A wall-mounted bedside lamp frees the nightstand and puts the light on the page. Two questions decide which wall-mounted reading light to buy: does it plug in or wire into the wall, and how far does its arm reach? Below, each light is listed with both, from the makers' specs; where a figure isn't published, we say so.
What is the best wall-mounted reading light for a bed?
One with an arm long enough to bring the shade beside your shoulder, and a shade that hides the bulb from your eyes. If you rent, or there's no junction box by the bed, choose a plug-in swing-arm lamp such as Anglepoise's Original 1227 or Type 75 Wall Mounted Lamp. If the wiring is already there, a hardwired wall light such as the Type 80 W2 keeps the wall free of cords.
For renters
Anglepoise's Original 1227 Wall Mounted Lamp: a bracket, a 79-inch cable and a 34.5-inch reach.
For a clean wall
Anglepoise's Type 75 Wall Light: hardwired, with a switch on the wall plate and a 12.6-inch reach.
For a switch within reach
Anglepoise's Type 75 Wall Mounted Lamp: the switch is on the shade, a 600-lumen LED comes in the box, and a 98-inch cable runs to the outlet.
Plug-in or hardwired: which wall reading light do you need?
A plug-in wall reading light hangs on a bracket you screw to the wall, and its cable runs down to an ordinary outlet, so it suits renters and bedrooms with no junction box beside the bed. A hardwired light connects to your home's wiring through a junction box in the wall: no cord on show, but installing it is a job for a licensed electrician.
Anglepoise's wall-mounted lamps are the plug-in swing-arm wall lamps here. The Type 75 runs on a 98-inch cable, the Original 1227 on 79 inches of braided cable with a switch 11 inches from the lamp, and both Minis on 70.9 inches. The two Type 75 lamps can also be hardwired through the bracket later, by an electrician. WOUD's Kuppi, by Mika Tolvanen, plugs in on an 83-inch fabric cord, and its shade rotates 280 degrees to steer the light onto the page.
Plan the outlet before you drill: the cable should reach it without crossing the bed or a walkway, and a paintable cord cover keeps the run tidy. With no outlet and no wiring by the bed, a rechargeable lamp on the nightstand is the fallback.
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Original 1227 Wall Mounted LampPlug-in; 34.5 in reach; inline switch on the cable
$275
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Type 75 Wall Mounted LampPlug-in; 31.7 in reach; 600 lm 2700K LED included
$275
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Original 1227 Mini Wall Mounted LampPlug-in; 28.3 in reach; folds back against the wall
$240
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Type 75 Mini Wall Mounted LampPlug-in; 25.4 in reach; 70.9 in cable; LED included
$240
WOUD · Meter 3.2Kuppi SconcePlug-in on an 83 in fabric cord; shade rotates 280°
$295Hardwired articulating wall sconces: short arms, no cord
Anglepoise's hardwired wall lights mount over a standard junction box, with a mounting kit in the box, and hold the shade 9 to 13 inches from the wall. The Original 1227 Wall Light puts George Carwardine's 1935 shade on a 12-inch steel arm; the Brass edition adds a brass shade cap, bridle and fittings. Sir Kenneth Grange's Type 75 Wall Light reaches 12.6 inches, and his Type 80 W2, an articulating wall sconce jointed at the wall plate and the shade, reaches 13. The Type 75 Mini Wall Light is the smallest, at 9 inches.
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Type 80 W2 Wall LightHardwired; 13 in reach; jointed at plate and shade
$248
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Type 75 Wall LightHardwired; 12.6 in reach; switch on the wall plate
$140
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Original 1227 Wall LightHardwired; 12 in reach; switch on the wall plate
$128
Anglepoise · Meter 4.2Original 1227 Brass Wall LightHardwired; 12 in reach; brass cap, bridle and fittings
$156Wall-mounted reading lights compared: power, reach, bulb and switch
Here are the wall-mounted reading lights for the bedroom we carry, side by side. Reach is measured at full stretch, from the wall or bracket to the shade. Where a maker doesn't publish a figure, the table says so.
| Wall light | Plug-in or hardwired | Reach from wall | Bulb | Switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglepoise Type 75 Wall Mounted Lamp | Plug-in, 98 in cable; hardwiring optional | 31.7 in (35.4 in vertical) | 6.5W LED included, 600 lm, 2700K | On the shade |
| Anglepoise Type 75 Mini Wall Mounted Lamp | Plug-in, 70.9 in cable; hardwiring optional | 25.4 in (28.3 in vertical) | 6.5W LED included, 600 lm, 2700K | On the shade |
| Anglepoise Original 1227 Wall Mounted Lamp | Plug-in, 79 in braided cable | 34.5 in (26.8 in vertical) | E26 bulb included | Inline, 11 in from the lamp |
| Anglepoise Original 1227 Mini Wall Mounted Lamp | Plug-in, 70.9 in cable | 28.3 in (26.7 in vertical) | E12 bulb included | Inline, 11 in from the lamp |
| Anglepoise Original 1227 Brass Wall Mounted Lamp | Plug-in, 79 in cable | 34.5 in (26.8 in vertical) | E26 bulb included | Inline, 11 in from the lamp |
| WOUD Kuppi Sconce | Plug-in, 83 in fabric cord | No arm; stands 9.8 in (25 cm) off the wall, and the shade rotates 280° | E12, up to 25W, sold separately | None listed by WOUD |
| Anglepoise Type 80 W2 Wall Light | Hardwired | 13 in | LED included, E26 | On the shade |
| Anglepoise Type 75 Wall Light | Hardwired | 12.6 in | E26, sold separately | On the wall plate |
| Anglepoise Type 75 Mini Wall Light | Hardwired | 9 in | E26 | None listed by Anglepoise |
| Anglepoise Original 1227 Wall Light | Hardwired | 12 in | E26, sold separately | On the wall plate |
| Anglepoise Original 1227 Brass Wall Light | Hardwired | 12 in | E26, sold separately | On the back plate |
| Luceplan Millimetro Wall Lamp | Hardwired | No arm; a 9.8 in disc, 1.2 in deep | Built-in 20W LED, 2700K or 3000K | Dims on a phase-cut dimmer |
Vertical reach is Anglepoise's published maximum for the wall-mounted lamps. The Kuppi's depth, cord and switch details are from WOUD's US product page.
How high should a bedside reading light be mounted?
As a rule of thumb, the bottom of the shade sits 20 to 36 inches above the top of the mattress; the range is wide because people sit differently and headboards vary. The surer test is your own shoulder: sit up against the headboard and set the light 6 to 12 inches above it, a little to the side, so it lands on the page and not in your eyes. Over a tall headboard, measure from its top. Center the light over a nightstand, or about 12 inches in from the edge of the mattress if there isn't one.
On a swing-arm lamp the bracket height matters less, because the arm adjusts: Anglepoise publishes 35.4 inches of vertical reach for the Type 75 Wall Mounted Lamp and 26.8 inches for the Original 1227. A hardwired light has to be placed right the first time, so mark the spot from the bed before the electrician arrives.
How far should a wall reading light reach?
Far enough to bring the shade over the page. Sit up in bed, hold a book where you read, and measure from the wall to the page: that's the reach you need. Hardwired wall lights with short arms, 9 to 13 inches, sit beside the headboard and light a reader close to the wall. Swing arms of 25.4 to 34.5 inches can reach across a nightstand to you, and the Original 1227 Mini folds back against the wall when it isn't in use, which suits a narrow bedside. If the wall can't take a fixing, a reading floor lamp with a sprung arm can stand behind the nightstand instead.
What bulb and color temperature are best for reading in bed?
Warm white, around 2700K, in a shade that keeps the bulb out of your eyes. Anglepoise ships its Type 75 Wall Mounted Lamps with a 6.5-watt, 600-lumen LED at 2700K, listed as non-dimmable, and recommends replacement bulbs of 25 to 45 grams, up to 10 watts LED, because bulb weight affects the spring balance. The hardwired Original 1227 and Type 75 Wall Lights take an E26 bulb you buy separately; the Type 80 W2 ships with one.
Behind most of these lights · Anglepoise · Est. 1935 · Lifetime guarantee
Anglepoise: the balanced arm, since 1935
George Carwardine, an automotive engineer, worked out the spring formula in 1932 that became the Original 1227 lamp in 1935. Anglepoise still designs in Hampshire, England, works with Sir Kenneth Grange on the Type 75 and Type 80, and guarantees its lamps for life when registered within 90 days, in the US too. It is a Certified B Corp and sells more than 60 spare parts. These wall lights are made in China to its designs.
- Lifetime guarantee on lamps bought since 2020
- Certified B Corp
- 60+ spare parts available
grade
Bedside wall lights for a glow, not a page
Not every bedside wall light is for reading. Tala's Kilter 2.0 is a line of light 500 or 640 mm long on a faceplate barely wider than the tube; Tala designs it as an IP44-rated bath and vanity light, and beside a headboard it gives a soft glow rather than a beam. Luceplan's Millimetro, by Daniel Rybakken and made in Italy, is a 9.8-inch mirror-finish disc, 1.2 inches deep, that washes the wall with light from a built-in LED and dims on a phase-cut dimmer. Both are hardwired; Tala's US product page says the Kilter 2.0 needs a junction box, with all wiring made inside the wall (Tala).
Tala · Meter 3.8Kilter 2.0 Wall LightIP44 bath and vanity light; 500 or 640 mm; hardwired; 2200K or 2700K
From $325Shop →
Luceplan · Meter 3.3Millimetro Wall LampHardwired; 9.8 in disc, 1.2 in deep; dimmable LED
$640For the rest of the room, our bedroom furniture guide covers bed frames and nightstands, and the lighting brands guide compares every lighting maker we carry by bulb, parts and warranty. Browse all wall sconces, or the full Anglepoise range.
Wall-mounted reading lights: common questions
How high should a bedside reading light be mounted?
So the bottom of the shade sits about 20 to 36 inches above the top of the mattress, or 6 to 12 inches above your shoulder when you sit up against the headboard. A swing-arm lamp lets you adjust it after it's up.
Plug-in or hardwired: which wall light is better for a bedroom?
Plug-in if you rent, have no junction box by the bed or may move the bed: you fix a bracket and run the cable to an outlet. Hardwired if the wiring is already there or you're renovating: no cord on the wall, installed by a licensed electrician.
Can a wall light be fitted without an electrician?
A plug-in one, yes: screw the bracket to the wall with fixings suited to your wall, then plug it in. Anything wired into the wall, including the optional hardwiring of Anglepoise's Type 75 wall-mounted lamps, should be installed by a licensed electrician.
How far should a wall reading light reach?
Far enough to put the shade over the page when you sit up, so measure from the wall to where you hold a book. Anglepoise's hardwired wall lights reach 9 to 13 inches; its plug-in swing arms reach 25.4 to 34.5 inches.
What bulb or color temperature is best for reading in bed?
A warm white LED around 2700K, in a shade that hides the bulb. Anglepoise's Type 75 Wall Mounted Lamps come with a 6.5-watt, 600-lumen LED at 2700K.
Can a swing arm wall lamp plug in?
Yes. Every Anglepoise wall mounted lamp on this page plugs into a standard outlet: the Type 75, Type 75 Mini, Original 1227, Original 1227 Mini and Original 1227 Brass, on cables of 70.9 to 98 inches.
Is the Anglepoise Type 75 Mini Wall Light hardwired?
Yes. It mounts over a junction box with a color-matched kit and reaches 9 inches from the wall. For a plug-in Type 75 Mini, choose the Type 75 Mini Wall Mounted Lamp, which reaches 25.4 inches from its bracket.
Can I use a wall mounted desk lamp by the bed?
Yes. Anglepoise's wall-mounted lamps are its task lamps on a wall bracket, made to work over a desk or a bed. The Type 75, Type 75 Mini, Original 1227 and Original 1227 Mini also come with a table base in the box, so the lamp can stand on a desk later.
Do Anglepoise wall lights have a warranty?
Yes. Anglepoise guarantees its lamps for life when you register them within 90 days, and it sells more than 60 spare parts.
