Buying Guide

The Lightexpert.co.uk Buying Guide

This is the buying guide from Lightexpert.co.uk. In our buying guide, we explain what to consider when purchasing an LED bulb and how to determine which LED bulb you are looking for.

Which LED Bulb Should I Buy?

It is well-known that LED bulbs offer many benefits, but which one should you actually purchase? With LED bulbs, as with energy-saving and halogen bulbs, there are various factors to consider such as fitting type, light output, and the kind of light emitted. Below, we explain the most common scenarios to help you make the right choice for your LED bulb.

I Want to Replace My Old Bulbs with LED Bulbs. Which LED Bulb Do I Need?

You want to replace your old energy-saving bulbs with LED bulbs, but what fitting should your new LED bulb have?

The most common fittings for light bulbs in general are the large (E27) and small (E14) screw fittings.

LED bulbs are called “retrofit,” which means that these LED bulbs fit into almost all of your old traditional fittings.

The fitting you need is indicated on the fitting of your old light. The equivalent, or replacement, is the exact same fitting in an LED bulb. Simply put, an E27 fitting energy-saving bulb can be replaced by an E27 fitting LED bulb.

How Do I Maintain the Same Light Output When Replacing My Old Bulb with an LED Bulb?

Previously, the light output of an incandescent bulb was indicated by its wattage. Since LED bulbs use much less wattage than incandescent bulbs, this is no longer possible. Now, we measure light output in Lumens, because the light output is expressed in Lumens. Wattage now only indicates the power consumption of the bulb and is mainly useful for calculating energy use.

But how do you know how many Lumens you need to maintain the same light output as your old 40-watt incandescent bulb? In the table below, you can see exactly how many Lumens old incandescent bulbs produced based on their wattage.

All you need to do now is search for the LED bulb with the number of Lumens that corresponds to the wattage of your old incandescent bulb!

Do You Want a Warm LED Bulb or a Cool White LED Bulb?

Of course, you should not only consider the amount of light produced. The type of light is also important. After all, you still want that cosy warm light for the kitchen and a bright white light in the bathroom. This choice is also available with LED bulbs. Here, you need to look at the number of Kelvin that a bulb produces.

For example:

A standard household bulb produces light at 3000 Kelvin. This is a standard white light. If you want a warmer light, you should look for a bulb that produces fewer Kelvins. This would be a bulb that produces between 2400-2700 Kelvin. If you're after a cooler white light, then a bulb producing around 4600-5000 Kelvin would be ideal.

If you have any questions about choosing a specific LED bulb, please contact our customer service team!