Written by Nordic Light Lab — the UK arm of a Scandinavian family of specialist light-therapy shops, including Lysterapi.no, Norway’s largest light-therapy store with over 10,000 customers. We sell the products we write about, and we say so openly.
Every SAD lamp on the market says “10,000 lux” on the box. Almost none of them tell you the only number that matters: at what distance. This guide explains how to read the figures, and compares every lamp we stock with the measured numbers side by side.
10,000 lux — but at what distance?
Light intensity falls away quickly with distance. A lamp that delivers 10,000 lux at 17 cm gives you only around 2,500 lux at 38 cm — so it has to sit right next to your face to deliver the studied dose. A large lamp that delivers 10,000 lux at over a metre can stand across the room while you eat breakfast. Both are “10,000 lux lamps”, but they solve completely different problems. Rule of thumb: the bigger the light surface, the further away you can sit.
We stock the Finnish Innolux range precisely because Innolux publishes lux at measured distance for every model — figures you can verify. All models are LED, UV-free, flicker-free and CE-marked.
Every model compared
| Model | Price | 10,000 lux at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valovoima Mini | £249 | 17 cm | travel, behind your screen |
| Lempi | £249 | ca. 20 cm | lowest price, Nordic design |
| Epic | £289 | 26 cm | desk, adjustable colour temperature |
| Valovoima Desk | £349 | 20 cm | home office, medical CE certification |
| Tubo | £369 | 28 cm | compact column |
| Mesa Mega | £409 | 70 cm | large surface, living room |
| Valovoima Floor | £439 | 20 cm | floor-standing, reading chair |
| SuperNova | £529 | 105 cm | most powerful, works at a distance |
An honest note on cheap lamps
Can you buy a SAD lamp for £30? You can — but at that price the light surface is usually so small that 10,000 lux only applies at 10–12 cm, which in practice means the lamp pressed against your face. If the budget is tight, a modest lamp with honest figures beats a cheap one with figures measured nowhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best SAD lamp in the UK?
It depends on where you will use it, not on a single winner. For a desk, the Innolux Valovoima Desk and Epic are our strongest options; if you want the light to work at a distance - over the breakfast table, for instance - the SuperNova (10,000 lux at 105 cm) and Mesa Mega (70 cm) are in a class of their own. The comparison table in this guide shows lux at measured distance for every model, which is the figure most reviews leave out.
What does 10,000 lux actually mean?
Lux measures light intensity where you are sitting, not how powerful the lamp is. 10,000 lux is roughly bright daylight on a clear morning, and the dose used in most clinical studies of light therapy - but only at the distance the manufacturer measured. That is why we publish both figures for every lamp.
When should I use a SAD lamp?
In the morning, ideally within an hour of waking, for 30 to 60 minutes at the lamp's rated distance. Morning light advances your body clock and lifts energy through the day. Avoid strong light therapy late in the evening - it can push your rhythm the wrong way.
Are SAD lamps safe? Do they emit UV?
The Innolux lamps we stock are LED, UV-free and flicker-free, and CE-marked - the Valovoima models are certified as medical devices under the EU Medical Device Regulation. If you have an eye condition or take medication that increases light sensitivity, check with your GP first.
Do SAD lamps really help with winter depression?
Bright light therapy is the best-documented non-drug intervention for seasonal low mood, and many people notice a difference in energy and sleep within one to two weeks of daily morning use. It is not a replacement for treatment: if your low mood is heavy or persistent, speak to your GP.