LED bulbs have finally improved in quality and decreased in price, making it a practical decision to switch to LED lighting. Here are three important things to consider before purchasing LED bulbs: Lumens, Kelvin, and dimmer compatibility.
What is Lumen?
Lumens measure the brightness of a light. In the past, we referred to Watts for incandescent bulbs, but Watts are no longer as relevant with LEDs. The lower the Watts with maintained Lumens, the more energy-efficient the bulb, which is the key benefit of LEDs. For example, a 40W incandescent bulb provides about 450 lumens.
Dimming LED Bulbs
If you want to dim your LED bulb, it’s important to check the Watt rating of the LED to ensure compatibility with your dimmer. Dimmers work within a Watt range, such as 3-50W. If your LED bulb is 2.2W, the dimmer may not function properly. Additionally, not all LED bulbs are dimmable, but this is usually clearly indicated on the bulb's packaging.
What is Kelvin?
The color temperature of light is measured in Kelvin. A candle emits a warm glow at around 1000K, while an old incandescent bulb produces about 3000K. Warm light typically starts at 2700K and below, while color temperatures at 4000K and above are considered cool. For example, daylight has a cool color temperature of around 6000K. Our new LED bulbs have 2100K, giving off a beautiful light reminiscent of the warm glow of old carbon filament bulbs.