Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

My father had one of these lamps (minus the shelf) behind his easy chair for several years and my wife decided she liked reading & knitting with it so much that I bought her one of the Deluxe floorlamps (burl) with a shelf. She loves it. It's well-made and the diffuser works well and is cosmetically pleasing. The cheaper knock-off lamps do not have the diffuser. It's relatively expensive, but it is an excellent lamp and energy efficient, using a wide spectrum fluorescent bulb. Don't be confused by some of the reviews, the spectrum of light is different for this type of bulb than soft white (or even the typical "natural light" florescents). The Verilux bulb is color balanced and does not cast a bluish tinge to the room like many of the "natural light" florescent lights. These lamps are not made to brightly illuminate an entire room, so don't be disappointed. They are designed primarily for reading and hobbies. But, they are plenty bright for the purpose for which they were designed. Highly recommended!!