What bulb base does a table lamp take?
Standard bedside and living room table lamps use an E26 medium screw base. Smaller accent lamps and multi-arm designs with narrow sockets use E12 candelabra.
Two common socket types
E26 (medium screw): Used in most single-socket table lamps. The socket opening is about 27 mm across. This takes standard A19 and A21 LED bulbs.
E12 (candelabra): Used in smaller accent lamps and table lamps with multiple thin sockets designed around decorative flame-tip or candelabra bulbs. The socket opening is about 13 mm across.
How to tell them apart without a ruler
Hold a standard AAA battery (10.5 mm diameter) next to the socket opening:
- If two AAA batteries side-by-side fit, it's E26
- If only one fits with a little room to spare, it's E12
Or look at the existing bulb — a candelabra or flame-tip shape almost always indicates E12. A standard pear-shaped bulb indicates E26.
What about E14?
European table lamps may use E14, a 14 mm small Edison screw. It is slightly larger than E12 and the two are not interchangeable. If the lamp is from a European brand (IKEA small accent lamps, for example), E14 is common.