Beam N Read® Hands Free Lights

Product Reviews and User Comments:

Product Reviews

• An item you weren't sure you needed quickly becomes indispensable
  Superior to book lights or headlamps
  So useful is this little light, it should also be called Beam N Craft, Beam N Stitch, Beam N Camp, Beam N Check-on-Baby, even Beam N Do-Latenight-Housework, as I did late one night when the urge to sort laundry in our bedroom came over me as my husband and kids drifted off to sleep. The manufacturers explain, "For Light Anywhere, Anytime That Won't Disturb Others." Exactly!...
  ...I've used lightweight LED headlamps when camping to read and work, but the Beam N read is vastly more comfortable. With the Beam N Read, the light is aimed down at the floor when you get up from your work to stretch or get a snack...
  ...I really love the basic Beam N Read. Since I received it, I use it all the time for my late night bouts of creativity. My sleeping husband is so grateful! Susie Ziegler, Fabric Crafts Specialist, CraftCritique.com
  
  
• I’ve had the opportunity to try out this light and peeps, It. Is. Awesome!!
  Of course I’ve used the Beam and Read for my knitting, but also reading late at night and early morning. Then, just the other night, I grabbed it and took it out to the chicken coop when I heard some commotion out there. My knitting kit includes the Denise cloth knitting needle case, which also has room for extra scissors, a tape measure, stitch and row markers, extra dpns, row counters, even a crochet hook.  And now… this Beam and Read light lives there too, part of my permanent collection (and safely hidden away from hubby, who has already asked if he can have his own!). Terrye Kinch, Knitting Editor, CraftGossip.com
  
  
• Remarkably useful, blessedly simple, and once you have one, you won't want to give it up...
  Seriously. I love this thing. Because it hangs around your neck, you don't have to worry about clipping it onto the book or mess with it when you turn pages. You can also lay it flat on a table and use it as a kind of mini-lamp. I've also found myself using the Beam & Read for nonliterary purposes, such as descending into our poorly lit basement, or ascending into our equally poorly lit attic. It would be especially handy in a power outage. Tom Bartlett, Slate.com
  
  
• Whenever I am on the road traveling I take it with me.
  If any of you have ever tried to hand sew in a hotel room I know you'll agree... the lighting is awful.  This light has 6 led bulbs and throws off a nice amount of light making hand sewing much, much easier. It has a hinge to allow you to adjust the direction of the light.  Love that... This would also be great for those of you who take classes.  It does not weigh much, hangs around your neck and provides light right where you need it. Karen Kay Buckley, Professional Quilt Teacher Of The Year - 1997, Author, & Award Winning Quilter, KarenKayBuckley.com
  
  
• This little light is the most useful, versatile tool I've found in a while.
  The Beam n' Read Light is a hands-free LED light you wear around your neck in any situation where you might need portable light that won't bother anyone else — such as reading in bed, checking on a child at night, or even in a power outage. I use mine to check on my son at night without waking him, and also to read after my husband has gone to sleep. The light is lightweight, easy to use. Susan Maphis, UpScaleBaby.com
  
  
• I recently went on a road trip with 4 other knitters in a van. Knowing there would be knitting during the trip, I packed the sample Beam N Read I'd been sent to review. It didn't take long till the sun went down and we needed light to be able to continue to see our work.
  
  I passed the light first to Cari, ...Cari proclaimed very clearly that she loved the Beam N Read and would absolutely buy one.
  For Julia, she didn't like the light as a craft light. She found she did like it when she tried to read her book in the very back of the van, and continued to read for a long while.
  
  One thing we all noticed: if any of us had been wearing [our usual standby, the camping headlamp], we'd get an eyeful of bright light when they faced us and would have to turn away. With the Beam N Read, the light is held on the chest, aiming down at what we're working on or reading, so we could chat and look at each other comfortably. We liked this a lot.
  
  Me? I think it's a very handy tool ...I'm glad this product was sent in for us to test. It's the kind of thing I might not have tried out on my own, but now that I've put it to use, I think it's very useful and will likely find myself reaching for it more and more often. Amy Singer, Editor/Publisher, Knitty.com
  
  
• These are great, well-designed, well-built, and well-priced lights that will be very helpful for a variety of people - with or without vision difficulties.
  Pros: Tough, Long Battery Life, Lots of helpful accessories; Cons: None. Mark Adkins, The-Gadgeteer.com
  
  
• It's hands free feature does lend itself quite well to knitting and crocheting or any other kind of needlework or crafting...
  So, this light is a great idea! A nice thing to have in your knitting or crochet bag if you do often knit or crochet in the dark and don't wish to turn on the lamp (and disturb a sleeping DH, for example).  Kathleen Lee, Sweaterbabe.com
  
  
• In the world of travel gadgets, simpler is usually better - and there is no better example of this than the Beam N Read personal portable LED light.
  ...Using the Beam N Read in real life is where I realized that this simple looking product really performs perfectly ...(ASF Lightware Solutions) managed to create what I consider to be the best Amazon Kindle reading light. Of course, the uses don't stop there - the light is also perfect for working on your laptop in your bedroom (or on a dark plane), reading a book in the dark or even for some extra light in your tent...Best of all, the prices are very reasonable ... All in all a very simple and effective product. Scott Carmichael, Gadling.com
  
  
• I found the BNR was actually perfect for reading in the dark on my Kindle, though I did have to adjust the lights a bit to get the right coverage. If I aimed it straight at the Kindle there was some glare, but setting the light on my chest and the Kindle just outside the main beam created the perfect amount of ambient light for reading. Carly Z, GearDiary.com
  
  
• An ingeniously designed, very bright hands free light
  on an adjustable neck strap that lets you read materials that don’t work with clip-on lights, such as newspapers and magazines. Jamie Pearson, TravelSavvyMom.com
  
  
• We have a baby and two young kids—the smallest of which was strapped to me. These wearable lights, with adjustable angles that light your path with bright, battery-saving LED light, were exactly what we needed... I also love that they use batteries so much more sparingly than traditional book lights and other flashlights... And the optional red filter is perfect for tiptoeing around on tooth–fairy detail and at other times when you want a softer light...I also like how it's small and packs flat right in the side pocket of my favorite carry–on. Shelley Rivoli TravelswithBaby.com
  
  
• The Bottom Line: For hands-free night walking, reading, and other tasks, this hands-free LED light is a great solution.
  I enjoyed using this for night walking around my house and yard, when I might have used a flashlight. I think this is a great item to have for utility use around the house, and emergency use for the home, office or car. Being able to have a good hands-free light with long battery life is great for emergency preparedness.
  I really enjoyed using the Beam N Read for reading in bed or reading maps when out walking at night. It has a larger coverage area than most clip-on booklights, without having to clip it to what you are reading. And once I had the Beam N Read for reading, I enjoyed having it around my neck for trips to the bathroom, to the kitchen for a drink of water, etc. Wendy Bumgardner, Walking.About.Com
  
  
• As a book reviewer, I was interested in finding out how helpful [Beam N Reads] would be for reading books and magazines. Due to my advancing age, I have joined the senior crowd with a weakening eyesight that requires that I use reading glasses. Would the Beam N Read Lights provide an extra boost?..when it came to reading in bed...While the 3 Beamer Light was fairly helpful, I definitely preferred the 6 Beamer Light... I have also used the Beamer Light while reading in my car and also sitting in my garden lounge chair during the early evening hours when natural light is not very strong. In both instances,the Beamer Light proved to be very very effective.
  The bottom line is that the Beam N Read Lights is a worthwhile investment and will prove its worth in a multitude of situations. Norm Goldman, BookPleasures.com
  
  
• These Beam N Read lights would work well for any travel task where you need your hands free, from rooting around the backpack to reading on a train to writing in your journal at night. If you’re traveling with a baby you could change diapers in a hotel room without lighting up the whole room. And this would solve a problem I had a lot when backpacking: figuring out a way to play cards in a poorly-lit cheap hotel room. Tim Leffel, PracticalTravelGear.com
  
  
• Beam N' Read light with magnifier. It costs about $25 and is worth every penny.  Weelittlequilts.blogspot.com
  
  
• My husband likes to watch movies in the dark. So dark that I can't knit, can't read, can barely see the cat sitting on my lap. So imagine his surprise when the opening credits ran on our latest DVD rental and I flipped on my new, handy "hands-free" light. It didn't bother him at all and I was able to make great progress on the baby blanket I was knitting. Also included is a lightweight Fresnel magnifier which worked like a charm on a night-time nature walk at a local forest preserve. Who knew snowflakes were so beautiful at night.
  What a great product! DailyKnitter.com
  
  
• It's not perfect, but I don't like the reading lights that my DH has used for my nightime knitting either. The one he wears on his ear like a bluetooth runs out of batteries (special, harder to get and pricier types) too fast and everytime he looks up at me or turns his head my way, I get blinded by the beam. His other reading lights are not hands-free for knitting or crochet since they must all clip to the book cover.
  So, this Beam N Read is the best option I've seen. Kathleen Lee, Sweaterbabe.com
  
  
• Overall, I liked the Beam 'n' Read lights. The flexibility to lay them on a table or flat surface and have a wide beam of light made them especially useful. If you need a versatile booklight/flashlight, though, you really can't go wrong with one of these, as they offer flexibility in a small package. Carly Z, GearDiary.com
  
  
• The Best Knitting Gadgets
  Beam and read lights My newest favorite gadget, wear it around your neck to shine light where you need it most. Some models come with 6 L.E.D. lights and some with 3, and there is a 2x, 4x, 6x magnifying attachment that really works well. Marjorie Colletta, Knitting Editor BellaOnline.com
  
  
• I've grown to like them for use around the camp, especially now that my camp is at a site without electricity. They allow me to read, find my way to the bathroom, or do small chores without using my travel trailer's battery to run the lights. Russ Chastain, Hunting.About.Com
  
  
• The handy tool makes it easy to use light anywhere without disturbing those around you, like on a plane, or when good light for reading or crafting just doesn't exist (camping trips, power outtages, etc.). It can be used in all circumstances where low light is an issue. Peggy Marsh CraftCritique.com
  
  
• Top 10 Product Idea
  Beam N Read Hands Free Magnifying Light - Most "book lights" just aren't bright enough, but this one had three energy-saving LED bulbs to provide extra illumination. Plus it comes with a unique feature: three levels of clip-on magnification, 2X, 4X, and 6X. Just use the magnifier that's right for you. National Aging in Place Council
  
  
  

User Comments
    (Email your feedback to ASF@readinglight.com)

• Awesome Lights! I have both the 3 light and the 6 light and both are awesome! I've used them both for crocheting in dim light or when a bit of extra light was needed and the added magnifier is a great bonus! We also like to attend antique auctions and have used the lights many times when trying to locate the maker's marks on items. I am seriously considering ordering at least one more because my husband keeps borrowing mine! Great Product indeed! (Janie, GA)
  
  
• Best Booklight. I love this booklight! Whenever my husband and I drive someplace, I bring my book along and he always complains about the light. But this booklight shines directly on the pages. It hangs around your neck so you don't have to keep adjusting it like you do with a clipon. It's also great if you like to read in bed. (Kathleen, NY)
  
  
• My second. The concept of this is brilliant. Instead of trying to attach the light to the book (how's that gonna work if I want to read The New Yorker or The New York Times in bed??), this one attaches the light to you, facing out at the book or magazine or newspaper or knitting – – or if you're in a motel room, it will help you find your way to the bathroom (Evelyn, CA)
  
  
• Perfect needlework light. I've tried just about every needlework light there is and have never found one that was just right until now. It hangs around the neck and sits flat on the chest without getting in the way at all. There is absolutely no shadow at all on my counted cross stitch fabric, which has always been a problem and no cord at all to get in the way. You can get an A/C pack, but I wouldn't want it. The way it is with the battery, you don't even know it's there. You just have really good light. (Kathy)
  
  
• Great light for reading or crafts. This is a fantastic light! I like the fact it sits around the neck, rather than having to be clamped to a book. This makes it great for reading or, in my case, knitting. The light itself has just the perfect amount of brightness - enough to see, but not too glaring, and it has 3 LED bulbs, so the light shines on a bigger area than other lights I've tried. The magnifiers make it possible for me to read, or knit, without having to wear my reading glasses. I travel a lot, and this is a lifesaver planes. (The overhead light never seems to be quite enough, or is never angled in the right place.) (Jamie, NV)
  
  
• Best reading light ever! Won't keep the spouse awake. This reading light has saved my marriage! I can read perfectly with it and not bother my spouse. In fact, the Beam N Read light is so good, that I now prefer to read with it instead of the "big" reading lamp next to my bed. (Miniaturist.Com, VT)
  
  
• This light works for needlepoint – – subtle color differences can be seen. I am able to make significant progress on a needlepoint picture because this light is as good as daylight in working on my project. Before I purchased this light, I had to lay my picture aside when the sun went down. (Sandra, Nebraska)
  
  
• It's the beam & read... It is a godsend for knitting in dark pubs which I do quite a bit. Also the coffee shop I knit in is dark. (Gwyneth, posted on Yarnharlot.ca)
  
  
• This was a life saver for my reading habit in dimly lit European hotels. Much better than any clip on book light I tried. Also good for crafts. ….. I love this product and plan to give it as a holiday gift. (Susan, NC)
  
  
• Have owned a Beam N Read for 10ish years, love it ... camping reading light! Everyone agrees your lights are the best reading lights anywhere!  (Renton, WA)
  
  
• They are absolutely great for camping and put out enough light that I can cook in the dark in a pinch.
  I've even cross-country skied with my old one. There are various models, but ours is the simplest...one bulb and 4 AA batteries. (Laura, crazyguyonabike.com)
  
  
• I highly recommend the [Beam N Read Classic Hands Free Light]. I have used it for years.
  It hangs around your neck and provides a wide area of light for easy reading. The light goes on when your head is lifted, and the angle can be adjusted. ... It's great on airplanes when the overhead light doesn't work. I keep it by my bed in hotels to use for reading, to get up at night or in case of a fire alarm and evacuation. I have used the light many times in our home during power outages. (J.S. International Travel News)
  
  
• My wife and I are enthusiastic users of your fine lamp and have bought very many over the years. (New York, NY)
  
  
• Thanks for creating a product that over the years has proven to be convenient, quality construction, and well designed.  (WA)
  
  
• My Beam N Read is about 6 years old and has been through several hurricanes.This light is great.  (Port Charlotte, FL)
  
  
• We recently had a two day power out storm here and, once again, my Beam N Read saved the day.
  I’ve always found it to be the best product of it’s kind on the market. (Bainbridge Is., WA)
  
  
• My Beam n Read was the only source of light we had for several days during Hurricane Wilma. We were so glad we had it!  (Deerfield Beach, FL)
  
  
• These people are terrific. Called to ask a question and they couldn't have been more helpful. Love my Beam N Read and it sold itself to many friends and acquaintances. Thanks.” (Gerri, OR)
  
  
• No other reading light is as effective as yours. Thank you so much. (Hillsboro, OR)
  
  

• I really love your light. I use it a lot when traveling. (Illinois)

• The lights are awesome and can’t do without! (Fargo, ND)

• Have one of your lights, love it, wanted another, so searched google. (Gladstone, NJ)

• I have used this light for many years finding it very suited to my needs. (Palo Alto, CA)

• I’m very happy with my new BNR LED 3. It is easily the best “read in bed before sleep time” light source I’ve ever owned. (Birmingham, AL)

• I love these lights. I just bought a BNR LED 103M and it is fantastic. (Stockton, CA)

• I enjoy my own Beam & Read so much that I’m getting one for my best friend’s birthday present. Thank you!…(Birmingham, AL)

• Someone asked about knitting in the car after dark. I have been using a *beam and read* light for a few years now. I wear it around my neck and it shines right on my knitting, works great. (Lee, knittinguniverse.com)

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