Panthella 160 Portable Lamp V3

Designed by Verner Panton with Louis Poulsen in 1971, the Panthella turns both shade and base into reflectors for soft, 100% glare-free light. The cordless Panthella 160 (16 cm shade) brings that iconic glow anywhere, indoors or out.

Verner Panton (1926–1998) trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and began his career in Arne Jacobsen’s studio before breaking with Danish restraint to become the great colourist of European design. With the Panthella, he set out to create a “light sculpture” in which the trumpet-shaped base is not merely a support but an active reflector, bouncing the glow of the hemispherical shade back into the room. Half a century later, Louis Poulsen extended the family with this smallest, battery-powered member — keeping Panton’s exact proportions while freeing the lamp from the wall socket entirely.

The Panthella 160 is the kind of lamp that migrates: bedside table at night, balcony table at dinner, bookshelf in between. With up to 8.5 hours of light, USB-C charging and an IP44 rating, it handles an evening outdoors as easily as a night in, and the touch-dimmer on top means no fumbling for switches. For small city apartments — where a single lamp often needs to serve several rooms — a portable this compact is one of the most practical ways to own a piece of design history.

Compare it with our other portable lamps, explore the Verner Panton collection, or read our round-up of the best portable designer lamps.

Light source: built-in LED, 3 W, 2700 K. Step dimming via a touch switch on top (long-press to lock). Battery up to 8.5 h at 100%, USB-C charging. IP44 (indoor & outdoor).