The best night lights aren't just for people who are afraid of the dark. They come in handy for helping you see your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night or for some ambiance lighting for reading and resting. The Emotionlite Plug-in Night Light is the best night light because you get six per pack to place in different rooms or hallways of the home and they have rotating heads so you can adjust the direction of the light as needed. It provides a warm white glow that automatically comes on when needed and it plugs in to any standard socket without blocking the second outlet.
Best Overall: Emotionlite Plug-in Night Lights – 6-pack
These circular-shaped lights come in packs of six and plug into a standard AC outlet without blocking the second outlet. What makes them stand out, however, is that they offer 360-degree rotation so you can adjust the direction of light as needed.
The dusk to dawn sensor means the lights automatically turn on when ambient lighting is no longer sufficient, and they provide a warm white glow with six lumens of brightness. Unfortunately, you can't adjust/dim the light, but chances are you won't need to anyway.
They are designed for indoor use and offer an up to 50,000-hour lifespan, which makes them ideal for the bedroom, hallway, kitchen, bathroom, or stairway. They also come with a 45-day money back guarantee. And while you might not need all six of the night lights, the price is affordable enough that it's worth getting to keep the others as spares.
Best Value: MAZ-TEK Plug-in LED Night Light – 2-pack
These square lights provide plenty of brightness as needed. But the best part? You can tone down the level of the warm white light via adjustable brightness using the slide switch.
The smart dusk to dawn sensor means the light only turns on when it's needed, automatically sensing when ambient light is not sufficient to lighten the room or hallway where it's situated. The LED bulb also has a 50,000-hour lifespan.
The night light plugs right into an AC socket and doesn't block the second outlet, so it's ideal for placement almost anywhere in your home. With a maximum power consumption of about 0.5-watts, the LED light is also energy efficient. You get two in a pack, offering great value.
Best for Bathroom: GE LED Night Light – 2-pack
You can place this night light virtually anywhere in the home, as with the others on this list. However, this one is especially suited to the bathroom thanks to its stylish glossy white finish that will fit in with the décor of most bathrooms. Because you can't adjust the light level, however, this night light might be better where brighter light is needed, like in the bathroom.
Plug this efficient LED light in to a standard outlet and it will automatically turn on when the bathroom lights are off, providing enough lighting so you can get to the toilet in the middle of the night without having to turn on the bright bathroom lights.
The light remains cool to the touch, even when plugged in, and leaves the second outlet free to plug in other devices, like an electric toothbrush, shaver, or blow dryer. It comes in two packs, so you can use an extra in another part of the home.
Best for Bedside: UNIFUN Night Light/Touch Lamp
Unlike the other night lights on this list, this one isn't a small light that plugs right into an AC outlet and sits on the wall, coming on when it senses light is needed. It's actually also a lamp that can sit on your bedside table and is touch-activated. So, in addition to a night light, it can also function as a table, reading, and bedside lamp.
Plus, it also has color-changing LEDs that you can switch among by simply touching it. Touch it for more than three seconds to turn it off or on. The maximum of 9.25 watts of brightness is adjustable from dim to high, so you can keep it on dim while sleeping or crank it up to medium or high when reading in bed.
Set it to auto-cycle RGB colors or to fixed to fit your mood or setting. It has a 360-degree light panel that provides uniform light and can work while unplugged via the battery that lasts for up to eight hours at minimum brightness or up to four hours at maximum. That means you can easily move it from room to room as well. Use your standard phone wall adapter to recharge the lithium-ion battery with the included charging cable. It comes with a one-year warranty and 30-day guarantee.
Best for Hallways: Eufy by Anker Lumi Plug-In Night Light – 4-pack
Grab a pack of these four lights that are ideal for use in hallways and corridors where some dim lighting will make navigating in the dark easier. The small lights offer warm, white glare-free lighting that automatically turns on and off depending on the ambient lighting.
Plug one right into an AC outlet and it won't block the second outlet. From the same team at Anker, the lights are made of fire-resistant material and employ an inconspicuous design and ivory finish that can easily blend into a standard wall outlet, or even wall, depending on your paint color. The curved backplate helps produce even light.
Offering 9 watts, you can't adjust the light level. However, it provides just enough so you can see but not too much to be distracting. And with four lights in a pack, you can place them in every hallway or room of the home that family members might walk through at night.
Best for Versatility: Philips 4-Outlet Surge Protector & Night Light
Philips is a trusted brand in the home lighting space, and this night light also doubles as a surge protector and wall adapter that can extend the two-outlet panel on the wall. Plug it into an outlet and get four grounded outlets along with a pair of 2.1-amp USB outlets for recharging your mobile devices. It even has a neat groove at the front for holding a small device while it's charging, like a smartphone, portable gaming unit, or smartwatch. The outlets are side-mounted so devices aren't sticking out in the middle of your hallway or on the floor in the room.
Built into the front panel is a night light that can increase the outlet's visibility as well as provide slight illumination in a dimly lit room or hallway area. The dusk to dawn intelligent light sensor means the night light only goes on when it's needed and automatically turns off when it isn't.
It offers a total of 4.2 amps and 21 watts. Finished in white, there are also multi-pack options as well as versions with more outlets and USB inputs.
Bottom line
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Some of the essential features you want in a night light include dusk to dawn automatic light sensing so they only turn on when needed and can stay plugged in 24/7 and a small and unobtrusive design that looks good and also doesn't block the second outlet. Most of these night lights fit that bill.
But the Emotionlite Plug-in Night Light is great value because you get six lights in the package that you can use all around the house. While the brightness can't be adjusted, it's just the right amount of light for hallways, the bathroom, kitchen, or other rooms of the home. And the rotating head means you can adjust the direction of the light so it's pointed right where you need it to be. The price is right, too.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Christine Persaud resides in Toronto, Ontario Canada with her husband and 8-year-old son. Aside from her family, her biggest passions include cooking, baking, tech, television, and great wine.
