I have four or five of the cheap swing arm lamps or magnifier/lamps at our place. Several in the house and several in my shop. I find them increasingly handy the older I get, especially the ones in my shop for working on small items that need both magnification and additional light. I also use one of the magnifier head bands at times as well.

These are the swing arm lights you can get at any office supply store. They have adjustable spring tensioned arms and can be clamped to the desk or mounted on the wall. I am out of patience with the cheap ones at this time. Inevitably the arms get to the point that they can't be tensioned anymore to stay in place, the light switch breaks, or the pivot point mounting stud at the bottom of the arm just breaks off.

I would like to know if there are higher quality versions of these types of lights available?

Thanks

My wife has an OTT-Lite magnifying floor lamp that she bought for doing cross stitch. It's a well made unit with a good quality magnifying lens and I borrow it when she's not looking! They're not cheap, but she told me she got it at Jo-Ann Fabrics on a half off sale.

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Magnifier Light, 100 W - Magnifier Lights - Task Lights - 6W905 : Grainger Industrial Supply

Magnifier Light, 1.75, Light Grey, Arm 30In - Magnifier Lights - Task Lights - 3KZG9 : Grainger Industrial Supply

Id second the Luxo brand, they cost more but are a very good item.

Yes I know exactly what you are going through because I have experienced the same problems. I finally bought a bench top model that was only about 29.00 inc. freight. It has a goose neck and a weighted bottom and just sits on the desk or shop bench. Works very well and I am done worrying about the lamp falling from its own weight anymore. It's lens area is smaller than the type you have, but still workable and the trade off is that the goose neck stays exactly where you want it and there is no more drooping. I forgot exactly where I bought it from, but there is a similar on on Amazon. Check it out.


Amazon.com: SE Table Magnifier Lamp - 5X - Fluorescent Light (Black): Home Improvement

Chief38

I might suggest you look at Staples. I bought a Desk Magnifier for $ 31.99 and it works fine. Heavy, stable base or clamp on, good lighting, and has an on/off switch on the cord. Model number is VS40203B, Item# 850806. I have another clamp on model I bought on sale with a switch in the lamp. I ran the cord through a power strip to another switch because the one in the lamp felt cheap. And BTW, the first lamp I mentioned is temp out of stock but I'd check with a local store if interested.

If you want better quality, you will have to spend money. I have a number of these lights in shop and industrial settings and invariably the better ones are US made and more expensive. Get on the computer and start googling, be prepared to spend twice as much as what the discount houses and chain stores want for their trendy Chinese made stuff. The people making them, like you, want to be paid a fair price for their labor, which is why they are more costly. Be thankful you can still buy a locally made quality product in this category. If a few years, as greedy as people in this country are, all your choices are going to be Chinese and you will have to live with what you have. Bill S