VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp review: full of features without busting your budget

The VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp lets you control its color temperature and brightness level through HomeKit at a reasonable price that won't hurt your wallet.

VOCOlinc offers various smart products that work with HomeKit — from lightbulbs to plugs, and even humidifiers. They are well-integrated into the ecosystem and retail at a reasonable price range.

Here at AppleInsider, we've reviewed various VOCOlinc products and given them favorable reviews. The Smart LED Desk Lamp is no different.

If you have sensitive eyes and hate getting blinded by intense LED lighting from ordinary desk lamps, the Smart LED Desk Lamp is a great option to combat this issue and keep your desk illuminated in soft lighting.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp — A modern design

The VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp sports a modern design that doesn't stand out from traditional desk lamps nowadays.

Measuring 3.7 x 7.5 x 13.7 inches, it doesn't take up much room on your desk. It weighs 2.18 pounds, about the same weight as an ordinary lamp.

The lamp folds into itself by tucking into the neck and folding on top of the base. This makes it easy to move around or store away when not in use.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp review: Lamp's base

On the base are two indents with a curved line between them. The indent on the left is for turning the lamp on and off, while the one on the right is for changing the color temperature — ranging between 2,700K and 6,500K. Dragging your finger across the middle line will brighten and dim the lighting.

The VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp has a luminous flux of 750 lumens and an LED lifespan of up to 22.8 years. During this lifespan, you won't have to change the bulb.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp — App connectivity

Like most HomeKit-compatible accessories, you can choose which app to set the VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp up in — the Home app or its native app.

While both offer the same core functionality, they also supply additional features that the other doesn't.

Apple's Home app

Like other compatible devices, you can customize your lamp within the Home app. You can combine it with other lights into one group, customize its name and icon, and start or add it to your existing automation or shortcut.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp review: Home app functionality

If you add it to an automation or scene, you can preset the temperature and brightness level you'd like it to be at when activated.

Controlling your brightness level is similar to changing the position of smart curtains. You tap on the device and drag your finger to choose the level you'd like it at.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp review: Adaptive Lighting setting

One feature unique to this app is Adaptive Lighting. This allows HomeKit to adjust the lamp's color temperature throughout the day.

If your device isn't around — or you don't want to open the Home app — Siri can help control your lamp. It can turn it on or off, change the color temperature, and increase or dim the brightness level.

VOCOlinc's native app

The native VOCOlinc app allows you to utilize all its essential functions while supplying features similar to the Home app.

Setting up the lamp took several tries to get the native app to recognize it. The Smart LED Desk Lamp successfully set itself up in the Home app, but it would not appear in the VOCOlinc app for some reason.

Fortunately, we figured out how to get the app to recognize it. This involved us typing in the HomeKit code instead of scanning it.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp review: Native app functionality

When opening up the control panel for the lamp, you can turn it on or off, set the brightness level, and choose the color temperature. You can also set a countdown timer to automatically turn it off after a specific amount of hours and minutes.

Unlike in the Home app, there isn't an option for adaptive lighting. Instead, you can set specific times for the color temperature and brightness to change throughout the day. This can be placed during sunrise, day, evening, and sleep, but you can specify each event's time frame.

Additionally, you can set up different schedules to have the lamp go on and off at specific times. Within them, you can specify the time and day(s) you want it to occur, the brightness level it's set at, and the color it illuminates.

There's also an option called "Wake Up," with the light gradually increasing in brightness when the schedule is triggered. This allows you to wake up in the morning with a gentle glow that won't blind you.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp — A smart plug can do the main job

The VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp is a great desk lamp that lets you illuminate your space with different color temperatures and brightness levels from your devices.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp review: Lamp being folded

It's a great addition to rooms with no windows by supplying more natural lighting than a traditional lamp. The Home app and Adaptive Lighting can control these settings automatically or manually.

Furthermore, controlling the lamp manually was effortless because of its quick reaction to various setting changes. There was little to no lag when changing specific settings, which happened in real time.

If you want a lamp that can change between different color and brightness levels, then the VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp is worth checking out. However, we suggest looking into a smart plug if you only want to turn your lamp on and off from your devices.

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp — Pros

• Easy controls
• Modern design
• Lightweight and compact
• Adaptive Lighting

VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp — Cons

• Weird HomeKit code placement
• No Matter support
• Difficulty connecting to native app
• No wireless charging pad

Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to purchase the VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp

You can purchase the VOCOlinc Smart LED Desk Lamp on their website for $59.99. It's only available in black.

It's also available on Amazon for $36.99 and in the same color.