LED Bulbs - Brightness and Color Guide
How to choose the right light bulb type
Getting the LED Bulb Brightness Right
Most of us associate wattages like 25W, 75W or 100W with how much light a bulb can produce. But, in fact, wattage is really a measure of how much energy it uses.
A light bulb's brightness is actually measured in lumens. And that's the big beautiful difference between LED and incandescent light bulb types - an LED uses much less energy (wattage) to produce the same brightness (lumens) as its incandescent cousin.
So while LED bulbs may be more expensive to buy, they last far longer and cost much less to use over time.
The average incandescent bulb lasts 1,500 - 2,000 hours.
The average LED can last 15,000 - 27,000 hours.
Good To Know
Vintage incandescent filament bulbs are usually less efficient than other incandescent bulbs, so they will be less bright and have a lower lumen rating.
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2W | 220 lm | 25W |
| 6-9W | 450 lm | 40W |
| 8-12W | 800 lm | 60W |
| 9-13W | 1100 lm | 75W |
| 16-20W | 1600 lm | 100W |
| 25-28W | 2600 lm | 150W |
Choosing the Best LED Lighting Color
The color of light a bulb produces (also known as "temperature") is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). Incandescent bulbs usually produce warm light with a color temperature of 2700K to 3000K.
LEDs bulbs can produce a wider range of color, from warm (2700K) to cool daylight tones (5000K). To match the light quality of an incandescent bulb, choose an LED with similar color temperature. See chart below:
