Rechargeable bedside lamps: what to check before you buy
The only socket is on the far wall, and the lead to your bedside lamp runs straight across the carpet.
A rechargeable lamp solves that if what you want is a short spell of soft light: an hour or two in the evening, a bedside with no socket near it, or a lamp you can pick up and carry to a night feed or the bathroom. If you read in bed for long stretches most nights, or the lamp would sit on its charging cable anyway, buy a corded one instead.
If cordless is right for you, read the runtime figure with the most care, because it only means something next to the brightness it assumes.
Cordless or corded: which suits your bedside
A cordless lamp swaps the lead for a charging routine.
A cordless lamp suits you if:
- there is no socket within reach of the bed, or a lead would cross the floor where people walk;
- you rent and cannot add a socket;
- you want light for an hour or two in the evening rather than all night;
- you want to lift the lamp and take it with you.
A corded lamp suits you better if:
- you read in bed for long stretches and want a brighter light aimed at the page;
- you want the lamp on all evening, every evening;
- it would sit on its charging cable anyway (John Lewis's listing for its rechargeable mushroom lamp warns that "keeping the lamp plugged in at all times may impair its battery life");
- you know you will not keep up with charging.
Good Housekeeping, which measured battery life and light levels for the 14 rechargeable lamps on its list, says they suit mood lighting, and suggests sticking with traditional bulbs if you need bright light or a directional reading lamp. Where to put a light you read by is its own question, covered in our guide to bedside reading lights.
The runtime figure, and the brightness behind it
A runtime is an estimate made at one brightness. The same lamp can last far longer on its lowest setting than on full: one Smanu lamp sold on Amazon is advertised at 70 hours on its lowest mode and 8 on its highest, from the same 5,000mAh battery.
The stated figure can also be beaten or missed. We did not test lamps for this guide, but Good Housekeeping did, and its published results go both ways. A Pooky wall light "exceeded the 15 hours advertised", lasting "close to 20 on test". A Dusk Lucille lamp "lasted nine hours on full brightness", compared with "the estimated five to six hours mentioned in the manual". A Dunelm Keko's battery "lasted just over five hours (although Dunelm says it can last between six and eight)". A listed runtime is a starting point, not a promise in either direction.
The figure is easier to trust when the listing says which brightness it means. IKEA's do: its LÄNSPORT lamp, for example, gives "full light for approx. 32 hours" when fully charged, on rechargeable AA batteries sold separately. Our own GlowRoam (£37.90 on 2 October 2026) is listed at "up to approximately 22.5 hours depending on brightness".
What about battery capacity? It is measured in milliamp-hours (mAh), and it tells you how much charge the battery holds, not how long the light lasts. Take a hypothetical lamp with a 4,000mAh battery and assume a typical lithium cell voltage of 3.7 volts: it stores about 14.8 watt-hours (4,000 × 3.7 ÷ 1,000). Drawing 1.5 watts on a low setting, that is roughly 10 hours. Drawing 5 watts on full, it is roughly 3. Real runtime will be lower, because some energy is lost along the way.
So compare runtimes only where the brightness is stated, and expect your own figure to move with the setting you use.
What a good listing tells you
Whichever lamp you are looking at, these are the points worth finding on the listing before you buy.
| Check | Why it matters at the bedside |
|---|---|
| Runtime, and at what brightness | A figure without a brightness cannot be compared with another |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | A clue to runtime, not a promise of it |
| Charge time | Tells you whether a daytime charge fits around your day |
| Connector, and what is in the box | USB-C, if your phone uses it too, means one fewer cable to keep. If no plug is listed, have a USB plug ready |
| Works while charging | Decides whether a flat battery ends the evening or just means plugging in |
| Brightness levels and dimming | Fixed steps or press-and-hold; check the lowest setting is low enough for the middle of the night |
| Colour temperature | Warm or cool is a matter of preference; our guide to warm white vs cool white explains the numbers |
| Controls and a visible low-battery indicator | Good Housekeeping's reviews noted several lamps with no clear indicator, or one tucked into the base. For touch controls, see how to choose a touch lamp |
| Size, weight and a steady base | A lamp you reach for in the dark gets knocked. On Good Housekeeping's test, a Pooky table lamp of about 1.26kg did not wobble when knocked; a Dunelm lamp under 500g wobbled a little |
| Timer | Switches the lamp off for you. IKEA's LÄNSPORT, for example, comes on at the same time each day and goes off after 6 hours |
If a listing leaves one of these out, ask the seller before you buy; it is a quick question and a fair one.
Our own GentleLume (£34.90 on 2 October 2026) shows what a small cordless bedside lamp can offer. Its listing states an integrated 2400mAh battery, three brightness levels, three colour temperatures (3000K warm, 4000K natural and 6500K cool), tap control on the top surface and a size of approximately 7.8cm across by 10.5cm high, with a USB charging cable included. Keep a USB plug by the charging spot and it is ready for a daytime top-up.
Charging it sensibly at the bedside
The charging advice below comes from UK fire services and Electrical Safety First. It is general guidance for everyday devices with lithium batteries, not a statement about any particular lamp, ours included.
Charge the lamp during the day, while you are up and about, and unplug it once it is full. The London Fire Brigade advises against leaving items on charge after the charge cycle is complete, and says never to cover chargers or charging devices. Electrical Safety First says not to use USB chargers overnight. Charge on a hard, flat surface: Essex County Fire and Rescue Service suggests somewhere like a kitchen worktop, and warns never to leave a phone charging under your pillow. The same goes for a lamp: not on the bed, and not under bedding.
Use the charger that came with the lamp, or a genuine, branded one from a seller you trust. If the box holds a cable only, the plug you choose is worth a moment's thought.
Some buying guides say you can leave most rechargeable lamps plugged in. The UK safety advice above says to unplug once charging is complete, and we would follow it.
Electrical Safety First's lamp advice is to stand it on a flat, stable surface, keep the cable tidy and keep lamps away from curtains and bedding. Our own lamp listings say the same with a child's room in mind: a stable surface outside the cot or bed, never under bedding, with the charging cable and power source kept away from the sleeping area.
If you want a lamp you can carry
A lamp that leaves the bedside does a different job: lighting the way to a night feed, a quick check on a child, or a trip to the bathroom. For that, look for something light, with a shape that is easy to hold or a part that lifts off. Our own CalmBird (£34.90 on 2 October 2026) is built that way: its listing describes a bird light you lift from its perch during a night-time check, so the light goes with you and the perch stays put. For night feeds in particular, see our guide to dream feeds and night checks.
If what you need is a low glow left on through the night, that is a night light rather than a bedside lamp, and the power question works differently. Our guide to whether a night light should be rechargeable or plug-in covers that choice.
Choosing yours
A cordless lamp suits a bedside without a socket, or where you want light that moves with you. If it would spend most nights on its cable, a corded lamp will serve you better. Either way, you can browse our bedside lamps, including the rechargeable ones, and hold each listing up to the checklist above, ours included.
References
- London Fire Brigade. "Batteries and chargers." https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/electrical-items/batteries-and-chargers/ (accessed 2 October 2026).
- Electrical Safety First. "USB chargers." https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/products-and-appliances/gadgets-entertainment/usb-chargers/ (accessed 2 October 2026).
- Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. "Fire service issues charging safety advice" (1 November 2023). https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/news/fire-service-issues-charging-safety-advice-electrical-fire-safety-month (accessed 2 October 2026).
- Electrical Safety First. "Lamps." https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/products-and-appliances/lighting/lamps/ (accessed 2 October 2026).
- Megan Geall, Good Housekeeping UK. Rechargeable lamps buying guide with lab test results (tested by Blossom Boothroyd and Albert Orech-Achato; updated 9 July 2026). https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/product-reviews/house-garden/g62484434/best-rechargeable-lamp/ (accessed 2 October 2026).
- John Lewis. "Mushroom Rechargeable Portable Dimmable Table Lamp" product listing (£70.00 on 2 October 2026). https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-mushroom-rechargeable-portable-dimmable-table-lamp/p110436965 (accessed 2 October 2026).
- IKEA UK. "LÄNSPORT LED portable lamp, battery-operated" (£15). https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/laensport-led-portable-lamp-battery-operated-white-dark-grey-60575919/ (accessed 2 October 2026).
- IKEA UK. "NÖDMAST LED portable lamp" (£12). https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/noedmast-led-portable-lamp-battery-operated-light-pink-dark-grey-green-50575905/ (accessed 2 October 2026).
- IKEA UK. "TVÅMASTAD LED portable lamp, battery-operated" (£17). https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tvamastad-led-portable-lamp-battery-operated-brass-opal-white-glass-60597780/ (accessed 2 October 2026).