Which LED light bulbs are best?
Finding the best LED light bulbs for your house, office or otherwise can be more complicated than it seems. It’s easy enough to pick out a random A19 light bulb, but knowing what kind of light you want and whether you want it to be dimmable can help you avoid lighting your space in an unwanted hue or brightness.
What to know before you buy LED light bulbs
Installation location
Depending on how and where you plan to install your LED light bulbs, you may want to consider bulbs that fit the space best. While extra small rooms or those with windows won’t need light to travel very far, those installing their light bulbs in large spaces may also want to consider brighter tones and larger packs of bulbs.
Types of LED bulbs
While the average light bulb tends to come in an A19 shape, usually matching the socket and visual aesthetic of a 60-watt light bulb, others may require different bulb styles depending on the socket. Other common light bulb styles include A21, G30 or BR20.
Usage
Some people require light bulks to stay on constantly, throughout the night or extended periods of the day. While LED light bulbs las much longer than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, consider buying LED bulbs with low wattage, dimmable brightness or other options that can help maximize the life span of your bulbs.
What to look for in quality LED light bulbs
Dimmable LED light bulbs
You may not necessarily need it as a feature, but many buyers prefer dimmable LED lights since they allow better control over the brightness of a given bulb.
LED light bulb brightness
The overall brightness of an LED bulb, or a regular light bulb for that matter, is measured in a unit of light called lumens. The average LED light bulb offers up to 800 lumens of brightness, although you can also find bulbs with more or less brightness.
LED light bulb hue
All light bulbs include a specific hue, with soft white and daylight being some of the more commonly used hue varieties out there. In addition to white tones, however, many opt for light bulbs that feature tunable white for further customization, or even colored lights that can reflect white in addition to the entire RGB spectrum.
Wi-Fi and voice controls
Some LED light bulbs also include Wi-Fi connections or voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. These can be particularly useful if you hope to control them with your voice, from the comfort of your phone or simply with automated systems that can be preset for certain parts of the day or night.
How much you can expect to spend on LED light bulbs
Most LED light bulbs are fairly affordable, allowing users to buy packs with multiple bulbs within most budgets. In general, you can find a pack of four to six LED light bulbs for as low as $7, while larger packs or more specialized LED bulbs can cost up to $30 for a single bulb.
LED light bulbs FAQ
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Do LED light bulbs emit UV rays?
A. While LED light bulbs do emit a tiny amount of Ultraviolet rays, the amount decreases significantly with distance and is so minuscule that they’re considered completely safe for the home. They may also emit even lower levels of radiation than some of their more traditional light bulb counterparts.
Are LED light bulbs dimmable?
A. Every LED light bulb is a little different, and while they can’t all be dimmed, many of them can. It’s important to take a look at the product you’re thinking about buying to see if it’s dimmable or not.
What’s the best LED light bulb to buy?
Top LED light bulbs for the money
TCP LA927KND6 6 Pack 60-Watt Equivalent Soft White Dimmable LED Light Bulbs
What you need to know: These affordable and dimmable LED light bulbs have super durable housings to keep them intact, along with a cool soft white hue perfect for everyday life.
What you’ll love: Durable housing prevents bulb damage when dropped. A19 bulb shape for the 60-watt equivalent LED bulb. It only uses 9 watts compared to 60 watts in a typical A19 fluorescent or incandescent light bulb.
What you should consider: Some say this bulb offers a slightly more yellow “soft white.”
Worth checking out
Sylvania 4 Pack of Smart Plus Full Color Wi-Fi Dimmable A19 LED Light Bulbs
What you need to know: This four-pack has a wide range of dim options and a great deal for the quality.
What you’ll love: This A19 bulb connects to Wi-Fi, is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant and comes in a full range of colors and dim settings for fully customizable light. It’s simple to install and programmable with automated color and lighting changes.
What you should consider: While they are compatible with Alexa and Google, these bulbs do not work with Apple’s voice assistant.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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