Like the nutrition labels splayed out on food products, lighting bulbs also showcase the comprehensive standards needed when exploring the best lighting option.
Brightness
Measured in lumens, this is the amount of light output projected by a bulb. The higher the number, the brighter the bulb. When reading the label, a brightness of 300 lumens means the amount of light from 300 candles illuminated together. To replace bulbs, also consider the lumens required for each wattage. A 40W needs at least 450 lumens, whereas 100W requires 1,600 lumens.
Light Appearance
Using Kelvin, the color temperature of light can be measured. If the scale reads 4,500K and up, the light output is bright and bluish called daylight. For yellow tint and candle-like glow, choose bulbs with warm white output that have color temperature of 2,700K and less. The color temperature depends on the user's personal preference. Typically, living rooms lighting is warm white to create an inviting atmosphere and kitchens use daylight color temperatures for visual clarity.
Estimated Yearly Energy Cost and Life
A 10W LED can replace a 60W incandescent bulb without any loss of light output, but the real catch of using LED over incandescent is the $10 savings for each bulb in the long run, given if it operates on an average of 11 cents per kilo-watt hour (kWh) annually. LEDs also have a life span of 25,000 hours which is equal to 25 incandescent bulbs.
Energy Used
Gone are the days, "The brighter the light, the higher the wattage." Advanced lighting technologies now enable consumers to choose bulbs according to their energy-consumption budgets. The 101.3 lumens/watt of LED is brighter and more cost-efficient than CFL's 61.1 lumens/watt and an incandescent's 12.6 lumens/watt.
