Feit Electric bulbs offer brilliant color quality at an affordable price and are easy to find in stores. As of this writing, this regulation is still being contested at the federal level, although some states have gone ahead and implemented their own standards—such as California’s Title 20—that largely favor the cost and efficiency of LEDs. A. We’ll continue testing the Feit IntelliBulb, as well as the GE Basic 100-Watt EQ A21 Daylight 3-Way Bulb LED Light Bulb, which lets you switch between 3-watt equivalent outputs (30 W, 70 W, and 100 W). LED, short for light-emitting diode, is a relatively new type of light bulb technology that delivers greater longevity and lower power usage than other light bulbs. Some bulbs now also list an R9 value, which indicates how well a bulb depicts red tones (making art, food, and people look better and less washed-out). Although it puts out only 750 lumens of light with a CRI of 80—compared with the 800 lumens and 90+ CRI of the Feit bulbs we recommend as our runner-up—it still looked better than we expected at every setting. and give us feedback about your visit today. Both the Soft White and Daylight versions performed equally well across all our tests. For most people, LED light bulbs are the best choice. At BestReviews, we’re ready to help. He told us that people (and companies) generally go for whatever is most affordable. So we asked the Lighting Design Alliance’s Geoff Goral for help. That said, specialty LED light bulbs will also be cheaper when purchased in multipacks. If you’re interested in Smart LED lighting that can be controlled through your voice assistant, we have more details in a separate guide. 60 W = 800 lumens Although LED light bulbs are a bit more expensive than other light bulb technologies, the cost for LED bulbs has dropped significantly over the past several years. High CRI and R9 values: CRI (Color Rendering Index) measures color accuracy relative to incandescent bulbs, or natural daylight. We wanted to recommend a line of great bulbs from one brand to make outfitting a whole house with lights less complicated, and Cree offers standard LED bulbs in 40 W–, 60 W–, and 75 W–equivalent brightness levels with soft white, bright white, and daylight color temperature options. At around $2.50 a piece (depending on how many you buy) with a five-year warranty, the Feit bulbs are a cost-efficient way to brighten up your home. The 40 W and 60 W Cree bulbs have a CRI rating of 90, one of the highest out of all the bulbs we tested—and far closer than LEDs in the past have come to mimicking that incandescent-quality glow. GE’s Sommers explained that poor-quality drivers—the electronic part of the bulb that converts power to your home—or incompatible dimmers can cause these effects. Everything in your home looks great under the light of these bulbs, which have a high color accuracy that made fruits and decor appear natural and realistic in our tests. Bright white LED bulbs have a cool and refreshing light that is best used in kitchens, bathrooms or garages Daylight LED bulbs emit light to mimic energizing daylight. You will be able to cut the costs by 80% by switching to these. If you want something a little more advanced than the Wyze Bulb, then consider going with Philips Hue LED bulbs. Color temperature is measured in kelvin, and cooler light has a higher value, ranging from 3,600 to 5,500 K, while warmer light ranges from 2,700 to 3,500 K. Most brands describe 2,700 K temperatures as “soft white,” 3,500 K as “bright white,” and 5,000 K as “daylight,” with some in-betweens. You’ll save enough money the first year or two in electrical costs to justify the purchase of LED bulbs. We calculated costs per bulb and looked for the most affordable options. Brightness level options: LED bulbs labeled “60 W–equivalent” are bright yet subtle enough for most scenarios, although many people prefer 40 W–equivalent bulbs for places like a bedroom, where a softer glow helps make the space feel relaxed. Learn about the products you’re wondering if you should buy and get advice on using your latest purchases. The Soft White bulbs also come with a “Warm Glow” feature, which increases the bulb’s color temperature as it dims. By contrast, almost all of the other bulbs we tested had issues with various dimmers. It is important to familiarize yourself with the temperature scale so you understand the color you are ordering. Although we’re typically skeptical of simple products that try to cram in too many features, our early tests of the Feit Electric IntelliBulb Color Choice A800/CCT/LEDI show promise. Energy is wasted with this style of light bulb through the generation of heat. Higher lumens equal brighter light. That’s because even though a bulb can have a high CRI value, design variations make each bulb show colors differently, and many manufacturers do not include information on a bulb’s R values, which describe how a bulb shows more saturated colors. Best LED Bulbs for Creating Bright Spots Bathe your kitchen in cool white light as you prepare a meat-free Monday meal��� without tearing a hole in the ozone layer. Q. We still think they’re pretty good overall, but they’re not as readily available in stores as the Cree or Feit bulbs. Photo: Sarah Kobos. They are highly decorative and can add a lot of character to any room. We were unable to confirm the CRI on the AmazonBasics 60 Watt Equivalent, Soft White, Dimmable, A19 LED Light Bulb, which isn’t a good sign, and these bulbs aren’t Title 20–compliant. They’re significantly more efficient and longer-lasting than CFL, incandescent, or halogen bulbs, so this ultimately saves you money over the life of the bulb. The LED light bulb industry is closely regulated by the IES, or Illuminating Engineering Society, and the Department of Energy. Geoff Goral, senior lighting designer at Lighting Design Alliance, email and phone interviews, January 14, 2019, Mathew Sommers, Consumer Innovation manager at GE, phone interviews, December 18, 2018, Dr. Scott Brodie, ophthalmologist at NYU Langone Health, phone interview, November 29, 2018, Sal Cangeloso, author, phone interview, October 2, 2018, Amber Beck, public information officer and spokesperson at the California Energy Commission, phone interview, December 21, 2018, LED Lighting: A Primer to Lighting the Future, Sal Cangeloso, July 1, 2012. If you’re fine with (or even prefer) that trade-off, the Feit bulbs are a good option when the Cree aren’t available. LED bulbs are better for the environment and your budget. The Best Smart Light Bulbs for 2021 One of the easiest and most affordable ways to dive into smart home technology is with smart light bulbs. We previously recommended Cree bulbs, and we received some reader feedback about bulbs that burned out after just one or two years. We took photos of the scene under the light of each bulb using a manual white balance to compare colors and brightness levels. Just a decade ago, most people were still using energy-hogging incandescent bulbs. These products are here to stay, too: According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, LED bulbs account for about 70 percent of the shipments in the general service lamp category, as of September 2019. After observing how well Cree’s 40 W and 60 W bulbs performed in our tests, we feel confident recommending other LED bulbs from this brand as well. You’ll need to consider the watts, lumens, shape, and price to find the best LED light bulbs for your home. They look like traditional incandescent bulbs with a neck that extends out of the base to a rounded bulb that’s wider than the neck. Standard LED light bulbs are the most common. And for a whiter, cooler light for working, get Cree’s daylight LED bulbs, also in 60 W and 40 W versions. A 4-pack of smart, color-changing LED light bulbs that can be control via a free app. Best color-changing LED bulb The Lifx A19 LED Light is a color-changing LED bulb that doubles as a smart LED bulb, which makes it too convenient to overlook. Plus, we will tell you about the best exterior LED light bulbs and their lumens for specific outdoor lights so that you can make an accurate decision as possible. If you want basic light bulbs that look great and will save you money in the long run, there’s no reason not to choose LED bulbs—they look as good as incandescents and are far more energy-efficient. 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