If your on-camera appearance during video calls and/or livestreams has been somewhat dim and lackluster, you should look into installing a Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 on your desk to brighten things up.

This thing illuminates your workspace in a natural, easy-on-the-eyes way, whether you decide to use it as a simple desk lamp or as a studio-style light for Zoom meetings and such.

Since it clamps onto the end or back of your desk (anything up to 3.3” thick), it doesn’t really take up any of that valuable space, meaning you can “Keep. Your station. CLEAR!” and better focus on the task at hand. It’s constructed pretty solidly too, so you don’t have to worry about it going anywhere even if you’re using a height-adjustable desk.

You also have a number of ways to configure and adapt the light for your setup, from its flexible five-point arm/head articulation system to its brightness level and 2700K–7500K color temperature range. What’s more, it has built-in USB-C (5V) and USB-A (2V) ports for unobtrusively keeping your stuff charged.

Get this superb desk lamp for $140 on Amazon in your choice of black or white. If you need more than one lamp and want to save a few bucks, check out the $260 two-pack.

If you’re willing to drop an extra $20 and aren’t concerned as much about desk real estate, they offer a version with a base on their own website.

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Normally I wouldn’t file a table lamp under “cutest thing ever,” but this wooden dinosaur lamp HAS to fit the bill, right? You can pose the little guy’s arms, legs, and head in different ways:

…and the LED light in his, uh, face can be switched between three brightness settings, so it’s got a bit of utility to back up the adorable-ness.

Get this sweet little desk addition for $50 on Amazon. They also make a dog version in case that interests you as well.

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If all you’re after is a simple, unmoving light source for your desk, there are other, cheaper lamps on the market than what I’m about to link. If you want a beautifully crafted and highly adjustable object that commands attention and adds an air of elegance to any space, then take a look at Artemide’s iconic Tolomeo Mini Lamp.

Originally designed back in the ’80s by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, the Tolomeo boasts a mix of classic Italian design and sturdy engineering that an architect or designer would surely appreciate.

The “Mini” part is a bit of a misnomer, as this is a rather large lamp, capable of extending a full three feet upward (and then some) from the desk or table it’s sitting on. However, between the reflector head and the tension cable-controlled arm, you can tilt, rotate, swivel, and articulate the lamp to your heart’s content, so it can work quite nicely in a variety of spaces.

Whether you choose a model with the heavy base or the clamp-on version, you can rest assured it wont be tipping over or sliding around anytime soon. I personally prefer the former of the two myself, as the base is a nice little spot to rest your phone, wallet, keys, or what-have-you.

The Tolomeo comes in three finishes:

• Aluminum w/ base ($365) or aluminum w/ clamp ($285)
• Black w/ base ($425) or black w/ clamp ($345)
• White w/ base ($380)

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BenQ’s elegant ScreenBar Plus is a USB-powered LED desk lamp that clips easily onto the top of your monitor or computer display, granting overhead light to your workspace when needed without taking up any of that space.

This is a huge relief to eyes straining to see past the screen glare and properly view the notebook/documents/etc on the desk in front of you. The included control knob that sits alongside those things lets you adjust the light’s brightness and color temperature, and even has a built-in sensor that detects surrounding brightness and adjusts the light accordingly to eliminate any eye discomfort from strong contrasts of light.

What I like about the ScreenBar Plus is that there’s no special hardware needed to install it, nor does it create any reflection on your monitor. It simply perches there doing its job quietly and effectively. I respect that.

Get the light for $129 on Amazon.

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When paired with an E26 “Edison”-style light bulb (sold separately), HAITRAL’s Industrial Desk/Table Lamp adds an elegant vintage vibe to whichever space you use it in.

The wooden base contrasts nicely with the minimalist black metal frame (they’ve got other colors available as well), and the rotary on/off switch completes the look better than a rocker switch could. Perfect as a bedside reading light, a nighttime work companion at your desk, or a chic accent piece anywhere.

A single one of these lamps is $26 on Amazon. You can also pick up a two-pack for $40. Just remember that you must provide your own E26 bulb(s) (60-watt max).

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Creative partners Oliver and Greta Chambers are the respective industrial and digital designers behind Herston, a studio which has brought their first product to Kickstarter: the Herston Self-Balancing Desk Lamp.

It looks like a simple wooden lamp at first glance, except for two clever bits of engineering:

1. Counter-weights: Those leaf-shaped things on the back of its “spine” are powder-coated cast iron weights that act as a counter-balance mechanism. What this means for you is that you can effortlessly adjust the lamp to any position and it will stay there through the power of simple physics.

2. No visible cables: They used conductive materials at the joints and elsewhere to carry current from the base of the lamp to its head, thus eliminating any need for visible cables. The overall effect this creates is pretty neat (figuratively and literally).

As far as the lighting itself goes, the LED module can be adjusted via the solid brass knob on the lamp base. It should also last for a long time, on the order of 60,000 hours — or over 27 years, if you use it for 6 hours a day.

As of October 29th, 2018 the project only has a little over two days left before it’s successfully funded. They’ve nearly tripled their funding goal already, so no worries there. Back the project at the £290 (~$372 USD) level or higher to eventually receive a Herston Desk Lamp of your own.

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Whether you need a light for your nighttime workspace or a reading light on your bedside table, the Tomons DL1005 LED desk lamp is an attractive, minimalist option that adds a bit of sleek design to any space. It’s got a sturdy wooden multi-angle swing arm, a metal lamp shade and base, and a braided nylon cable, all resulting in a lamp that will last you for years to come, even if you’re prone to knocking it over.

The lamp is $40 on Amazon and comes in your choice of white or gray. (It comes with a 4W LED bulb but also works with other types, such as E26, E27, flourescent, and incandescent.)

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The Aerelight A1 (pronounced “air light”) bills itself as the “world’s first consumer-ready OLED lamp.” I don’t know whether or not that’s true, but it’s pretty cool anyway.

The lamp emits soft, warm light from an organic LED panel, with three brightness stages controlled by touching anywhere on the aluminum frame. The advantage of OLED is that the light panel never gets hot even after extended periods of being on, and it uses 80% less energy than a traditional 60W bulb at max brightness.

What’s even cooler is that the walnut base houses a Qi wireless charger, so you can simply lay a compatible smartphone flat on the surface to begin charging it. Some Android phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Google Nexus 7, are Qi-ready by default. To use it with an iPhone, you’ll have to pick up a receiver patch module or a receiver case.

You can watch the Aerelight promo video here:

The Aerelight A1 comes in anodized red, black, or silver. Get it for $299 on Amazon.

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Old Faithful Shop’s OFS. Task Lamp is an elegant desk lamp with personality. It combines an old-world industrial aesthetic with modern chic design to…ahem, illuminate any workspace or reading area.

From the bottom up you’ve got a rich North American walnut base, a white powder-coated arm with three adjustable, solid-brass turn-key points, and a white powder-coated steel shade. Or, if you get the walnut version, the shade is made from that. Both versions are gorgeous, but neither comes with a bulb; you’ll have to buy that separately.

The white powder-coated lamp is ~$160 USD at Old Faithful Shop, while the walnut version is ~$186 USD. (Make sure you’ve selected the proper currency at the upper-right corner of their site before purchasing, as the CAD conversion rate is subject to change.)

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