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In this guide
IKEA Australia sells the FORSÅ work lamp in nickel-plated steel as article 301.467.65 for A$29.99. It is a 35 cm steel lamp on a 15 cm round base with a 12 cm shade, and IKEA says both the arm and the head adjust. The bulb is sold separately: the Australian page recommends an E14 chandelier LED in opal white, a smaller screw socket than the E12 candelabra base on the US version. For scale, IKEA's clamp-on TERTIAL work lamp costs A$25.99 on the same site.
Beyond those dimensions and a 40 W maximum, the listing is short on numbers, so much of this review is about what a buyer supplies or has to accept: the bulb, the cord and the returns terms. What IKEA does state is the material, the cord length, the package weight and, in the assembly instructions, what happens if the cord is ever damaged, and those settle whether the lamp belongs on a desk, a bedside table or nowhere.
Our verdict
The FORSÅ is an A$29.99 steel desk lamp bought for its shape and adjustable arm, with the light left to an E14 bulb you add; buy it for a reading corner, not for lumens per dollar.
- A good fit for
- A reader or desk worker who wants a compact metal lamp on a weighted 15 cm base that can be aimed at a page or keyboard, and is happy to add an E14 LED.
- We would skip it if
- You want a bulb in the box, a USB port, a dimmer or touch switch, a clamp that keeps the desk clear, or a cord longer than 1.8 m.
Reasons to consider it
- Nickel-plated steel with an acrylic coating, in a 2.56 kg package that points to a base heavy enough for an extended arm
- Adjustable arm and head for directed light; a 12 cm shade and 15 cm base keep the footprint small
- Standard E14 socket with a 40 W ceiling, so brightness and colour temperature come from the bulb you pick
The compromises
- No bulb included; IKEA's SOLHETTA E14 250 lm LED adds A$4.50 for a two-pack
- The 1.8 m cord cannot be replaced; IKEA's instructions say a lamp with a damaged cord must be destroyed
- No warranty term on the listing, and opened returns are store credit within 60 days
What we have not verified: IKEA Australia does not publish the switch location, arm reach, maximum shade height, lamp weight without packaging or the rated supply voltage on the product page; the article number and E14 socket are the only signs of a local electrical version.
The things in this guide
A closer look at the products, who they may suit, and what to check before buying.
FORSÅ Work Lamp
At A$29.99 the FORSÅ gives a steel arm and shade on a 15 cm base, and the E14 socket means the bulb you choose sets the brightness and warmth.
Before you buy: The bulb is extra, the 1.8 m cord cannot be replaced, the page names no warranty term, and the switch position is not described.
Price checked 5 November 2026. Retailer prices can change.Four dimensions, one wattage and a 1.8 m cord
IKEA Australia's measurement table lists a height of 35 cm, a base diameter of 15 cm, a shade diameter of 12 cm and a cord length of 1.8 m. The single electrical figure is a 40 W maximum. There is no arm length, no reach with the arm extended and no figure for how high the shade can be raised, so read the 35 cm as a resting dimension, not the working envelope.
The packed lamp measures 35 × 18 × 10 cm and weighs 2.56 kg, which for a lamp with a 12 cm shade points to a base that carries most of the mass. A 15 cm base takes little room on a 60 cm deep desk, and 1.8 m of cord reaches a skirting-board power point from a standard desk with some slack, but it will not cross a room. The page says nothing about the switch, its type or its position.
The bulb is your job, and an E14 one at that
IKEA states that the bulb is sold separately and recommends an E14 chandelier LED in opal white. The matching SOLHETTA is an E14 250 lumen bulb, warm white at 2700 K, sold as a two-pack for A$4.50, which brings the working cost to A$34.49 with a spare in the drawer. IKEA lists that bulb as not dimmable and rated at 1.8 W, so the 40 W ceiling leaves ample room for a brighter E14 LED than the one IKEA suggests.
E14 is the small screw base, and it is not interchangeable with the E27 screw or the B22 bayonet that most Australian ceiling and table lamps take, so a bulb from the kitchen drawer will probably not fit. E14 LEDs are easy to find in both dimmable and non-dimmable forms. Because the lamp itself is not described as dimmable, anyone who wants to turn the light down needs a dimmable bulb plus a plug-in dimmer, or a smart E14 bulb.
Steel, nickel, acrylic and a cord you cannot swap
The material line reads steel, nickel-plated, with an acrylic coating, and the care note is a wipe with a mildly soapy cloth followed by a dry one. IKEA describes it as a classic-style steel work lamp with an adjustable arm and shade for reading by a desk, bed or sofa. Nickel over steel suits a lamp whose shade gets grabbed several times a day: fingerprints wipe off and there is no paint to chip.
Two notes deserve a read. The assembly instructions state that the external cord cannot be replaced, and that if it is damaged the luminaire shall be destroyed, so a chair castor that runs over the cord ends the lamp's life. The product page also says special waste handling may be required at end of life and points you to your local council. Neither is unusual for a cheap lamp, but the cord rule is worth knowing before you route it across the floor.
Price, the missing warranty and the 60-day catch
At A$29.99 the FORSÅ costs only A$4 more than the A$25.99 TERTIAL, and the difference is the format: a weighted base that sits anywhere on the desk against a clamp for edges up to 60 mm, a nickel finish against a painted shade, and an E14 socket with a 40 W ceiling against an E27 socket capped at 13 W. With two SOLHETTA bulbs the FORSÅ lands at A$34.49, which is still inexpensive for a steel lamp bought for its form.
No warranty term is printed on the listing. Returns follow IKEA Australia's policy: unopened, a full refund within 365 days; opened, a 60-day window with the packaging kept, refunded as store credit based on IKEA's assessment of the condition. A lamp has to be opened and assembled to be judged, so the 60-day rule is the one that applies. The policy notes that the Australian Consumer Law still stands behind a lamp that turns out faulty.
When to skip it
Skip the FORSÅ if the desk surface is already crowded; a 15 cm base takes real space, and the TERTIAL clamps to an edge and leaves the top clear for a few dollars less. Pass on it when you want an integrated LED, a USB port, a touch dimmer or a colour-temperature switch, because the FORSÅ is a socket, an arm and a shade and delegates all of that to the bulb.
It is also the wrong lamp for a large desk where the light must reach across a drawing board, since IKEA gives no arm reach and the resting height is 35 cm. And if the nearest power point is more than about a metre and a half away, plan for an extension lead from the start, because the 1.8 m cord is fixed and IKEA's own instructions rule out replacing it.
How we put this together
Built from the product pages and listings below, without test scores or results we have not measured. Specifications and prices change, so check the original page for the exact model, current price, delivery, and returns.
- IKEA Australia: FORSÅ work lamp, nickel-plated (301.467.65) (opens in a new tab)
- IKEA Australia: FORSÅ assembly instructions (AA-204925) (opens in a new tab)
- IKEA Australia: SOLHETTA LED bulb E14 250 lumen, chandelier/opal white (opens in a new tab)
- IKEA Australia: TERTIAL work lamp, dark grey (503.554.42) (opens in a new tab)
- IKEA Australia: Return policy (opens in a new tab)
