New Philips lamp kills COVID using just UV-C light

This disinfecting desk lamp neutralises all bacteria and viruses in the room in a matter of minutes

Philips UV-C disinfection desk lamp
(Image credit: Signify)
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Signify – previously Philips Lighting – has announced a new desk lamp that disinfects your home in one fell swoop, using just UV-C light. While the best air purifiers might help remove allergens and pollution from a space, the Philips UV-C disinfection desk lamp goes several steps further: it'll will quickly and effectively neutralise any bacteria and viruses in the room. Including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The new lamp is designed to help you ensure your home is the safe, clean, virus-free haven you need it to be right now. It can be used anywhere in the home, including kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, to disinfect all surfaces and objects. 

UV-C is known to effectively neutralise viruses and bacteria, but it can also be harmful for your eyes and skin – so you won't be using this to illuminate your workspace (in fact, we're not sure why Philips is calling it a desk lamp at all). Instead you need to place it right in the centre of your room, on the floor or on a table, and clear off to let it do its thing. 

Step-by-step voice guidance will instruct you to leave the room before the lamp switches on. There's a built in motion sensor that shuts the lamp off instantly if it detects movement in the vicinity, so you can be sure your cat won't end up getting a blast of UV-C either. 

Philips UV-C disinfection desk lamp

(Image credit: Signify)

The user-friendly control panel enables you pick an exposure length: 15 minutes (recommended for a bathroom), 30 mins (for a bedroom) or 45 minutes (for a living room). An extra long power cable means it'll work for large spaces, and Philips says it's suitable for use in the home, small shops, cafes and other businesses. 

The Philips UV-C disinfection desk lamp is now available to preorder in the UK, exclusively on Amazon. At RRP, it'll cost you £109.99.

Ruth Hamilton
Ruth Hamilton

Ruth is a lifestyle journalist specialising in sleep and wellbeing. She has tested more mattresses than her small flat can handle and will talk at length about them to anyone who shows even a passing interest, and has had to implement a one-in-one-out pillow policy for fear of getting smothered in the night. As well as following all the industry trends and advancements in the mattress and bedding world, she regularly speaks to certified experts to delve into the science behind a great night's sleep, and offer you advice to help you get there. She's currently Sleep Editor on Tom's Guide and TechRadar, and prior to that ran the Outdoors and Wellness channels on T3 (now covered by Matt Kollat and Beth Girdler-Maslen respectively).

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