Finding the Best Mushroom Lamps: Tips & Tricks

Let’s talk about mushroom-themed lamps! These super cute lamps first gained popularity in the 1970’s when they were popularized by glass blowers in Murano, Italy.

Today’s versions come in a mix of wood, glass and silicone. Perfect as conversation starters or to add a bit of light to a nursery, mushroom lamps come in a variety of sizes and choices. 

After spending several hours researching these lamps (including hands-on inspection of several models), here are a couple of shopping tips:

• Many of these lamps are SMALL. They are great for a small table, fireplace mantel or other space where you just need a splash of light (think baby’s nursery at night for nursing). Some of our readers were disappointed when ordering these lamps to discover they aren’t much more than 5″ to 7″ tall . . . so consider that before buying.

• Consider getting a smart bulb for dimming or to add color. Most of these lamps just have an on/off switch—that means if you want to dim the light or change its color, you’ll need a smart bulb with that capability.

• Yes, these lamps can break! Several of the lamps we researched are made from a single piece of blown glass. And that means they can break if they tumble to the floor . . . something to think about if you plan to put this in a kid’s room! As an alternative, consider a lamp that is made of wood/silicone (see the first choice below).

After looking at a dozen different models, here are the mushroom lamps we think are best.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

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We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

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