Element; All desk lights should be this good.

History:

Desk lamps have been a dime a dozen for years. It started with a single candle stick barely putting out enough light to write or read by, then good old Thomas Edison (he had a good first name) invented the light bulb. Incandescent lights have been around since the light bulb was invented, they are power hogs and don't offer pure clean light. In came halogen bulbs; brighter more intense light, but they give off a lot of heat and can be expensive to replace. Compact fluorescent bulbs came next offering considerable savings in energy at about the same price as a halogen bulb, but the light flickered and could cause eye strain. Then came LEDs (light emitting diodes); as bright as a halogen with considerable energy savings, light is more consistent and can be varied by warmth.

Humanscale has been on the cutting edge of ergonomic office accessories for years, starting off with glare screens back in 1982. They have had many successful computer products and chairs in the past 28 years. Roll forward to 2009 and meet the Element light. From the in house design staff at Humanscale the Element light was designed to be lighter, easier to adjust, sustainable, and recyclable.

My thoughts:

At first I was scared of how compact this light is. Very thin arms leading up to a head slightly smaller than a hockey puck. The whole light including the base barely weighs 8 pounds. Set up was a breeze the power cord is about 6 feet long, plenty for reaching most outlets or power strips. I really like the detachable power cord, very easy to snake through a desk and up to the writing surface. The model I tried was with a desktop base, from what I can understand is that there are 19 different mounting options available. The desktop base was heavy, but from how Humanscale claimed this light could move I kind of expected it.

The switch to turn it on could not be easier. A small black button on the top of the lamp about the size of your pinkie tip that takes a slight amount of pressure. The light is brilliant, very bright, and targeted. I was trying this light out in a room with sun shining in the window and you could still notice the impact. The height of the lamp moves effortlessly from about 1/2 inch above the desk to almost 90 degrees straight up. ** The fact that the lamp would move within 1/2 inch of the desk is cool, cooler yet is that the counter balance on this light is so perfect that it didn't raise up at all when I let go. The head of the lamp also pivots close to 360 degrees. This lamp can give you direct task light as well as ambient light with minimal effort. I had to see just how bright this lamp was. I waited until it was dark in the house turned off the lights in my office and turned on the Element light. Directed towards the desktop you could easily read or write by the light. There was very little light spillage in the room, in fact I couldn't even see a couch that was a few feet away. Raising the lamp slightly to about 15 inches off the desk it nicely illuminated both the papers on the desk and my computer, plenty of light to work by. Now the big test, how well could it light up the room in an ambient direction? I extended the arms all the way up and spun the lamp head around to hit the ceiling, it washed light over the entire 150 square foot room bright enough to read by.

The overall design of the light is nothing short of beautiful. So simple yet you can tell that someone spent many a hours getting the details just right. The one I tried was in the white finish, it was almost breath taking. The fins on the head are for more than just aesthetic, they also dissipate the small amount of heat the LED creates.

Pros to owning this light:

• Adjustable
• Light weight
• LED should last for 30 years of 9-5 work
• Recyclable
• Energy efficient

Cons to owning this light:

• Limited color pallet

Overall Evaluation:

This light is by far the best I have ever seen or used. Humanscale did a great job, not only on the look but also the functionality. The price of the lamp is also not out of reason, unlike many LEDs on the market. I would highly recommend this light to anyone looking for a new desk lamp. The flexibility to use this lamp for both task or ambient light is a huge plus. The light also has a 10 year warranty. My only regret is that I had to give it back.

Looks: A+

Durability: A

Service: B

Manufacturer: A

Value: A+