Rechargeable LED outdoor table lamps

Two things to check before buying: the IP rating, which decides whether the lamp can stay outside (IP44 under a canopy, IP65 on an exposed terrace), and the light temperature, warm white from 2700 to 3500 K for dining outside, cooler white for moving around. With no cable or socket, the lamp then moves from the table to the living room as the evening goes on.

These rechargeable outdoor LED table lamps need no electrician and no drilling: they recharge by solar panel or cable, then live outside. Metal, wood, bamboo, plastic or glass, from warm white to cool white, here is how to choose without getting it wrong.

Which rechargeable outdoor LED table lamp should you choose for each room?

The choice comes down first to use: an exposed terrace calls for an IP65 rating such as the Cubella solar IP65 in three sizes or the Atrium, while a covered balcony is fine with IP44 or IP54. For the living room and bedroom, the dimmable models, Beltoreno and Elitoreno, let you lower the light in the evening.

On a terrace or balcony with no power socket

You set the lamp on the table or on the floor, leave a clear path so it does not get knocked, and move it wherever you like. A solar model such as the Solella with bamboo slats avoids any connection: its panel does the work if the spot stays sunny for several hours. To explore outdoor uses further, browse the full lighting catalogue.

In the living room and bedroom, a lamp that moves

Sizes range from 11 × 20 cm for the transparent Beltoreno with dimmer to 25 × 51.3 cm for the Valtorela: enough to move from a bedside table to a console without taking up space. The dimmer lets you lower the intensity in the evening. See also the design table lamps for the living room and the table lamps for the bedroom.

What do IP44, IP54 and IP65 mean on a terrace lamp?

IP44 resists water splashes, IP54 adds dust, IP65 withstands water jets. In the collection, Beltoreno and Elitoreno are IP44, Martorena, Solella, Valtorela, Ambelina and Ondtorena are IP54, and the Cubella and Atrium are IP65: this is what decides whether the lamp can stay outside.

IP44: under a canopy or on a sheltered table

These models withstand splashes, but not direct downpours or watering. They are at home on a covered terrace table, a balcony with an overhang, or indoors. The selection of design LED table lamps brings together several profiles.

IP65: exposed terrace and poolside

An IP65 rating allows water jets, which changes everything on an uncovered terrace or near a pool. No rating covers charging: always recharge under cover, with the cable unplugged afterwards. The Atrium with ribbed base combines this protection with solar charging.

Solar lamp or USB rechargeable lamp: which should you choose for outdoors?

A solar lamp needs no connection at all and recharges through its panel, provided it gets several hours of full sun: this is the case for the Solella, the Cubella and the Atrium. A cable-rechargeable lamp only needs a socket, even in the shade, but you have to remember to recharge it.

USB rechargeable lamp: what to check before buying

Check whether the cable is included, whether a sheltered socket stays within reach of where the lamp spends the night, and what charging time the manufacturer states. Charging time is a figure to check on the model's product page: we never quote a battery life that is not documented.

Solar, for spots with no electricity

A deep balcony, a shed, a corner of the garden far from any socket: the solar panel solves the problem. You do have to accept grey days, when charging is weaker. On the style side, the modern selection and the white table lamps offer clean lines that work outside as well as inside.

Warm white, neutral white or cool white: which light for the evening?

A warm white of 2700 to 3500 K gives an ambient light, the kind that prolongs a dinner on the terrace. A neutral white of 3500 to 4500 K and a cool white of 4500 to 6500 K light more sharply, useful for moving around or tidying up. The Cubella offers all three temperatures, the Valtorela two.

A warm white for dining outside

Around 3000 K, the light leans towards amber and flatters faces as well as wood. Beltoreno, Atrium, Elitoreno and Valtorella are in this range: it is the default choice for a table, a reading corner or a bedside lamp. The wooden models for the living room go particularly well with this shade.

A cooler white for seeing and moving around

Above 4500 K, the light becomes whiter, closer to neutral, which helps to make out a staircase or put equipment away. The Cubella and the Valtorela offer this setting. Conversely, for a very soft light, look at the linen table lamps.

How do you place, recharge and care for an outdoor table lamp?

You recharge the lamp indoors, on a sheltered socket, with the cable unplugged once charging is complete, then put it back outside. For care, a soft cloth is enough: metal and glass can be dusted, wood and bamboo should avoid standing moisture. Out of season, they all store away dry.

How do you recharge an outdoor table lamp?

Plug the cable into a sheltered socket, bring the lamp in while it charges, then put it back in place. Never leave the connector exposed to the rain. Models such as the Ondtorena in grey and gold tube recharge the same way, with no tools.

Cleaning and storing the lamp out of season

A soft, slightly damp cloth on metal, glass or plastic; a dry cloth on wood and bamboo, which dislike standing water. Store dry, away from frost, and recharge before putting away. The lighting catalogue groups the other lighting families to complete the set.

How do you create terrace lighting with several portable lamps?

Mix the sizes rather than repeating the same one: a large piece such as the Atrium at 27.8 × 40.7 cm as a high point, smaller tubes around it, from 10 to 20 cm for the Ambelina. In the evening, you move a lamp from the living room to the balcony: no socket limits the arrangement.

Two or three lamps on a terrace table

Play with heights: 10 and 20 cm for the candle-effect Ambelina, 32.5 cm for the Martorena in woven rattan, 40.7 cm for the Atrium. Three different heights are enough to create relief without cluttering the tabletop.

A lit path from the living room to the balcony

A lamp that stays in the living room during the day goes outside in the evening: that is the whole point of cordless, with no electrical supply to plan and therefore no multiple connections to manage. For daytime rooms, see also the design table lamps for the bedroom.

How do you match styles: art deco, contemporary, Italian design?

The art deco style shows in a ribbed base or a ball silhouette, like the Atrium and the Valtorela. Contemporary plays on the simple line and the transparent material, as with the Beltoreno or the Ondtorena tube. Italian design is that restraint: few details, clean shapes, glass, metal or wood.

Art deco and contemporary: what sets them apart

Art deco embraces a ribbed base and a ball, a graphic presence. Contemporary prefers the tube, the transparent, the continuous line. The gold and black finishes lean towards the first, the design table lamps for the office towards the second.

Italian design: the line, not the label

Tube, ball, dome, drop and square shapes; metal, glass, wood and bamboo materials; beige, white, black, transparent and grey colours. It is this restraint that brings our models close to Italian design, without ever sticking a brand on the lamp. See the metal models for the office and the adjustable table lamps.

What are the drawbacks of rechargeable LED lamps?

The LED gives off little heat and uses little power, but its module is built in: when it stops, the lamp cannot be repaired. On a portable lamp, you have to remember to recharge, and bring the lamp in while it charges. Finally, a cool white of 4500 to 6500 K feels less warm than a warm white.

The LED light cannot be replaced

The whole collection runs on an integrated LED: no bulb to change, no standard socket. That is convenient in use, but it means the module cannot be tinkered with. So choose the light temperature at the time of purchase, because it will not change afterwards.

A portable lamp needs recharging

You have to remember: bring the lamp in, plug it in, take it back out. In full sun, solar eases this constraint, but it still depends on the weather. If the spot is shaded, cable recharging is more predictable. The design wooden table lamps and the metal models illustrate this dual aesthetic and practical constraint well.

One last check before you confirm: measure the width of the shelf or ledge where the lamp will live. The Cubella in three sizes comes in 20 × 20, 32 × 32 and 40 × 40 cm: the largest size does not fit everywhere, but the smallest slips onto a narrow ledge. Once the size and rating are chosen, ordering is risk-free: secure payment, tracked delivery, returns available and Designix customer service for any question about a model.

Frequently asked questions