Wired vs Cordless Lamps | Which is right for you?

Choosing between a wired and cordless lamp isn’t just about plug sockets. It’s about how you live, how you use your space, and where you need your light.

At Webb & Gray, we make both wired and cordless lamps, and both have their place. Before you make your choice, have a read and decide what will work best for you and your space.

Cordless Lamps: For Flexible, Modern Living

The main advantage of cordless lamps is the flexibility to place them exactly where you want. You are not tied to a plug socket and don’t have to worry about hiding any cables. You can place the lamp where it looks best, or where the light is needed whether that’s in the centre of a room on a coffee table, on a wall shelf or on a mantel piece.

You can also move your lamp around at will. If you change your room layout you don’t have to worry about plug socket positions or if you want to take your lamp to a different room or even to the garden for the evening.

The other advantage is that the bulbs can be operated by remote control so you don’t have to touch the lamp itself or find the switch each time you want to turn it on or off – great if it’s on a high shelf or a tricky to reach place. The bulb can also be switched on and off with a button on the side if you prefer.

Unlike conventional bulbs, our rechargeable LED bulbs come with adjustable brightness and colour temperature, so you can shift the mood from warm and cosy to cool and clear, depending on the moment. The remote control also includes a timer so you can set your lamp to switch off automatically after a set time helping to increase time between charging.

The downside, of course, is that the bulb has to be recharged. As our bulbs are magnetic they can simply be lifted out of the shade – no need to remove it – and plugged in with the USB lead to charge. How long between charges really depends on how long you have your lamp on at a time and the brightness level – it can vary from 8 – 36 hours. If you want to use your cordless lamp a lot we recommend buying an additional bulb so you can have one in use and one on charge – so you never need to be without light. 

Best for:

• Shelves, coffee tables, any place without a nearby socket
• Place where a cable would look unsightly
• Creating ambience and soft pools of light
• Flexible living – rearranging your space regularly
• Portability – take your lamp outside for evening entertaining al fresco

Wired Lamps: For Steady, Everyday Use

While wired lamps don’t have the flexibility of cordless ones, they do have the one big advantage of not needing to be charged. They will always be ready to go. The importance of this is really a personal matter – are you the sort of person who will remember to charge your bulb or will having to do this annoy you?!

Depending on the bulb you choose, a wired lamp can also provide a brighter light source. This might be a consideration if you want the lamp for a desk or need a particularly bright light for some other reason.

Best for:

• Places you need a bright light – e.g. for working
  
• People who struggle to remember to charge things!
  

Lampshades: A Shared Feature

Whether wired or cordless, all our lamps use standard bulb holders with lampshade rings, which means they can support regular lampshades – including our own collection of handmade shades, designed to work beautifully across both types of lamp.

So whether you want a cordless lamp with a marbled paper shade or a wired lamp with a vintage fabric shade, or to use your own shade – any combination is possible.

Final Thoughts

Wired and cordless lamps both have their advantages and disadvantages so it’s perhaps not really an either/or question. Most spaces can benefit from both options. A cordless lamp on the dining table when guests come round. A wired lamp beside the bed. The right light, in the right place, makes all the difference.

If you have any questions about our lamps please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Wired or cordless lamps, explore the collection here.