Light It Up: What to Know When Shopping for Light Bulbs
If you have recently been in the market for new light bulbs, you have probably realized there has never been more options available. It can be quite overwhelming with all types of shapes, sizes and colors to choose from. When asked what they are looking for in a bulb, most customers say they are shopping for bulbs that are not expensive, long-lasting and provide adequate lighting. Too often consumers don’t think about the energy-efficiency that is associated with each type of bulb option and how this can affect their monthly energy bills. When choosing a light bulb, the first thing is to always look for the Energy Star label. This is important because all Energy Star certified light bulbs are tested to meet specific energy standards and provide labeling to help you understand what you are purchasing. Energy Star labels provide the bulb’s brightness (in lumens), lifespan, energy usage and the cost to use the bulb annually. This information can make comparing and choosing light bulbs much simpler. So now that you know what to look for, lets look at the different light bulb options and find the ones that work best for you.
LED (Light Emitting Diode)
If you are looking for the most energy-efficient and longest lasting bulb option, the LED bulb is the one for you. LED’s bulbs are 75-80% more energy-efficient than a standard incandescent bulb and can last up to 25 times longer. When doing your price comparison, you are certain to find the cost of an LED bulb is higher than that of a traditional incandescent or a CFL. While the upfront cost may seem steep, the energy savings over the lifespan of an LED bulb is well worth it and can be one of the cheapest and simplest ways to help lower your monthly energy bill.
Average price per bulb: $6.00 - $8.00 (800 lumens)
Estimated lifespan: 25,000 hours
Average energy efficiency: 75% more than traditional incandescent bulbs
Compact fluorescents (CFL’s)
These are the light bulbs that look like something you might see in a Sci-fi movie with their curly shape. Over the years, the CFLs have not always been the most popular option due to the rigid lighting they offer and odd shape. New versions have improved on lighting and are even available in a variety of colors. You also can find CFLs shaped more like traditional incandescent bulbs. CFLs are cheaper than LEDs, but don’t offer quite as much energy-efficiency and have a shorter lifespan than the LED. If cost is important to you, but you’re also looking for energy-efficiency, the CFL maybe your best option.
Average price per bulb: $2.50 - $3.00 (1600 lumens)
Estimated lifespan: 15,000 hours
Average energy efficiency: 70% more than traditional incandescent bulbs
Energy-saving incandescent (Halogen)
For many years the traditional incandescent light bulb was really the only option when shopping for bulbs. Incandescent bulbs of the past were not very energy-efficient and often didn’t last for very long. Newer energy saving incandescent bulbs offer lower wattage bulbs that contain a tungsten filament similar to those of traditional bulbs, but with halogen gas instead of argon or nitrogen. This allows for a brighter and more energy-efficient bulb. While not as energy-efficient as CFLs or LEDs, they are an improvement over the standard incandescent bulb. The improvement of energy-saving incandescent bulbs can be a good option if you’re shopping for bulbs on a budget, but they don’t offer any where close to the lifespan or energy-efficiency and can cost more over the life of bulb than that of the CFL or LED options.
Average price per bulb: $1.00 - $2.00 (620 lumens)
Estimated lifespan: 2,000 hours
Average energy efficiency: 25% more than traditional incandescent bulbs
