I shopped for a lamp like this and was shocked to see how expensive they were. The one in the picture and the one in my review (same lamp) is just a penny shy of $30 as of the publishing of this post.
I bought this lamp back in May of 2015. I have used it pretty much every day since. Admittedly more as a light for crafting and drawing, and not so much as a magnifier. Although, when I have needed the magnifier it has been very handy and I’m glad to have it.
It comes with two ways to set it up. Either with the base as shown or with a clamp to secure it to a table. I have never used the clamp, I find that the base is nice and heavy and I’ve never had a problem with it falling over no matter how I tilt and/or twist the lamp part.
It’s got nice adjustable bits so you can force the lamp as much as a few inches away from the surface it’s on. This is very handy for some of the tiny intricate crafts that I like to do. Having it fully extended and using it just as a lamp is better than just a gooseneck desk lamp because it’s like daylight/natural light and it doesn’t get hot. I often use this lamp to do my daily sketches because it’s much more pleasant and less straining on my eyes. It’s also great for crafts that involve paints or glues that dry faster when exposed to heat because the lamp stays fairly cool and doesn’t exhilarate the process.
I’ve also used it for some unconventional things like tying the little outside solar lamp hangers I made earlier this year because it extends up a few feet, is very sturdy and put the light exactly where I needed it even though it was hanging off the lamp. I’ve also used it to get out splinters and as a light source to take photos on my desk.
As you can tell, I pretty much only have pros for this lamp. The two things I don’t love about this lamp aren’t really cons and have never made my regret my purchase in any way. One, the on off switch is a bit large and can get in the way sometimes. I would prefer it to be on the light instead of a separate thing that is part of the cord. Two, I wish the base of the on off switch had feet or a covering that prevented it from moving and/or scratching the surface it’s on. Not a huge deal, definitely something I can fix myself.
I highly recommend this lamp if you are in the market for such a thing. Below is the link to it on Amazon, which is where I purchased it. It’s not an affiliate link, I get nothing if you buy it.