I've had my Ott OTL-13DWS for several years; and I've been happy with it. I purchased it based on the fact that it was the only desk lamp in the store that wasn't made by Communists. (It's imported from Taiwan, not Red China.)
Recently, it died. Bulb replacement did not fix the problem.
Ott expects me to 1) pay shipping to get the light to them; 2) pay shipping to get the light back from them; 3) pay the repair fee, and 4) pay for parts. This is ENTIRELY unreasonable.
I was told the ballast was non-removable so they couldn't just ship a new one to me. The ballast, the on/off switch, and the wiring/bulb socket are the entire functional parts of this lamp--and--I've verified every part but the ballast as being OK.
There are four non-marking pads on the bottom, each one conceals a screw attaching the bottom plate. The ballast itself is held in with two more screws. Three minutes and the ballast is out of the lamp. Now all I have to do is search out a replacement.
Thanks for lying to me, Ott.
Thanks for not having the integrity to supply replacement parts.
The lamp is nice; I really like it. It's your business practices that STINK.
I've had my Ott-Lite desk lamp for about two years. I've just really discovered how good it is in the last few months. The bulb is the vision-saver not the true-color. Apparently Ott-Lite makes two series of bulbs. For working and reading, it's very easy on the eyes. I do have to supplement with a halogen torch lamp to illuminate the room. As another reviewer mentioned, it is a desk lamp.
This is the best desk lamp we have ever owned. I liked it so much I bought two of them. The light it throws is very clean and bright. The shape of the base unit and the arm that carries the light is very good. It allows you to position the light at almost any angle/position you like. Worth the money.
The light given by this lamp was great and pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, my bulb went out after no more then 20 hours of use. On close inspection, the 13 watt buld was made in thailand. I now must go to Home Depot to purchase a replacement for approx. 13.50 (with tax). Hope the replacement is better then the one that came with this lamp.
I've had my first Executive Desk Lamp from Ott-Lite for only two days and I have already ordered a second one.
Originally, I saw this lighting concept [true color lite] on display in a retail store. The light was part of a side by side demonstration where you could read material illuminated by both this light and a conventional light bulb.
The difference was startling. The Ott-light was soft, glare free and the printed material was easier to read by an order of magnitude. Colors were natural and pleasing, printed material even appeared more clearly / more sharp. I could hardly believe my tired old eyes.
I needed a good light for my computer desk so I took a chance and ordered this one via the internet.
When I received the light and began using it at my computer station I was startled at how really good it is. Sure, the fixture is extremely well made and is easily adjustable, but more importantly the light was simply perfect for use around computer monitors. What a pleasant surprise ... a product that delivers real quality.
That is when I realized the primary reason I did so little work at my regular desk was my old hot glaring incadencent desk lamp. The old style lamp made working difficult. It was difficult to adjust, everything had a yellow cast, the glare on glossy material was horrible and it gave off a lot of heat.
When my second new Ott-Lite Executive Desk Lamp arrives in a day or two that old desk lamp is headed for the garage sale.
It has been a long time since I have been so totally satisfied with a purchase. If I had not seen it for myself, I would have never believed it. I'm going to be selling a lot of these for this company when friends come over and see this light.
This is a very good lamp. It is less stressful on the eyes and well worth the money. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an alternative to conventional lighting. The only, and I mean only, thing I would change is I would get a lamp that uses a stronger wattage bulb. The 13 watt gives me no problem with reading; but when I use it as the sole source of illumination, it doesn't quite fill the room the way I'd like. Of course, it is a desk lamp and I know I'm expecting a lot here...so I'll just have to get a floor model to compliment it. Bottom line- the OTT bulb provides a softer, better source of illumination for reading and I find myself able to sit and read longer with less eye strain.
