Lamp I can leave on when out? With low/no fire risk?

[1CocklodgerHouse]

I’ve found I find it quite horrible to come home to a dark house in the evenings. But I’m stuck on a lamp I can leave on when out as I’m worried about overheating/fires (and also cost). I’m looking for a rechargeable light with a timer but can’t seem to find one, only motion sensor lights and touch lamps. Ideally I want a timer so I don’t have to turn it on every time I leave the house.
Do these exist? Or would you feel comfortable leaving on a normal lamp with an LED bulb?? Fairy lights with a timer are lovely but I’ve heard they are the main cause of winter fires

Perhaps a himalayan salt lamp?

I've got battery ones at each side of the front door, attached to a plant.

Asda do a battery lamp... £8..

I just leave a normal lamp on plugged into a timer switch. The house hasn't burnt down yet.

Do you have Hive? If so you could get a smart lightbulb and turn it on before you walk in the front door?

Actually it's £9

Could you get a smart bulb connected to an alexa and switch it on via the app when you're heading home so it's on when you get there? Obviously only works if you have an Alexa though

We just have ordinary lamps with led bulbs. On smart plugs so they come in at certain times.

Do you unplug everything electrical if you’re out, OP?

I have one of those and sometimes as a pool of water around it.

Or would you feel comfortable leaving on a normal lamp with an LED bulb??

Yes I would, and do.

In fact I used to leave lamps on in the olden days of incandescent bulbs. Never thought about it tbh.

You just need a standard/normal lamp (or the ceiling fitting) with an LED smart bulb. You set it to come on about half an hour before you get in. LEDs are very cheap to run and don't present anything near the same level of risk as an incandescent bulb.

We've got one in a standard lamp and, combined with a growlight across the room that comes on during the day, I've found it far nicer to walk into than a dark house.

I have a couple of lamps plugged in to timers, I have had them for years with no problems.

Smart bulbs or a bog standard lamp with a time switch in a couple of rooms. Job done. Minimal fire risk. The reality is as long as your house is wired properly a fuse will blow before a fire starts.

I actually do unplug most things as I have a cat who likes to chew wires 🙈. But it’s just a precaution as she seems to only do it in rooms I’m in!

I often go out late so leave one single wall light on while I'm out (not just because I hate coming home to a dark house, but because I don't like the dog sitting in the dark while I'm out). I'm not actually sure it would be possible to cause a fire by leaving the lights on... maybe if a lamp was badly wired, but surely it would just trip the electricity?

We use LED bulbs (which don’t generate heat) with Smart plugs. As long as you buy from a reputable seller and use correctly they are perfectly safe to use.

Yes mine also gets quite sweaty and the bit that holds the bulb has gone rusty

I put lots of normal lamps on timers when I go on holiday. Never had a fire.

I’ve also got a rechargeable lamp from Pooky lighting which I leave on if I nip out. It’s not on a timer though and it is pricey, but it’s small and you can easily move it around the house.

We just have a couple of our ordinary lamps (with LED bulbs) which go on and off on timers.

In terms of fire risk I was thinking bad wiring from the mains but also that the bulb might overheat and cause a fire as even LEDs get hot at the bottom? But maybe I’m just being too cautious! My house has a newish fuse box but probably does need rewiring (but I feel like that’s said about most houses that haven’t been very recently rewired)

I was thinking about a smart plug/bulb and had the same concerns with them being mains powered but maybe I’m worrying needlessly

Your fridge/freezer is far more likely to catch on fire than a table lamp assuming you haven't done anything silly like putting a towel over the lamp!

This is very good to know!! (In a way! 😆)

Ok a smart plug or potentially smart bulb sounds like it will be fine and an easy option. Please could you share what brands you use that haven’t caught fire 😄

I wouldn't be surprised if the risk from a rechargeable light (presumably with a lithium ion battery) wasn't significantly more than the (negligible) risk of a normal low energy mains light. And the damp salt lamps sound like an accident waiting to happen.

This is all a bit odd. Are you usually anxious? Seems a lot of anxiety about something with very tiny probability of happening.

Alexa
Tapo bulbs. These are a pain to set up ime but I'm probably doing it wrong

I prefer smart plugs with normal led bulbs controlled by Alexa.
Simple.