opinions on Ott Lites please..
 

I'm thinking about getting an Ott Lite but want to get opinions first.
Are they any better than regular lights for hand sewing?

I like the Ott light better - it's pretty bright. Mine is a floor lamp with magnifier. The thing I don't like about mine is that it isn't balanced...it's top heavy and I have to put hand weights on it so it won't flip over. Maybe they have improved them since I got mine a few years ago, but check that out if you are interested in that style.

I have two Ott lites. One sits on my sewing table and the other is a floor model. Both provide great natural lighting and really help. However, I use my floor lamp on a hard wood floor. I'm not sure how stable it would be on our carpet especially with our four racecar cats! They are definitely worth the money.

I don't care for the Ott lights, I think they are way overpriced. If you're looking for something like true bright daylight, you can get that by purchasing CFL bulbs with the correct "color temperature" rating. Most bulbs have these ratings right on the package. You want the 5000K bulb. This is what I use over my working surfaces and also to photograph my quilts. You don't need to purchase special lamps for these bulbs. The ones I have are large, but fit into a standard lamp, although I currently have them in reflective clamp-on fixtures.

If you're less worried about color temperature and just want something bright, I really like the IKEA Jansko LED lamp. They come in 3 models - floor, tabletop, and clamp-on. I like it because it focuses the light on my work area but doesn't disturb those around me who may be watching tv or something.

I love mine! DD bought me one years ago and I keep it by my machine. Got another to sit on the table where I sit in the evening and hand sew

I've not used Ott lights. I use an adjustable halogen table lamp for my hand sewing. Have another I can pull out if needed in tge sewing room as well. Very, very bright light. Only down side for me is the can get quite warm after extended use. The head of the fixture gets warm as well as me! Do not leave them on unattended. But the lighting is awesome.

I have 2 Ott Lexington floor lamps and love them. DH has claimed one to use by his "reading chair." Both have heavy bases so no problem with them tipping over. I hand quilt and I can adjust the height to my quilting frame and swing the top around to the spot I'm quilting. The light is just right for me, bright but still easy on the eyes and "true" color especially for fabric coordination/selection. Had them for several years now and haven't had to replace a bulb yet. Watch Joann's & Michael's for 1/2 price (or 40%) sales.

I've had a floor Ott light for a very long time and just love it.

Love my ott lite, had mine for about 4 years now and haven't replaced a bulb yet, wished I would have jusr got the plug in instead of the charger one, the plug is humongous and gets really hot. I would get another

Love mine. I've probably had it for 10 years or more and haven't had to replace a bulb yet. Some of the new CFL or LED bulbs are probably just as good but they weren't on the market when I bought the Ott. Mine sits by my sewing machine for night sewing but I move it around the house when I have hand work to do. May have to check out the new bulbs so I don't have to move it all the time...

I love my Ott light! It's plenty bright for hand sewing and I can position it at different angles for concentrated light. It's a floor lamp that I put on a lazy susan so it can swivel over a plant that needs a little more light or swivel it over me when I'm sewing. I used a 50% off coupon at Joanne's so it seemed reasonable to me. I wouldn't be without it!

I bought one of these lamps at Menards about 5 years ago. It is perfect, has full spectrum light, uses the PL bulbs that the Ott lites uses and costs significantly less. I paid $19.99 on sale when I purchased mine.

http://www.menards.com/main/lighting...092-c-6356.htm

I have 2 floor lamps - one by my chair in the TV room and one next to my sewing machine in my sewing room. I also have 2 desk lamps - one in my kitchen (under a cupboard that is a dark spot) and one on a shelf in the sewing room that also lights the other side of my sewing machine.

One floor lamp did go bad on me - it has a starter or whatever they call it - that went out and my husband had no idea how to fix it, and it wasn't worth having it repaired and just got another one. I am not sure how old it was, but those things happen. It turned out Joann's was having a good sale at the time and I had a gift card so it came out cheap for me.

I have 3 bought all at 1/2 price. Love them!

I have 3 Ott floor lamps and 2 tabletop ones. No problems. They do help sewing and give a true representation of the colors being used.

I have macular degeneration and need good light and, often, magnification, to sew. I love my Ott lamps! In my sewing room, I have a floor model that lights up my ironing and cutting area. I have floor models on each side of my Bernina and a table lamp model by my Featherweight. That is four Ott lamps in my sewing room. I also have a floor model in my great room by the chair in which I do my hand sewing. I had a portable one that I took to classes; but I let my granddaughter borrow it. I got my first Ott lamp 14 years ago, and although I use it daily, I did not have to replace the bulb until last year. I will add that replacing the bulb is not easy. You have to really push the bulb to get it all the way in. I have another brand of floor lamp in my sewing room at the other end of my cutting table. I do not like it nearly as much as I like my Ott lamps.

Ditto on getting them on a 50% off coupon at Joann's. I just bought a small, battery operated LED Ott for taking to sew-in's (the light is kinda bad in one place that I go to) .

At home, though, I have bought the LED's at Costco to replace my bulbs in the fixtures I have that have 5 flexible necks on a stand. The switch lets you turn on 2 of the 5 heads, or the other 3, or all 5. I have the two pointed down at my machine area and cutting/ironing area. I love them because they are relatively bright, but stay cool.

I have two Ott lights. One is a floor lamp and I really like that one. The other is a table one that is on a weighted stand with a telescoping arm to adjust the height. The lamp itself is also adjustable. I do not like that one because I can't find a spot on my sewing table where it is not reflecting off my sewing machine or if I put it higher it shines in my eyes which is too bright and distracting. If I could find a way to have it over my shoulder like the floor one that would be great but haven't figured that out yet.

JoAnn's prices their Ott lights very high. I have seen them at Lowes and Home Depot for even less than you can get them with a 40-50% off coupon at JoAnn's so shop around as the price does vary.

I have not had a bulb burn out but did have to replace my bulb in my desk top one when I tipped it over and the bulb broke.

There was another posting on this board about a person who had her Ott light with a magnifier attached start a fire when the sunshine hit the magnifying glass and set her chair on fire so be careful if you get one with a magnifier to either cover the magnifier when not in use or position it in such a way that sunlight will not get to it.

You can always get a table top Ott light...that's what I use right over my sewing machine. :) Less expensive and it has a neck extension that can be adjusted to whatever you're doing or need the light for.

This is what I have ... an Ott-like lamp, in that it is a full spectrum light. I wouldn't pay for the name brand as this is great.

My friend bought hers online and they actually sent her two. She gave me one as they didn't want it back.

Love my Ott lights. I have a floor model over my chair to hand sew and read, and another table lamp over my machine. I have a couple more in my closet in case I need them. Couldn't live without my floor model!

I have 2 Ott lights I got at a terrific price at JoAnn's Friday after Thanksgiving. Floor model's base is heavy now and will not tip over. I love the light.

Check out Joann's online. The last two I bought were 50% off (I waited for a sale). I have two floor models and a tabletop model which is great for taking to retreats. My husband uses one off the floor ones for a reading light.

Love my Ott lites & I have several. My DH even claimed one of them (floor model) to put beside his lazy boy chair, for reading. If you do look at other lamps, make sure they are not the ones that get HOT while in use. That can make a huge difference.

I have four Ott lights and I one cheap imitation. The imitation is permanently packed away. i have never seen anything that matches the clear color spectrum of their light. Yes, they are a little expensive but I have gotten my bulbs at JAF or on eBay.

I LOVE my Ott light. I had a tabletop model for years. I broke the bulb last week and used another bright lamp for 2 weeks. It was a lamp we had here. It just wasn't the same. I went out and bought the Ott light I had been wanting. I used the sale price and my teacher discount. I got the one that stands on the floor with the magnifying glass attached. It is on an arm. I love love it. I just saw here on the board the other day to watch out where you have the magnifying glass focused when you quit sewing. SHe said the sun was coming in the window thru her magnifying glass and almost caught her chair on fire.

I like my Ott light for over my cutting table. I liked my desk lamp with a halogen light better but something was wrong with it because the lightbulb burned out frequently. My husband got an ott at a thrift store with the magnifier for $25. He kept taking mine when he was working on his radio airplane control kits. He likes it alot.

I've had two tabletop ones for several years. I love them! I use them every day in my sewing room. I also have a small flip-open one (size of a cell phone?). They are worth the $$. I buy them on sale.

Unlike the majority of other people, I am not a fan of Ott lights. I have had 2 floor models and neither lasted even a year. I purchased them at JoAnn's with 50% coupons but they were still expensive. I think there are just as good lights out there for a more reasonable price.

Love mine. I have 2 and use them a lot. I have only replaced one bulb after years of use.

Love my Ott light. I have the floor model and it follows me around any time I am quilting at night or when the sun is the shining (most days around here). The light is so much better especially when the eyes are a little on the oldster side. If you are close to a Joann's and wait for the sale, prices are much better.

I would not be without mine. I have a floor model as well as a desk model. Love them both.

I have several....got them a long time ago and have never regretted doing so. My favorite is my Ariel floor lamp. It's the long bulb and I have it at my sewing machine. I have another with the magnifying glass which I seldom use (the magnifying glass). There may be cheaper lights, but when JoAnn's has them on sale for 50% off, how can you go wrong?

Have both table and floor daylight lamps at Wal-Mart on line much cheaper, and replacement bulbs are only $7.00.

I love mine. It sits on my sewing machine, has a small "footprint" and the light is bright and right where I want it. Very thoughtful Christmas gift from my son.

My DH gave me one for Christmas three years ago. It is a table lamp I don't know how I ever got along without it.

It is a clear white light which does not distort fabric colors, and does not seem to create shadows. I like it but for some tasks I need to see shadows to see that I am doing, like where to place the needle, and then I use one of the architect's halogen lights on a stalk so I can pull it around where I want it.

I have a floor model and a folding table model that I take with me on retreats. Love them both. I love the newer style that has a glass shade. They look like regular lamps. Guess I'll have to wait for a sale or use coupons to get them.

If you have a Big Lots store anywhere near you check out those stores. They have Ott light look alikes, both floor and table models, for about 25% of the cost of Ott lights. They use the same "daylight" bulbs. I have 2 table top and one floor model - have had each of them for over 3 years and they are still working great. I had a fourth, but it fizzled out about 6 months ago - it was the first one I ever bought though, and I had had it for over 4 years. Not bad for $28.00.

I have 2 floor models and one table top. The table top has a caddy attached for stitch rippers, small scissors, etc. The floor lamps sit on carpet and are very well balanced. I have had one for MANY (15+) years and love it---never had to replace bulbs yet. I do know that Home Depot carries them also and they are not so expensive.
Other stitchers use Halogen bulbs---which are bright but get very HOT----too hot for me to work with it on in the muggy summertime.