Is The OttLite Floor Lamp Worth The Money? Here's What Reviews Say

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When you're an artist or committed DIY-er, you know that being able to see your colors under clear light can be make or break for specific projects. Nobody wants to complete an entire knitted sweater, or sew a full quilt, then take the item into sunlight and realize that the hues weren't exactly what you wanted. That's one of a few reasons why people are investing in floor lamps as a must-have update to a home arts and crafts studio. Among the short list of trending craft lamps is the OttLite standing floor lamp, which retails for just over $100 on Amazon. After hundreds of reviews, it's clear that the OttLite has a lot of fans.

The OttLite floor lamp is sold through Amazon and the OttLite online storefront, among other places. There are a few different models to choose from, that come in black and white with various lighting styles and lengths of the lamp poles, but all of them have the quintessential adjustable necks. The OttLite lamps also come with weighted bases, so they stay upright even when being moved around, and the bulbs and LED lights claim to be super long-lasting. OttLite's company mission is to create "healthy lighting" that emulates the sun so you avoid straining your eyes — something that could be critical for crafters who often need to examine their projects closely. The company is named after Photobiologist Dr. John Nash Ott, who pioneered this natural light technology. 

So, is the OttLite floor lamp really a genius craft room idea you'll want in your home? Reviewers sure seem to believe so. The OttLite 24w standing lamp has over 800 reviews on its Amazon listing, and nets out at 4.7 out of 5 stars after all of that feedback, which is quite the feat. A lot of reviewers called out the specific crafts that are enhanced by their OttLite purchases. "First of all, I really like Ottlite. This is my 3rd purchase of a floor standing model," one positive review reads. "I have one in my craft room, one in my bedroom (for makeup etc.) and this one is behind my recliner so that I have good light for embroidery. It provides the best light so that I can see my work easily and not suffer eye strain." Another person said, "I use this to paint artwork. Works great!" 

Other Amazon buyers chimed in about the uniqueness of OttLite's natural lighting feature, which is made to emulate the sun so that you can see the true colors of the materials you're working with and reduce the strain on your eyesight. "Although they aren't advertised as such, I believe they also help with my seasonal-affect disorder [SAD]," one customer wrote. Someone else said that the type of lighting helps specific crafting endeavors: "The light is a pure light. It helps to determine color differences when working on a project. Great for fine work."

Another reason why the OttLite works so well is because of the lamp's flexible base, which brings your light source close to your work. Instead of relying on an overhead light, which creates long shadows, you can bring the light to you. If the OttLite's over $100 price point is still not worth it to you, there are options for desk lamps for under $50 and floor lamps that still offer the flexibility and convenience. For instance, the Lepro LED desk light, which retails for $19.99 on Amazon, sits mounted on a desk or table to be as close as possible to your project. You can also look for floor lamps with flexible, tilting heads for the same effect.  

Because the OttLite is unique for its natural lighting, you won't be able to get the exact effect with another product. However, if you want to get effective lighting for your crafts, you'll want to look for high quality lighting in your selection. Many other crafting lamps achieve this with bright LED sources that have various settings. You'll want to look for terms like "diffused light," which is softer and casts fewer shadows on your work. Options like the Marctronic LED floor lamp (which is $29.99 on Amazon) offer different lighting settings — like natural lighting, warm light, and cool light — so you can see your project under various settings to compare how the colors will look at different times of the day.