The Best Floor Lamps

A great floor lamp can transform the dimmest corner of a room into the most inviting space to read, relax, or work in—an illuminating punctuation mark of a room’s decor. Over the past few years, we dedicated more than 60 hours to researching hundreds of floor lamps under $300, narrowing down the options to 28 models and then assembling, inspecting, and pelting them with basketballs to simulate the inevitable accidents that happen at home. While we recognize style is subjective, we’re confident our picks—for task , console , tripod , tree , arc , and rod lamp —will complement a wide variety of interior spaces.

Our pick

IKEA Ranarp

Best task lamp

The Ranarp is the most versatile and affordable lamp we found. The cantilevered adjustable-length arm points the light just where you need it, and the matte finish reduces glare.

Buying Options

$70

* from

IKEA

*At the time of publishing, the price was $50 .

We recommend the IKEA Ranarp as the best task lamp for reading or any activity where you need direct, overhead light. It’s also one of the most affordable floor lamps we tested. At just around $50, it’s a thoughtfully constructed lamp with details that are missing from other floor lamps of similar price, including a powder-coat paint finish in either black or white and an adjustable-length swinging arm that articulates upward and downward with a simple turn of a fastener-type dial. The lamp also proved more stable than other cantilevered designs we tried.

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If you’re looking for a floor lamp primarily for ambience or to read under occasionally, and you also prefer the classic lampshade design with contemporary cues, the Adesso Oslo 60″ Floor Lamp is our favorite. It’s heavier and less likely to tip over than other console lamps—also referred to as “shaded” or “traditional” lamps—we tried. Its tulip-shaped base barely budges when bumped, and the lamp looks great standing alone or paired next to other pieces of furniture with its soft-white, spun-fabric shade. There’s nothing particularly fancy about the Oslo, but it’s a classic floor lamp accentuated with modernist detailing we appreciate.

Our pick

Lepower Wood Tripod Floor Lamp

Best tripod lamp

A solid, three-legged lamp made with dense rubberwood that can take a nudge but will hardly budge. The Lepower adapts to many decor styles, and its large footprint makes it best suited for spacious rooms.

Buying Options

$63

* from

Amazon

*At the time of publishing, the price was $77 .

The Lepower Wood Tripod Floor Lamp offers a real bargain, exhibiting the fit and finish of floor lamps twice its price and easily filling a large space with light. The legs angle outward, so it takes up more floor space than most of our other picks, but they lend an attractive wood look that will complement a range of room styles. The lamp’s 18-inch faux-linen shade does a convincing job of mimicking the genuine material, and diffuses the light into a warm glow associated with a relaxing bedroom or an inviting living room.

Our pick

CB2 Trio Floor Lamp

Best tree lamp

Sleek and tall, this three-light tree lamp doesn’t require a lot of space but adds both ambient and task illumination, and its brushed brass offers a little glimmer of glamour. A heavy weighted base allays any concerns of accidental tip-overs.

Buying Options

$299

* from

CB2

*At the time of publishing, the price was $249 .

The mid-century–inspired CB2 Trio Floor Lamp is an appealing multitasker with a compact yet exceptionally heavy base. If you need a multipurpose lamp for a smaller space, we think the Trio’s three individually adjustable lights work great separately or in unison for reading, relaxing, or illuminating an entire room. Its finely finished brushed brass is also some of the nicest we’ve seen at this price, bringing sophisticated shine without seeming gaudy.

If you’re fortunate to live in a space with higher ceilings, we recommend the Basque Arc Floor Lamp, our largest pick. Compared with cheaper arc lamps we looked at, this has a heavier and wider base that should help keep the lamp from tipping. As long as you have enough room to lay out its parts, it is easy enough for one person to assemble. And you will need plenty of room for its nearly 6.5-foot height and nearly 4-foot arm’s reach. The Basque fills the bill as a statement piece, but it also effectively highlights a favorite section of a room or provides bright light for reading, without being overwhelming.

A lamp best suited as a secondary light within a living room, a bedroom, or an office, the Adesso Felix LED Wall Washer is designed to bathe corners with a bright yet intimate glow, enough to transform a room from being simply lit to feeling warmly illuminated. Because this style of lamp is meant for placement against a wall or in a corner, knock-over concerns are minimal; plus, the lamp’s marble block base is significantly heavier than its 58-inch glass-tube LED rod. Although the Felix’s slim silhouette means it can be placed practically anywhere, the lamp’s touch dimmer is situated at the top of the rod (65 inches high), requiring some planning with accessibility in mind.