For most table lamps, the right choice is an LED bulb of roughly 5 to 9 watts, giving somewhere between 400 and 800 lumens. That produces about the same amount of light as an old 40 to 60 watt incandescent bulb, which is what most table lamps were originally designed around. Go towards the lower end for a bedside or decorative lamp, and towards the upper end for a reading or desk lamp.
The more useful question, though, is not wattage but lumens. Watts measure how much electricity a bulb uses, while lumens measure how much light it gives out. Because LEDs are so efficient, a low wattage bulb can be very bright, and shopping by watts alone can easily leave you with a lamp that is too dim or uncomfortably glaring. Whichever of our modern table lamps UK you choose, the guidance below will help you match the bulb to the lamp and the room.
For decades, wattage was a reasonable shorthand for brightness, because almost every household bulb was an incandescent one. A 60 watt bulb was brighter than a 40 watt bulb, and everyone understood the difference.
Most incandescent and halogen household bulbs are no longer sold in the UK, and LEDs have taken their place. An LED producing the same light as a traditional 60 watt bulb typically uses somewhere around 8 or 9 watts. That is why packaging now leads with lumens, often with an “equivalent” wattage printed alongside to help you compare.
As a rough reference, these are the common equivalents:
Exact figures vary between manufacturers, so treat these as a guide rather than a rule.
The right brightness depends on what the lamp is for. Here is how we would think about it room by room.
A bedside lamp is mainly for getting ready for bed and a short spell of reading. Around 250 to 450 lumens is usually enough, and warmer light is more restful. If you read for long periods in bed, choose a bulb towards the higher end or a dimmable one so you can turn it up when needed.
Table lamps on side tables or sideboards in a living room are usually there for atmosphere, providing pools of light that make the room feel warm in the evening. Somewhere around 400 to 800 lumens per lamp works in most rooms. Several lamps at moderate brightness give a softer, more even result than one very bright lamp.
For a lamp beside an armchair that is used for proper reading, aim for around 800 lumens or a little more. The light should fall over your shoulder onto the page, not into your eyes.
For writing, paperwork and detailed tasks, around 800 to 1000 lumens is a sensible target, preferably in a neutral rather than very warm white.
A small lamp on a shelf, a console or a windowsill may need only 150 to 300 lumens. Its job is to create a glow, not to light a task.
Whatever the room, the lamp works with the table it sits on. If you are shopping for lighting, our wider modern lighting UK sale collection sits alongside the furniture that holds it. A reading lamp on one of our modern side tables UK at roughly shoulder height when seated tends to light the page well, while our modern bedside cabinets UK sale range includes heights that bring a bedside shade to a comfortable level beside the mattress.
Every table lamp should have a label, often on the bulb holder or underside of the base, showing the maximum wattage it can safely take, such as “max 40W” or “max 60W”. This limit relates to heat, because traditional bulbs ran very hot and could damage the lampholder, cable or shade.
The rule is simple: never exceed the stated maximum. The good news is that LEDs make this easy. A lamp rated at max 40W can safely use an LED drawing 8 watts, even though it produces the light of a 60 watt incandescent, because the actual power and heat are far lower. What matters is the real wattage of the bulb, not the equivalent figure.
If the label is missing or unreadable, treat the lamp cautiously and stick with a low wattage LED. Our guide to table lamp safety standards in the UK explains what the markings on a lamp mean.
Two lamps with identical bulbs can look very different depending on the shade. A pale, thin fabric or paper shade lets plenty of light through the sides, so the lamp looks brighter and lights more of the room. A thick, dark or lined shade blocks the sides and sends light mainly up and down, so the lamp looks dimmer even though the bulb is the same.
If a lamp with a dark shade feels too dim, you may need a slightly brighter bulb. If a lamp with a pale shade feels glaring, a lower lumen bulb or a frosted rather than clear bulb will usually fix it.
Make sure the bulb sits comfortably inside the shade without touching it. Larger globe bulbs can come close to the fabric in small shades, so check dimensions before buying decorative shapes.
A bulb with the right lumens can still feel wrong if the colour temperature does not suit the room. Colour temperature is measured in kelvin.
For most table lamps in a UK home, a warm white of around 2700K is the safest choice. Warmer light also makes a given brightness feel softer, which is helpful in lamps placed near where you sit.
Many table lamps have no dimmer, but some have an inline or touch dimmer built in. If yours does, use a bulb clearly marked as dimmable. Non dimmable LEDs on a dimmer can flicker, buzz or fail early.
A dimmable bulb gives you flexibility: a brighter bulb that you can turn down is often more useful than a dim bulb you cannot turn up. Smart bulbs offer the same benefit without needing a physical dimmer, and many also let you change colour temperature.
Before choosing a bulb, check the fitting. Common caps in UK table lamps include:
Shapes vary too: standard GLS, candle, golf ball and globe bulbs. In an open or glass based lamp where the bulb is visible, a decorative filament bulb can look attractive. In a lamp with a fabric shade, a standard frosted bulb gives the most even light.
If you only want one rule to follow, use this:
If you are unsure what to call the table beside your sofa, our article explaining side tables, end tables and lamp tables in UK terms clears up the differences. We offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes across our lighting and furniture, which you can browse at Furniture in Fashion.
Yes, as long as the actual wattage of the LED is below 40 watts, which it almost always will be. A 60W equivalent LED typically draws around 8 or 9 watts, well within a 40W rating.
Around 250 to 450 lumens is usually enough for a bedside lamp. If you read in bed regularly, choose something towards 450 lumens or a dimmable bulb so you can adjust it.
It may simply have a higher lumen output, or a cooler colour temperature, which tends to look brighter. Compare the lumens on the packaging, and choose a warm white around 2700K if you want a softer effect.
Under a fabric shade, a frosted bulb gives softer, more even light. Clear filament bulbs suit lamps where the bulb is on show, such as glass or open frame designs.
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