USB charging cable which is 8.46 inches (not included adapter) 

Warranty – 3 years warranty

What we don’t like so much – Longer charge time of 4 hours in comparison to the others and it’s not recommended to use while charging. Secondly, if your looking for an orange amber /orange globe these appear more white so be careful. 

Raniaco LED Clip Reading Light


5. Eye Care Warm Book Light

See now on Amazon

Clip stability, quality and light head capabilities –  Reasonably well made light with a double padded, sturdy clip and dual gooseneck light heads. The double necks are flexible and won’t fall down mid-page.

This light produces a soft, warm glow creating a beautiful reading atmosphere. If you’re interested in the power button, it’s a push button concave style, which has been specifically designed, so there is less chance of accidentally turning it on inside the case.

Brightness setting – 6 brightness levels (3 levels on each head which work independently) with intensity varying from 5Lm to 40Lm.

Freestanding ability (not using the clip) – No

Battery life and charging options – A solid 20 hours of battery life is available on the lowest setting. As a bonus, this light comes with a rechargeable & replaceable battery, which is very rare for these lights, breaking it away from the pack.

The average battery life for this light is approximately three years but people have stated a much longer lifespan.

This light uses a dual micro USB connector and is able to be used while charging, which is not always the case with these lights.

1.2 hours of charging time will give you up to 20 hours of reading time on the lowest level.  

What does it come with? x1 clip light, 78in USB Cable, travel bag with batteries included (also rare) plus a handy dual charger

Warranty – Lifetime warranty including parts, plus a 45-day money back guarantee.

What we don’t like so much – It’s heavy! 5.6 ounces in weight may mean your arms become fatigued if you get sucked into a great book, plus the battery doesn’t last long (reported by some users).

Also, the lowest setting may be too bright, it’s tricky to attach to a kindle and you might also find with both lights turned on, shadows may annoyingly appear where the lights cross over each other.

Eye Care Warm Book Light


6. SomniLight Rechargeable Amber Book Light 

Clip stability, quality and light head capabilities – This is a strong, well-made clip which can be easily attached to the bedside table and e-reader, as well as your book. There are two light heads which can be used independently of each other. 

Brightness setting – There are two amber light settings available with a total of 8 amber light LEDs. SomniLight claim this amber book light is free from blue light wavelengths (peaking at 592 nM), which significantly helps us sleep as learned here.

Freestanding ability (not using the clip) – Unable to stand on its own

Battery life and charging options – Up to 20 hours of reading between charges. The fully rechargeable lithium-ion battery which means no more time and money spent on buying batteries!

What does it come with? x1 clip light and an A/C and USB charger (USB-A to Micro-USB).

Warranty – Not clear – Need to contact SomniLight directly

What we don’t like so much – The lowest setting may be too bright as the picture doesn’t give a true representation of the brightness. There is no cover on the plastic light heads which results in distracting shadows around your room. These heads also get very hot. You might also have trouble with paperback books as it weighs 3.2 ounces.

SomniLight Rechargeable Amber Book Light


Bonus Tip

If you are interested in a desk lamp and not specifically a clip light, this AFROG Multifunctional LED Desk Lamp with Wireless Charger,Opens in a new tab. is a winner. It has five different light settings, professional appearance and remembers your previous setting. It’s well worth a look.


What About the Blue Light?

Most of the lights listed above, to some degree, block out blue light. However they are not 100% removing your exposure. 

The only real way we have found to totally block out this blue light and allow or sleep hormones to truly do their job before bed is to wear blue light blocking glasses. You may hear some other names like “night shift glasses” or “blue blockers”. They are talking about the same thing.

We are really passionate about these glasses and cannot recommend them highly enough when reading. 

Our recommendation?

Swanwick Sleep, “Swannies

Why?

They block out the most blue light out of any glasses on the market (over 99%). They are very well made, are FDA registered and have UV coatings on both sides. Plus, they actually work to help you fall asleep quicker!

Take a look at Swanwick Sleep through the link here.

We also have a few related articles we wrote about these glasses if you wanted take a peak.

Dan wearing Aviator blue light blocking glasses from Swanwick Sleep – see website here.
Remember to keep your blue light blocking glasses on even when brushing your teeth! See what other Sleep aids are available from Swanwick Sleep – here


Summary: 6 Best Reading Book Lights That Will Help You Sleep​

For the avid bookworms among us, an amber reading light is the perfect solution to lighting up those thrilling pages without poorly affecting your sleep or your partners!

These lights are brilliant for the crafter or hobbyist searching for the right stitch, note of music, the perfect brushstroke or the fine wire used in hand-making a piece of jewelry.

However, when using these lights, we still recommend wearing a pair of blue light blocking glasses to totally phase out that blue, artificial light. 

What do you think about these amber lights? Which one did you like best?

Cheers, 

Emma signature | theothershift.com

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning we receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, but this is at no additional cost to you. Please read our disclosure and privacy statement for more info.

An in-depth comparrsion of the best reading book lights on the market which help us relax due a calm colour temperament #sleeptip #booklight

Emma @ The Other Shift

Hey there! I'm Emma Smith a passionate, Registered Nurse from Australia. Together with my husband Daniel, we run The Other Shift. Our sole aim is to help shift workers and those on unusual schedules find balance between work and life. I understand the challenges of fitting in exercise, maintaining relationships and getting enough quality sleep, but I'm excited to show you that it’s possible to do shift work and still thrive. Read more about us and our story here.

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