Collection: Portable Lamps and Lanterns

Battery Life

Run time depends on brightness. These lamps are built to last through a long dinner and then some, and dimming them stretches a single charge much further.

• Accordeon Battery LED Table Lamp by Slamp: Marc Sadler's pleated Lentiflex shade sits on a slim anodized aluminum stem, 5" across and 12.75" tall, with a Black or White base. The integrated dimmer is what makes the battery last: about 6.5 hours at full brightness and around 60 hours at its lowest setting. Warm 2700K light, rated IP20 for indoor use. Mood: Couture pleats for the nightstand.
• Clizia LED Battery Table Lamp by Slamp: Adriano Rachele's layered petals in Lentiflex and Cristalflex, 10.75" wide and 9.75" tall, made in Italy. It comes in Fume, Black, Gold with a Dark or Light Base, and the graphic Mamanonmama. Rated IP20 for indoor use. Mood: A bouquet that never wilts.
• Kushi Mobile LED Battery Table Lamp by KDLN: An apple-shaped shade of blown opal glass with a small metal stem poking through the dimpled top, designed in 2017 by Alberto Saggia and Valerio Sommella and made in Italy. At 6.3" across and 6.7" tall, in Black, Brass, or Copper, it fits on a bookshelf or bar cart. Gives 150 lumens at 2700K. Rated IP20 for indoor use. Mood: Still life, switched on.

IP Rating

IP65 means the lamp is sealed against dust and water jets. In practice, a lamp with that rating can stay on the patio table through fog, sprinklers, and the occasional knocked-over glass.

• Takeout LED Portable Table Lamp by Buster and Punch: Solid metal in Brass or Steel with Buster and Punch's signature cross-knurl grip, plus a light pipe inside a toughened glass shade. It is 3.2" wide by 8.7" tall. The lithium iron phosphate battery runs more than 14 hours at full brightness and recharges in five to six hours on a magnetic USB cable. One touch button steps through 100, 60, and 40 percent. Rated IP65 and wet. Mood: Machined for the patio, polished enough for the dining table.
• Blossi LED Mini Portable Table Lamp by Nuura: Sofie Refer's 2024 design: soft, rounded shapes in Black with Opal or Nordic Gold with Clear, 5.5" wide by 10.2" tall. Gives 230 lumens at 2700K with color rendering above 90 CRI, the highest on this page. It is dimmable, rated IP65 and wet, and low-voltage Class III. Mood: Playful Danish minimalism, indoors or out.
• Amelie Pro Outdoor Rechargeable LED Table Lamp by Zafferano America: Sara Moroni's die-cast aluminum lamp with a polycarbonate diffuser, 4.7" across and 13.4" tall. It comes in Black, White, Mint Green, or Terracotta. About 10 hours per charge on the included induction base, with touch dimming and output in 2200K, 2700K, or 3000K. Included pieces convert it to a hanging lamp; the cord is sold separately. Rated IP65 for dry, damp, and wet locations. Mood: Café table, anywhere.

Control and Dimming

The best portable light adjusts to the moment. Touch dimming, automatic dusk sensors, and long cords each give you a different kind of control.

• Poldina Pro LED Table Lamp by Zafferano America: Federico de Majo's mushroom silhouette in aluminum, at 10.8" small or 14.9" large. It comes in a wide range of finishes, from Sage and Capri Blue to Gold Leaf and Silver Leaf on the large. Touch the top to turn it on and dim it through its full range. It charges on a contact base and runs more than 9 hours, in 2200K, 2700K, or 3000K. Rated IP65; the powder-coated finishes are suited to outdoor use. Optional patterned metal shades let you change the look. Mood: The restaurant-table classic, in your color.
• May Day Utility Light by FLOS: Konstantin Grcic's 2020 polypropylene work light in Black or Orange, 8.7" across and 20.9" tall. It goes portable on a 191" cord rather than a battery, so it can hang from a hook, sit on a shelf, or clip into a closet. It takes one standard medium-base (E26) bulb, not included; use a dimmable LED. Dry rated, for indoor use. Mood: Industrial design with a sense of humor.
• Tinka Outdoor Solar LED Lantern by Les Jardins: A compact aluminum lantern with frosted glass panels, 6" wide by 10" tall, in Corten, Muscade, or Space Grey. A built-in photocell switches it on at dusk and off at sunrise, and it dims itself as the battery runs low. There is also a manual hi-lo dimmer, and the 500-lumen bulb options add a motion sensor. It charges from sun or USB. Rated IP66. Mood: A lantern that runs itself.

Comparison at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between IP20 and IP65?

IP20 lamps are for indoor use only; they keep fingers out of the electronics but nothing more. IP65 lamps are dust-tight and resist water jets, so they can live on a patio table through fog and sprinklers. Accordeon, Clizia, and Kushi are IP20. Takeout, Blossi, Amelie Pro, and Poldina Pro are IP65, and Tinka is IP66.

How can I get more hours from one charge?

Dim it. Brightness is the biggest factor in run time. The Slamp lamps show the effect clearly: about 6.5 hours at full output against roughly 60 at the lowest setting. For a long dinner, start at a medium level instead of full brightness.

Can I leave an IP65 lamp outside all the time?

It will handle weather, but long-term exposure still wears on finishes and batteries. Bring lamps in during heavy storms and recharge them indoors. Battery chemistry also has temperature limits; Takeout, for example, is rated to operate between 32°F and 104°F.

Which lamps turn on automatically?

Tinka has a built-in photocell that switches it on at dusk and off at sunrise. The 500-lumen bulb options add a motion sensor. The rest of the lamps on this page turn on by touch or switch.