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Learn About the Various Types of Clip Lamp

4 minutes
When you're looking for a powerful, direct, and focused light source for certain home activities, a clip lamp is always a great option. It's functional, practical, and you can move it around to suit your needs in the moment.
Learn About the Various Types of Clip Lamp
Last update: 07 September, 2019

When it comes to lamps, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a table, ceiling, floor, or flexible lamp. But there are also some other interesting types out there, and they can be just as, if not more functional. Today, we’re going to focus on the clip lamp.

It can be hard to have good lighting in every single corner of your home. It’s also good not to depend entirely on lighting from the ceiling as it tends to be strong and not focused on any specific parts of the room.

In other words, a more focused light like a clip lamp could help you get light in a spot where it’s not easy to put a bigger lamp. It can also be a good option if you just want a small light source for something like a reading corner.

What is a clip lamp?

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This type of lamp is very different from the kind of lamp people generally use for lighting. What makes a clip lamp stand out is that it can be extremely functional and practical. 

Most of them are basically a small shade where you put the bulb, a neck with the cables going through it, and a clip or clamp that allows you to attach the lamp to just about any surface. But you’ll still have to have a socket nearby to plug it into.

It’s a highly practical, mobile form of lighting. You can put it in whatever space you want to create a cozy atmosphere. It will give you a very direct form of light for whatever activity you’re doing.

Put some practical, functional resources at your disposal. 

Types of clip lamp

You can find lots of different kinds out there. Each one has a different format and comes in various sizes. But don’t worry, they never lose their functionality. Here are some examples:

  • Artemide Tolomeo: this is one of the most common, and best-known clip lamps on the lighting market. It’s a nice option because it’s extremely small and has a subtle, simple design. That means it can fit into any style, though it goes especially well in a minimalist space.
  • Industrial: the structure and format of these are similar to the ones above. That being said, they have a different design, especially in the shade. It’s much more concave, and much bigger, which is what gives it its industrial feel.
  • Sleek design: you can also find some clip lamps with a long, narrow neck. This makes it easier to direct the light exactly where you want to and gives it flexible lamp functionality thanks to the long, adjustable neck. 
  • Desk lamp: if you want a flexible lamp for your desk, there are some bigger models of clip lamp that can simulate the same basic function of a flexible lamp.

What type you choose basically depends on your needs. The type of lighting you need for a study or home office isn’t the same as it is for a relaxation corner. 

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Utility

How can this type of lamp make your life easier? Well, there are lots of answers to that. It all depends on what you want to use it for, and how often you use it.

  • For reading and writing: thanks to the mobility of this kind of lamp, you can put it wherever you want to. This means you can turn any corner into a reading corner without having to drag around a floor lamp. 
  • For crafts and other manual things: whether you’re knitting, sewing, or doing anything else with your hands, this is a really focussed, useful form of lighting.
  • Working in the middle of the night: when you need to work at night and need good lightingthese lamps are great because of how direct they are.

A clip lamp is an absolute necessity for any home.

Places you can buy them

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You may not be able to find this kind of lamp at every lighting store. Some furniture stores may only have one model. Some safe bets in terms of places you can go to buy one are:

  • IKEA: no surprise here, this company has lots of different clip lamps at affordable prices.
  • Lamps.com: you can buy whatever you need from this site, without leaving your house. They specialize in lamps, so they’ll have whatever you need!
  • Amazon, eBay: these are both good places to look for second-hand lamps, though we’d always recommend buying electrical things new.

Regardless of where you buy your lamp, our suggestion is to look at as many models as you can and compare prices. That’s the best way to make sure you get the most suitable product for you.