Satechi ReadMate LED Desktop Magnifier with up to 5X Magnification - Carrying Case Included (Black)

I received this today and was pleasantly surprised. It is a handsome, nice quality aluminum. It's very nicely finished with no sharp edges. The lens is clear and the LED lights work very well, with no dark or shadowy areas in the viewer. It has a nice heft to it, but it's not heavy. The hardcover case it comes in and the polishing cloth are a very nice touch to keep it clean and dust free when not in use. By pressing on the outer ring to turn it on and off, I find this a very well thought out design.

Too early yet to give it 5 stars, so call it 4 stars with a bullet. This is a very elegant tool. I bought it to use with my compact edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (you know--the ones the Book of the Month Club used to hand out for a pittance to induce people to join up). The magnifier is perfect for that-- it covers the width of an entire column, although even with the 5x magnification the OED print is none-too-large. The light is an even beautiful white, perfect for reading, with no hot spots. It couldn't be easier to operate--just activate a small switch in the interior--then just press down on the silver ring to activate the light. The light stays on until you press the ring again. No need to turn the interior switch off--it seems to be there only if you want to make sure the light can't be accidentally activated. The magnifier is hefty and solid. It feels good in the hand as it glides smoothly over the paper. And--did I say this--it's quite elegant. It comes with a very nice semi-hard shell carrying case and a polishing cloth. All in all, it seems as though the people at Satechi knew what they were doing when they developed this gem. Time will tell whether the obvious craftsmanship holds--I'm betting that it will.UPDATE: After using the device for awhile, I have changed my rating from four to five stars. It has performed flawlessly over and over, and it still serves my needs perfectly. It is a pleasure to look at, to hold, and to use. I like it so much, in fact, that I bought a second--this one to use at work.

This magnifier is simply and elegantly designed, and makes clear and bright what was formerly illegible. It is very sturdy, but can come apart if dropped from a sufficient height onto a hard floor. This happened to mine. The lens was not damaged, but unfortunately the person who dropped it popped the retaining ring back in without the lens. I couldn't then figure out how to remove the ring without damage in order to install the lens. When I asked Satechi customer support for advice, they determined that my magnifier was still under warranty and quickly sent me a new one without charge. I could not be happier.

I read all the reviews on Amazon for this product. Asked a question: Is this lens glass? Got multiple answers - thank you to all who answered. Was told this was a high quality glass lens. Reviews said it was a good product. It is, very well made and works great. The optical quality of the lens is very good, I am impressed with it. Nice storage/travel case, easy to use, very good optics. It is larger than what I was looking for, but I knew that. In hand it is even a little larger than I expected, but very nice to hand hold or rest on top of what you want to magnify. Would be great for stamps, photos, small insects. You can even photograph what's under this lens with your digital camera if you know what you are doing. Glad I read the reviews and glad I got this. I recommend it for anyone who thinks they have a use for this.

So far after one day of use, I really like it better than loupes. Very intuitive. Lights are very bright and easy to turn off and on by pressing down on the silver rim and then switching off completely with the switch underneath. It doesn’t flip text/image upside down when looking through the glass lens. Comes with a nice case. Plenty of space to place overtop of items. It does require two watch batteries though, not sure how frequently they will need to be changed. Only thing I am wondering is if 8x or 10x magnification would be better. Looking forward to using it more.

Looking for the best magnifier to use with maps... and maybe for the FAA Part 107 exam? Then look no further, this is the one to get. It comes with a super-nice case that is semi-rigid and has a buttery smooth zipper. It includes a microfiber cloth and the batteries (two CR2016) installed. You simply remove the plastic insulator tab from the battery compartment and click the internal switch to ON and it's ready to go. The lens is large and measures 2-3/4 inches in diameter. The construction of the magnifier is anodized aluminum and is fairly light for the size-- that makes it easy to use but it's still heavy enough to hold your book open as a paper weight, if needed. To activate the light you then push down on the finely milled silver ring and you get a perfect illumination of the surface beneath the magnifier. No shadows and no hot spots. To turn the light off you simply push down again on the silver ring. The clarity of the optic is excellent and more than adequate for reading purposes. Most everything is in clear focus and it's big and easy to see! I tried the basic "dome" style acrylic magnifiers but without perfectly placed lighting they are dark and not usable. This one is probably the best of the illuminated ones available. Your search is over-- get this one. You will be glad you did.