Night Light Shopping Guide
 

Night lights primarily serve the purpose of putting children to sleep and make them feel less afraid of the dark. But today, night lights and table lamps come in all different designs and styles that make them an excellent addition to other parts of your home. A night lamp for your bedroom can come in handy when you need to quickly search for something or make your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

In terms of design, manufacturers offer exciting choices ranging from multi-color lamps, rechargeable night lights, LED night light options, 3D moon lamps, and projection lights that seem to bring the moon and the night sky right inside your bedroom. With the variety of lamp designs and options available, you can add depth to any room and make any space feel safer and more comfortable. Here's a helpful guide to help you make the right choice from the myriad of night light options out there. 

Night Light Placement

When browsing different choices on night lights, you may already have an idea of where you plan to set up the additional lighting fixtures. Aside from a bedroom fixture or a table placement, night lights can be used for other applications. For example, night lights can add gentle illumination to your kitchen counter. You may also add night lights along a hallway to light a path to the bathroom. It serves a practical purpose and, at the same time, adds an otherworldly charm to some areas of the house. 

The size of the room or space that you plan to illuminate should help you decide on your night light's size and overall design. Night lights are generally used for ambient lighting, mainly in bedrooms, stairways, hallways, and wherever else in the house you may find yourself frequenting during the night. The overall size of the night light would also be determined by the location of available outlets, free surfaces, accessibility, and so on.

Best Night Light Color

Illumination from your nightlight can be in different colors such as white, blue, red, and a host of other options. Choose a color according to your needs and preferences, but you have to consider that certain hues may affect your sleeping patterns. If you want a night light that can help you fall asleep, you may skip bright white lights, as well as blue or green lights. These colors tell your brain that it's daytime and are more likely to keep you awake. Red, orange, and warm hues are more likely to induce sleep and help you get back to bed more easily in case you wake up in the middle of the night. There are night lights that allow you to choose different color settings or dimness levels. You can buy a lamp with these features and find out which works best for you.

Types and Designs

Other points for consideration when shopping for the best night light for kids are the type and design. Most commonly, night lamps are powered by electricity by plugging into the walls, but there are models you can choose that come with rechargeable batteries. Many manufacturers also offer night lights in the form of portable toys and plush dolls. Moon lamps designed to imitate the mystical glow of celestial bodies are also current bestsellers. Another design trend that has made night lights even more popular uses projection technology. Projector night lights can cast colorful shapes to walls or ceilings and make dark rooms look more inviting and relaxing. 

Night Light Sources

Night lamps offer illumination coming from various light sources, including compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, and light-emitting diodes (LED). A much newer night light trend that is slowly picking up is the use of electroluminescent technology, which doesn't require the use of bulbs. Electroluminescent night lights use a material that emits light as a reaction to a charge or electrical current.

LED lights, though more expensive, are increasingly being used in many modern night lights because they are safer and more energy-efficient. CFLs, halogen, and incandescent night lights are more affordable, but they need to be used and placed with care because they consume more energy and carry a burn risk. Electroluminescent lamps are often reasonably priced and generally safer. 

Energy Savings

Night lights are often designed to be left turned on overnight. When shopping for a night lamp, you'd also want to look at which models offer energy-saving technology or features. Wattage information is also crucial. A 10-watt light can last for 1,000 to 3,000 hours. Depending on the model, some night lights can perform for up to 10 years. The pricing would of course, be a factor. More durable models are more likely to carry a higher price tag. The manufacturer would also indicate an expected lifespan for the nightlight product. 

There are models available that come with sensors. Daylight sensors automatically turn night lights off, and motion sensors turn the light on when it senses movement within a room. You can also get a night lamp that can be programmed to be turned on and off according to time of day. Such add-on features can help you with energy savings. 

Other Special Features

Night lights now come with a variety of interesting features beyond the standard On/ Off switch. Some models allow you to set timers or Breastfeeding Mode with just one button. Some night lights have audio programs that provide some white noise to help youngsters fall asleep or alarms to help your kids know when it's time to get up in the morning. Touch controls are now a common feature in many night lamps. Some high-end designs can be controlled using a mobile app. Night lights with dusk-to-dawn sensors and timers help you save energy, while lamps with motion sensors can be extremely useful in areas like the toilet area. You'll find dimmable night lights, portable night lights for traveling, and lamps that can be integrated within walls or the floor.