Buying Guide

LED Buyer’s Guide

Overview

LEDs are but one of the many types of bulbs within lighting technology. Understanding these

technologies and their differences can help bring the topic of LEDs into context.

All About LEDs

LED stands for “light-emitting diode.” LEDs that emit visible light come in several different colors and

brightnesses. They can be utilized in several different components, including household lighting,

indicator lights, electronic devices, and certain screens (LED screen is simply an LCD screen backlit

by LEDs). LEDs have been around for quite some time, but were too expensive and not bright

enough for in-home lighting. LEDs still have a slightly higher cost than other lighting technologies,

but can last for decades and use a fraction of the electricity compared to traditional bulbs.

Why LEDs Are Different From Other Light Bulbs

In order to understand what makes LEDs different from other light bulbs, it is necessary to have a

general understanding of how other lighting technologies work. (i.e. incandescent and CFL).

Incandescent

Incandescent bulbs are the traditional light bulbs that were popularized by Thomas Edison. They

create light by forcing electricity through a tiny tungsten coil. The coil, or filament, resists the

electricity, and creates both light and heat. Eventually, the filament burns out. Since approximately

90% of the electricity being used by these bulbs is turned into heat rather than visible light, they are

very inefficient at producing light. Incandescent lights are now seeing a gradual decrease due to

their noticeable electricity consumption over newer technologies.

Fluorescent Lights and CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights)

Fluorescent lights are tubes filled with fluorine gas which have no filament. Instead, they pass

electricity through the gas, causing the glass itself to glow. Fluorescent lights produce much less

heat and use less electricity to last longer than incandescent bulbs. Consequently, the light has a

slightly, natural blue tint that tends to flicker. All fluorescent bulbs contain at least a small amount of

mercury (as low as 1.4mg). Compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, are designed to fit into light fixtures

originally intended for incandescent bulbs and often times have filters to make their light appear

more like incandescent.

LEDs

LEDs provide safer, and more energy-efficient lighting experience than past technologies. Their

durable design does not contain hazardous materials, which ensures an all-around safe use. Like

CFL's, LEDs are also relatively cool and will not emit heat the way incandescent bulbs do. While

their cost is slightly more than both CFLs and incandescent bulbs, their long lifespan change the way

consumers buy bulbs. Traditional incandescent bulbs were considered to be a “convenience good”

like paper towels or soap. This is because consumers purchased them on a regular basis. LEDs can

last as long as some lamps do, depending on how often they are used. Therefore, the initial

investment lasts a consumer much longer than other light bulbs.

PAGE 1
LED Buyer’s Guide Overview LEDs are but one of the many types of bulbs within lighting technology. Understanding these technologies and their differences can help bring the topic of LEDs into context. All About LEDs LED stands for “light-emitting diode.” LEDs that emit visible light come in several different colors and brightnesses.
PAGE 2
While some people prefer the color of incandescent lights, LEDs generally outperform incandescent bulbs and even CFLs. When comparing the efficiency of LED bulbs to others, look at the lumens per watt measurement. Lumens measure light intensity while watts measure electrical usage. The higher the ratio, similar to miles per gallon (MPG) on a car, the more light any given bulb emits for the same amount of electricity. This creates a significant difference between LEDs and other bulbs.
PAGE 3
When choosing a color, the two considerations are color rendering, which means how well the light shows the true color of objects, and temperature. The higher the temperature, the brighter the white. Bulb temperature is measured in Kelvin's, and warm white LEDs are usually between 2,500 and 3,000 K, while bright white is between 4,500 to 5,000 K. Color rendering is measured on a scale of 1 to 100 and LEDs can score as high as 85. Light Intensity (aka "Brightness") Light intensity is measured in lumens.