15 Portable Lamps We Didn't Know We Needed

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Making your home feel cozy can be done in a whole bunch of ways, across styles and decor tastes. But the one way to improve any room at any point is through ambient lighting: You want lamps that light up (as in, literally upward) a room instead of casting a harsh light down. Yellow-orange lighting is better than harsh, cold lighting. Think about mimicking the vibe of a spa, say, rather than a hospital.

These 15 lamps do that lighting duty well, and they make it easy to change the feel of any room because you can pick them up and take them with you. They work well as desk lamps, night lights, and reading lights. They're meant to be moved room to room, with all of the lighting functionality an old-timey oil lamp with none of the accidentally burning down your house.

These ones in particular are all inspired by a midcentury modern aesthetic: Curvy, geometric, function-first, muted colors. Because they're made to movable, however, they'll never truly hit the midcentury mark. Modern technology's finest. These are great for adding to a bedside table, making it easier to see at a desk, or carrying around wherever you might need to read something and can't be bothered to go get your glasses.

Transloetje Table Lamp

First up, the vibes: Fatboy's translucent lamp looks perfect on a side table or on a curated bookshelf. It comes in three colors (a clear translucent, gray, and brown) with three brightness levels. A full charge lasts up to eight hours on the brightest setting.

PL2 Rechargeable LED Table Lamp

MoMA design store curates the smartest, most usefully efficient home objects, and this rechargeable lamp is one such example. Designer George Sowden crafted this specifically for MoMA: a two-pound, rechargeable lamp made of a sturdy aluminum stand and diffusing silicone shade with a two-tone design.

Little Glass Table Lamp

A tiny glass lamp does some big-time decor work on a bookshelf or in lighting up a dark corner. It comes in a few colors with both plug-in and AA-battery operated power choices.

Wick Rechargeable LED Portable Table Light

Speaking of old-timey oil lamps, this West Elm light mimics the shape and glow of a thin candlestick with an adjustable (and fire-free) 2600K warm LED bulb. There's even an ergonomic carrying ring on the base to make your path to a midnight snack clear and steady.

Mina LED Bedside Mini Lamp

If you're looking for a truly tiny lamp to bring around the house, it's this mini LED one. This is the smallest option at nearly 3" all the way around, but there are a few larger sizes, too. They come in cool base colors (13 of them) and they make excellent, well-priced gifts. They're both cute and small enough to deck the whole house in.

Cordless Light Bulb

Another one for the vibes: this cordless light bulb. No lamp, no base, just an oversized cordless bulb you can display aesthetically on the shelf or take for walks around the house. It's made of a durable glass and metal but maybe don't make a habit of dropping it or putting it anywhere near a child, animal, or your reckless limbs.

Smart Baton Motion Sensored Light

Gingko's motion sensored light has a round adhesive base that mounts to the wall, complete with a hidden magnet to take the actual light on and off its base. The frosted acrylic construction means you're getting a warm, glowy light that's better thought of as a nightlight than a reading light.

LED Portable Rechargeable Table Lamp

This Panthella lamp is an investment, but it will also quickly become one of the most useful and aesthetically pleasing objects in your house. It comes in a variety of cool, retro colors and has a dimmer on the base. Heads up: the charge only lasts about five hours.

Battery-Operated Lamp

If you're looking for a portable lamp you can read or see clearly with, this is not the one for you. This is more like a soft nightlight or tea light. Some reviewers say it's too dim for their liking, but if you're just trying to create some ambiance and have some soft lighting, it's great. Get a single option or a pack of two.

Gustave Rechargeable LED Table Lamp

FLOS's lighting options are a favorite among the most obsessive decor folks among us. They're optimally designed, made from the best materials (this one is a durable aluminum), and they do their job of lighting up a space exceedingly well. Choose from two color temperature options: 2,700 or 3,000.

Rechargeable LED Table Lamp

This JWDA table lamp is a little heavier than other options at 3.4lbs, making it slightly more cumbersome to carry around. Considering its higher price tag, we're maybe not trying to possibly drop it, either. But the lighting is good and the decor appeal is strong. It's better kept in spaces with minimal outlet access.

Desk Lamp

For a little light you can keep on a desk, this frosted glass lamp gifts a soft, indirect light. It's not as teeny tiny as our smallest option but it's still pretty damn small (5.75-inch diameter) and lightweight (1.58 lbs).

Cordless Small Lamp

This is like if you took a regular lamp and shrunk it down. The wood tripod base and the tiny lamp shade make it look extremely cute on any surface. It has three brightness options and works especially well as a candle alternative.

Flowerpot V9 Rechargeable LED Portable Table Lamp

This is one of the most fun lamps that exists, portable or not. It was originally designed in 1968 and is made of a solid metal and polycarbonate. It comes in the most fun color options (orange, bright pink, royal blue, Kelly green) with three dimmer levels.

Portable LED Table Lamp

I bought myself one of these bad boys after seeing it on TikTok approximately 5,000 times and it pretty useful: lightweight, the charge lasts a while, the touch sensor is easy and noiseless. It's small enough to fit just about wherever I want to put it. However, even the brightest setting isn't as bright as I had wanted it to be for reading. For a less expensive option, this one is great.

You Might Also Like

• Kid Cudi Is All Right

• 16 Best Shoe Organizers For Storing and Displaying Your Kicks