The 10 Best Dorm Lights in 2024 (Buyer's Guide)

We gave our review team the task of distilling the 1000s of dorm light options out there down to the absolute 10 best lights for college dorms. Here's what we found:

Our Top Pick: UBeesize 8" Selfie Ring Light with Tripod

This 8" Selfie right light with a tripod seems like an odd choice at first, but is actually an excellent, multi-functional light for any dorm room. It features three color lighting modes with eleven brightness levels, giving you thirty-three options in total. The three modes include warm light, cool white, and daylight, allowing users to choose the best light for any time of day. In addition, the 8" selfie ring light is compatible with almost all smartphones as the phone holder extends to 3.6" wide. It can act as a warm lamp for studying, a background light for ambiance, and as a video light for remote online video calls and classes.

Pros:

• Tripod has quick-flip locks and a weighted tripod base, eliminating the risk of tipping.
• A rotatable phone holder allows you to find the exact angle you want to achieve.
• Powered by USB will enable you to use your laptop, PC, power bank, or USB charger to use the light.
• Includes a remote that allows you to control the light and both IOS and Android phones from up to 10 meters away.
• A three-year replacement service means that any part in the ring light stand can be replaced for any quality issue.

Cons:

• Some users find the 8" selfie ring to be a little small to light up the entire room.

Our Budget Pick: LEPOWER 4W Led Clip-on Light Reading Light

LEPOWER is a professional brand of LED lighting that is available for those on a budget. Known for highly efficient, convenient, and high-quality products, this clip-on LED light will meet all college students' needs.

Pros:

• An easy to use switch on the cord makes this light convenient to use.
• Flexible gooseneck is 15.74 inches long and is easy to twist and move to set the perfect light.
• Comes with both an AC adapter plug and USB cable, allowing you to plug it in anywhere you want.
• The clip is strong and can be connected to any surface with a thickness of 2.36 inches or less.
• LEPOWER provides a twelve-month warranty that is fully guaranteed for any quality problems.

Cons:

• It doesn't remember the color selection after it was turned off.
• Users have complained that the lamp becomes hot to the touch when used at its highest settings.

Our Luxury Pick: BlissLights Sky Lite Laser Projector with LED Nebula Cloud

This luxury light projects a field of drifting green or blue stars against a transforming blue nebula cloud. It adds a relaxing environment to even the most chaotic dorm room. The simple controls on this light make it easy to cycle through the effects, adjust the brightness, and start and stop the rotating motion.

Pros:

• Includes a six-hour timer
• Includes a three-foot AC adapter cord
• Can be used during the day and as a night light

Cons:

• This light comes at a higher price point than others on this list
• Light isn't the most effective to read with

Our Fun Pick: XIYUNTE Pink Neon Light Lightning Bolt LED

This lightning bolt light comes in four colors: red, yellow, blue, and pink. This battery-operated LED light will add a fun, personalized ambiance to your dorm room with no risk of glass breaking or hazardous materials leaking.

Pros:

• Will not get too hot
• Made of flexible silicon LED strip lights
• Can be powered with batteries or USB
• Covered by a 60-day money-back and 365-day warranty.

Cons:

• On the small side at only 13.4 inches tall and 5.1 inches wide
• White cord stands out and isn't easy to hide

Minetom LED Battery Powered LED Globe String Lights Ball Fairy Lights

This 16.4-foot strand of fifty LED lights is an excellent addition to any dorm room, providing adequate lighting and calming ambiance. These lights are powered by three AA batteries, allowing them to be placed anywhere in the room without limitations.

Pros:

• The remote control allows the user to turn the lights on and off and choose from eight different light modes.
• The timer can be set to be on for six hours and then off for 18 hours if you use it as a nightlight.

Cons:

• The lights are tiny, measuring just 0.7 inches each

Dalattin LED Strip Lights

The Dalattin LED strip lights come in a two-pack and are each 16.4 feel long feet long. The 300 lights are said to come in sixteen million colors and four flash modes.

Pros:

• The strip lights can be cut to size, allowing them to be used in any part of the room.
• The 44 key remote allows for many different personalization options.
• Comes with a full twelve-month warranty.

Cons:

• The led lights use a strong 3M adhesive, making it hard to move the lights around the room
• Needs to be plugged into the wall to be used
• When the strip lights are cut, you can only use the part that is still attached to the power source

TaoTronics LED String Lights

The moldability of the TaoTronics LED string lights allows them to be used anywhere in your dorm room you would like. They can be wound around furniture, staircases, frames, mantles, desks, windows, and more.

Pros:

• High-quality copper wire is thin and flexible
• LEDs will not overheat or become hot to the touch

Cons:

• String lights cannot be extended or connected together
• Need to be plugged into the wall to turn on

Hirosa LED Warm White Ball String Lights

The Hirosa LED warm white ball string lights are 10 meters long with a one-meter lead wire. The 100 warm white bulbs create a peaceful atmosphere spreading light across a wide area. This string of lights comes with eight lighting modes, including combination, in waves, sequential, slow glow, chasing/flash, slow fade, twinkle flash, and steady on.

Pros:

• Globes will not get hot to touch
• Globes are made with translucent plastic, reducing the risk of them breaking
• The cable is transparent, making it appear that the lights are floating

Cons:

• Needs to be plugged in to be used
• Needs to be unplugged to be turned off

Glorious-Lite 5W LED Clip on Reading Light

This clip-on reading light is versatile with three light options: warm light, white light, and off. The Glorious-Lute LED reading light has a forty cm gooseneck, which allows for easy twisting to direct the light to exactly where you want it to be. The sturdy clip has a foam pad to protect your desk and can open to 2.3 inches.

Pros:

• USB powered which allows you to use many devices to power the lamp
• Comes with a 12-month customer warranty
• Can be used in bright or dim modes

Cons:

• Not as bright as what some users might want
• Some users complain that the clamp is stiff and hard to use at its maximum opening

Wanjiaone Study LED Desk Lamp with USB Charging Port

This multi-function seven in one desk lamp is going to meet the requirements of almost all students. The multi-functions include a desk lamp, charging port, color changing base, pencil holder, clock, calendar, and LCD screen. The lamp itself can be set to three brightness levels, and the gooseneck design allows for easy moving to light up the spaces that need it most.

Pros:

• Can charge your phone right at your desk
• Light can be used as a night light

Cons:

• Higher price point
• Buttons for the clock are on the bottom, which requires emptying the pencil holder to use

Why You Need Both A Study Light and An Ambient Light in Your Dorm Room

Dorm rooms tend to be small, making it hard to personalize them and make them your own. The small size also makes dorm rooms uninviting and dreary, which is not the environment you want to spend your time in. This makes it essential to have both study lights and ambiance lights.

The need for a study light is clear. If it is late at night, and you are still studying, you need an alternative to the overhead light, especially if you are sharing your dorm room.

However, ambient light is just as crucial to your dorm room. Ambient lights can be placed on the wall or on a shelf, which means it doesn't need to take up valuable space in the room. The ambient light also adds dimension, personality, and sets a mood in your dorm room.

Choosing study lights and desk lights that allow you to customize the brightness and colors in the dorm room can also be useful. In a study light, being able to adjust the brightness will enable you always to have the right amount of light for any of your study needs. With ambient light, having the ability to change the colors will keep you from getting bored, and also means you are likely to find something pleasing to both you and your roommate if you have one.

All these lights discussed in this post are designed especially for dorm rooms. They offer adequate light in the room for studying and doing other tasks. Some of them are easy to install, others are easy to use in order to save time. Each of the light has its pros and cons, so consider the choices carefully and then take your pick!