Let’s face it. Electricity is not cheap in the UK. In fact, the average monthly bill for a typical UK household is roughly £73. This begs the question: how can you save money on electricity?

One way is to reduce your lighting bill — which happens automatically when you switch to LED lighting. LED bulbs consume far less energy than traditional bulbs, reducing your monthly electricity bill.

If you’re planning to replace energy-guzzling traditional lights with LEDs, you might be wondering: “Are LEDs dimmable?”

The short answer is YES. However, there are a few things you should pay attention to while buying LED lights.

Check the product specifications to ensure the bulb is dimmable

Most LED bulbs are dimmable, but not all. So, check the product specification section on the packaging to ensure the bulb you’re buying is dimmable.

A common question first-time LED buyers ask is: Can’t you use a non-dimmable LED on a dimmer?

You can, but it is not something you should do. This is because your LED will not dim properly. Worse, it may get quickly damaged.

Why is this so? You may wonder.

Here’s the deal with dimmable LEDs: they’ve got an inbuilt special circuitry that enables them to respond to changes in current levels. In comparison, non-dimmable LED bulbs are pretty basic — you can either turn them on or off, no in-between. If subject to low currents or pulsing, these bulbs can get damaged.

New LED bulbs may not work well old dimmers

Wondering if your old dimmers will work seamlessly with new LED bulbs?

This is one question we get asked often. But sadly there’s no quick way to tell by just looking.

Sometimes old dimmers play nice with new LED bulbs; sometimes they don’t. The only way to be determine if your old dimmers are LED-friendly is to give them a test run.

LEDs run on a very low voltage and because of this they sometimes have the following compatibility issues with old dimmers.

You don’t get the full dimming range (think 60% to 80% instead of 100%)
LED bulbs may still give off a faint glow after you’ve turned the dimmer off

So, what should you do if you experience compatibility issues? The answer is rather simple. Get an LED dimmer and these issues will vanish completely

Invest in a quality LED dimmer

Keep in mind that not all LED dimmers are created equal. Investing in a quality LED dimmer can save you money and keep compatibility issues at bay.

Browse through our collection of LED dimmers to find the one that fits both your needs and budget. And if you need help picking the right LED dimmer, we’re just a shout away.