Night Lights

A night light exists so somebody can see without waking up properly. That is a different job from lighting a room, and it calls for the opposite of a room light: low output, a warm colour and a shape that does not draw the eye.

The second job these lights do is comfort. A child who sleeps better with a soft glow in the corner, a hallway that can be crossed at three in the morning without hunting for a switch, a bedside lamp that comes down to almost nothing. Every product in this collection is built for one of those two purposes.

What's in this range

There are 12 products here, priced from $40 to $200 in Australian dollars. Listed wattage runs from 0.5 W to 15 W, which is the range you would expect for lights that are meant to be seen rather than to light a task. Not every model states dimensions; where they are given, the height is 28.2 cm and the diameter 13 cm.

ABS is the most common material, on four product pages, alongside a resin ornament body and one lamp cut from natural crystal salt. Every light source in the collection is an LED, either integrated or supplied with the light, and no bulb base is listed anywhere, so there are no globes to buy. Power is split between USB rechargeable batteries, USB powered units and plug-in models. Controls include a touch switch on the base, touch brightness adjustment, a touch control for changing colour and hands-free automatic switching. Two products state adjustable brightness levels. The collection covers motion activated lights, rechargeable touch lamps, a salt lamp, a lava lamp, a floating moon lamp and two projectors. Bedrooms and living rooms are named most often, then desks, children's rooms and relaxation.

How to choose

Automatic or manual

A motion activated light is the right answer for a hallway, a stair or a bathroom door, because nobody wants to find a switch half asleep. A touch lamp is the right answer beside a bed or on a desk, where you want the light to stay on as long as you want it. Buying the wrong one of these two is the most common mistake in this category.

How the light is powered

Rechargeable models can be carried from room to room and need no power point, which suits a child's room where cords are best avoided. Plug-in and USB powered models never need charging but must sit within reach of an outlet or a USB port. Neither is better. The one that suits the spot you have in mind is better.

Brightness that goes low enough

A night light that only has one level is often too bright at two in the morning. Products here that state adjustable brightness or touch dimming can be set low and left. If the light will be on all night in a bedroom, dimming is worth more than any other feature.

Decorative or functional

A projector, a moon lamp or a salt lamp is an object in the room first and a light second. A sensor step light is a light and nothing else. Decide which of the two you are buying before you compare prices, because the $40 sensor unit and the $200 salt lamp are not competing for the same job.

Colour and the effect on sleep

Warm light interferes least with settling down for the night. Models here that change colour can be left on their warmest setting overnight and used in colour only in the evening. That is worth deciding early if the light is for a child who is slow to fall asleep.

Frequently asked questions

Which night light suits a child's room?

A rechargeable touch model with adjustable brightness, so it can be turned down without an adult in the room, and so there is no cord across the floor. The dinosaur and bunny lamps in this range are built for that use. For the rest of the room, see bedroom lights.

Do motion sensor models switch off by themselves?

Yes. One of the sensor lights here states that it turns off twenty seconds after the movement stops. The exact delay and the detection range are listed on each product page, since they differ between models. The full sensor range sits in motion sensor lights.

Can I leave one on all night?

Plug-in and USB powered models are made to stay on. A rechargeable model will run for the time stated on its own product page and then need charging, so check that figure if the light has to last until morning.

Are any of these suitable outdoors?

No product in this collection states an IP rating, so treat them all as indoor lights. For a light that stays outside, see solar lights.

Do they need globes?

No. Every model here uses an LED that is either integrated or included, and no bulb base is listed anywhere in the collection. There is nothing to replace and nothing extra to buy.