Zelco "itty bitty" Book Light, LED Edition

I had the original "Iddy Biddy Book Light" for years. I finally got tired of using C batteries, and being tethered to the battery pack. I bought the LED Edition book light a few months ago, and I love it. The fact that it holds the batteries was worth the price. The LED lights are great. They don't produce any heat, and the light they cast is very easy on the eyes. I spend usually 1 - 2 hours reading at night, and I never have had any problems. I gave my wife the old book light, and now she wants and LED version for herself. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a book light.

The design for using the DC adapter with this little light is extremely poor. It is possible that I missed the warning that tells you to remove the batteries before using the DC adapter. But, it must not have been very big. I combined the two and ended up with batteries that leaked all over inside the battery case. These were brand new batteries. There does not seem to be anything protecting the batteries from the DC adapter and so the power goes right into them. This is bad. Modern devices are expected to work with either battery or adapter without having to remove the batteries.Then, after I cleaned it all up, it worked for about a week w/o the batteries installed. Then the LEDs started flickering. The next day, it was dead. To see if it had to do with the battery leak, I took the little guy apart and found that the power was still getting all of the way up into the head. But something on the little circuit board must have blown.The other part of the design that is bad is that the metal clip has a sharp edge that digs into and tears up the pages of the book. I found this a problem with soft cover books, at least. Putting a little electrical tape of the end made it better.I had hoped that the design of this edition would last longer than previous editions. I've gone through many Zelco lights and stretched out their lifespan by repairing the poor connections as they wear out. This one is beyond my ability and I'm done giving Zelco my money. They are a nice idea, but have no durability. If they were cheaper, it might not be such a big deal, but for their price I would like to see them be far more durable.

I do like the concept of the "itty bitty Book Light" a lot. Since I love to read in bed what only would disturb my husband this was a great solution. But this is the second one I had to buy in 3 years. They did say it will last forever and the bulbs never burn out. Well that's not true. My old one started blinking and eventually blacked out completely. Since they is no way to get a new bulb you buy a whole new light and well I have to admit, at almost $30.- that is a little much if it can't be repaired.I did buy another one but if the same defect happens with this one in the next few years I will not buy it again. I will look for something more reliable. The itty bitty lite takes 4 AAA Batteries and they do have to be replaced quite often. It's best to get rechargeable batteries, helps the cost and the environment.

This is the third book light I have purchased for my wife. I bought it for my wife because its LED lights should have longer battery life than the old incandescent lights. We haven't had it long enough to determine if the battery life is longer or not. What we do notice, the light is a better quality light than the old one. The Itty Bitty Lite illuminates hardbound books quite well but doesn't disturb me while sleeping. Using this light with rechargeable lights eliminates the need for adapters and that dangling cord.My wife likes it much better than the old one and has relegated the old one to the bottom shelf of her night stand. It seems sad to replace the perfectly working old light but the new one just works too well.

Pros: This light is a probably a good option for reading small paperbacks - bright light, no hot bulb, low battery usage.Cons: Can't tilt light side-to-side (to accommodate large books and nearby sleepers), can't tilt arm past 90 degrees, bulky (and heavy) battery pack part of the clip.I've been using these lights for years. I was so impressed with the design improvements between the volume 1 and volume 2 versions that when my volume 2 clip broke, I was excited to try the LED version. What I liked: the light is very bright, there is no hot bulb, and battery life is long (if I choose to use batteries). Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed in the following features:1. The light doesn't swivel side-to-side anymore. I often do crossword puzzles from a large-volume book and the LED doesn't throw light to a large enough area to see the entire page. Also, when I read in the middle of the night, I like to aim the light away from my husband's side of the bed so he is not disturbed - with this light I have to tilt the whole book.2. The angle between the arm and and clip does not extend beyond 90 degrees. If you don't have the light fully extended or if the pages of the book are wider than the length of the fully extended arm, the light bulb assembly gets in the way of turning the page.3. The battery pack is part of the clip. I'm forced to deal with the bulk of the battery pack even if I use an AC adaptor. It is nearly impossible to clip anywhere but on the back cover. Now you've got a bulky battery pack on the back of the book, which makes the book not lie flat on the bedside table. Also, the additional weight on the back cover means you need to explicitly support the weight of the book light moving it to the bedside table or the book flops open. This is not a huge deal, but I've found it a nuisance.In fact, I find the sum total of all the aforementioned points such a nuisance that I'm still using my broken Volume 2 light and and holding the clip together myself.In summary - if you read small paperbacks and will use batteries, this light is a good option. If you want more flexibility in positioning the light and arm and will use an AC adaptor, then go for the Volume 2 with the swiveling light, >90 deg tilting arm, and slender clip.

excellent product. have used one for years. bought two more as presents. really bright.