Beurer TL 41 or TL 45: the difference compared

What job should the lamp do?

Before you set two models against each other, it is worth asking when and where the lamp will be on. In the dark season a SAD lamp is usually used for a fixed period in the morning, while you have breakfast, read or work at the computer. There is also the wish to use the same device as a desk light through the whole working day. The two scenarios place different demands on the colour temperature.

In the first case, what matters most is that the lamp reaches the stated illuminance at a short distance and that you can switch it on without detours. In the second case it becomes important whether the light can be set warmer in the afternoon. This is exactly where the two Beurer models part ways.

One caveat up front: we did not have either device in hand, and there is no documented hands-on testing by us. All details come from the Amazon listings and, where available, from manufacturer documents. For the TL 45 a verified manufacturer document exists, for the TL 41 Touch it does not. This difference in the sources is part of the assessment.

Light therapy does not replace medical treatment. If you notice a low mood, lack of drive or sleep problems over a longer period, first discuss it with a doctor and use the lamp at most as a supplement.

A simple checklist before buying helps. How much space do you have on the table, how far from the edge do you sit, and how long will the lamp run each day? If you have breakfast at the kitchen table in the morning, you need a device that is quick to set up and put away again. If you sit in a study, you will leave the lamp out permanently and pay more attention to colour temperature and glare.

Then there is the question of the colour temperature itself. A high colour temperature looks cool and daylight-like, a low one warmer. That is a matter of design, not a quality feature. What matters is whether the colour temperature suits the time of day at which you use the lamp.

Beurer TL 41 Touch: the simple variant

The Beurer TL 41 Touch is, according to the listing, a SAD lamp in a compact format with a base, intended for the desk. The listing states around 10,000 lux at a distance of 20 cm, an illuminated area of 22 x 20 cm and product dimensions of 27 x 20.7 x 7.6 cm. According to the listing, the delivery includes a power adaptor and instructions for use.

It is operated with one-button control via a touch button. The listing describes it as a certified medical device with energy-saving LED technology and even illumination. The listing does not mention a choice of colour temperatures. We therefore do not write that the colour temperature is fixed, only this: a switching option is not shown in the documents.

The TL 41 Touch suits you if you plan a short, bright light session in the morning and do not need any further function. We have not evaluated a manufacturer document for exactly this model. Check the distance and duration of use in the instructions for use supplied with the device.

The one-button control is of practical relevance mainly if the lamp is only used occasionally. You switch on, sit down and switch off again. Whether the device remembers the last setting when switched on again cannot be seen from our documents. The listing also mentions no timer or treatment time display.

The dimensions of 27 x 20.7 x 7.6 cm matter for planning. Check the space beforehand with a tape measure.

Beurer TL 45 Perfect Day: three colour temperatures

According to the listing, the Beurer TL 45 Perfect Day has an illuminated area of 20 x 20 cm, a fold-out base and touch buttons. In the therapy setting, an illuminance of 10,000 lux is stated at 20 cm distance. The listing also describes the lamp as a medical device and the light as flicker-free and UV-free.

The real difference is the three adjustable colour temperatures. The listing assigns them to three phases: therapy at 6,500 K, concentration at 5,000 K and relaxation at 3,000 K. According to our check, the official Beurer instructions describe three adjustable colour temperatures, so the feature is backed by a manufacturer document. Which illuminance applies in the other two settings is not stated in our documents. The 10,000 lux apply to the therapy setting.

Part of colour temperature is a basic idea: the higher the kelvin number, the cooler the light. The assignment of 6,500 K to therapy, 5,000 K to concentration and 3,000 K to relaxation comes from the product description. It is the supplier's guideline, not a standard. Whether a particular time of day is better for a particular setting is ultimately decided by your daily routine.

If you use the lamp as a desk light in the other settings, you are using it outside the therapy setting and should not expect the same from it as from a light therapy session.

Why colour temperature matters in the evening is explained in our guide on light and sleep. The basics on kelvin values can be found in the overview of colour temperature in kelvin.

TL 41 and TL 45 side by side

The table gives only values that are stated on the product pages of the respective models. Empty fields mean: no information in our documents. The rows for the other Beurer models show how the device class differs.

It is notable how similar the two main candidates are on lux and distance. According to the listing, the light surface of the TL 41 Touch is somewhat larger, while the TL 45 brings the colour temperature settings. We derive no ranking from this, as the choice depends on how you use it.

Reading distance, light surface and lux correctly

A lux figure means little without a distance. Both Beurer models state 10,000 lux at 20 cm. If you move further away, the illuminance at the eye drops markedly. How much is not stated in the documents, and we have not measured anything. Plan the space so that you can keep to the stated distance without contortions.

The light surface helps decide how evenly the light arrives and how much leeway you have in your seating position. At 22 x 20 cm and 20 x 20 cm respectively, both models are in the same range. If you want more area, you will find it in the listing for the Beurer TL 95 at 37 x 30 cm. There the listing mentions a dimming function with 6 levels and a memory function for treatment time and brightness.

A more compact alternative to the TL 41 is the Beurer TL 30. Beurer states 10,000 lux at around 10 cm there. The shorter distance means you have to get closer to the lamp. The Beurer TL 50 states a distance of around 13 cm and a round light surface. Neither is an improvement, they are different compromises between space needed and distance.

A practical approach: recreate the setup once without the device. Sit down at the table, use a tape measure to check 20 cm from your face to the table edge and see whether that works without contortions. If it turns out that you need more distance, a larger light surface makes more sense than a stronger promise on the box.

The direction of your gaze remains important. The lamp stands to the side or slightly offset, and you do not look straight into it. The light is meant to arrive at the edge of your vision while you do something else.

Which lamp suits whom?

The TL 41 Touch suits you if you plan a short light session in the morning, put the lamp away afterwards and do not want to choose a colour temperature. According to the listing, the controls are reduced to one button, which keeps handling simple.

The TL 45 suits you if the same lamp stays on the desk through the day. The three settings allow 6,500 K for the session in the morning and warmer light down to 3,000 K later. That is an assignment by the manufacturer, not a promise of a particular effect.

If you sit at a screen a lot in the evening, you should not schedule the session too late. Background on this is in our guide to the use of SAD lamps. For changing working hours, the article on light therapy for shift work helps.

Possible complaints such as eye strain are covered in the article on the side effects of SAD lamps, and questions on cost coverage are answered in the article on health insurance and SAD lamps. More models are shown in the overview of SAD lamps. How to plan light throughout the home is shown by the lighting calculator.

A decision aid in three questions: do you need more than one colour temperature? Then look at the TL 45. Do you have little space and short sessions? Then the TL 41 Touch is enough, and if space is very tight, the TL 30 as well. Do you want a large, even surface with a dimmer? Then the TL 95 belongs on your shortlist, provided your table can take the surface.

Strengths and limits at a glance

• TL 41 Touch, strength: one-button control, larger light surface (22 x 20 cm according to the listing), 10,000 lux at 20 cm.
• TL 41 Touch, limit: no manufacturer document for this model, no colour temperatures shown.
• TL 45, strength: three colour temperatures, backed by the Beurer instructions, fold-out base.
• TL 45, limit: lux value stated only for the therapy setting, light surface somewhat smaller at 20 x 20 cm.
• Both: no documented hands-on testing, values come from the listing and the manufacturer.

Before buying, it is worth reading the instructions for use of the chosen device. Distance, duration and time of use follow the manufacturer's specification, not our assessment. With pre-existing eye conditions or with medication that makes you sensitive to light, the decision belongs in medical hands.