How do you find the best light bulbs for your home, with the array of different choices available in the market?
It's true, light bulbs are a lot more complicated now, but we'll help you find the perfect one for you. Here's our comprehensive guide below.
What type of light bulb should I get?
Every single type of LED light bulb has its pros and cons.
LED - These are the most advanced and modern type of lighting available. We're obviously big fans of these types of bulbs, for obvious reasons.
LED bulbs are still making big moves in the lighting industry, rapidly becoming a household choice, and also relatively inexpensive.
They're energy efficient, long lasting, and don't contain mercury. LED bulbs are the perfect choice for most lighting situations. You can shop a premium collection here.
CFL - They're cheap, give great light, and are long-lasting. However, they have a reputation of fading, and not being able to stand the test of time (particularly if you switch them on and off a lot).
They also contain a small amount of mercury, which might worry some people. This also means that you have to careful when you dispose of them.
Any shortcomings that CFLs have, LED lights have improved upon. That being said, they are still available and widely used in many homes.
Halogen lamps - They're an incandescent lamp, and a tiny bit more efficient than the traditional incandescent bulb. Although not used that commonly now, as they have been trumped by LED bulbs, they are still used in special situations.
They're mainly used for fixtures that won't be used for long periods of time. They're arguably the best choice for areas that will be hot for a long period of time.
Incandescent bulbs - The main selling points for these types of bulbs are that they're cheap and easy to make.
However, they're not very efficient and long-lasting. They're been replaced pretty rapidly over the years, mainly just being used in ovens now.
The wattage and brightness of the bulbs
Now that we have the main four lined up, it's time to compare them properly.
The whole point of a light bulb is to illuminate the room, so, how well will these four different types of bulbs do?
The best type of bulb will have a low wattage (the amount of power used) but the highest lumens (the brightness of the bulb). For this, LED bulbs will come out on top. Purely because they use less power, but produce the brightest light.
The following is the conversion of the lumen to watt for each bulb:
LED - 500-700 Lumen = 5-7 Watt
CFL - 500-700 Lumen = 11 Watt
Halogen - 500-700 Lumen = 50 Watt
Incandescent - 500-700 Lumen = 6 Watt
Price vs lifespan
Off the bat, LED and CFL bulbs might look a little expensive. Especially when they are placed next to incandescent bulbs. So, the question is "Are LED bulbs worth the price?" The simple answer is; yes.
Believe it or not, you'll actually end up saving money when you buy an LED bulb. The correlation between how long they last and the upfront cost evens out. Yes, you might pay more in a lump sum, but you'll save money in the long run. Think of it as an investment.
Below are the average price for each bulb, their running cost and how long they last.
10W LED bulb - Costs $12 - Running cost is $5.48 - Last for 50,000 hours
12W CFL bulb - Costs $6.50 - Running cost is $6.57 - Lasts for 10,000 hours
46W Halogen bulb - Costs $2.90 - Running cost is $25.19 - Lasts for 2,000 hours
60W Incandescent bulb - Costs $1 - Running cost is $32.85 - Lasts for 1,000 hours
As you can see, you'll not only save money on running costs, but you won't have to replace your bulb as often either.
|
|
LED |
CFL |
Halogen |
Incandescent |
|
Watts used |
5-7 |
11 |
50 |
6 |
|
Price |
$12 |
$6.50 |
$2.90 |
$1 |
|
Running cost |
$5.48 |
$6.57 |
$25.19 |
$32.85 |
|
Lifespan |
50,000 hours |
10,000 hours |
2,000 hours |
1,0000 |
It's clear that LED light bulbs speak for themselves. If you want to shop a great collection, find the very best here.
If you need any more information, feel free to contact us. We are experts in the field and will always offer impartial advice.