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- Why should I buy an LED bulb?
With rising energy costs, it is critical to improve your household’s energy efficiency. Around 9% of an average American’s household’s electrical usage is attributed to lighting. One of the easiest steps you can take toward greater energy efficiency can be done in a matter of seconds – change your old light bulbs to LED bulbs.
LEDs consume far less energy than incandescent, halogen, or compact fluorescent bulbs. You will save money and reduce carbon emissions – all from replacing a tiny light bulb!
- Where is it appropriate to use LED bulbs?
LED light bulbs are appropriate when you need powerful directional lighting. Presently, LED excels over other bulbs in spot and flood lighting applications. Track lighting, spot lighting, canister lights, and outdoor flood lights are currently the most appropriate places to use LED bulbs.
At the moment, if you need general radiant illumination, use energy saving compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs…but stay tuned for LED replacements of CFLs in the very near future!
- Are LEDs expensive?
The upfront costs are typically higher if you buy an LED light bulb, versus an incandescent or CFL light bulb. Think of it as an investment with a long-term guaranteed payoff.
Let’s look at how much money you’ll save over time with an LED light bulb.
Here’s a cost comparison of two MR16 bulbs - a 5-watt LED versus a 25-watt halogen.Light bulb type - MR16 base
Halogen (MR16)
LED MR16
# Watts
25
5
Life Span (hours)
2,000
50,000
# of Bulbs Used over LED life span
25
1
Avg Price/Bulb
$8.00
$44.00
Total bulb cost over LED life span
$200.00
$44.00
Electrical Usage (kWh) over life span
1,250
250
Cost/kWh
$0.10
$0.10
Total Cost of Electricity
$125.00
$25.00
Total Lifetime Cost
$325.00
$69.00
Total Lifetime Savings with one LED bulb
$256.00
Avg # of bulbs/household
12
12
Cost Savings/household
$3,072.00
- Where can I buy an LED bulb? How do I order?
You can purchase LED bulbs directly from our easy to use online store.
- Do you guarantee your product? What if I don’t like my item?
We offer a 90-day money back guarantee for our products. If you are not satisfied with your bulb, you can either exchange it or request a full money refund.
After the 90-day no questions asked period, your LED bulb is covered under a limited warranty. Please click for warranty details.
- What makes you different from other LED bulb companies?
We sell the best LEDs. How do we know? We are LED fanatics, so we have tested nearly every LED product on the market. Given our knowledge of LED lighting, we have developed products that we use in our own homes and office.
Our promise to you – We will only sell you products that we would use ourselves.
In all honesty, 95% of the LED products on the market are insufficient for lighting needs. A lot of companies make outlandish claims about their products. For example, there are several companies that promise their bulbs can replace lights for general radiant purposes. There is no such bulb yet…don’t believe the hype. Other companies sell worthless bulbs that really shouldn’t be used for anything other than nightlights.
You’ll notice that our product selection is smaller than many other LED sites. We’ve weeded through hundreds of LED bulbs, and we sell only the best. Because LED bulbs are not cheap, you should be able to buy a bulb with confidence, knowing that it will satisfy your needs. Our promise is to give you with that confidence.
- How much energy does an LED bulb use?
LED bulbs use significantly less energy than incandescent, halogen, or compact fluorescent bulbs. For example, a 5-watt MR16 bulb uses 1/5th of the energy versus a comparable 25-watt halogen bulb.
- Are LED bulbs good for the environment?
Yes. In fact, LED light bulbs are the most energy efficient light sources available on the market today. Given the superior energy efficiency and extremely low replacement needs, LED light bulbs offer a huge environmental advantage over incandescent or CFL light bulbs.
Here’s a CO2 emissions comparison of two MR16 bulbs, one a 5-watt LED, and the other a 25-watt halogen.
Carbon Output - MR16
Halogen (MR16)
LED MR16
kWh over lifetime
1,250
250
mWh over lifetime
1
0
Electrical Grid CO2 output factor (mT/mWh)
0.61
0.61
Total CO2 output over lifetime (metric tons - mT)
0.76
0.15
Total CO2 output over lifetime (lbs)
1,681
336
Total C02 savings with one LED bulb (mT)
0.61
Total C02 savings with one LED bulb (lbs)
1,345
- Do your LED bulbs contain mercury?
Our LED bulbs are mercury-free and meet the strict requirements of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (ROHS).
- Do LED bulbs work in regular light sockets and fixtures?
Yes. LED light bulbs will work in most standard light sockets and fixtures, such as Edison screw-in base and MR16 track lighting.
- Are LED bulbs easy to install?
Yes. Installing or changing an LED light bulb is like changing any other bulb, with the advantage that you’ll need to change it far less often!
- How bright are LED bulbs? What is the light quality of an LED bulb?
LED bulbs are bright enough for most applications where you need directional lighting. Examples of directional lighting include spot, track, and flood lighting.
The light quality of LED is terrific – equal to or better than conventional bulbs. Because there is no radiant glare, LEDs produce a cleaner light quality.
Most people discuss light brightness in terms of lumens. One important thing to understand is that color temperature is an important consideration alongside lumens. For example, a light bulb may have high lumens, but a low color temperature, resulting in poor color rendition. So, although a light is supposed to have a high light output, it’s low color temperature renders visible objects very poorly. A good experiment you can do is to observe a yellow-colored street light at night – the light gives off a lot of light (high lumen output), but it is still very difficult for your eyes to perceive objects.
Now, contrast this with a light bulb that may or may not have high lumen output, but has a higher (whiter) color temperature. In every case, even at a lower lumen output, a higher color temperature means that your eyes will better perceive objects and color. So, although LED light bulbs may have lower lumens than conventional bulbs, they compensate with their excellent color temperature. Especially true with outdoor lighting, a higher color temperature (whiter bulb) translates into better lighting.
- How is the lifetime of an LED bulb determined?
The lifetime of an LED bulb is determined by estimating the point in time when a light bulb emits 70% of its original lumen output. For example, an LED bulb with a rating of 50,000 hours and 300 lumens will emit approximately 210 lumens at the 50,000th hour of operation. Keep in mind that LEDs do not burn out, so the lifetime is potentially significantly longer than it’s rating. Your light will keep shining well after it’s rated lifetime.
- What are bulbs comparable to LED?
Here are some examples of bulb comparisons:
5-watt MR16 LED ~ 25-watt MR16 Halogen
5-watt E27 spot LED ~ 30-watt E27 spot Halogen
6-watt PAR38 LED ~ 50-watt PAR38 incandescent- Do LED bulbs give off heat?
LED light bulbs only give off ambient, room temperature heat around the LED itself. One reason LEDs are efficient is due to the low amount of heat around the LED diode junction. To accomplish this efficiency, heatsinks are required to draw heat away from the LED junction. The heatsink may get hot, so be careful not to touch it.
- What colors do LED bulbs come in?
LED bulbs are currently available in Warm White (2700 to 3500K), White (4000K), and Bright White (5000K +). These colors are identical to those you find with traditional light bulbs.
- What transformer can I use with MR16 LED bulbs?
You should use a transformer rated at 12V only. As a general good practice, please test your transformer’s voltage before using LED or any other light bulb. A transformer not operating at 12V will create bulb flicker and potentially ruin the bulb.
- Do your LEDs work with dimmers?
We do not recommend using our LED bulbs with dimmers, as it may diminish the lifetime of the bulb.