

Ask HN: Which desk lamp do you use? - mynegation

My old desk lamp broke and I am on the market for the new one. I am thinking about buying an LED lamp with adjustable colour temperature and brightness level. Questions for the HNers burning midnight oil: what desk lamp (or lightning in general) do you use and recommend?
======
err4nt
I use the Philips Hue lighting system and as a migraine sufferer this has let
me work longer.

I found when natural light mixed with artificial light, I would get headaches
sooner. I first tried swapping to fluorescent bulbs with a cooler white tone,
but even that wasn't enough.

I prefer cooler tones (blues, cool white, purples, greens) over warm colours
(yellow, orange, red, warm white) and I know that is backward from most
peoples preferences.

What I like about Hue is that I can always adjust my colour temperature,
brightness, and even set them on schedules. I have an all-green scene come on
at 11pm so if I'm still working that's my cue to stop. I turn my lights on in
the morning before I wake up to help rouse me. I have my lights automatically
shut off (if not already) at 9am and 12am so if I leave in the morning or fall
asleep with my lights on, they will shut off automatically.

I have slowly been expanding my collection and I'm up to 6 bulbs now and it's
been such a relief I'm planning to buy maybe 3-5 more over the next year to
add to my collection.

I can't make use of that flux app because I'm a designer and need colour
control, but if your job doesn't require accurate colours that can also make a
WORLD of difference to eye strain and quality of sleep once the sun has gone
down.

Best of luck on your path to clear and illuminated work and hobbies, and let
us here in the thread know what you decide to try out! I'm always looking for
better ways to help mitigate headaches :)

------
mattwritescode
A £3 one, seriously it a *%!#ing lamp whats there to discus just go out find
one you like and buy it!

------
ryanthejuggler
Maybe it's silly, but I'm pretty happy with the $5 USB lamp I got from Amazon
[1]. When I'm at my desk, it's plugged into the USB hub on my overhead shelf,
illuminating my whole desk; when I'm at my workbench I plug it into a USB port
on my 3D printer. I've debated getting a "real" desk lamp but I get so much
use out of that stupid little thing that I can't justify it.

[1] [http://www.amazon.com/Super-Bright-Laptop-Light-
Black/dp/B00...](http://www.amazon.com/Super-Bright-Laptop-Light-
Black/dp/B005DEP2AG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1399288999&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+light+mouse+base)

------
gregimba
Hue is great for lighting [http://meethue.com/en-us/](http://meethue.com/en-
us/)

------
alex_doom
I've been pretty happy with an IKEA lamp I got for $30. Has that classic look
and easily adjustable.

[http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10255524/](http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10255524/)

~~~
imagineme
I have this lamp too, and I love it! However my bulb went out a year ago and I
haven't been able to find a bulb!

~~~
alex_doom
They switched to LED bulbs instead of the CFL's. You probably want this one.
The smaller screw type:
[http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20254091/](http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20254091/)

------
runjake
Any cheap lamp with a suitable warm bulb. Right now, I'm using some $9 lamp
from IKEA, along with a $6 stainless steel clamp-on light -- both using some
sort of GE-branded CFL bulbs with a warm color temperature.

The Philips Hue system seems neat, but not $100-$200 neat.

------
calbear81
I use a humanscale horizon led lamp at work and a diffrient lamp at home. I
prefer the horizon led but it's less adjustable. Check out Ylighting for some
high quality options.

