The best craft lights in September 2023

Best Craft lights; three craft lamps
(Image credit: Cricut / Daylight Company / BenQ)

The best craft lights can help ensure you're drawing, craft or painting projects are lit properly, reducing shadows so that you can see your work properly and easing the strain on your eyes. Happily, you can find a good craft lamp in many different sizes and forms, from multi-function floor lamps to slim and adjustable desk lights.

In the guide below, we've evaluated the best craft lights we've found, considering different types and evaluating them for performance, versatility, practicality special features like dimmers or magnifying lenses and value. We've divided them into the best desktop craft lights and the best floor-standing craft lights, but be sure to check the sizes of each lamp as they can vary a lot.

If you need more kit for your work setup, see our guide to the best craft tables. We also have guides to the best sewing machines and the best cricut machines.

Best desktop craft lights

Best floor standing craft lights

What is a craft light?

Good craft lights are able to illuminate a space and disperse shadows. Most are LED and reach 6000K, these have largely no heat but are very bright. The best craft lights will lift the contrast on anything being lit, which is why a good reading light can also be a good lamp for crafting.

What do Lumens measure in crafting lamps?

Lumens is a measurement of the brightness of the light, or how much light is being generated. For crafting and sewing, you want a light that is around 2000-2500 Lumens. 

What do Kelvins measure in crafting lamps?

Kelvins is the temperature of the light being produced. A yellow dim light is around 3000K. A bright white light, useful for dispersing shadows, is 6000K. 

Are LED lights the best for crafting and art?

High wattage LED light bulbs are the best for craft lights and lamps for artists. These can come in various watt strengths and produce a range of colour temperatures. It's good to consider how you will use the light; will it be at a distance for an art easel or closer in for working with Cricut machines and sewing machines?

What are the best brands of craft lights?

If money is no object, you can’t go wrong with a high-quality lamp from The Daylight Company, Purelite or Native Lighting. There are less expensive options too. Regardless of cost, look for a large and movable light head and ideally with colour temperature control to adjust through the day. 

Does a craft light need to be moveable?

Ideally, yes. You need to be able to position a craft light so it can disperse shadows and pull the contrast out of the fabric, paper or craft project being worked on. For this reason you need to be able to move the lamp as the light in a room changes.

Ian Dean
Editor, Digital Arts & Design

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & Design at Creativebloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and leading video game title Official PlayStation Magazine. In his early career he wrote for music and film magazines including Uncut and SFX. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on AI, digital art and video game art and tech, and more to Creative Bloq, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5. He's also a keen Cricut user and laser cutter fan, and is currently crafting on Glowforge and xTools M1.

With contributions from