Tattooing is an art that takes time to master. It requires quite several products to get the job done most desirably. One critical component required for the job is a tattoo lamp. It makes sure that the tattoo designs are made with precision.
Best lamp for tattooing allows tattoo artists to create a small personal space for themselves with a prime focus on the body part where the tattoo has to be designed. In modern times, such lamps have become more of a necessity than an optional product as you really cannot take the risk with the skin of your client at any cost.
Some lamps are manufactured solely for tattooing and other related needs. You still need to do your homework to ensure that the tattoo lamp would suffice your needs and your style of work. This guide would be sufficient for you to take that decision with confidence.
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Top 10 Lamp Products for Tattooing in a Precise Way
The best tattoo lamps are the ones that allow tattoo artists to keep a deep focus on the tattooed skin, even if it is dark at night. You might not need any other light source in the room if your tattoo lamp’s light is strong enough. Let us find the best products in this range below.
Here is a quick preview of our top 10:
#1, Verilux LED SmartLight Full Spectrum Floor Tattoo Lamp
#2, Lavish Home Tattoo Floor Lamp with Adjustable Gooseneck
#3, Daylight Company Duo Art & Craft Floor Lamp
#4, Delaman LED USB Charged Desk Lamp for Tattooing
#5, Brightech 2 in 1 Lamp with Natural Daylight
#6, ATOMUS USB Powered Desk Lamp for Tattooing
#7, OttLite 18W Adjustable Floor Lamp for Tattoo
#8, CHOOSE-IT LED Head Lamp for Tattoo Art
#9, MagniPros LED Headband Magnifier Visor Lamp
#10, AZFUNN Headband Magnifier with LED Light Lamp
#1, Verilux LED SmartLight Full Spectrum Floor Tattoo Lamp
This stands as one of the most favorite lamps for tattoo artists. The design of this lamp is elegant and it will surely spruce up the aesthetics of your studio, besides offering a great range of productive features. The lamp comes with 3 x adjustable color-changing modes. The user can choose to select from white daylight, cool blue, or warm light options.
The manufacturer has also provided this with easy to use eight different intensity settings, which works in a diverse range from dimmer to brighter. The bulb is flicker-free and it comes with an Optix lens as well. Such a lens offers a considerable reduction in eyestrain and glare. The height is adjustable and the lamp can be moved up and down to keep it close to the spot you want.
Pros:
- It comes with excellent standby time and could be charged using USB.
- Optix lens offers a reduction in eyestrain and glare.
- It offers a broad spectrum for controlling the light intensity in 8 different positions.
Cons:
- The swiveling gooseneck feature is fragile and tends to crack.
#2, Lavish Home Tattoo Floor Lamp with Adjustable Gooseneck
Trust this lamp to illuminate your tattoo artwork with natural and superior lighting. This is a CFL lamp type and working is quite different from the usual LED lamps. The temperature offering with this lamp is 6500K and the brightness level rating is 1300 lumens.
The bulb used in this lamp is 27W and it is good enough to last for 5000 hours. The performance is immensely powerful and it is capable of illuminating a vast area of up to 350 sq. ft. A 55-inch long cord is on offer to make it more practical for tattoo artists. A simple on/ off switch is also provided for easy operation.
Pros:
- 10-gram tube
- Takes 1 hour to take effect
- Numbness last for 4 hours
Cons:
- Assembling it out of the box is not easy and there is a potential risk of damaging the pole.
#3, Daylight Company Duo Art & Craft Floor Lamp
Here is a spectacular floor lamp with a very inspiring design. It offers tattoo artists with great flexibility to extend its head fully or even fold it to put a focus on a specific area. The flexibility goes a level ahead when you can convert this floor lamp to a table or clamp lamp. There is a generously long power cord of 68.9 inches for allowing artists to work conveniently. In any physical setting, it gives 6000K of bright daylight. If you measure the maximum potential of the lamp for its brightness from a distance of 1 foot, then the rating will be 2090 lux. In short, the lamp is pretty bright and with all its strong performance, it consumes only 10W of energy.
Pros:
- The practical light rating from one foot is 2090 lux, which is quite impressive.
- The floor lamp is fully flexible to extend its head and also to convert it into a table lamp.
- The double head design provides increased illumination of the work surface.
- The 10W lamp is quite bright with 56 LEDs and it is energy efficient as well.
Cons:
- No bulb replacement possible if it stops working.
#4, Delaman LED USB Charged Desk Lamp for Tattooing
This is a desk lamp with no possibility of extending to a floor lamp, but the features on the desk are quite excellent. The lamp comes with a convenient clip design to hook it with the desk and will save a lot of space. There is a productive 360 rotating feature. You can employ its soft pipe easily to move it or extend it in any direction. The material used in manufacturing is top class with its ABS and soft pipe stuff which is long-lasting. The manufacturer has offered this with natural light that wouldn’t harm your eyes at all. There are super bright LEDs of daylight type that offers an impressive lifespan of 50,000 hours.
- 30 minutes to take effect
- 5% lidocaine
- Lasts for 4 hours
#5, Brightech 2 in 1 Lamp with Natural Daylight
The Brightech manufacturer offers a 2 in 1 model, which means that this lamp could work both in the form of a floor and desk lamp. It also comes with a flexible gooseneck to conveniently adjust the head of the lamp in any direction that you want.
The manufacturer has also facilitated this with a 3-foot section of removable type. When in floor mode, it stands at a full height of 56 inches. When on the desk, it becomes 20 inches. There is a compact base of 8 inches in its diameter. Professional tattoo artists love it for their customizable properties. A built-in touch dimmer is also there along with three distinct light colors.
Pros:
- It comes with the ability to convert this floor lamp into a desk lamp.
- It comes with a flexible gooseneck to adjust the head in any direction.
- The natural light like output makes work quite easy with no distraction.
- The light range options are light white, cool white, and warm white.
Cons:
- Sometimes, the plug of this unit may spark.
#6, ATOMUS USB Powered Desk Lamp for Tattooing
ATOMUS provides one of the finest and economical tattoo lamp option for your money. The product offers dual lighting color options, which are cool light and warm light. It is suitable for tattooing and also for eyelash and manicure work etc.
It comes with a useful clip to stick it on the desk side and make lots of space available. The design is highly portable and USB powering makes it more convenient. It has an energy-saving design with bright LED light. There wouldn’t be any flashing of light that could affect your eyes. Moreover, it has a highly flexible metallic tube which you can twist at your will to make work easier.
Pros:
- It has a portable design with USB charging that offers great ease for mobile tattoo artists.
- The metallic tube is flexible to bend it in any direction you want.
- There is a desk clip option that helps with literally no space occupied by this device.
- There is no flash lighting issue so your eyes wouldn’t be impacted.
Cons:
- The brightness of this lamp is not good enough for detailed tattoo work.
#7, OttLite 18W Adjustable Floor Lamp for Tattoo
CHOOSE-IT LED Head Lamp for Tattoo Art
CHOOSE-IT LED Head Lamp for Tattoo Art
This spectacular 18W lamp is known for emitting quite bright and natural daylight. It comes from a magnificent energy-saving bulb that is patented as well. The light reveals colors with finer details with immense clarity. At the same time, there will be protection against eyestrain and glare issues as well. You can bet on each light bulb of the lamp to last for 10,000 hours. This is more than a year and there wouldn’t be any deterioration in performance during the span.
Pros:
- It is long-lasting and suitable for 40 hours of operation per week to make it last for 5 years.
- The lamp offers due protection against eyestrain and glare.
- The energy-saving bulb makes it an economical option to run for long hours.
- You will see definite clarity with finer details with colors shown prominently.
Cons:
- The top brightness level is not strong enough for advanced needs.
#8, CHOOSE-IT LED Head Lamp for Tattoo Art
This is a headlamp that offers tattoo designs to be made with precision. It goes a level ahead as compared with the convention floor and desk lamps as it offers a magnification lens. There are five of those lenses with different magnifications. The material of this headband lamp is solid and sturdy with ABS and acrylic. There are 2 LEDs offered on the lamp source which could be adjusted for the angle required along with the lens. This ensures accuracy and excellent focus on the subject. The elastic headband is quite soft. There is no pressure of falling lamp so that the user can use it easily.
Pros:
- It comes with five magnifications lens of varying power.
- The headband elastic is soft so no fatigue issue at all.
- The 2 LEDs could be adjusted for getting a specific angle.
- There is non-slip nose padding for added comfort.
Cons:
- It is not suitable for long hours due to some pressure on the nose.
#9, MagniPros LED Headband Magnifier Visor Lamp
The product comes with five distortion-free magnifying lenses that could be interchanged. The individual lenses could be assembled and adjusted very easily. It could be worn just like glasses and the weight is not too much. It has two modes where you can either wear it like glasses or a headband. Thanks to its ergonomic design that makes tattooing job quite easy. There are a couple of energy-efficient LED lights that you could adjust with ease.
Pros:
- It offers an ergonomic design that feels light on the head.
- The LED lights are reasonably bright and flexible to use with ease.
- It offers a dual-mode of eyeglass or headband wearing styles.
- It comes with a simple on and off operation.
Cons:
- The manufacturer doesn’t offer it with batteries.
#10, AZFUNN Headband Magnifier with LED Light Lamp
This comes with a couple of interchangeable lenses with the option of magnification at five different levels. The quality of the lens is excellent and they are shatterproof as well with crystal clear view. The headband optimizer is flexible with rotary button options.
The lamp comes with a LED light pair and could be detached from the headband if needed. You can deploy it in a way to get an optimal view angle. It could be detached to use as an independent light source which may bring value to tattoo artists in some cases.
Pros:
- It can be adjusted to get the precise illumination direction.
- It is power-efficient and last long with its 3 x AAA batteries.
- The headband is adjustable s per your requirements.
- The lens provided is top-class with a shatterproof build.
Cons:
- Some users find it a little heavy when used for long.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lamps for Tattooing
Can I find a tattoo lamp with an option for head swiveling?
Yes, there are plenty of models that offer flexible gooseneck options for positioning them at any angle.
How long can I expect a good LED bulb in a tattoo lamp to last?
A good LED bulb in a tattoo lamp should last for at least 10,000 hours of continuous operation, which is more than a year.
What kind of light is most suitable for close or detailed work?
For close work with finer details, the bright white light is the most desirable. It could highlight the thinnest of colors and finer design details.
Is it good to have a floor or table lamp for tattoo artists?
A floor lamp with a convertible feature of table lamp makes the best deal. However, headlamps are also available to make things more convenient for the artists.
Things to Consider when Buying Lamps for Tattooing
Tattooing is not just about a machine and ink to get those lucrative designs. Several supporting items plays a pivotal role in bringing such amazing tattoo designs with precision. The tattoo lamp is one such critical item and without that, many professional artists feel handicapped. The following are some of the key features or critical things that will help you make a purchase that will have good value for money:
Type of Lamp for Tattooing
The lamps for tattooing are mainly distinguished between the types of lighting on offer. However, they also differ in style. One is the option of a floor or table lamp with adjustable height. Another option is to have a headband lamp, where the light source sits at the top of the head of the artist. In the light or bulb type regard, they are categorized into the following two types:
- LED Tattooing Lamp – This is the most preferred type of lamp by professional tattoo artists. The lamp is known for having bulbs lasting for years and with no dimming issues. You can expect them to serve flawlessly for 20K to 50K hours. It does cost a little extra as compared to the subsequent type, but it is worth it. These lights tend to light up quickly and they do not have any flickering issue. Some of these types could also be used with a dimmer switch. You can opt for such lamps in bright white, daylight, and warm color bulbs. One downside of these lamps is that they offer directional light rather than spreading it over a specific area. However, many tattoo artists take this as a bonus. Moreover, the LED lamps are not known to be toxic in case they shatter.
- CFL Tattooing Lamp – They are a cheaper alternative and are preferred by novice artists or beginners because of economic reasons. They take time to warm up to throw light on the designated area to their full potential. You wouldn’t find these devices to be compatible with any dimmer switch. The CFL light bulbs are available in bright white and warm colors. They throw light on a much wider area and don’t put a focus on any specific area as such, which you known about the LED lamps discussed above. Moreover, such light bulbs contain toxic and hazardous stuff, such as mercury, a heavy metal, if they break.
Brightness
Brightness or the warmth of the light produced holds a lot of value when the professional tattoo artists go on with the selection of their tattoo lamp. Brightness in a lamp is a phenomenon that gets defined by the temperature of the colors. For the case of the tattoo lamps, the following three modes of brightness are considered:
- Cool White – This is the brightness level that comes with lumination in the range of 4100K to 3000K. This is the range between the warm light and daylight that is discussed below. It will provide you with a comfortable tattoo working experience when you are in those semi-dark areas. It is a day time scenario inside your studio.
- Daylight White – The highest possible lumination or brightness with such light would be about 670K or so. This type of light could be sometimes low as well but good enough for your eye to continue with your tattoo job during the day.
- Warm White – Anything with a brightness level below 2700K is considered as warm white light. The light from the lamp would give a yellowish color. It is considered a safe light as well and working under this light wouldn’t be harmful to your eyes. It does a good job in protecting your eyesight from the hazardous effects of the blue light, which is quite sharp at night. The blue light produced could damage your eyesight and may enhance the production chances of melatonin substance during lowlight evening conditions.
Battery
This is the point where you need to evaluate the energy effectiveness of the lamp. The majority of the lamp options available are miniature. They operate on batteries, while some could also work on direct electricity connection or solar power. Some models are coming with USB charge support as well. This is a highly effective and convenient method for charging such lamps. Your best bet here is to have a lamp that could offer a battery standby runtime of 24 hours.
Height
The height of the lamp would determine your convenience in using the product. This requirement would vary from customer to customer and also depends on that on which part of your body you want to design the tattoo. Therefore, the lamp should offer flexibility in height adjustment.
360 Degree Versatility
This is one great feature for excellent performance that professional tattoo artists always look for. The 360 versatility is all about the ability of the lamp to go in any direction where the user intends it to move.
Video Credit: Tattoo Shop Talk
Conclusion
To be at the top of your tattoo craft game, the importance of a tattoo lamp is undeniable. The selection of a tattoo lam should be on merit to ensure that it adds good value to your work. You are supposed to first determine the type of lamp, which is a selection between LED or CFL bulb type lamp. Once you are through this, then you need to check for the brightness requirements.
This further goes to the consideration of the brand, height, battery power, voltage, 360-degree access ability, and other versatile features. It is critical to take all your decision based on the given factor, which will help you in getting the best product in the market. Moreover, success also depends that the product is good to meet all your requirements as well.