The Best Desk Lamps Under $40

If you’ve got a desk, you’d probably benefit from equipping it with a lamp—the lights from your computer screen can feel harsh in the dark, after all. But the best one for you to choose will depend on your specific needs and the features you’ll benefit most from, whether you need charging ports, mobility, or something with a small footprint. Here are several options to check out—all for less than $40.

Desk lamps that help keep you organized

• I have this Jostic LED lamp ($27.02) and personally love it. It has a wireless charging pad for my phone, 10 brightness settings, five color modes, and a USB port, so I can make it bright and white to focus during work and dim and yellow to relax at night, all while it charges my phone and powers my desk fan through the USB port.

• A Gondsily LED lamp with a USB charging port and holders for your pens and pencils ($23.99) is a cost-effective way to keep all of your materials organized, especially if you do a lot of work on real-deal paper.

• A Wanjiaone lamp ($35.99) has the same features as the one above, plus a few extra for just $12 more: A clock face, calendar, and nightlight are built in, making it perfect for staying on track without having to look at your phone (and get distracted).

• A Mubarek lamp ($20.91) is the opposite: If you want to keep an eye on your phone, it has a holder built right in, plus it comes with the USB port and holders for other tools.

• Instead of sending light down on your workspace from off to the side, the KableRika desk lamp ($24.99) sits behind and well above your computer or materials, casting light more evenly.

Desk lamps that are perfect for your unique space

• Try a wearable lamp, like this one from Glocusent ($18.99) if you like to read in bed or work from different locations around the house. It sits around your neck like a reverse necklace, casting light in front of you and slightly downward.

• If you're looking for something cute, try this Aluocyi lamp ($23.99) that features a heart-shaped mirror at the base, plus a pen holder and a USB charging port. Lamps don't have to be boring or ugly.

• Another portable and even more economical option is the Woputne desk clip on lamp ($9.99), which can be used on a desk, a headboard, a table, or wherever else you need it—and it has 10 brightness modes, so you won’t keep anyone up with the light, wherever you are.