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Category 3 of 6

Night-Lights

The job: a low light that does not wake the room

A night-light is the one product on this site where the size that matters is not a dimension. Nobody buys one by height. What decides whether it works is how little light it can make, and most listings will not tell you.

Two of these eight state a lumen figure. Two state a wattage. Five state a color temperature, three of them as a Kelvin number and two as a word. The rest describe a sensor and leave the output to your imagination.

Kelvin figures here describe the tint of the light. Nothing on this page is a claim about sleep, about eyes, or about how anybody feels. Where a listing states a certification such as ETL, that is the seller’s statement.

Listings here
8
Stated output or power given
0
Stating nothing
8
Subgroups
3

Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through one we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It changes nothing about the numbers below, which come from the listings.

Dusk-to-dawn sensor

5 listings

Lowest stated wattage

L LOHAS Plug-in Night Light, 2-pack

L LOHAS Plug-in Night Light, 2-pack

0.3W, the lowest wattage stated in this catalog. The only other stated wattage figure here is 0.5W.

Three tenths of a watt is the lowest power figure stated anywhere in this catalog, and the listing is equally clear that the light does not dim. Non-dimmable is a useful thing to say out loud, because a night-light that only has one level is a simpler object. The listing states 3000K, a tint description rather than a claim about anything else.

The listing states
0.3W, a dusk to dawn sensor, 3000K soft white and non-dimmable output.
Best for
An outlet where one fixed low level is all that is wanted.

What works

  • 0.3W is stated, the lowest wattage figure in this catalog.
  • The listing states non-dimmable outright instead of leaving it ambiguous.
  • A dusk-to-dawn sensor is stated, so it does not need a switch.
  • 3000K is stated as a Kelvin figure rather than a word.

What does not

  • Non-dimmable means the one level it has is the level you get.
  • No lumen figure is stated, so 0.3W does not tell you how bright it is.
  • Two units only, where other listings here offer four, six or eight.
Check the listing

Only stated step count

DORESshop Night Light, 2-pack

DORESshop Night Light, 2-pack

The only night-light listing here that states a number of brightness steps. Three.

Three brightness levels is the only step count stated in this catalog, and a count is more useful than the word adjustable. It tells you the setting you want either exists or does not. The listing states a dusk-to-dawn sensor and 3000K.

The listing states
3 brightness levels, a dusk to dawn sensor and 3000K.
Best for
An outlet where a small number of fixed levels is enough.

What works

  • Three levels are stated as a number, not as a vague range.
  • A dusk-to-dawn sensor is stated, so it works without a switch.
  • 3000K is stated as a Kelvin figure.
  • A two-pack, which is enough for a hall and a landing.

What does not

  • No lumen figure is stated at any of the three levels.
  • Three steps means the level you want may fall between two of them.
  • The listing states no housing size, so socket clearance is unknown.
Check the listing

Adjustable, not stepped

DORESshop Dimmable Night Light, 2-pack

DORESshop Dimmable Night Light, 2-pack

The listing states adjustable brightness without naming steps, where its sibling listing states three levels.

The same maker’s dimmable version, and the listing says adjustable without naming steps or an output range. Adjustable with no numbers attached is the least informative way to describe a dimmer, though it does at least mean the level is not fixed. Dusk-to-dawn and 3000K are stated.

The listing states
a dusk-to-dawn sensor, adjustable brightness and 3000K soft white.
Best for
An outlet where the level will be set once and left.

What works

  • Brightness is adjustable rather than fixed at one level.
  • A dusk-to-dawn sensor is stated.
  • 3000K is stated as a Kelvin figure.
  • A two-pack, matching the rest of this maker’s listings here.

What does not

  • Adjustable is stated without a range or a step count.
  • No lumen figure at any setting.
  • No housing dimensions are stated.
Check the listing

Largest stated pack

Sujeet Night Light, 8-pack

Sujeet Night Light, 8-pack

8 units, the largest pack count stated in this catalog. No other night-light listing here states 8.

Eight units, which is the largest pack in this catalog and enough to cover a hall, a landing, a kitchen and a bathroom at once. The listing is the shortest here: a dusk-to-dawn sensor, and warm white as a word rather than a Kelvin figure. There is no output number of any kind.

The listing states
a dusk to dawn sensor and warm white LED.
Best for
Covering several outlets at once with one purchase.

What works

  • Eight units, the largest stated pack count in this catalog.
  • A dusk-to-dawn sensor is stated, so none of them need switching.
  • Enough units to cover a whole floor of a house in one go.
  • A short listing that claims nothing it cannot support.

What does not

  • Warm white is a word, not a Kelvin figure.
  • No lumen figure and no wattage figure are stated.
  • No dimming or step count is stated.
Check the listing

Only daylight white stated

Uigos LED Night Light, 6-pack

Uigos LED Night Light, 6-pack

The only night-light listing here that names daylight white. Every other listing states warm white or 3000K.

The only listing here that states daylight white rather than warm white or 3000K. Daylight is a cooler tint, which is a statement about the color of the light and nothing more. Half a watt is stated, and a six-pack.

The listing states
a dusk to dawn sensor, daylight white and 0.5W.
Best for
An outlet where a cooler tint is preferred to a warm one.

What works

  • Six units, the second largest pack here.
  • 0.5W is stated, one of only two wattage figures in this category.
  • A dusk-to-dawn sensor is stated.
  • The tint is named, rather than left to the photograph.

What does not

  • Daylight white is a word, not a Kelvin figure.
  • No lumen figure is stated.
  • No dimming or step count is stated.
Check the listing

Dusk-to-dawn sensor, side by side

5 listings side by side. Every figure below is the one on its own listing.

L LOHAS Plug-in Night Light, 2-pack

Stated output or power
0.3 W, 3000K, non-dimmable
What sets this one apart
0.3W, the lowest wattage stated in this catalog. The only other stated wattage figure here is 0.5W.
Best for
An outlet where one fixed low level is all that is wanted.

DORESshop Night Light, 2-pack

Stated output or power
3 levels, 3000K
What sets this one apart
The only night-light listing here that states a number of brightness steps. Three.
Best for
An outlet where a small number of fixed levels is enough.

DORESshop Dimmable Night Light, 2-pack

Stated output or power
Adjustable, 3000K
What sets this one apart
The listing states adjustable brightness without naming steps, where its sibling listing states three levels.
Best for
An outlet where the level will be set once and left.

Sujeet Night Light, 8-pack

Stated output or power
Warm white, no figure
What sets this one apart
8 units, the largest pack count stated in this catalog. No other night-light listing here states 8.
Best for
Covering several outlets at once with one purchase.

Uigos LED Night Light, 6-pack

Stated output or power
0.5 W, daylight white
What sets this one apart
The only night-light listing here that names daylight white. Every other listing states warm white or 3000K.
Best for
An outlet where a cooler tint is preferred to a warm one.

Motion sensor

2 listings

Only 2200 K stated

AUVON Backlit Night Light, 4-pack

AUVON Backlit Night Light, 4-pack

2200K appears exactly once in this catalog. Every other night-light listing here states 3000K, warm white or daylight white.

The only listing in this category that states a bottom end to its output, and that bottom end is 1 lumen. One lumen is about as little light as a device can make and still be on. The listing states 2200K, which is a warmer tint than the 3000K the rest of this category uses, and it states both a motion sensor and a dusk-to-dawn sensor.

The listing states
motion and dusk to dawn sensors, 2200K, and 1 to 50 lm dimmable output.
Best for
A hallway outlet where the lowest possible setting is the point.

What works

  • One lumen at the low end is stated, the lowest figure any listing here gives.
  • Both sensors are stated, so it can respond to darkness and to movement.
  • 2200K is stated as a number rather than as a word like warm.
  • Fifty lumens at the top means it can also be turned up.

What does not

  • Four units is a lot to buy to test whether the tint suits a hallway.
  • The listing states no beam angle, so the spread on a wall is unknown.
  • A backlit panel is wider than a plain plug, and may crowd a two-socket outlet.
Check the listing

Only plug-in motion pair

L LOHAS Motion Sensor Night Light, 2-pack

L LOHAS Motion Sensor Night Light, 2-pack

The only plug-in night-light here whose listing states motion activation without also stating a dusk-to-dawn sensor.

Thirty to sixty lumens, motion activated, and no dusk-to-dawn sensor stated. That combination means it stays dark until something moves, which is a different behavior from a light that comes on at sunset and stays on. Thirty lumens at the low end is well above the 1 lumen floor the AUVON listing states.

The listing states
30 to 60 lm, motion activation and 3000K warm white.
Best for
An outlet that should stay dark until someone passes it.

What works

  • A stated range of 30 to 60 lm, which is a real output figure.
  • Motion activation is stated without a light sensor, so the behavior is simple to predict.
  • 3000K is stated as a Kelvin figure.
  • Two units, which is enough to try before committing to more.

What does not

  • Thirty lumens is the floor here, so it cannot be set lower.
  • No dusk-to-dawn sensor is stated, so it can trigger in daylight.
  • The listing states no motion range or timeout.
Check the listing

Motion sensor, side by side

2 listings side by side. Every figure below is the one on its own listing.

AUVON Backlit Night Light, 4-pack

Stated output or power
1 to 50 lm, 2200K
What sets this one apart
2200K appears exactly once in this catalog. Every other night-light listing here states 3000K, warm white or daylight white.
Best for
A hallway outlet where the lowest possible setting is the point.

L LOHAS Motion Sensor Night Light, 2-pack

Stated output or power
30 to 60 lm, 3000K
What sets this one apart
The only plug-in night-light here whose listing states motion activation without also stating a dusk-to-dawn sensor.
Best for
An outlet that should stay dark until someone passes it.

Rechargeable, no outlet

1 listing

One listing, so there is nothing here to compare it against. What follows is the card on its own.

Only one without a plug

Lyridz Rechargeable Motion Light, 2-pack

Lyridz Rechargeable Motion Light, 2-pack

The only night-light here whose listing states a rechargeable battery instead of an outlet plug.

The only light in this category that does not need an outlet, which changes where it can go entirely: the back of a cupboard, a stair stringer, the inside of a wardrobe. The listing states a rechargeable battery, a motion sensor, stick-on mounting and adjustable brightness. It states no run time.

The listing states
a rechargeable battery, a motion sensor, stick-on mounting and adjustable brightness.
Best for
A spot with no outlet, such as a cupboard or a stair.

What works

  • No outlet is needed, so placement is not decided by the wiring.
  • Stick-on mounting is stated, so nothing has to be drilled.
  • A motion sensor is stated, which is what makes a battery light practical.
  • Brightness is stated as adjustable.

What does not

  • No run time per charge is stated, so recharging frequency is unknown.
  • No lumen figure and no Kelvin figure are stated.
  • Stick-on mounting depends on the surface, and the listing does not say which surfaces.
Check the listing

The Amazon links above are affiliate links, and a purchase made through one may earn us a commission. Nothing on this page was ranked, ordered or described differently because of that.

Questions this category keeps producing

4 of them.

What is the difference between dusk-to-dawn and motion?

A dusk-to-dawn sensor watches the light level and turns on when the room goes dark, then stays on. A motion sensor stays off until something moves. One of these eight states both sensors, five state dusk-to-dawn only, and two state motion only. They behave differently in a hallway and the listings are clear about which is which.

Why does 1 lumen matter?

Because it is the floor. One listing here states a range starting at 1 lm and another states a range starting at 30 lm. That is a thirtyfold difference at the low end, and it is the difference between a light you can see the floor by and a light you can see across a room. Five of the eight state no lumen figure at all.

Is 2200K better than 3000K?

It is warmer. That is what the number describes: the tint of the light, on a scale where lower is more orange and higher is more blue-white. Which one you want is a preference about how a hallway looks at night. This site does not make claims beyond that.

Can I use one of these in a power strip?

Not unless the manufacturer says so. Follow the instructions that came with the unit. Do not cover a plug-in night-light, and do not use one in an outlet that is loose or damaged — an outlet that will not grip a plug is work for an electrician.

The arithmetic behind this category