![]() We prioritized LED bulbs that averaged around $3 per bulb when purchased in a four-pack. Price: LED bulbs tend to be pricier than incandescents, but they still shouldn’t be that expensive.Anecdotally, we’ve also found that dimmable bulbs tend to be better bulbs overall, as the manufacturers have put more thought and attention to detail into such bulbs’ design. Though not everyone needs dimming capabilities, such lights tend to be more futureproof. Dimmability: We limited our search to dimmable LED bulbs.Color quality: We looked for LED bulbs with a color rendering index or CRI of at least 80, but we preferred those with a score of 90 or 90-plus.We prioritized bulbs that were available in the most common color temperatures, 2,700 K (also called “soft white”) and 5,000 K (sometimes called “daylight”). Color temperature: This term refers to the hue or tone of the light that the bulb emits. ![]() Brightness/power level: LED bulbs are available in many different wattage and brightness levels, but again, we limited our search to the most standard style-the so-called “60-watt-equivalent” bulbs, which typically put out around 800 lumens of light (though we did find some variation).If you’re just looking for a “standard” or “normal” light bulb, this is probably the type you mean. Bulb or base style: Light bulbs come in a staggering range of shapes and sizes, but for the sake of this guide, we limited our search to LED bulbs available in the A19 shape with an E26 base.Pick your bulb based on the lumens, and then look to the smaller wattage number if you need to know how much energy it uses. You can often find both wattage amounts listed on the label-which, yes, is especially confusing. A “60-watt-equivalent” bulb, for example, is likely to use only between 8 and 10 watts of energy while producing the same amount of lumens as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. This wasn’t exactly accurate with incandescent bulbs it’s even less accurate with LEDs, which use significantly less energy. Energy savings: Again, people often refer to the “sizing” of light bulbs by their wattage.The best LED bulbs are typically rated 90-plus (out of 100 possible points) cheaper bulbs might rank in the 80s. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s a good starting point. Color quality (CRI): The color rendering index, or CRI, is one of several different ways to compare how accurately an LED bulb displays colors relative to an incandescent bulb or natural light.You can also find bulbs that land somewhere in the middle-or some that are even more blue or more orange, if that’s what you prefer. In comparison, 5,000 K bulbs tend to produce whiter-looking whites, while the results from 2,700 K bulbs often seem more “natural” (which is to say, more like candlelight or incandescent bulbs). “Soft white” bulbs usually measure around 2,700 K and tend to have a more warm or orange tone, while “daylight” bulbs are around 5,000 K and typically look “cooler” or more bluish. Color temperature: This term refers to the hue or tone of the light as measured on the Kelvin scale-what people often describe as how “warm” or “cool” the light looks. ![]() Classic candelabra-style bulbs, for example, use an E12 base with a narrow egg-shaped B10 bulb (or a flame-tipped C9 or C15 bulb). For different fixtures, you can find other shapes and sizes. In terms of fit compatibility, E26 is the more important detail-you can swap a standard bulb with an Edison-style bulb (shape ST19) because they share an E26 base.
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