Easy to operate. Light is good for reading, questionable for close work like embroidery or cross stitch. The light head is a plastic like material, not, metal, and all exterior surfaces are painted a gray color, which definitely does not come across as stainless steel, or brushed nickel, and that was a disappointment to me. Otherwise, the design is sleek, and unobtrusive; however, the $70 price tag for this lamp seems too high to me.