Beurer TL50 SAD lamp review: this great value model really shines

Beurer makes a variety of home and clinical medical devices, so this SAD lamp has a strong pedigree. Where most affordable SAD lamps look rather like somebody turbo-charged a Kindle or crashed their iPad, the circular shape of the TL50 means it looks more like a beauty mirror than a light – an impression that's immediately dispelled when you switch it on. It's very bright, with a rated intensity of 10,000 lux at 15cm. There's no dimming option or warm white option like you'll find on some more expensive options in our best SAD lamp guide, such as the Lumie Halo – this is designed to do a single thing and do it well.

Beurer makes a lot of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) lamps – 11 in total – and this is one of the most affordable options. It costs slightly more than Beurer's entry-level lamps but it has a bigger illuminated panel, and that means its maximum intensity arrives at 15cm rather than the 10cm of its smaller siblings. Beurer's USP is 'exceptionally even illumination', and the TL50 does deliver exactly that: unlike some cheaper rivals the entire panel is impressively uniform.

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Beurer TL50 SAD lamp review: design, light and features 

While other lamps in the range boast features such as timers, smartphone connectivity or additional coloured LEDs to help you drift off to sleep, the TL50 keeps it simple: you can turn it on, you can turn it off again, and that's it. It doesn't dim, it doesn't switch itself off after a certain time or anything else. 

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The intensity here is 10,000 lux, which is standard for this kind of device, and as previously mentioned that is measured at 15cm. The lamp is approximately 1400 lumens, which is roughly equivalent to a 15W LED bulb or a 100W incandescent one, so at close range it's very bright. As with all SAD lamps the intensity decreases dramatically with distance, so if you sit further away than 15cm you'll need to leave it switched on for longer than the recommended 30 minutes per day. There's no maximum recommendation as you can't overdose on this kind of light, but as it's so bright we suspect you won't want to leave it on longer than you need to.

The TL50 is lightweight and relatively compact, so it's easy to take with you on your travels or just move from room to room. It isn't battery powered, though, so you'll need to wander around looking for somewhere to plug it in.

The circular design and thin bezel means despite its relatively large illuminated panel the lamp itself isn't huge, so it'll fit happily on a desk or side table without taking up too much room. In total it's 27cm high and 24.7cm wide, with a total depth of 14.6 cm.

Beurer TL50 SAD lamp review: a side note

As with any SAD lamp it's important to note that there's a lack of scientific evidence as to the effectiveness of such devices: almost all the evidence is anecdotal. Nevertheless we have found that SAD lamps make a big difference to our motivation and mood in the darker months, and this is a good example of the genre: it's not too expensive, it's not too bulky and it doesn't expect you to pay for features you probably won't ever use. And because it's classed as a medical device you can get it VAT-free if you've been diagnosed with SAD.

Beurer TL50 SAD lamp review: verdict

The TL50 isn't as blocky as some smaller SAD lamps, but while it's more attractive than most it's not the kind of lamp you're going to see proudly displayed in a celebrity home style supplement: form follows function in what is clearly intended as a therapeutic rather than decorative lamp. It's very bright, doesn't take up a lot of room and doesn't make you pay for bells and whistles you don't need.