3 Types Of LED Light Bulbs That Will Help You Save Money
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Switching to LED light bulbs from traditional incandescent bulbs has been a major benefit in practical ways and ways you may not have thought about. On the practical side, they last much longer than your standard light bulb. According to the Department of Energy, an LED bulb can last 30 times longer than an incandescent bulb. That means you save a lot of money not having to constantly replace them. You also save money because they are far more energy efficient than other light bulbs, putting less of a strain on your monthly electricity bill.
Then there are all the ways you may not realize LED bulbs improve one's life. The vast majority of the energy produced by other light bulbs is heat, but for LED bulbs, heat is extremely low, making for a more comfortable experience in the room you choose to light. From experience, LED lights are brighter than their incandescent counterparts, which improves day-to-day morale. Frankly, there really should be no reason you haven't switched over to LED light bulbs.
As for which light bulbs you should pick up from your local grocery or hardware store, there are many options. Here, we will tackle the three big categories of what kind of bulbs you may need and point you to the best brands so you can start saving money and live a bit more comfortably without the need for fancy smart bulbs.
Standard light bulbs
Let's begin with the basics. These are the light bulbs you will most likely be using around the house, be it in a desk lamp or in your closet. They tend to come in a soft white color temperature. These will be the light bulbs you use the most and will give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to energy savings. When it comes to this type of LED light bulb, the top name in the game is Feit Electric.
According to Consumer Reports and the New York Times, the Feit Electric 60W LED bulb reigns supreme. This is not just an efficient, high-quality LED light bulb; it can also be dimmed and has three different color temperatures. Most people will go with the standard soft white look, but if you want brighter options, like a cool white or daylight, it can accommodate those as well.
Beyond Feit Electric, the other two companies to check out for your all-purpose LED bulb needs are Sylvania and Philips, each of whom makes highly-rated standard bulbs. EcoSmart also makes quality bulbs of this kind.
Flood and reflector light bulbs
Feit Electric may be at the top for average light bulbs, but when we get a little more specific about light bulbs, they don't remain at the top of the list. Flood and reflector light bulbs have several different purposes. Inside your home, you tend to use them for recessed lighting, whether in your kitchen or hallways. As the names imply, the bulbs flood your space with light, which is why they are also sometimes used for exterior lighting.
Sylvania came in second place with the standard bulbs, but for flood and reflector lights, they are at the top of Consumer Reports' ranking, with the company's soft white 65W LED flood bulb receiving an impressive score of 96. Making them even more appealing is their price, which is currently just $5.99 on Amazon for a two-pack of bulbs. Not too far behind, though, is the brand Satco, though it costs quite a bit more to purchase than the equivalent from Sylvania. Philips, once again, makes a highly rated version of this kind of LED bulb, with EcoSmart also showing strong.
Candelabra light bulbs
The last group of light bulbs we are going to cover are candelabra or chandelier bulbs. These are the bulbs you will tend to utilize in ceiling fans, some lamps, and, as you would guess by the name, candelabras and chandeliers. Outside of EcoSmart, the only candelabra bulb tested by Consumer Reports, we will be looking at some new companies for this variety of candelabra bulbs. According to the Chicago Tribune, the top choice for LED candelabra bulbs comes from the Hudson Bulb Co. with its dimmable LED bulbs, but if you need to spend a bit less money, the paper recommends the bulbs from the company Simba.
However, the folks at Buyer's Guide have chosen the candelabra LED bulbs from MAXvolador to be the best in the game, giving them a perfect 10 out of 10 score. Other brands, from Sengled to Ascher to Hizashi, all received scores over nine.
The only bulb brand to be highly rated across all three kinds of light bulbs we have covered here is Philips, which was rated highly by the Chicago Tribune for candelabra bulbs. Although they may not reach the highs of some companies on specific products, they show a remarkable consistency across all bulb products. So, if you want to have a universal brand all over your home, Philips is the way to go.