Review of Normande Lighting HS5-882A-BS LED Desk Lamp

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program For an office desk lamp in an office with a modern cast it will fit right in and look sharp. It isn't a lamp I'd have purchased ordinarily but I am very interested in LED lighting and this one became available for review through the Vine program for no cost. I wanted to rush the review a bit because the lamp delivered is not the lamp pictured although it is very close.

NOTE: The pictured item is NOT what you will get. I've uploaded two pictures of the base so be sure to look at them before ordering. The sphere instead of bar counterweight and the much shorter base cylinder makes the maximum height of the lamp a lot less than what's pictured for this item currently (Sept 25th 2012).

The lamp is shipped in one piece is very good packaging. The lamp itself is inside a made to order styrofoam case inside an inexpensive cardboard box which was inside the Amazon cardboard box. The cord is actually two pieces with the end of the cord terminating in a special thin two prong plug that plugs into a special adapter for your outlet. If outlet space is narrow you might have a problem. It is about the size of a narrow phone charger adapter.

Plug it in and go. Easy as that of course. The blurb about the choking hazard is with regards to the two piece electrical cord and wall plug adapter I guess.

This is, apparently, a bic lighter style lamp. The LED is not replaceable. So if that goes out the lamp goes in the trash or you fool around trying to get a warranty replacement lamp or perhaps a service center can replace the assembly? No way to tell from the contents of the package or the Amazon page. The simple instruction sheet is sensibly printed on an 8X10 piece of paper but the word 'warranty' is not mentioned anywhere on it. The only related thing is a mention of a damaged cord needing a qualified service tech for repair. The LED component is not made for self-service.

The light is not bright. I mean, really subdued like a night light subdued. That is perfect if you work in a darkened office and don't want to disturb others with a 100 watt bulb. If your decor calls for subdued lighting it will fit right in too. For example, if you are a teacher and you want a subdued light to do work while the class watches a film (or naps if that is your grade level), this lamp might be perfect since the arm will stretch it over what you are working on and direct the light down to the work space.

Along those lines, it is worth mentioning that you probably don't want to use it for long stretches in a darkened room. With your eyes in the dark and the work in the light it strains your eyes.

The LED component gets hot! Not like touching a long running edison bulb but you'll notice if it you touch it.

The adapter gets hot! Not dangerously for sure but you probably should have ventilation around it to prolong its life.

The instruction sheet advises against looking directly at the light source. Boy they aren't kidding. I saw spots for about 5 minutes lol. I think I counted 6 LEDs on the back of my closed eyelids while I was waiting for my vision to clear.

It is good looking and functional even if very dim compared to traditional bulbs. I knocked off a star for the hot-ish LED lamp housing, the limited height, the incorrect picture, and the disposable nature of the product.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The lamp is not as the manufacturer pictures it, but another reviewer helpfully furnished annotated pictures for what shipped: the lamp with the round handle and round counterweight is what I have. The electrical cord, about 5 ft long, does not seem to detach at either end, and the adapter at the other end may be too large for some openings in a computer desk and need an extension that will fit through.

The lamp itself is smart looking, although limited in physical function. When the arm is level, the light head is only 6" above the desk surface. The arm, at least on my lamp, will elevate up to 30 degrees from the horizontal -it can go a little higher, but not as high as the manufacturer's picture indicates and it won't stay at any setting above 30 degrees, at least on my lamp. 0-30 degrees is okay, however, and I have set the lamp base on a desk speaker (+ 5") and it works fine on a pedestal like that.

The light will well-light a working surface of 12-18" radius. As long as the light is below eye level it doesn't glare, and it seems to use minimal energy. The light does stay horizontal in any elevation, and can be adjusted to tilt upward ahead of the arm -it does not, however, tilt to either side of the arm, and you'd have to rotate the entire assembly on its base to move the light laterally. The LED light is not replaceable and that is a downside.

It came assembled and was reasonably well-packaged in plastic, with foam outside of that. Instructions are minimal; they do talk about plugging the wire into the adapter, but mine came with the adapter inserted and, judging by the feel, is not detachable, or at least I didn't want to chance it. No warranty in the paperwork.

In short: nice looking, reasonable as a precise-area lamp, esp. if you want low energy use or to avoid glare.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is a great lamp for my desk in my study. It is very substantial and of high quality materials. Very modern looking but will also fit within a more traditional decor. The light is powerful and does not produce glare and is very easy to read by. A great addition to my study.

Honest reviews on Normande Lighting HS5-882A-BS LED Desk Lamp

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I really love the look of this lamp. It's solid. It's functional. I agree with another reviewer who stated it could be brighter. I've been using an older style lamp similar to this one, maybe 13 years old. It used a dual-level brightness bulb which IS replaceable. I've always used it in the low setting so I've never had to replace the bulb. The LED bulb on this one is NOT replaceable and has a lower brightness level than I am use to. Once the LED burns out (and eventually it will) the lamp will be unrepairable and end up in the trash. The packaging was secure, it only came with a one-page "directions" sheet, with no company warranty, logo, address, or phone number. My reason for downgrading to 4 stars is....the one they shipped has a loose wire/connection. Raising the lighthead up, down, or adjusting it turns the LED bulb off. That is frustrating, though I can live with it, but for a $75 item (Amazon price) I would expect better quality control.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This heavy based, stable, desk/hobby/craft area light is just right for lighting exactly where you need it, and it's extremely flexible for positioning high, low, left, right, or wherever. The light is targeted, too, giving excellent visibility, for instance, under a magnifying viewer for painting tiny model parts or for fine stitching, etc. If you need really specific, powerful lighting, or just want a very good reading lamp, this is the one!