One of the most common home furnishing tips is to buy lights from Taobao. Not only will they be a lot more affordable than buying them from brick-and-mortar stores, but you can also shop a myriad of designs all from the convenience of your phone. Some of those designs also include designer lamp dupes that are 10 times less expensive than the real deal.
If you’ve always had your eye on a particular designer lamp yet don’t want to break the bank to have it hanging in your home, here are 6 designer lamp dupes you can get from Taobao for a fraction of their retail cost.
Fair warning, though – lights and other electrical appliances purchased from Taobao would not bear the SAFETY marking that local lights would have, which means you’re on the hook if anything happens to your home’s wiring.
1. &Tradition Flowerpot VP9 – $108 (Retails from $310 and up)
When you search for lamps on Taobao, the replica of &Tradition’s Flowerpot VP9 will come up many, many times. It’s one of the most sought-after products on the market thanks to its compact size, colour options, simple Scandinavian design, and portability. It’s charged via a USB cable which means you can even put it in corners of your home with no power sockets.
Having seen the real lamp up close and personal at this condo in Punggol, I understood its hype, but I was not about to drop over $300 on a lamp. This was when a colleague suggested turning to Taobao as the odds were good that the lamp would be on there for a whole lot less.
However, the biggest concern is which store on Taobao sells the best dupe of the Flowerpot VP9. The first replica I bought over a year ago turned out fantastic and I still use it to this day. On the other hand, the second one I got – in a different colour from a different store – lacked the portability factor and build quality. It felt like cheap plastic and it also had to be permanently plugged in. I promptly tossed it out.
Image credit: Taobao
To differentiate which stores are selling the better versions of the Flowerpot VP9 dupes, look out for the keywords “Micro USB” in the product’s description. You can also check out the reviews and the pictures to see if the lamps are switched on with no wires connected.
A good quality dupe on Taobao will cost you around $108, which is a third of its retail price of $310. If you’re just after the aesthetics, you can probably get a more affordable dupe from $37 and up.
Designer price: $310 and up
Dupe price: $108
2. Louis Poulsen PH5 – From $133 (Retails for $1,527)
Image credit: Louis Poulsen
One of the most iconic pendant lamps is the Louis Poulsen PH5, designed by Poul Henningsen. Comprising 5 lampshades positioned perfectly to disperse the light in all directions of a room to illuminate every corner, the lamp has been a mainstay in plenty of living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens since it was released in 1958.
At a retail price of $1,527, it’s a bit out of budget for plenty of new homeowners. This is why so many have turned to the Taobao dupe which only costs $133 – less than 10% of what the original sells for.
One of the review pictures.
Image credit: Taobao
The reviews of one PH5 listing we found on Taobao complimented the dupe’s high-quality build and aesthetic, saying “颜值超高，实物更美.” It comes in an array of colours – pure white, green, blue, purple, orange, and black – as well as 3 sizes, mainly 30x30cm, 40x40cm, and 50x50cm.
Designer price: From $1,527
Dupe price: $133
3. Tom Dixon Melt LED Pendant – From $175 (Retails for $1,600)
It doesn’t take too much to figure out why the Tom Dixon Melt series of lamps are named as such. The lights, resembling a melting ball of metal, have been engineered to have 2 different looks. When the lamp is switched on, the inside comes alive, looking like a constellation of stars. When off, it has a mirror effect that reflects the entire room.
While there’s no right number of Melt LED Pendants to have in a room, having a cluster of them will really make a statement. But with the lamp going for over $1,600 in retail stores, this can mean a hefty price tag. Thankfully, you can turn to the Taobao dupes instead which costs only $175 for the small lamp and $293 for the large lamp.
Image credit: Taobao
Reviewers on this Taobao listing have praised its quality and resemblance to the authentic Tom Dixon Melt lamp. One reviewer even posted a photo of the original lamp and the replica lamps side by side. The colours available include copper, chrome, gold, and a smoky grey.
Designer price: From $1,600
Dupe price: From $175
4. Herman Miller Nelson Saucer Pendant – From $42 (Retails for $829)
Herman Miller does not only make $3,000 chairs – they also make a series of bubble lamps that were designed by the founder of American modernist design, George Nelson. The Saucer, as shown in the picture, is one of the more iconic designs that have made its way to Taobao on listings like this and this. After all, the original version retails for around $829, while the replica on Taobao is only a mere $42.
A Taobao replica of the Herman Miller Nelson pendant lamp.
Image credit: Taobao
Many of the reviews on both listings compliment the build quality and craftsmanship of the Nelson saucer lamps. It has also been said to be easy to install, but we’ll always recommend getting a professional electrician to do the job instead.
Designer price: From $829
Dupe price: From $42
5. Snoopy Lamp – From $62 (Retails for $1,629)
Image credit: Flos
Snoopy’s unmistakable silhouette extends beyond comics. Back in 1967, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni decided to create a lamp that resembled one of the most famous dogs in the world, but without being too kitschy. Enter, the Snoopy Lamp.
Aside from the lampshade that looks like Snoopy’s head, the base itself is made out of marble in the original version, which means one piece can cost quite a fair bit – $1,695 to be exact. The Taobao version recreates the same marble effect but with a more affordable price point of just $62.
A replica of the Snoopy Lamp found on Taobao.
Image credit: Taobao
The original version comes in both a black and green lampshade option, but the Taobao replicas have made versions with colours of the rainbow including pink, yellow, and white.
Designer price: From $1,629
Dupe price: From $62
6. Goldman Banker’s Lamp – $18 (Retails for $300)
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
A lamp that you might have seen plenty of times but never known its name is the Banker’s Lamp. Known best for its green lampshade atop a brass base, it was designed over a century ago for bankers to encourage productivity, where the green lampshade provides a more tranquil lighting scene.
While it’s not bank-breaking expensive in stores – it goes for about $300 at FortyTwo – you can also get the Taobao version which is only $18, a heist compared to the $300 versions.
The Taobao listing also has the banker’s lamp available in different configurations, so you can pick between a green or white lampshade and a brass or wooden base.
Designer price: From $300
Dupe price: From $18
Designer lamp dupes to buy on Taobao
Although we might have lofty renovation dreams, not all of us have an unlimited budget to see it through till the end. But that doesn’t mean our dreams can’t become reality, at least on the aesthetic front. These designer lamp dupes on Taobao aren’t the only replicas that are more reasonably priced – you can find lots more on the marketplace. Just be sure to read the reviews and understand that what you pay for is what you get.
Check out other Taobao shopping finds:
- Quirky avant basic furniture on Taobao
- Taobao items under $40 for your wardrobe
- Extendable furniture on Taobao
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