Gemstone, salt and touch lamps: a buyer's guide

What to know before buying a gemstone halo lamp, a Himalayan salt lamp or a rechargeable touch lamp: sizes, power, care tips and which makes the best gift.

Gemstone Halo LampSee priceQuality USB Natural Salt LampSee priceTouch LampSee priceGemstone Halo LampSee price

Decorative lamps give a room a warm glow without the glare of a ceiling light. Here's how the three most popular kinds compare.

Gemstone halo lamps

A ring of real tumbled gemstones lit from behind, so the colours glow when it's switched on. The 7 Chakra halo lamp uses seven different stones in a rainbow, while the Zen range uses a single crystal, such as rose quartz or amethyst. Natural stones vary, so no two lamps look exactly the same. That's part of the charm.

Himalayan salt lamps

Hand-carved pink salt with a small bulb inside gives an amber glow. The USB versions, such as the natural salt lamp or the pyramid salt lamp, are small enough for a desk or bedside table. Salt attracts moisture, so keep it out of bathrooms and wipe it with a dry cloth. Leaving it switched on for a few hours a day stops it "sweating".

Rechargeable touch lamps

Cordless lamps that you tap to switch on and dim, and recharge by USB-C. Because they're cordless, they work anywhere: on a dining table, a shelf or outside on a summer evening. Try the dome mushroom touch lamp or the tall stem touch lamp.

Which makes the best gift?

• For someone into crystals or mindfulness: a gemstone halo lamp.
• For a bedroom or office: a USB salt lamp.
• For a flexible, modern look: a rechargeable touch lamp.