Replacing one old fashioned 60W to 100W incandescent lamp in your house with an LED lamp will save you $225 to $500 over the life of the lamp. Think about that: spending just a few extra dollars brings an exponential return of hundreds of dollars in electricity savings and replacement savings (LED’s last 50,000 hours vs 1500 hours for incandescent lamps). Moreover, replacing that one lamp will reduce oil consumption (or equivalent energy) by ½ to one barrel of oil. What’s better than saving money and the environment at the same time?
What about the quality of light? Today’s LED lights are much improved, but you still want to buy a light color that is pleasant. Most traditional bulbs are 2700K to 3000K (Kelvin = color temperature). The lower the Kelvin, the warmer the light. In the past most LEDs cast a bluish-white light. This is fine for outdoors, but less than pleasant inside. All LEDs should have information on their color temperature on the label. Look for Kelvin temperatures in the 2700K to 3000K range and a CRI of 80 or higher. This is less of a concern for outdoor lighting.
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As the graphic on the right demonstrates, a general purpose LED bulb that does not qualify for the ENERGY STAR may not distribute light everywhere and could prove to be a disappointment if used in a table lamp.
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