Next kit one stage touch table lamp
Best: For the bedroom and beyond
Waking up suddenly and fumbling for a switch is no fun, which is where Next’s touch lamp comes in. Remarkably affordable for a touch-sensitive lamp, it’s light, compact and short enough (32cm tall) to fit on most bedside tables, and it has a pared-back design that’ll suit a variety of schemes. We tested ours in charcoal but there’s also pretty rose gold, yellow, navy and light grey options, each with a metal band around the top of the base and a matching simple round fabric shade. We loved how responsive it was to switch on and off – only a light touch is needed – although this can be a drawback too. We accidentally turned it on a couple of times when reaching for something else by brushing against it, so it might work best at the rear of a table rather than in the middle.
Our one niggle is the power cable – while it’s fairly generous to be able to reach a socket, it’s white. Attached to a dark grey lamp, this means it stands out if you have it trailing – another good reason to site your lamp at the back. Like many compact lamps, this one takes a screw-in candle bulb, ideally a 4W LED, and we agree – our 5W LED was too bright for a bedroom. It was, however, good for reading by – the light can project out of the top of the lamp a little but not so not much as to be dazzling. For the price, it’s an excellent buy, and one which lends itself to other rooms beyond the bedroom.