diff --git a/cmd/breathe.go b/cmd/breathe.go
index 72e1818..9f4abe8 100644
--- a/cmd/breathe.go
+++ b/cmd/breathe.go
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ func BreatheCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	breathe := lifx.NewBreathe()
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/command.go b/cmd/command.go
index 89d0907..a668e67 100644
--- a/cmd/command.go
+++ b/cmd/command.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package lumecmd
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
@@ -100,6 +101,22 @@ func GetCommand(name string) (Command, bool) {
 func mergeGlobalFlags(fs *flag.FlagSet) {
 	fs.Bool("debug", false, "Enable debug mode")
 
-	outputFormat := fs.String("output-format", defaultOutputFormat, "Set the output format")
-	fs.StringVar(outputFormat, "o", defaultOutputFormat, "Set the output format")
+	formatTable := fs.Bool("table", false, "Format output as an ASCII table")
+	fs.BoolVar(formatTable, "t", false, "Format output as an ASCII table")
+
+	fs.Bool("simple", false, "Format output simply")
+}
+
+func getOutputFormatFromFlags(fs Flags) (string, error) {
+	formatSimple := fs.Bool("simple")
+	formatTable := fs.Bool("table")
+
+	switch {
+	case formatSimple && formatTable:
+		return "", errors.New("only one output format permitted")
+	case formatTable:
+		return "table", nil
+	default:
+		return "simple", nil
+	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ls.go b/cmd/ls.go
index cf2fa3e..4420675 100644
--- a/cmd/ls.go
+++ b/cmd/ls.go
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ func LsCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 
 	c := ctx.Client
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/poweroff.go b/cmd/poweroff.go
index 8d061cf..e4f1c57 100644
--- a/cmd/poweroff.go
+++ b/cmd/poweroff.go
@@ -32,8 +32,11 @@ func PoweroffCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	duration := ctx.Flags.Float64("duration")
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
 	state := lifx.State{Power: "off", Duration: duration}
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/poweron.go b/cmd/poweron.go
index c70264f..0e5b0cc 100644
--- a/cmd/poweron.go
+++ b/cmd/poweron.go
@@ -32,8 +32,11 @@ func PoweronCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	duration := ctx.Flags.Float64("duration")
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
 	state := lifx.State{Power: "on", Duration: duration}
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/setcolor.go b/cmd/setcolor.go
index 4cf73fb..5d0c04d 100644
--- a/cmd/setcolor.go
+++ b/cmd/setcolor.go
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ func SetColorCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	state := lifx.State{}
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/setstate.go b/cmd/setstate.go
index f5ed011..79033fc 100644
--- a/cmd/setstate.go
+++ b/cmd/setstate.go
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ func SetStateCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	state := lifx.State{}
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/setwhite.go b/cmd/setwhite.go
index 57e0d4f..d279976 100644
--- a/cmd/setwhite.go
+++ b/cmd/setwhite.go
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ func SetWhiteCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	state := lifx.State{}
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat
diff --git a/cmd/toggle.go b/cmd/toggle.go
index b72c8cb..6c6e6ac 100644
--- a/cmd/toggle.go
+++ b/cmd/toggle.go
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ func ToggleCmd(ctx Context) (int, error) {
 	c := ctx.Client
 	duration := ctx.Flags.Float64("duration")
 	selector := ctx.Flags.String("selector")
-	format := ctx.Flags.String("output-format")
+	format, err := getOutputFormatFromFlags(ctx.Flags)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ExitFailure, err
+	}
 
 	if format == "" && ctx.Config.OutputFormat != "" {
 		format = ctx.Config.OutputFormat