Product Review: Beam N Read Reading Lights

If you're like me, you are always on the lookout for a decent book light. I've tried many different versions, so when the nice people at Beam N Read offered to send me a couple of reading lights, I quickly said yes.

The first thing I noticed when I took the lights out of their boxes was that they are made to be worn around the neck and come with an adjustable elastic strap. Honestly, I was unsure how I'd feel about wearing a light, so I was surprised by how lightweight and comfortable it was. And, in fact, having the light beam come from my chest meant fewer shadows on my book and no light shining in my face. I've never liked clip-on book lights because they add weight to the book, sometimes fall off, make it awkward to hold the book, and interfere with page turning. The Beam N Read has none of these problems, making them a pleasure to use.

Next, I saw that the small light came with a red snap-on filter and the large light came with both a red and an amber filter. The red filter cuts down on glare from the LED lights and maintains your night vision. But more important, the filter meant that my husband was not bothered by my reading in bed. The amber filter on the bigger Beam N Read also cuts down on the glare and produces a softer light. I'm not sure which I like better, but I've gotten used to using the red filter on the smaller light as my first choice.

The smaller Beam N Read has three LED lights, and the direction of the beam is adjustable (three settings). The larger version has six LED lights, but a switch allows you to choose between lighting up just three lights or all six. It too has an adjustable beam and doesn't weigh significantly more than the smaller light. The bigger light also comes with a clip-on magnifier, which can come in handy, even though it's not meant for reading. (My husband used it when he had to remove a splinter.)

On a recent car trip, I slipped the smaller light into my tote bag. My husband noticed that the red light was much less annoying while he was driving than either the car's map light or the small flashlight I usually use when I need to find something in the car at night. If you can read in the car (unfortunately, I can't read for more than about three minutes without getting motion sick), you might want to give the Beam N Read a try; your driver may thank you for it.

I haven't yet used the light for needlework, but I bet the Beam N Read would make a great crafts light. My husband immediately thought of how much use he'd get out of the lights on our next camping trip, especially when using the red filter, which preserves night vision. And, finally, the company literature mentions that Beam N Reads are great hands-free lights for emergencies and power outages.

Thanks to Beam N Read for the chance to use their lights. I particularly like the filters and the shadow-free light for bedtime reading. We've gotten a lot of good use out the Beam N Reads, and we both feel comfortable recommending them for reading, camping, and general tasks.