Try it from the bed
Place the lamp on a stable bedside surface, then get into the position you use for reading. Reach for the switch without leaning across a drink, pulling the cord or twisting behind the headboard. If it feels awkward now, it will be more irritating when you are half asleep.
The table's height matters in relation to the top of the mattress, including its topper. A lamp with a switch under the shade can be convenient on one table and far too high on another. A base switch or accessible cord switch may work better, provided the control stays in a consistent position.
Leave an unobstructed patch for the things you actually put down: glasses, a book, water or a phone. A narrow lamp stem can still have a wide shade that obstructs your hand. Test the whole shape rather than assuming a small base means it will fit.
Put the beam on the page
An adjustable reading lamp lets you change direction as you sit up or move the book. Check that its head stays where you place it and that the base remains steady throughout its permitted range of movement. Do not reach the page by extending an arm beyond the range allowed by the manufacturer.
Look from the other side of a shared bed. A beam directed across the pillows may be bothersome even when the bulb is hidden from the reader. A separate directed light for each person gives more control than one central lamp, but it does not have to mean matching objects if the tables differ.
If you prefer a broad fabric shade, judge it as both ambient light and reading light. It may give the bedroom a pleasant glow while leaving the page underlit. Keeping a modest room light on can also alter the balance; compare the arrangement you will genuinely use.
Keep the route to power uneventful
The lead should reach its socket without running across the place where feet land on getting out of bed. Leave enough appropriate slack that routine repositioning does not pull on the plug, while keeping loose cable away from the walking route. Do not trap it under a bed leg or behind a moving mechanism.
If the only convenient lamp location requires a cable across the bedroom floor, reconsider the table or lamp position. A suitable rechargeable lamp is another possibility, with charging requirements and expected runtime checked before purchase.
The last test is turning everything off. Put down the book, find the control and leave the bed. The lamp is properly placed when each of these movements is straightforward and the table still works as a table.
