Lumie Vitamin L review

Two-minute review

There are a lot of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) lights out there, but the Lumie Vitamin L is one of the few that's certified as a medical device by one of the leading companies in its sector.

Lumie has thought about all the small things when designing the Vitamin L. There is clear thought and attention that’s been paid down to the finest detail, producing a product that feels like a labor of love.

We particularly liked the power button and how responsive and well-placed it is. The distinctive diffuser gives off an orange glow rather than a blinding white light, which we also appreciated.

Constructed from strong plastic, the Lumie Vitamin L feels well built and designed to last. It’s not flimsy, being reasonably heavy for its dimensions. We also think it’s priced exactly right for the quality it offers.

Lumie Vitamin L price and release date

The Lumie Vitamin L is available for £75 / AU$132.83 (about $100) direct from Lumie, but may be found more cheaply at third-party retailers like Amazon. It was first released in 2017.

Design

The Lumie Vitamin L measures 28cm x 20cm x 3cm, and its slim design allows it to sit inconspicuously on a shelf, table or desk. Removal of the stand makes this light portable, sliding easily into a bag without taking up too much space. However, no travel bag is provided.

Although it’s slim, its generously sized 'screen' gives the performance of a larger lamp without the chunkiness. Another bonus is that it can be placed on surfaces either in portrait or landscape orientation. 

Supported by a stand that slots into the back with little trouble, the Lumie Vitamin L SAD light is incredibly sturdy. It's also reasonably heavy at 830g, helping ensure it's not easily knocked over. 

When viewed from the front, the panel looks like frosted glass – a clever and elegant design from Lumie that makes it look less like a whiteboard when the light is turned off. The rippled effect diffuser looks a little like it’s been creased in transit despite being intentionally textured, so we’d like to see a better design here, but the idea behind it is great.

The Lumie Vitamin L projects the industry standard of 10,000 lux (lumens per square foot) at 16cm but through the rippled effect diffuser, the light feels softer and more comfortable, with a slight orange tinge, compared to some of the brighter white SAD lights available.

This light boasts a hidden power button on the back, in the lower right hand side when in portrait orientation. The button is perfectly positioned ensuring ease when switching it on and off. It clicks on and off with a gentle push, no force required. The 1.8m right-angled power cable fits tightly, so there's no risk of losing connection, even if you place it onto a surface at an angle. There are also cable grooves in the stand to help keep your space tidy.

Lumie has ensured that this product looks tidy and elegant by placing the diffuser over the main frame of the light, giving it a complete and unobtrusive look. They have created a SAD light that feels and looks distinguished.

Features

The Lumie Vitamin L SAD light is an industry standard certified medical device delivering 10,000 lux when placed 16cm from the user. The recommended daily usage is 30 minutes at this distance, but it can be used for longer if you prefer to have the light further away.

Medically certified SAD lights can help to boost your mood in the winter months and can help improve the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (symptoms of which can include tiredness, low mood, lack of appetite, overeating and a lack of energy or motivation)

Lumie's products undergo extensive testing, passing the standards required to become medical devices. The Lumie Vitamin L certainly emits enough light to imitate a sunny afternoon, helping to stimulate the release of serotonin, the feel good hormone.

Being energy efficient and UV free makes this SAD light safe to use for the user and the environment. It consists of cool white LEDs that illuminate to 10,000 lux. The unique rippled diffuser makes for a more comfortable user experience lending the Vitamin L to deliver a softer but in no way less powerful light.

Performance

The Lumie Vitamin L is easy to set up for use. Once opened, it’s as simple as slotting the stand on to the back of the device, plugging in the power cable and connecting it to the mains. The power button only requires a gentle push to turn the light on or off. It’s not a flimsy switch or unresponsive button. The button is actually accessible, even with the light placed in front of a wall you can slide your hand behind and click it on or off without struggling, or hitting the light over.

The size is perfect. Measuring 28cm by 20cm, it fits into most spaces while managing to radiate a light that’s able to brighten up any size room. The light it illuminates is bright white but, due to the diffuser, this comes out a little more orange than other SAD lights. It doesn’t hurt your eyes to look at the light or be near it due to this diffuser. In fact, it feels very pleasant to be in a room with this natural simulation of sunlight on a cold, dark morning.

Lumie chose to add a rippled effect diffuser, which gives the front of this light texture. The texture can be seen from a distance when it's off, but it doesn’t impact the spreading of the light when it’s on. Some people may really like this design choice, and it isn’t terrible, but the ripple effect could be done better – it does look like the item has been creased and rather than looking intentional, it looks a little odd when you first open it.

With strong plastic on the upper side and rubber on the bottom edge, the stand’s design means this light stays firmly in place with the rubber acting as a grip. The stand has two prongs spreading the light’s weight equally when it’s in the portrait orientation. It also holds it securely, in the portrait orientation, on uneven surfaces. However, as the stand only sits on one end of the light, it becomes less sturdy when in the landscape orientation. One tap to the left upper corner and it topples over.

Overall, the Lumie Vitamin L SAD light is a fantastic product for the price. The added diffuser makes for a better experience, especially first thing in the morning when you’re struggling to open your eyes. With it being a medically certified device, you can also rest assured that the light therapy it offers can boost your mood in the winter months.

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