Aglaia Desk Lamp Review

Always nice to get a one off to review. I recently received the Aglaia LED desk lamp to try out, and off the bat I am impressed by it. I have been looking to get a new desk lamp for a while now, was still using one of those Pixar looking lamps, and the change in quality between bulb lamps and LED based builds is staggering. Aglaia seem to be focused on lighting tech, and a brisk look through their storefront reveals a wealth of useful little gadgets for in and around the home. I hope I’ll get to check out a few more of them as time goes on, but I digress.

The core difference between the older bulb based lamps and the ship shiny new LED models is the way the light is cast. With a bulb you have one point of origin for the light, so you tend to get far deeper shadows than are useful. This beam shaped LED build from AglaiaDirect cast light from all along the beam, rendering shadows far lighter, making it perfect for working long into the night.

Before we move onto the product it is a good idea to take a look at the company we are buying from.

About AglaiaDirect

AglaiaDirect are primarily an Amazon based storefront, specializing in selling a variety of home lighting solutions. Their store is a masterclass in storefront construction, a nice blend of thematically appropriate items, and a few clearly home sourced pieces. I have written on this topic many times in the past, but for those out there looking to set up shop a practically example of how to do so is useful. The key thing about the company, I feel, is their pricing structure and their customer support. Getting the right items to market is only half the battle, products need to be well priced, and you need to engage with your customers. My dealings with AglaiaDirect have been wonderful, they replied quickly to my inquiries and did their utmost to ensure I was happy with my item. They have excellent feedback as well, and have been maintaining this for a number of years now. As an FBA store you can be assured of speedy delivery, as shipping and handling are controlled by Amazon directly.

Aglaia Desk Lamp Design and Build Quality

When I review a product line the crux of it tends to be on the use of the item. It is rare that the look of the build is important. I usually review things like mattresses and radar detectors. So when I get a one off home furnishing item I like to indulge my inner interior decorator. The lamp is right up my aesthetic alley, all black, flush buttons and a smooth bendable light mount. I would have preferred the white one, to match my other furnishings, but black goes with everything, and is likely the better buy for most folk. The flush button is a nice touch, but it comes with a minor issue, for me anyway. You turn on the lamp by touching the place where the symbol is, and said symbol is hard to see in the dark. It could have been solved by using a faintly luminescent coating for the symbol, but in this price range I can see why that’s not there.

The quality seems to be pretty high. I have only had this thing for a week, so I don’t yet know how it will hold up when subjected to long term daily use, but the bendable head moves nicely, and it holds it’s position well. The base is study, no matter where I put the head it remains stationary. The gloss finish on the base was an interesting choice, as it reflects a fair bit of the light, especially when it’s on high, but if anything that just makes it seem brighter. There is a nice side micro USB port, for charging your phone or tablet, which is a nice touch. I have more than a dozen USB ports and even I run out every so often. The three settings of brightness are nice, but I am more of an all or nothing kind of guy. The full burn 7W setting is fantastic. Outputting around 380 Lumens, making it brighter than the average 40W bulb. The LEDs used seem to be on par with Cree, using a wafer style set up. I stress that they are not Cree though.  One of the nice things about LEDs is their longevity. Where most bulbs will burn out after at most 20,000 hours, though I’ve found that to be an over estimate, LEDs last on average 50,000.

Overall there is a lot to like here. The style is just right, the output is excellent, and there is even a bonus feature, in the micro USB port. So let’s see if the price can match the quality.

Aglaia Desk Lamp Pricing and Warranty

Honestly when I got this thing I did not know what the price was, and were I to have thought of one at the time I might have estimated around $50, give or take. Imagine my surprise when I found it was available for around half that! You can see the current price with all discounts at Amazon.com by clicking here and then using the coupon code MA76CLH9 to save 31% (valid until June 30). Either way that price is fantastic. There are few items out there that combine so useful a core feature with so useful an auxiliary feature.

The warranty is an interesting one. I spend a lot off time reading warranties, and have gotten pretty good at spotting the bad ones. The one that AglaiaDirect offer is a little middle of the road when looked at in t a vacuum. You are covered for a year, on a limited warranty. Now I think it is easy to argue that if the item breaks during that year, that so long as you were suing it normally it is covered, but you may have to press the issue. The edge AglaiaDirect have is their ties to Amazon, which means you gain all of Amazon.com’s consumer protections when you buy one of AglaiaDirect’s products. I cannot stress the value of that, Amazon have done an amazing job protecting their customers, whether you buy from them or through one of the many storefronts they host.

The price is far lower than I thought it would be. I have looked into comparable products not only on Amazon, but also on places like Aliexpress and found nothing with this feature set a a better price. The warranty might be pretty basic, but it is supplemented by Amazon themselves, so hen you combine that with AglaiaDirect excellent customer service you can rest easy with your purchase.

Aglaia Desk Lamp Conclusion

Always nice to be pleasantly surprised. The Aglaia LED Desk Lamp is a well put together piece of kit, filling a useful role in any office or sitting room. The quality of the light is great, and the low power draw is always a plus. The price is nice and low, more than affordable, and getting anything similar will cost you more. Overall an impressive item. I will be back to update this article in a month or so, just to make sure it’s still working.