LED Lighting, Ultimate LED Guide

LEDs vs. Incandescent Lights

ultimate guide led lights incandescent bulbs

If you’re hesitant to make the switch to energy-efficient LEDs, you’re not alone. Thanks to advances in LED technology, you no longer have to sacrifice the familiar warm glow of a traditional incandescent bulb if you want to upgrade to efficient lighting. Today’s LEDs are capable of replicating the look and feel of an incandescent bulb without wasting excess energy. Not only do they take less energy to power, LEDs also last significantly longer, are more durable, and are just as cheap as a traditional bulb.

Use this chart to compare incandescents with LEDs:

A SINGLE 700-LUMEN LIGHT BULB OPERATING 8 HOURS/DAY

TypeLEDIncandescent
Watts10W60W
Life Span25,000+ hours1,000-2,000 hours
Initial Cost£2-15£2-6
Cost per Year£3.60£23.88
Dimmable
Light SourceDirectional lightAll-around light
Heat GenerationBeams emits no heatReleases 90% of its energy as heat radiation
DurableMore durable - no filamentEasier to break - fragile filament, glass bulb
CO2 Emissions per Year28.8 kg172.68 kg

SHOP FOR LED BULBS

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Find answers to all your questions about LEDs in the rest of our Ultimate Guide to LED Lights:

Part 1: What is an LED and How Do LEDs Work?
Part 2: Advantages of LEDs
Part 3: LEDs vs. Traditional Incandescent Lights  (you’re here!)
Part 4: Switching to LEDs in 5 Steps
Part 5: How to Buy LEDs
Part 6: History of LEDs
Part 7: Advanced Features

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About Nicky Walker

Nicola is a lighting specialist at The Lightbulb Company with a keen awareness of the important role lighting plays in our everyday lives. She enjoys discovering new ways in which lighting can affect science, mental health and of course, most of all, reduce our carbon footprints.