I Tested The Top Four Book Lights On Amazon & Here’s The Best One
Looking for a book light to read in bed without disturbing your partner or having to maneuver around lamps? I tested the top Amazon recommendations and honestly rated all four.
If you’re a book lover, you probably read in bed quite often. I love to read at night when the house is dark and quiet, but the lamp next to my bed puts off weird shadows and keeps my partner awake longer than he’d like to be. I went on Amazon to search for a book light to make my bedtime reading more enjoyable and ordered the top four recommendations. Some were “Amazon’s Choice” and some just had thousands of recent purchases.
I put all four to the test over the last week, and I’ll share the good, the bad, and the straight-up terrible with you so you can decide which will work best for your lifestyle. I also photographed them all on the same page of the same book so you can see the differences of each one (and to avoid spoiling the story!)
The Four Book Lights I Tested:
Glocusent Clip-On Light
This little clip-on light immediately caught my eye because it folds up into a small little rectangle, so it’s perfect for storing in a nightstand drawer. I have tried clip-on lights in the past that had a clamp to hold it to the book, and those always slid around. This one slides onto the back of the book like a paper clip and didn’t move at all.
It’s also tall enough to allow me to flip the pages. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that the top of the book pages had a bright spotlight while the bottom of the pages were dimmer. It wasn’t even lighting, which caused some eye strain.
Glocusent Clip On Light
★★★★☆
✓ 5 brightness levels and 3 color tones. Adjustable light direction and minimally noticed by my partner.
✓ Has a built-in USB port for easy charging and doesn’t require batteries.
✓ Clips directly onto the book’s back cover and is easy to turn pages without removing.
✗ Glare at the top of the page is a little annoying. Can damage paperback book covers if not you aren’t careful.
Glocusent Neck Light
I primarily read in bed and curled up on the sofa, and usually it’s either late at night or early in the morning while the rest of my family is asleep. This neck light is completely hands-free, so no matter what position I’m in or where I’m sitting, I don’t have to hold the light at all. And since there’s two LEDs shining down on the book, the pages are lit evenly.
This light is my partner’s choice as well, because the lights are directed away from him instead of towards him like the clip-on light was. He doesn’t have a beam of light shining at his face while he’s laying down. Of all the lights I have ever used in my life, this one is absolutely my favorite. And it’s a clear favorite on Amazon too, with over 121,000 ratings.
Glocusent Neck Light
★★★★★
✓ 3 brightness levels and 3 color tones. Adjustable toward pages, and not noticed by my partner at all.
✓ Rechargeable via USB-C cable (included) and has a 30 minute auto-off timer.
✓ Completely hands-free and folds easily for storing in a nightstand.
✗ Slightly uncomfortable if laying down in bed on a pillow, but you get used to it.
MagniPros Page Magnifyer
This Amazon Best Seller book light is unique because it has a magnifier and light combined, which is super helpful if you need that little boost of text size but you aren’t quite ready to get reading glasses. I purchased the handheld option but immediately regretted not getting the stand after I tried it out. It does get annoying to have to hover the light over the book, and I got tired of it after only six pages.
The lighting is very even and has a good range of brightness, and my partner said he did notice it, but it wasn’t bothersome. I think this light is really great for seniors and those with special needs, but I only recommend it if you get the stand option. I would have given it four stars instead of three if it were rechargeable instead of requiring batteries.
MagniPros Page Magnifier
★★★☆☆
✓ 3 color tones and full range dimming brightness. Not noticed by my partner at all.
✓ Magnification ranges based on how close you hold it to the page. Can also buy a stand for hands-free reading.
✗ Requires 3 AAA batteries. Not glass, it’s plastic, and distorts the view a little.
✗ The stand option may be better, but I didn’t like having to hover the light over the page. My hand got tired quickly.
Iseuj Illuminator Panel
I chose this light because it looked so simple and had over 1,000 purchases on Amazon within the last month. The reviews were all over the place, so I thought it would be easier if I just tried it myself and didn’t worry too much about what others said. There were quite a few that mentioned it came heavily scratched, but mine arrived in great condition.
But the actual design of this light was just terrible. It only lit up one page at a time, didn’t even cover the whole page, and has just one color tone and brightness which happens to be a purple-ish blue color. You know the whole “avoid blue light before bed” advice? This can’t be good for inducing good sleep. Yes, this light is only $10, and it is better than nothing at all, but I’d encourage you to save your money and just keep using a lamp before you buy this.
Iseuj Illuminator Panel
★★☆☆☆
✗ 1 brightness level and 1 color tone. Kind of a purpley-blue light instead of a soft shade. Not noticed by partner.
✗ Requires 3 AAA batteries and is awkward to hold. I couldn’t find a good position and it’s too small for the page.
✗ Only lights up one page at a time, so you have to swap hands for right and left pages.
✓ Very affordable and reviews claim it’s great for comic books. I didn’t test this, but there are photo reviews to see.
Shop All My Favorite Reading Accessories
Want more reading accessories? I rounded up my absolute favorite book helpers in this Amazon List. You can visit my Amazon Storefront for more of my favorite things and recommendations, and be sure to follow me on Instagram for reviews and product tests to get your home and life more organized.
