Customer Reviews

Zelco Itty Bitty Paperback Edition Booklight

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a good light for reading in bed; VERY lightweight (the lightest book light I have seen), good light on both pages with very good positionability of the light; there is little spillover to disturb someone else and the shade keeps the light out of your eyes; and the clip works very well and the head gives you enough room to turn most pages without getting in the way. I have owned about 15 of these over the years because they fail after a while. Zelco has addressed many of the weaknesses of the original design and the current version is much more durable than the original; the warranty was limited to 1 year for a very good reason. (If you can solder, you can fix many of the failures yourself.) My main problem with this light is that if you fall asleep with the light on, the light can get hot enough to cause a serious burn. I recently got a small 3rd-degree burn from letting it fall on my arm and lay there while sleeping. I have constructed a guard around the shade from plastic canvas and am still using the light, but I would recommend using an LED light if you fall asleep while reading (Zelco 10056 itty bitty Booklight LED Edition) and NEVER buy this light or any of the other incandescent bulb lights for your child. If you still want incandescent, look at the Volume 2 from this same company (Zelco "itty bitty" Book Light, Volume 2).

If you don't get the AC adapter the batteries are used up quickly; the bulbs burn out and are expensive to replace. There is a cord that runs from the light to the battery pack or the AC adapter. Watch out that your adapter has plenty of air space around it; they tend to overheat without it. Inspect your adapter occasionally and if you see any signs of distortion in the outer cover, replace it immediately; you don't want to risk a fire. Don't avoid this booklight because I said this; this will be true of all AC adapters.

I have been using Zelco's Itty Bitty Book lights for more than 20 years. I keep trying other similar products, but no other book light that I've found really does as good a job of uniformly illuminating an open pair of pages.

The problem with the IBBLs is that they stop working -- probably a switch problem or a broken wire. I have a drawer full of nonfunctioning IBBLs. (No, it's not just a burned out light, replacing the bulb doesn't help). As a result, I also have a drawer full of AC adapters and battery packs, because Zelco won't sell you an IBBL without at least one of these accessories.

Thank goodness once in a while Zelco or Amazon or somebody runs a sale on the lights (usually with just the battery pack attached), so I can stock up on replacements. Having to buy replacements at regular retail (and getting MORE AC adapters and/or battery packs in the process) is just too painful and expensive. If anybody needs a replacement battery pack or AC adapter, please drop me a line -- boy, have I got a lot of them!

Bottom line -- Zelco drives me crazy with product reliability and longevity, but they still make the only night-time book light that really works well. Watch for those sales and buy a bunch when you can!

The itty bitty booklight paperback edition is perfect for reading in bed! I have been using these lights, replacing each when its wiring went awry, for over twenty years; the design is an old friend! I can read at three in the morning without disturbing He Who Sleeps Next to Me at all!! The "paperback edition" version that I purchased recently has an improved design, with the wires more securely attached than they were in the past, and the on/off switch less flimsy. I may not need to replace this one for a long time!
I particularly like the bulbs in this light; LED lights seem great until you try to read in the dark, and then their uneven lighting of the page is maddening. Itty bitty has small flashlight-like bulbs, and the light spreads quite evenly. The only drawback is that the bulbs are not easy to find unless you go to certain book stores or look for them online.
The paperback edition comes with a battery case and no adapter to allow you to plug it in. If you have an adapter from a standard itty bitty booklight, it will work perfectly with this battery powered version.Zelco Booklight AC Adapter

I have been using this booklight, with the plug-in adaptor, for as long as it has been made, replacing it whenever I break it. I have tried all of the other kinds but have never been satisfied. They don't give enough light, the designs often leak light instead of focusing on the book, they are not as adjustable, etc. etc. If Zelco stops making it I will be devastated.

I love itty-bitty book lights! I've tried other brands but there's always a trade-off: they're too "heavy" for certain books; they're not as flexible, etc.

I have been buying the IBBLs for over 20 years and will never try another brand!

This is a good product with two flaws: Replacement Bulbs are Waaaay overpriced.

After extended use the light does not come on, due to shorts in wiring.

My wife reads a lot in bed and she's been buying these lights for years. Provides good light and you can use either the battery or the electric plug. The only complaint I would have is that we have to replace it every 6-12 months for various reasons. However, that is a small problem and the light is much better than other lights we've found on the market.

I love this book light. I bought it to use with paperback books (it works great), but ended up using it with my Kindle. I had purchased a silicon "skin" for my Kindle reader, so all I did was cut a horizontal slit in the back of the skin, and slide the light into the slit. It works perfectly! The white plastic of the light is an exact match to the white plastic on the Kindle and they look like they were made for each other. Now I can read at night in bed without disturbing my husband. Make sure you buy the adapter so that you can plug it into an electrical outlet.

I was looking for a book light for my choir folder for a performance in a very dark Mission. I maybe didn't read the details too close, but they don't show in the picture that there's an enormous battery pack attached to the light. It was too late to return it, so I wound up tucking the cord in my folder pocket and had to suffer through holding a heavier than usual music folder. I had bought two, one for me and one for my mother, who was also singing in the concert. She wound up taking hers out of the folder; it was too heavy for her. Lesson learned: read the details carefully because the picture doesn't always tell you what you need to know!