Caring for Cordless and Rechargeable Lamps

A cordless lamp solves a real problem, no socket nearby, no cable you want to see, and it looks just as good outside as in. But it's an electrical piece that requires a few simple steps, the failure mode is almost always the charger, not the lamp.

Before the first charge. These lamps are built for chargers up to 2 amps, the kind that comes standard with most phones, or an ordinary USB hub. The fast chargers bundled with newer phones, iPads and laptops push more power than that and will blow the bulb instantly, no warning. Check the charger itself before you plug in, look for "5V/2A" or lower printed on it.

Charging and battery health. Charge fully before first use. A blue light means it's charging, green means it's full. Expect somewhere in the range of 4 to 6 hours to charge fully, and 15 to 20 hours of light from that charge, though this will vary lamp to lamp. If a lamp is going into storage or sitting unused, give it a top-up charge roughly every three months so the battery doesn't sit fully drained for months at a time.

Everyday care. Wipe with a soft, dry cloth. Keep away from rain and damp.

Explore our cordless lamps. If it's candlelight rather than battery you're after, we've written the guide for that too.